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A STATEMENT BY THE JERUSALEM PATRIARCHATE ON THE OCCASION OF PALM SUNDAY, HOLY WEEK AND SATURDAY OF THE HOLY LIGHT

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On the occasion of the glorious Palm Sunday and the Holy Week, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends its greetings to the Orthodox communities and to the people of the world in general. The Patriarchate hopes and prays that peace and security will come to the Holy Land and the entire world in those holy great days.

On this glorious occasion, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem calls for the largest participation in the ceremonies of the Holy Week and Saturday of the Holy light in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the first destination for believers from all over the world during the Holy Week and the Feast of Resurrection.

His Beatitude expresses his wishes and expectations that all believers would be able to exercise their natural God-given right to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, especially on Saturday of the Holy Light, and to worship freely and safely without restrictions, as was the case for 2000 years, for this Holy Saturday is one of the holiest days marked in the annual calendar of the Orthodox Church. It is a symbol of new life and joy in the resurrection, especially in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Here we note, as indicated by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, with the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, on several occasions and through the Council’s statements, that worship and access to holy places is a right guaranteed by religious and worldly laws, This was also confirmed by His Beatitude during his meeting with a number of heads of state and other high-ranking public figures, and accordingly His Beatitude asks the existing authorities to respect the sanctity of this Holy Week, especially on Holy Saturday, when believers come from all over the world to receive the blessings of the Holy Light coming from the Holy Tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In these blessed days, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate stresses the importance of establishing the values ​​of love, tolerance, and cooperation among human beings, and urges everyone to work in the spirit of unity and cooperation in order to build more prosperous and advanced societies. The Patriarchate, represented by His Beatitude the Patriarch, members of the Holy Synod and members of the Brotherhood of thr Holy Sepulchre, extend to all the people of the Orthodox Church and all of humanity, wishes for health, wellness and a happy life, and may the Holy Land enjoy justice, love, and security, and the world enjoys peace, security, and stability.



TIMETABLE FOR THE HOLY WEEK AT THE MONASTIC CHURCH OF SAINTS CONSTANTINE & HELEN

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 From April 8 to April 17, 2023

 Palm Sunday;

Matins and Divine Liturgy of St Chrysostom at 5.00

Vespers at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

Holy and Great Monday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Great Compline at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

Holy and Great Tuesday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Great Compline at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

 Holy and Great Wednesday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Small Compline – Holy Unction at 17:00 

Holy and Great Thursday;

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 04:30 

Service of the Passion at 18:15 

 Holy and Great Friday;

Royal Hours at 08.00 

Service of the Epitaph at 18:30 

Holy and Great Saturday;

The Hours and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 08:00 

Holy Pascha;

Matins & D. Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at 0:40 am – after midnight

 Monday, after the Day of Pascha;

 Divine Liturgy at 08:00 

 

The Typikon Keeper of the Monastic Church

Archimandrite Alexios

 

 

 



TIMETABLE OF SERVICES AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE ON THE HOLY WEEK

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From  April 8, to April 16, 2023

Lazarus Saturday

Patriarchal Vespers: 15:00

Palm Sunday

Patriarchal Divine Liturgy: 08:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

Holy and Great Monday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

Holy and Great Tuesday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

 Holy and Great Wednesday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Holy and Great Thursday

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at St. James Cathedral: 06:30

The Service of the Sacred Washing of the Disciples’ feet at the Holy Courtyard: 09:00

The Service of the Passion 18.15

Holy and Great Friday

The Royal Hours at the Horrendous Golgotha: 10:00 am

Patriarchal Vespers: 15:00

The Epitaph Service: 21:00

Holy and Great Saturday

The Service of the Holy Light: 13:00

The Service of the Resurrection: 12:00 midnight

Easter Sunday

The Service of the Second Resurrection: 13:00

 

The Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate

Archimandrite Bartholomew



THE FORMER PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM EIRINAIOS HAS SLEPT IN THE LORD

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The Hagiotaphite Brotherhood announces, after sorrow, not the Lord’s sorrow, the departure into heaven of its member and former Patriarch of Jerusalem, blessed Mr Irenaios.

