SCHEDULE

20 MAY, WEDNESDAY.

18:30 RECEPTION OF THE HOLY STONE FROM THE SHRINE OF THE LORD’S ASCENSION, ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, JERUSALEM

PRELATIC CHOROSTASIA AT PANEGYRIC VESPERS

21 MAY, THRUSDAY.

06:30 MATINS SERVICE.

07:45 PRELATIC JOINT LITURGY, LED BY HIS EMINENCE ISYCHIOS, METROPOLITAN OF KAPITOLIAS, PATRIARCHAL COMMISSIONER.

19:30 MUSIC CONCERT FEATURING “ROMIOSYNI” GROUP OF PARALIMNI (TO ATTEND, PLEASE REGISTER AT: 22670626 & 99278555 & 99375979)

(FREE ENTRANCE)

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE EXARCHATE OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD.

FROM THE EXARCHATE’S ADMINISTRATION

On the afternoon of Thursday, the 1^st/14^th of May 2015, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem visited the ancient, beautiful town of Taybeh, adjacent to Ramallah. He was accompanied by Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archimandrite Ieronymos, Head of the Patriarchate’s Schools in Israel, and Protopresbyter Issa Mousleh, the Patriarchate’s Arabic-speaking Media Liaison.

The purpose of the visit was for the Patriarch to confer graduation titles on students attending the school of the Community, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Patriarch Theophilos was welcomed by the School Principal, Ms Ampir Houri, teachers, students and parents.

The graduation ceremony began with the parade of 21 graduates in front of His Beatitude, one-minute silence observed in honour of the Palestinian fallen, and the singing of the Palestinian National Anthem.

The School Principal addressed guests, while two of the graduates spoke in Arabic and English. A performance of traditional Palestinian dances followed.

His Beatitude’s address was read in Arabic by f. Issa Mousleh.

On the conclusion of addresses, Patriarch Theophilos conferred the titles on the graduates, wishing them the best for their studies and professional career.

Students, teachers and parents alike extended their thanks to His Beatitude for honouring them with His presence and also for the Patriarchate’s economic aid to the School.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/HuwGx6g41hM

On Wednesday, the 30th of April/13th of May 2015, the Most Reverend Ignatius, Metropolitan of Demetrias and Almyros, visited the Patriarchate, accompanying Kallinikos, former Metropolitan of Piraeus.

The distinguished guests were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

The Elder Metropolitan Kallinikos expressed joy and emotion at visiting the Holy Sepulcher and the Patriarchate once more, remembering his earlier years-long pilgrimage in the Holy Land.

In recognition of his services to the Church and his support of the Holy Shrines and the Patriarchate, Patriarch Theophilos bestowed upon Kallinikos, former Metropolitan of Piraeus, the medal of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

Moved, the former Metropolitan thanked His Beatitude for this honorary distinction and pledged to pray for the Church of Jerusalem and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood until the end of his life.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/wtGweYYJNY0

On Monday, the 21^st of April/3^rd of May 2015, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem bestowed the title of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher on the former Ambassador of Greece to Israel, Mr Kyriakos Lukakis, in recognition of his service to our nation and his support of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem during his tenure as Ambassador.

Moved, His Excellency the Ambassador extended profound thanks to His Beatitude, pledging to carry on serving the best interests of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in the Holy Land from his current position as Ambassador in Turkey.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/vOgtfad88BY

On Friday the 18^th of April/1^st of May 2015, a group of some twenty pilgrims, female students at a Ukrainian Music School, visited the Patriarchate. They were accompanied by the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, Ms Rula Maya, and the Patriarchate’s Arab-speaking liaison, f. Issa Mousleh.

The students performed traditional Ukrainian songs and offered His Beatitude traditional craftworks, namely pieces of embroidery, and a book with their own music compositions.

Patriarch Theophilos welcomed the students to the Patriarchate, blessing their pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines, and praising them for their artistic performances.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/GlugDRrPjhY

On the evening of Friday the 11^th/24^th of April 2015, a concert was given by the student choir of the Alimos Music School at Prophet Elias Monastery. The choir performed under the direction of Music Teacher, Ms Ioanna Angelou, in the context of the “In search of sounds on the Holy Land and beyond the Jordan” programme.

The event was hosted by Archimandrite Paisios, Hegoumen of the Monastery, whereas several parishioners of St James Cathedral were in attendance.

The concert began upon the arrival of the Patriarch.

Offering a fine performance of songs, the choir profoundly moved the audience and provided a link between them and our traditional folk music.

Archimandrite Aristovoulos, Head Cantor at the Church of the Resurrection, and the Greek Community of New Jerusalem had worked with the Alimos Music School for the success of the concert.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/yuZgawHfwbQ

On Easter Friday, the 4^th/17^th of April 2015, the Most Reverend Isaiah, Metropolitan of Tamassos and Oreini, accompanied by the Exarch of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Bostroi, visited the Patriarchate. They were heading a group of approximately fifty pilgrims from Cyprus.

