His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the convener of the Council of Churches, received today a parliamentary delegation from Wales, consisting of H.E. Mr. Darren Miller, Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Constitution and International Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Russell George, Shadow Minister for Health in the Parliament.

Attending the meeting were also Mr. Youssef Barakat, member of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, and Mr. Raed Hanania, Director of Public Relations and Media at the Committee.

His Beatitude informed the visiting parliamentary delegation of the challenges faced by Christians in the Holy Land, particularly in Jerusalem, and the impact of Israeli radicals and the declining numbers of Christians. Furthermore, His Beatitude addressed the attacks endured by religious figures and sacred sites at the hands of members of the Israeli radical groups.

His Beatitude and his guests emphasized the necessity of continued work, cooperation, and support for all initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of Christians in their homeland. In this context, the delegation visited Jaffa Gate area and Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Square, accompanied by representatives of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. A detailed explanation was provided to the parliamentarian guests regarding Israeli plans concerning this vital area, which serves as the pilgrim route and the main entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, main monasteries, and the Christian quarter of Jerusalem. The delegation also received an overview of attempts by Israeli radicals to gain control over the Petra and Imperial hotels.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to foster dialogue, promote understanding, and ensure the safeguarding of the Christian heritage in the Holy Land. His Beatitude expressed gratitude for the parliamentary delegation’s visit and their expressed dedication to supporting the preservation of Christian presence and cultural legacy in this sacred land.

Statement issued by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem on the occasion of the Hashemite Kingdom’s joyous royal wedding

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends its heartfelt congratulations and warmest wishes to His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah,the groom His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah, and the honorable bride, Miss Rajwa Al-Seif, on the occasion of their blessed wedding.

On this auspicious day, we humbly pray to the Almighty God to bless His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein and his bride, to safeguard and perpetuate their happiness and well-being, and to guide them on a blissful marital journey and a bright future filled with success and joy. May His Majesty and the noble Hashemite family, along with the Jordanian people, continue to experience happiness, prosperity, and success under the house of the Hashemites, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, the Custodian of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the Holy Land.

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem commends the spirit of unity and harmony embodied in this marriage, which strengthens the familial and cultural ties among the brotherly Arab nations. The participation of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the royal wedding ceremony is a reaffirmation of our pride and deep appreciation for the close and distinguished relationship we share with Jordan and its Hashemite leadership. It also signifies the continued collaboration and solidarity between the Church and the state in serving the community and promoting values of tolerance and justice.

Furthermore, we beseech God to preserve the stability of Jordan, to protect our wise leader, His Majesty King Abdullah II, and his royal family, and to bestow prosperity upon the Jordanian people.

At midday on Monday, May 2/15, 2023, His Eminence the Metropolitan Daniel of Caesariani, visited the Patriarchate together with a group of clergy from his diocese.

In the context of this visit, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos bestowed on His Eminence the Metropolitan of Caesariani the honorary distinction of the Superior Grand Commander of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, in recognition of his devoted ministry to the Church as a Hierarch and a Priest, at the Chief-secretariat of the Church of Greece, with the blessed Archbishop of Athens. Christodoulos, the charity and other diverse ministries of the Church of Greece, and his close cooperation and support for the Holy Places and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Moved, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Caesariani thanked His Beatitude and praised Him for the wise governing of the Church of Jerusalem for the benefit of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, the Christians of the Holy Land, and the unity in Christ of the Orthodox Churches.

From Secretariat-General

At 10:00 am on Monday, 2/15 May 2023, the funeral service of the blessed Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra was held at the monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, presided over by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the participation in prayer of the Hagiotaphite Hierarchs, His Eminence Metropolitan Epiphanios of Ledra from the Church of Cyprus, Hieromonks and local Priests. His memory was also honoured by the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate Archimandrite Dometianos and members of the faithful of Jerusalem and other cities.

The obituary was delivered by Geronda Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina as follows:

“Your Beatitude Father and Master,

Reverend Chorea of the Hierarchs,

Consul General of Greece,

Dear Fathers,

Dear Christians,

The departure to the Lord of our beloved and respected brother, His Eminence Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra, drew us from our earthly cares, brought us to contemplation, and invited us to his tabernacle, so that we may pray for the repose of his soul in the ascending course of his soul to heaven and the Throne of the Most High. Carrying out this human and ecclesiastical duty, our hearts are burdened by the sorrow of separation and we stand in awe before the mystery of death, which has found us. But after the hymn of the Church, we exclaim, “What is this mysterious thing about us, how did we surrender to corruption, how did we associate with death?” In order to overcome this embarrassment, the fact that our Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ, bearing our human nature and sharing it, shed tears at the tomb of his four-day dead friend Lazarus and raised him from the dead comes as a reinforcing tale.

