LIEUTENANT GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS MR DIMOKRITOS ZERVAKIS VISITS THE PATRIARCHATE

On Ash Tuesday afternoon, 23 February /8 March 2022, the Lieutenant-General of the National Guard of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Dimokritos Zervakis visited the Patriarchate, accompanied by his collaborators, Lieutenant Colonel Foukkaris Lukas, Lieutenant Colonel Nikolaos Georgiou, Captain Mr Christos Matsentidis and Lieutenant Commander Mr Andreas Markos.

His Excellency the Lieutenant General and his collaborators were warmly received by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In this meeting, the participants expressed their joy for their return after their last visit in 2016, when His Beatitude told Mr Zervakis “you will return as a leader”, which actually happened. The joy of this visit was enhanced by the visit to Jerusalem which has been watered with Christ’s blood. Continuous prayers are offered from the Life-giving Tomb for the cessation of war and the comfort and strengthening of the needy, the refugees and all those who suffer in any way.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem incarnates the sacred history and when humanity does not accept the sacred history, it suffers calamities. The Patriarchate has a pastoral and reconciliatory mission. It testifies to the sacred history, the Old and the New Testament. Due to its bond with Cyprus, it prays especially for its liberation.

The Lieutenant-General asked His Beatitude’s prayer for strength to successfully complete his mission and departed for his pious visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where he was received by Geronda Sacristan, His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis.

On this visit, the Lieutenant General offered His Beatitude an icon of the Holy Trinity and the Theotokos and a plaque of the Ministry of Defence and fasting Turkish delights.

His Beatitude offered the visitor a silver painting of the Holy City of Jerusalem, an icon of the Theotokos of Jerusalem and of the Sacred Edicule and blessings for his collaborators.

From Secretariat-General