The departed to the Lord breathed his last after a long illness in the “Errikos Dunan” Hospital in Athens on the morning of December 28, 2022 / January 10, 2023.

For the repose of his soul in the land of the living, a Trisayon was held on the morning at the Horrendous Golgotha and the memorial services established for its members will be held by the Brotherhood

May his remembrance be ever-lasting.

From Secretariat-General



THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM CONDEMNS THE ISRAELI POLICE AGGRESSION ON HOLY FIRE SATURDAY

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23.04.2022

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the practices of the Israeli police in the Old City of Jerusalem during the Holy Fire Saturday celebrations.

The Patriarchate said in a statement that the police, deprived thousands of Christians of their natural right to worship freely, through military checkpoints it had deployed in the vicinity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the form of security cordons, all the way from the gates of the old city leading to the church. These barriers prevented worshipers and those celebrating the feast from reaching the church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Patriarchate also affirmed its complete rejection of the violence practiced by the police against worshipers and the unethical behavior conducted by Police personnel at the checkpoints, especially those located in the vicinity of the Patriarchate headquarters and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Patriarchate reiterated its complete rejection of the restrictions that the Israeli police is attempting to impose through courts or negotiations, as the Patriarchate stressed that it will not succumb to pressure from the police or any other party regarding the number of worshipers in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and its vicinity. Furthermore, the Patriarchate expressed its refusal to surrender to a numerical limit to worshipers allowed into the church because this constitutes complicity in regards to the crime of depriving worshipers from access to their places of worship.

 



STATEMENT BY THE JERUSALEM PATRIARCHATE REJECTING THE PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON THE HOLY FIRE CEREMONIES

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2022.04.21

 

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem officially informed the Israeli police yesterday through a letter addressed to its District Commander it’s rejection of any restrictions on the number of celebrants on Holy Fire Saturday inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, its courtyard, its surroundings, its roof, or the entrances leading to it. The letter was signed by the Secretary General of the Patriarchate, Archbishop Aristarchus, in which he refuted the police’s arguments for placing restrictions on the number of worshipers and limiting them to 1,700. The Patriarchate rejected this offer on principled grounds that it doesn’t accept any infringement to the right to freedom of worship.

The letter stated that the number of worshippers in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher annually on Holy Fire Saturday ranges between ten thousand and eleven thousand people, which is the normal capacity of the church. The letter argued that over the past years there has not been any incident that endangered the safety of worshipers, so the police’s argument that restricting the number of worshippers due to “public safety” concerns lacks any logical basis. The Patriarchate asked in its letter: If the pretext of public safety is a reason for reducing the number of worshipers inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, then why are there restrictions on in its courtyard, rooftop, adjacent neighborhoods, or even the entrances to the Old City? Especially at the main entrances to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Christian Quarter.

The patriarch made it clear that it will proceed as usual with its normal procedures related to Holy Fire Saturday and that it will issue invitations as it deems appropriate and without any limits. It also confirmed that all priests will in the Patriarch’s procession will not carry any badges, as the patriarchate affirmed the right of all worshipers to access The Church of the sepulcher, especially the participants in the morning prayer at the adjacent Church of St. Jacob, without any obstacles.

In the letter, the Patriarchate demanded the police not to put up barriers in the alleys of the Old City, as they impede the access of worshipers and priests from different monasteries to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Furthermore the Patriarchate demanded the police facilitation to freely transfer the Holy Light to the airport in order to transport it to different parts of the world, as is the custom on this important holiday, which is at the heart of the Christian faith.



