THE FOOT-WASHING CEREMONY AT THE PATRIARCHATE
On the morning of Thursday, the 27th of March/9th of April 2015, after the divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great at St James Cathedral, the ceremony of the washing of the feet began at 8:00 am (summer time 9:00) in the Holy Court.
The ceremony, unique to Orthodoxy, was led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who washed the feet of twelve Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, after the example of the Lord who was the first to demonstrate humility as a path to excellence. During the rite, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias read the Evangelical pericopes pertaining to the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet, as thousands of Orthodox faithful piously observed from the Holy Court, the rooftop of the Central Monastery, the roof of St James, of Abraham Monastery and the Dependency of Gethsemane.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Beatitude, priests and faithful walked to the Patriarchates where they were welcomed by Hagiotaphite Primates.
From the Secretariat-General
httpv://youtu.be/ffEnnwCrT2E