25.02.2018

We, the Heads of Churches in charge of the Holy Sepulchre and the Status Quo governing the various Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem – the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land and the Armenian Patriarchate – are following with great concern the systematic campaign against the Churches and the Christian community in the Holy Land, in flagrant violation of the existing Status Quo.

Recently, this systematic and offensive campaign has reached an unprecedented level as the Jerusalem Municipality issued scandalous collection notices and orders of seizure of Church assets, properties and bank accounts for alleged debts of punitive municipal taxes. A step that is contrary to the historic position of the Churches within the Holy City of Jerusalem and their relationship with the civil authorities. These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations which guarantee the rights and the privileges of the Churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem. The greatest victims in this are those impoverished families who will go without food and housing, as well as the children who will be unable to attend school.

The systematic campaign of abuse against Churches and Christians reaches now its peak as a discriminatory and racist bill that targets solely the properties of the Christian Community in the Holy Land is being promoted. This abhorrent bill is set to advance today in a meeting of a ministerial committee which if approved, would make the expropriation of the lands of Churches possible. This reminds us all of laws of a similar nature which were enacted against the Jews during dark periods in Europe.

This systematic and unprecedented attack against Christians in the Holy Land severely violates the most basic, ab antique and sovereign rights, trampling on the delicate fabric of relations between the Christian Community and the authorities for decades.

Therefore, and recalling the statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of Local Churches in Jerusalem, dated 14 February, 2018 and their previous statement of September 2017, as a measure of protest, we decided to take this unprecedented step of closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Together with all Heads of Churches in the Holy Land we stand united, firm and resolute in protecting our rights and our properties.

May the Holy Spirit answer our prayers and bring a resolution to this historic Crisis in our Holy City.

THEOPHILOS III          Patriarch of Jerusalem          

FRANCESCO PATTON       Custos of the Holy Land

NOURHAN MANNOUGIAN    Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem

It is announced that the historic Holy Monastery of St. John the Baptist in the Bethabara area, east of Jericho, on the west bank of the river Jordan will be reopened as an Orthodox Shrine of the Jerusalem Patriarchate from next Monday January 16/29, 2018.

According to the tradition of the Gospel and the Church, this area is thought to have been the exact baptism site of our Lord Jesus Christ by St. John the Forerunner and Baptist, as well as the crossing point of the river Jordan by the Israelites when they were led by Joshua and saved from their enemies. It is also believed that the cave where St. John the Baptist lived was preserved nearby during the first Christian years.

 The Holy Monastery of St. John the Baptist has been at this site since the time of St. Helen’s construction works in the Holy Land (325-335 A.D.); the Saint is traditionally considered to be the owner of the Monastery.

 The Monastery was destroyed and reconstructed several times throughout the centuries. At present, the Holy Monastery of St. John the Baptist is under successful renovation by the Patriarchate.

Visiting times are 9.00 a.m. to 15.00 p.m. daily in winter and 9.00 a.m. to 16.00 p.m. in the summer.

Contact telephone no: 00972 543158798

The Caretaker of the Monastery, Archimandrite Bartholomew

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From Sunday 16th/29th to Tuesday 18th/31st October 2017, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos participates as a guest at the “2^nd Athens International Conference on Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece. In this Conference, His Beatitude was escorted by Geronda Secretary-General Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archdeacon Mark and the Exarch in Athens Reverend Archimandrite Damianos.

Upon His Beatitude’s arrival at “Eleftherios Venizelos” Athens airport by El Al airways, He was welcomed by the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Athens Archimandrite Damianos and the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

On Monday morning, 17th/29th October 2017, His Excellency the President of Greek Democracy Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos declared the opening of the Conference, welcoming the members of the Conference and underlining that the conflict among civilizations may be dealt with and surmounted in the blessed country of Greece, where the spiritual values of democracy and civilization were conceived and born.

Man is the epicentre of civilization, the carrier of the Values of the human rights.

The address of His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem in this Conference is displayed in the link below:

https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2017/10/30/35549

From Secretariat-General

We would like to make the brotherly Orthodox Churches aware that Archimandrite Andrew Aleme, born in Nazareth, has received his official dismissal from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and does not belong to it any more.

From Secretariat-General

Last Wednesday night, 7th/20th September, unknown up to the present vandals attacked the Latin Monastery Beit Jimal near the town Beit Shemesh and seriously vandalized mosaic icons depicting events from the life of Christ and the martyrdom of the First Martyr and Archdeacon St. Stephen.

This Monastery has been the target of three similar acts of vandalism in the last four years.

The Jerusalem Patriarchate solemnly condemns this unacceptable act of vandalism as undermining the peaceful religious co-existence in the Holy Land, expresses its support to the Latin Patriarchate and asks the lawful arrest and punishment of the vandals.

From Secretariat-General

The Heads of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem, having completed their mission at their meeting on Friday 12th/25th August 2017, at the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate, under His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos have made an urgent appeal today 23rd August/5th September 2017, for the protection of the property of Christians, against the unjust decision of the Israeli Court, which gives effect on the illegal hiring contracts of the Jaffa Gate Hotels that belong to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate and against the proposed law of the 40 ministers in the Knesset which declines the right of the Christian Churches to manage their own properties.