TIMETABLE FOR THE HOLY WEEK AT THE MONASTIC CHURCH OF SAINTS CONSTANTINE & HELEN

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From April16 to April 24, 2022

 Palm Sunday;

Matins and Divine Liturgy of St Chrysostom at 5.00

Vespers at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

Holy and Great Monday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Great Compline at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

Holy and Great Tuesday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Great Compline at 15:30 

Service of the Bridegroom at 18:15 

 Holy and Great Wednesday;

The Hours and the Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 06.30 

Small Compline – Holy Unction at 17:00 

Holy and Great Thursday;

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 04:30 

Service of the Passion at 18:15 

 Holy and Great Friday;

Royal Hours at 08.00 

Service of the Epitaph at 18:30 

Holy and Great Saturday;

The Hours and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 08:00 

Holy Pascha;

Matins & D. Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at 0:40 am – after midnight

 Monday, after the Day of Pascha;

 Divine Liturgy at 08:00 

 

The Typikon Keeper of the Monastic Church

Archimandrite Alexios

 

 



TIMETABLE OF SERVICES AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE ON THE HOLY WEEK

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From April 16, to April 24, 2022

 

Lazarus Saturday

Patriarchal Vespers: 15:00

Palm Sunday

Patriarchal Divine Liturgy: 08:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

Holy and Great Monday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

Holy and Great Tuesday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Service of the Bridegroom: 18:15

 Holy and Great Wednesday
Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 09:00

Holy and Great Thursday

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at St. James Cathedral: 06:30

The Service of the Sacred Washing of the Disciples’ feet at the Holy Courtyard: 09:00

The Service of the Passion 18.15

Holy and Great Friday

The Royal Hours at the Horrendous Golgotha: 10:00 am

Patriarchal Vespers: 15:00

The Epitaph Service: 21:00

Holy and Great Saturday

The Service of the Holy Light: 13:00

The Service of the Resurrection: 12:00 midnight

Easter Sunday

The Service of the second Resurrection: 13:00

 

The Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate 

Archimandrite Bartholomew

 

 



STATEMENT BY THE ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM FOR EASTER 2022 

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Jerusalem 4.11.2022
 

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem congratulates its congregations and all the people of the Holy Land on both sides of the Jordan River for the occasion of Easter and Saturday of the Holy Light, and at the same time we affirm our strong and renewed commitment to our natural right to celebrate our holidays along with our communities, families and to participate together in prayers at our churches in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the basic right of all our communities to access the Church of Holy Sepulchre and its vicinity during Easter festivities including Holy Light Saturday. Our communities have been exercising this divine right freely throughout the ages and different rulers, regardless of the circumstances that the Holy City went through in history.

For many years, participating in prayers and even having access to churches in the Old City, especially during Easter holidays, has become very difficult for our congregations and our people in general, due to police unilaterally enforced restrictions and its violence against believers who insist on exercising their natural divine right to worship. Previously, we had cooperated with different Christian bodies and leaders to bring our case to the international, domestic and judicial levels, and we also coordinated with the police themselves, with the aim of preventing the police from continuing their unacceptable practices, but unfortunately the promises were great and what actually took place on the ground was not even remotely close to those promises.

Instead of reversing its habitual unacceptable practices on Easter and Holy Fire Saturday, the police have recently informed the Patriarchate of additional new unilateral measures that increase restrictions on Holy Fire Saturday, to the effect that the police will only allow one thousand people to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on this great day, although it is customary to many thousands of worshippers to enter the church in celebration on that day. Furthermore, the police said that they will allow only five hundred people to enter the Old City and reach the Patriarchate yards and the overlooking roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church. The Patriarchate believes that there is no justification for these additional unjust restrictions, and affirms its explicit, clear and complete rejection of all restrictions. The Patriarchate is fed up with police restrictions on freedom to worship and with its unacceptable methods of dealing with the God given rights of Christians to practice rituals and have to access their holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Accordingly, the orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem has decided, by the power of the Lord, that it will not compromise its right to provide spiritual services in all churches and squares. It also announces that prayers will be held as usual by the Patriarchate and its priests, hoping that believers are able to participate. This position of the Patriarchate stems from the basis of divine right, heritage and history. The police must stop imposing restrictions and violence that, unfortunately, have become part of our sacred ceremonies. We also urge our congregations to uphold our historical heritage through participating in the rituals and celebrations of Easter and Holy Fire Saturday this year in the Church of Holy Sepulchre and its vicinity.

 


AN APPEAL FOR PRAYER BY THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM HIS BEATITUDE THEOPHILOS III

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Appeal for prayer