HIS BEATITUDE THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM OFFICIATES IN KANA, GALILEE
On Sunday, the 25th of April/8th of May 2016, the Sunday of Thomas, the Lord’s miracle of turning water into wine and blessing the wedding in Kana, Galilee, was celebrated in the aforementioned town as the first sign of His miraculous power.
At the Holy Monastery of St George the Trophy-Bearer, Patriarch Theophilos led the divine Liturgy, having as concelebrants: Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia, the hegumen in Kana, Archimandrite Chrysostomos, the hegumen in Tabor, Archimandrite Hilarion, the head of the Ay Labun Community, Archimandrite Sophronios, the former hegumen in Tiberias, f. Timotheos, and the current hegumen, Archimandrite Dionysios, Arabic-speaking Presbyters from the adjacent towns, the overseer of the Monastery in Capernaum, Monk Irinaios, Archdeacon Evlogios and Hierodeacon Markos. The Kana Choir sang in Arabic and Greek for a pious Orthodox flock from Kana, Galilee.
During Communion, Patriarch Theophilos preached the Word of God, saying among other things that our Lord Jesus Christ offered His blood as ransom and through His death He annulled the devil and “freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2, 14_15). “Thomas”, the Patriarch said, “Christ’s disciple, believed in Him as his Lord and God. We too owe to believe in Christ, not as a man who became God, but as God who became a man, according to the words of the Evangelist John: “And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1, 14).
The divine Liturgy was followed by a procession thrice around St George Church, the blessing of Kana wine and the reading of the pericope from the gospel according to John for the turning of the water into wine.
A reception was then hosted in the forecourt, with a performance by the Catechizing Schools of Kana, and lunch at noon, courtesy of the hegumen.
On the conclusion of the feast, His Beatitude visited a family in Kana to offer His condolences on the death of one of their members. The Patriarch also visited the Director of the magazine “Light of Christ”, Mr Abu-Elias Ksheboun, and other families in Kana.
From the Secretariat-General
httpv://youtu.be/UT-aisd1UBg
httpv://youtu.be/P4LS5sIpxXc