THE FEAST OF ST JOHN THE NEW CHOSEBITE AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Wednesday, the 28^th of July/10^th of August 2016, the Patriarchate commemorated the Dormition of St John the New Chosebite, of Romania, whose canonization had been decided by the Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The vigil and Divine Liturgy for the feast were led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, having as concelebrants Metropolitans Isychios of Kapitolias and Joachim of Zambia, and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks. Monks from the Monastery sang for a congregation of monks, nuns and pilgrims from Jerusalem and elsewhere.

Upon the Patriarch’s arrival, the hegumen, Archimandrite Constantinos, addressed Him by commemorating St John the New Chosebite, who had led a spiritual life at the Lavra of Chozeba and then the skete of St Anna, providing an exemplum of monastic, cenobitic and hermetic exercise. “The enlightening and life-giving Grace of the All-holy Spirit that dwells richly in the Orthodox Church and clearly at the Very Old Patriarchate of Jerusalem”, said the hegumen, “keeps revealing, through the centuries, new saints, the saint we honour today being amongst them. This fact demonstrates that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, safeguarding the Tradition of the Orthodox Church, regenerates and reshapes the souls of those joining the monastic community at the Monasteries and Sketes of the Holy Land”, Archimandrite Constantinos remarked.

Patriarch Theophilos went on to preach the Word of God to the pious congregation, referring to the aroma exuded from the relic of St John the New Chozebite that verifies Paul’s words: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life” (2 Corinthians, 2, 14-16). “An emulator of St Paul, Hosios John”, said the Patriarch, “never ceased to preach Christ, the Crucified and Resurrected Saviour of the World in both word and deed”. “In St John’s unperishable and scented relics, we shall see the resurrection of God’s righteous in our Lord Jesus Christ. We feel the scent, the taste of God’s eternal kingdom”, said Patriarch Theophilos.

On the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Constantinos hosted the Patriarchal Entourage and the congregation to lunch.

From the Secretariat-General