THE PROCESSION OF THE DORMITION ICON BACK TO THE METOCHION OF GETHSEMANE

On Sunday 23 August / 5 September 2021 the Dormition Icon of the Theotokos was returned to the Metochion of Gethsemane in a Procession from the Shrine of Theotokos’ Tomb, with the completion of nine days after the Feast of Dormition.

For this feast, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Gethsemane by the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew and the Ministering Priests of the Shrine.

Then the Procession began from Gethsemane towards the Patriarchate, passing through the Holy Monasteries of Saint Stephen, Saint Ann, and the Praetorion, then Saint Charalambos and Sayda Naya, as the troparia of the Dormition were chanted and the faithful on either side of the road venerated the Icon in reverence.

At the crossing between the Christian Road and the Patriarchate Headquarters, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the other Hagiotaphite Fathers were waiting to venerate the Icon.

Finally, carrying the Icon before his chest all the way, His Eminence Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela continued the Procession with the Monks, Nuns and the people to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where after a short prayer, he placed the Icon back to its place in the Metochion of Gethsemane. The Icon will be kept there until the feast of the Dormition next year.

From Secretariat-General