The Primates and guests were received by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in the presence of the Patriarchal Commissioner, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, and the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina.

In the context of this visit, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Tamassos offered His Beatitude a carved-wooden icon of Theotokos and a carved box resembling a reliquary, as a token of their piety and love for the Patriarchate and the All-holy Shrines.

His Beatitude welcomed the Metropolitans of Tamassos and Bostroi, and the pilgrims, by pointing out how blessed they were to visit the Holy Land, Jerusalem in particular, that had been drenched with the blood of Christ and which carried within its soil the tomb wherein the Lord had been buried and on which He was resurrected.

The Patriarch spoke especially of the significance of the Exarchate of the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus.

He went on to praise the interest of the Metropolitan of Tamassos in the Patriarchate, manifested in putting up members of the Patriarchal congregation in camps of his Metropolis, and in organizing pilgrimage tours in the Holy Land. In recognition of his contribution, the Patriarch bestowed on Metropolitan Isaiah the honorary title of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

Moved, the Metropolitan of Tamassos thanked His Beatitude for the honor and pledged to carry on supporting the Shrines and their guardian, the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

For his part, the Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Bostroi, underlined the help he had received from Metropolitan Isaiah during the founding of the Exarchate and afterwards.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/wsQGgLEMct8

On the morning of Easter Thursday, the 3^rd/16^th of April 2015, the B’nai B’rith Organisation and Keren Kayemet Le – Israel hosted an event in the memory of World War II Jewish victims of Nazism in Greece, mainly Volos. The event was also held in honour of rabbi Pesah of Volos who, in collaboration with the then Metropolitan of Demetrias, Joachim Alexopoulos, the Mayor of Volos, and Greek rebels, helped approximately 1,000 Jewish citizens flee the town and find refuge in Greek families in the countryside. Of the Jewish residents in Volos, 85% survived the war to return to their hometown. 

The event took place in a vast forest where 6.000.000 trees have been planted, as many the Jewish victims of Nazism. It was attended by representatives of the B’nai B’rith, Mr Haim Katz of Keren Kayemet, Mr Efi Stenzler, grandson of rabbi Pesah, the President of Jewish Communities in Greece, Mr Moses Constantinis, and the Greek Ambassador to Israel, Mr Spyridon Lamprides.

In the addresses heard at the event, special reference was made to the harmonious coexistence of Greek Jews with the rest of the Greeks in Greece, especially Volos, and the contribution of the Greek nation to the rescue of Greek Jews from Nazi mania.

Patriarch Theophilos was the first to speak at the ceremony, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/16/13879

The event ended with the reading of the names of children victims from Volos, and a performance of the Israeli National Anthem.

From the Secretariat-General

On the morning of Easter Tuesday, the 1^st/14^th of April 2015, the President of Israel, Mr Reuven Rivlin, visited the Patriarchate.

His Excellency the President was welcomed at the Hall of the Throne by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers and the Leaders of Christian Churches in Jerusalem, as Archimandrite Aristovoulos with his assistants sang “Let’s rejoice on this Day of the Resurrection”.

On behalf of all, His Beatitude addressed the Israeli President in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/14/13615

The Patriarch went on to offer Mr Rivlin a silver seven-branch lampstand in commemoration of their meeting.

His Excellency the President was also addressed by the other Leaders of Christian Churches in Jerusalem.

In his reply speech, the President of Israel spoke in English (https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/14/13610) whilst offering the Patriarch a replica of a very old coin.

The Israeli President was accompanied by associates of his and the representatives of the Department of Christian Affairs at Israel’s Religions Ministry, Messrs. Salameh Yacoub and Cezar Margiye.  

From the Secretariat-General

On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 12^th/25^th of March 2015, the anniversary of the Greek Independence Day, namely the 25^th of March 1821, was celebrated at the Patriarchal Hieratical School of the Patriarchate, on the hill of St Sion.

The celebration was attended by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem. His Beatitude was accompanied by the Patriarchal Commissioner, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias; the Elder Secretary General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Elder Sacristan and President of the School Board, Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, members of the Greek Parish of Jerusalem, Hagiotaphite Fathers and nuns.

The ceremony included the day’s panegyric speech by the Principal, f. Nikolaos Zervis, recitation of poems, a play and patriotic songs.

Poems and songs alike showcased the sufferings of the Greek nation – persecutions, deprivation of religion and other freedoms, decapitations, seizure of ownership – and its resilience with the aid of the Church, the Great Teachers of the Greek People and the Secret School. The Fathers of the Nation, Germanus, Bishop of Old Patras, Kolokotronis, Karaiskakis, Papaflessas, Kanaris and other fighters sacrificed all they had for the freedom of the Greek race. After eight years of relentless struggling, freedom was achieved by God’s help, and the establishment of the new Greek State followed in 1832.

Before the end of the ceremony, both the Patriarch and the Greek Consul-General congratulated the Principal, teachers and students at the School for a successful celebration of the Greek national day.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/80f2-hdaORk