The statement is as follows:

Joint Statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed…” Isaiah 1.17

 In July 2017, we, the heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, were compelled to issue a public statement of concern regarding breaches of the Status Quo that governs the Holy Sites and ensures the rights and privileges of the Churches. This Status Quo is universally recognised by both religious authorities and governments, and has always been upheld by the civil authorities of our region.

We now find ourselves united once again in condemning recent further encroachment on the Status Quo. In such matters as this, the Heads of the Churches are resolute and united in our opposition to any action by any authority or group that undermines those laws, agreements, and regulations that have ordered our life for centuries.

 There have been further actions that are a clear breach of the Status Quo. The judgement in the “Jaffa Gate” case against the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which we regard as unjust, as well as a proposed bill in the Knesset which is politically motivated that would restrict the rights of the Churches over our own property, are further assaults on the rights that the Status Quo has always guaranteed.

 We see in these actions a systematic attempt to undermine the integrity of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and to weaken the Christian presence. We affirm in the clearest possible terms that a vital, vibrant Christian community is an essential element in the make-up of our diverse society, and threats to the Christian community can only increase the troubling tensions that have emerged in these turbulent times.

Such attempts to undermine the Christian community of Jerusalem and the Holy Land do not affect one Church only; they affect us all, and they affect Christians and all people of good will around the world. We have always been faithful to our mission to ensure that Jerusalem and the Holy Sites are open to all, without distinction or discrimination, and we are unanimous in our support of the actions, including a High Court appeal, against the judgement in the “Jaffa Gate” case and in our opposition to any proposed law that would restrict the rights of the Churches over our properties.

 We therefore, as those to whom Divine Providence has entrusted the care of both the Holy Sites and the pastoral oversight of the living, indigenous Christian communities of the Holy Land, call upon our fellow Church leaders and faithful around the world, as well as the heads of governments, and all people of good will, to support us in order to ensure that no further attempts are made from any quarter to change the historical Status Quo and its provisions and spirit.

 We cannot stress strongly enough the very serious situation that this recent systematic assault on the Status Quo has had on the integrity of Jerusalem and on the well-being of the Christian communities of the Holy Land, as well as on the stability of our society.

 We, the Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, stand resolutely together in working for reconciliation and for a just and lasting peace in our region, and we ask God’s blessings on all the peoples of our beloved Holy Land.

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

 +Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

 +Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate

 +Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator, Latin Patriarchate

 +Fr. Francesco Patton, ofm, Custos of the Holy Land

 +Archbishop Anba Antonious, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem

 +Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate

 +Archbishop Aba Embakob, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate

 +Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarchate

 +Archbishop Mosa El-Hage, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate

 +Archbishop Suheil Dawani, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East

 +Bishop Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

 +Bishop Pierre Malki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

 +Msgr. Georges Dankaye’, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

(September 2017)

On Friday morning, 12th/25th August 2017, there was a Meeting of the Heads of the Christian Churches of Jerusalem at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem under His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

At this meeting, the Heads of the Christian Churches were concerned with the matter of the recent unjust decision of the Israeli Court which gave effect to the illegal hiring contracts of the Jaffa Gate Hotels, which belong to the Patriarchate, as well as the proposed law introduced by the Knesset regarding the properties of the Christian Churches and issued the statement in the link below:

 https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2017/08/25/34563

with the reservation to issue a more detailed statement in due course.

From Secretariat-General

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The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem met on Friday, August 25, 2017, to discuss pressing matters that the Christian Communities are facing in the Holy Land, and in Jerusalem in particular.

During their meeting, the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem discussed the recent development of the legal case of Jaffa Gate property, which belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. They refered to the proposed Knesset Bill regarding Church properties which, if passed, will have significant ramifications on our Christian presence in the Holy Land.

The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem will soon issue a public statement regarding these two issues.

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

From 26th March/8th April to 4th/17th April 2017

Lazarus Saturday

Patriarchal Vespers: 3:00 pm*

Palm Sunday

Patriarchal Divine Liturgy: 8:00 am*

Service of the Bridegroom: 6:15 pm*

Holy and Great Monday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 9:00 am

Service of the Bridegroom: 6:15 pm*

Holy and Great Tuesday

Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 9:00 am

Service of the Bridegroom: 6:15 pm*

 Holy and Great Wednesday
Pre-sanctified Liturgy at the Horrendous Golgotha: 9:00 am

Holy and Great Thursday

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at St. James Cathedral: 6:30 am

The Service of the Sacred Washing of the Disciples’ feet at the Holy Courtyard: 9:00 am

Holy and Great Friday

The Royal Hours at the Horrendous Golgotha: 10:45 am

Patriarchal Vespers: 3:00 pm*

The Epitaph Service: 11:00 pm

Holy and Great Saturday

The Service of the Holy Light: 1:00 pm

The Service of the Resurrection: 12:00 midnight

Easter Sunday

The Service of the second Resurrection: 1:00 pm

*The services marked with the asterisk will be broadcast live from the radio and tv stations of the Jerusalem Patriarchate website.

The Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate 

Archimandrite Bartholomew