On Friday, the 16^th/29^th of August 2014, H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem decorated Consul Aspasia Mitsi in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, and Hagiotaphite Fathers. The ceremony took place at the Patriarchate. Mrs Mitsi was decorated on the occasion of the end of her tenure at the Greek Consulate General of Jerusalem, in recognition of her devoted and fruitful services to our nation, but also to the Patriarchate in its religious, cultural and peacemaking role in Jerusalem and the wider Middle East area.

Moved, Mrs Mitsi thanked His Beatitude and pledged to devotedly serve our nation and support the Patriarchate from her new post in Vienna.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/ETxtEfTIQ7I

On Monday, the 12^th/25^th of August 2014, H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem awarded the medal of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher to Mr Salam Fayyad, the former prime minister of the Palestinian Autonomy.

The title was conferred on Mr Fayyad in recognition of his cooperation with and support of the Patriarchate.

Extending his thanks, Mr Fayyad pledged to carry on the aforementioned cooperation to the mutual benefit of Patriarchate members and citizens of the Palestinian State.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/J2aB2W1FSpE

On Monday, the 5^th/18^th of August 2014, H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem conferred the honorary title of Crusader of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher to Mr Demetrios Makris, Managing Director of ISBS Hellas. The company is the technical support sponsor for the Patriarchate’s Web Division.

The decoration ceremony took place at the Hall of the Patriarchate in the presence of Mr Christos Nikolaou, General Manager of the Patriarchate’s Web Division, and Hagiotaphite Fathers, i.e. the Patriarchal Commissioner and the Elder Secretary-General.

Addressing Mr Makris, His Beatitude said that this honorary title is conferred on him in recognition and appreciation of his contribution to the Patriarchate’s online activities.

In his reply, Mr Makris assured His Beatitude that he will carry on with all his might, through means provided by the contemporary online technology, to support the Patriarchate so that it may maintain its religious, peacemaking, cultural and pastoral contribution to the Holy Land and beyond.

From the Secretariat-General

On the evening of Wednesday, the 3^rd/16^th of July 2014, H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem hosted an “Iftar”, namely a dinner on the conclusion of the Ramazan fasting period for Muslims.

The dinner was held at the Mövenpick Hotel in Ramallah, with both Muslims and Christians as guests. Its aim was to enhance the peaceful coexistence and cooperation between Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land.

Among others, guests included Mr Ziyad Baddak, Palestinian Autonomy Minister; Mr Adnan Husseini, Palestinian Ambassador to the Vatican; Mr Hanna Amire, Chairman of the Palestinian State’s Committee on Christian Affairs.

During dinner, the Patriarch of Jerusalem addressed guests in Arabic. See link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2014/07/18/6646

From the Secretariat-General

On Monday the 1^st/14^th of July 2014, a group of fifty pious pilgrims, headed by the Most Reverend Theocletus, Metropolitan of Florina, accompanied by the Protosyncellus, Archimandrite Justinus, visited the Patriarchate.

The Metropolitan, the Protosyncellus and accompanying pilgrims were warmly received by H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

Patriarch Theophilos talked to the guests on the educational and sanctifying power of the Holy Shrines, those silent witnesses of the incarnation, presence on earth and salvation work of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

On the occasion of the meeting, His Beatitude Theophilos conferred on the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Florina, Prespes and Eordaia, the honorary title of the Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher. The Very Reverend Protosyncellus, Archimandrite Justinus, was awarded the title of the Crusader Minor. Both were honoured for their love and support of the Patriarchate; fr Justinus was also honoured for his services to the Orthodox faithful across the world by means of his radio show at 4ε station.

On their turn, the Metropolitan and Protosyncellus thanked His Beatitude for this distinction and pledged to happily continue their actions in favour of the Holy Shrines, their Bishopric and of the Church as a whole. After receiving the Patriarch’s blessing, they carried on their pilgrimage tour.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/AdM1w1zQx1I?list=UUUJ0Grl082n5ebQS0hXtc7g

httpv://youtu.be/EbczezCX8O0?list=UUUJ0Grl082n5ebQS0hXtc7g

On Wednesday, the 19^th of June/3^rd of July 2014, the Most Reverend Eugenios, Metropolitan of Hierapytna and Sitia of the Church of Crete, heading a pilgrimage group consisting of a hundred priests and faithful of his god-saved Bishopric, visited the Patriarchate.

The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Hierapytna and pilgrims were courteously received by His Beatitude, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At the beginning of this visit, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Hierapytna expressed his joy, emotion and gratitude to God for yet another visit to the Holy Land, the holy shrines of which have been preserved through the centuries by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.

In His reply, His Beatitude thanked the Most Reverend Eugenios, Metropolitan of Hierapytna, for this pilgrimage initiative and explained to pious pilgrims the importance of their pilgrimage as an act of spiritual development which enhances their faith and greatly contributes to salvation.

His Beatitude went on to offer an engolpiyon [small icon worn on the chest] and cross to the Most Reverend Metropolitan, pectoral crosses to the priests, and Jerusalemite eulogias to pilgrims.

