THE FEAST OF THE CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

On Monday, 13/16 September 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On this day the Church as a whole, especially the Church of Jerusalem commemorates that after the construction of the Church of the Resurrection during the decade of AD 326-336, the consecration of the Church was held by Saint Helen. The service was officiated by the Archbishop Makarios of Jerusalem in the presence of many Bishops who had received the order by Emperor Constantine the Great, along with many Priests and thousands of laity who were gathered to see the Sacred Cross of the Lord being exalted. The crowds exclaimed in a loud voice “Lord have mercy” as the Cross was exalted at the four parts of the horizon for the sanctification of the people and all creation.

For this historic event which inaugurated the Roman-Byzantine period in Jerusalem, the Divine Liturgy was officiated at the Catholicon of the Church of the Resurrection by His Eminence Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, with the co-celebration of the Archimandrites, Klaudios, Dionysios, Nectarios, Anastasios and visiting Priests from Greece. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon, Mr Gotsopoulos and the Patriarchal School students.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Episcopal entourage visited His Beatitude at His office.

From Secretariat-General