Amongst the pilgrims was the grey-haired Abbot of the “Axion Esti” Monastery of the Bishopric of Hierapytna, Archimandrite Anastasios, who offered a set of golden chalice, paten and coverings to be used during services at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/5VeZz5RSiGE

On Thursday the 6^th/19^th of June 2014, a meeting was held between the Presidents of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) at the Marriott Hotel in Amman.
At the meeting, the Orthodox Family was represented by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina; His Eminence Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, and the Hegoumen in Fhes, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Ieronymos.

The Roman Catholic Family was represented by the Patriarch of the Syrian Catholic Church in Antioch, Mr Ignatius Youssef III Younan; the Protestant Family by His Grace Munib Younan, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jerusalem. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was unable to attend the meeting due to other obligations and authorized his co-Presidents to decide in his name.

The main topic of the Meeting, which was convened and hosted by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem through the Council’s Locum Secretary-General, Mr Michel Jalakh, was to discuss and evaluate the current situation of the Middle East Council of Churches along general lines.

During their opening addresses, the Presidents of the Families underlined the significance of MECC’s work in terms of bringing out topics of concern to Christians in the Middle East and requirements for their coexistence with Muslims in these areas. Locum Secretary-General, Mr Michel Jalakh, thanked the Presidents for their support and presence at the Meeting, before informing them about the Council’s agenda on its fortieth anniversary.

The topics awaiting resolution are:

1. To overcome the financial and administrative problems the Council was recently faced with.
2. Transparency over the Council’s finances will strengthen the sponsors’ trust towards repeating their grants for the regulated operation of the Council, and their financial contribution to the needs of Christians in the Middle East.
3. Also underlined was the Council’s significance as the legal framework of the meeting between Christians in the Middle East and the urgent need to restore lost trust in it.

These topics were analyzed in Mr Jalakh’s report, which was praised and approved by the Presidents of the Council.

At noon, the Director of the Marriott Hotel hosted the Presidents and their retinues to lunch. Also invited were the Ambassadors of the European Union, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Libya, Morocco etc.

During lunch, His Beatitude Theophilos addressed those present in English, see link:  https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/06/19/7626

The Presidents reconvened after lunch until the evening hours of the same day.

The Statement released by the Presidents on the Meeting can be reached here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/06/19/7624

From the Secretariat-General

On Friday the 24^th of May/6^th of June 2014, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem conferred on the Most Reverend Metropolitan Ignatius of Larissa and Tyrnavo the honorary title of the Grand Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, for his genuine love and support of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, manifested mainly through pilgrimage tours to the Holy Shrines. Metropolitan Ignatius was in the Holy Land for purposes of veneration in the company of priests and a group of ninety pious pilgrims from his Bishopric.

Touched, Metropolitan Ignatius of Larissa thanked His Beatitude for the honorary distinction and promised to carry on his God-given contribution to the Holy Shrines and their guardians, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and the Mother of Churches.

On Friday the 24^th of May/6^th of June 2014, the Representative of Hungary to the Palestinian Autonomy in Ramallah, Mr Csaba Czibere was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the occasion of the conclusion of his diplomatic mission. Mr Czibere thanked His Beatitude for the collaboration between the Patriarchate and his country, Hungary, which the Patriarch visited two years ago in order to join the celebrations commemorating St Stephen.

In the context of this visit, His Beatitude conferred on Mr Csaba Czibere the title of the Grand Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, as a token of appreciation for his personal support to the Patriarchate, and for his country’s financial contribution to the restoration of the roof of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Mr Csaba Czibere extended his thanks and pledged to maintain his relation to the Patriarchate active, substantial and helpful, before offering the Patriarch a commemorative porcelain tray with a representation of his country.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/QNTdQiywWt0

On the morning of Tuesday the 14^th/27^th of May 2014, the Divine Cavern of Bethlehem was found damaged by fire. The damage was discovered by Orthodox Archimandrite f. Theophanes at 3:00 am of the aforementioned day, on his way towards Censing and the Matins Service.

Approaching from the south gate of the Cavern, Archimandrite Theophanes noticed heavy smoke and the power supply cut off. Once inside the Cavern, he found the curtains of the internal walls burnt, the walls themselves blackened with soot and two roof oil lamps lying on the ground, as the fire had burnt the rope they were hanging from. Also, the taper of the Armenians, on the marble before the Star, had been moved near the kerbside of the Holy Altar cover, over the Star.

The Archimandrite notified the Patriarchal Commissioner and Hegoumen in Bethlehem, His Eminence Archbishop Theophylaktos of Jordan, who arrived at the scene to verify the above.

Archbishop Theophylaktos went on to notify His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, then in Amman, Jordan. The Palestinian Police was also called and arrived in the morning, as well as the Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, His Eminence Demetrios, Archbishop of Lydda, in an effort to assess the situation and its causes.

The Patriarchate and the Palestinian Police investigate whether the fire was caused by technical failure or arson.

Bethlehem’s Hagiotaphite Fathers, in collaboration with the Patriarchate, have restored the damages, namely replaced the burnt wall hangings with new ones and cleaned the blackened walls. Their investigation into what caused the fire carries on.

In its own report, the Palestinian Police has ruled that the fire was caused by a short circuit.

At noon on Wednesday the 15^th/28^th of May, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem visited the Divine Cavern for further information and inspection, in the company of His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/4CPbLcIi56k