Likewise, “born in agony” in the garden of Gethsemane, reflecting on the cup of death of Him, however, fulfilling the Father’s will, He willingly came to death and even to the Cross for our sake. Through His death, He trampled over death, defeated death, rose from the dead, and “gave us eternal life, that is, after our earthly tabernacle is removed, life after the saints and righteous in the land of the living. Sorrowing, nevertheless, “not like the rest who have no hope”, as the apostle of the nations says, but turning to our sorrow the hope in the Risen Lord, we send forward our brother, Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra, adding to our prayers, in consequence, the things of his life from his young age until today.                     

We remember that he was born in the commune of Magarikarion of Messara, district of Monofatsi, Heraklion, Crete, in the year 1936.

As soon as he graduated from the Elementary Education of his birthplace, he was on his way to the Holy Land. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he studied in the Priestly School of Saint Demetrius, like most of the Hagiotaphite Fathers. After graduating, he joined the Brotherhood as a monk and was ordained a Deacon, and served in various ministries. He was then sent to Halki’s Higher Theological School of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. After graduating from it, he returned to Jerusalem, was ordained a Priest, and was sent for further education to the Institute of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Geneva. After his return, he was appointed a member of the Holy and Sacred Synod, Archivist and Editor-in-Chief of the magazine “New Zion” and Head of the Patriarchal School. In 1976 he was elected and ordained Archbishop of Sebasteia and appointed Patriarchal Representative in Bethlehem. In 1991 he was promoted to the Metropolitan of Petra and was appointed President of the Ecclesiastical Court of First Instance serving in this position after consistently and accurately applying the rules of the Church and the written laws of the state. He was the Patriarchal Commissioner and Custodian of the Throne of Jerusalem in 2001 and 2005 contributing very much from this high position to the maintenance of the necessary ecclesiastical balance, stability, and peace in critical periods of the life of the Patriarchate and the Brotherhood.

In all the ministries assigned to him, he served with zeal and dedication, having as his guiding principle the interest of our Holy Common and the protection of the rights of the Patriarchate and our nation in the Holy Land.

We, therefore, beseech our merciful and gracious God, that he may show the good things of his works, forgive him whether he sinned voluntarily or involuntarily, and grant him the kingdom of God and eternal life in the enjoyment and rejoicing of the light of His face. So be it. Everlasting his remembrance.”

Escorted by His Eminence the Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, the departed to the Lord, dear and respected Hagiotaphite brother of ours, the blessed Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra, was buried at the cemetery of the Patriarchate on the hill of Zion.

Everlasting his remembrance!

From Secretariat-General

At midnight on Saturday, April 30/May 13, 2023, the blessed Metropolitan of Petra, Cornelius, passed away to the Lord at the age of eighty-five.

In the sorrow of the Lord, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, of which the deceased was an elected member for years, prays for his repose in the land of the living after the faithful and righteous.

His funeral service will be held tomorrow at 10 am. At the monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen and will be presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

Everlasting his remembrance.

From Secretariat-General

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem was honored to receive His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, this afternoon at the Patriarch’s Headquarters in the Old City of Jerusalem today. His Excellency was hosted by His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, as well as formally accompanied to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. His Beatitude also decorated the President with the Megalostavros which is the Great Cross of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.

Patriach Theophilos and H.E. Christodoulides engaged in a constructive discussion on various issues of mutual concern, with emphasis on the challenges facing Christians in the Holy Land.

In the course of their meeting, Patriarch Theophilos underscored the grave challenges confronting Christians in the Holy Land, especially those stemming from political instability, hate crimes and the persistent attempts by Israeli radical groups to illegitimately expropriate Christian cultural heritage and seize control of church properties as well as vandalize holy sites. The Patriarch emphasized the significance of upholding the “Status Quo” agreements, under the Custodianship of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, over Muslim and Christian Holy Sites.

H.E. Christodoulides provided an update on the political developments in Cyprus and the European Union as a whole. Both parties expressed their shared commitment to expanding cooperation in order to safeguard Christian heritage and presence in the Holy Land.

The encounter between the Patriarch and the Cyprian President represented a significant step forward in addressing the challenges that Christians face in the Holy Land especially in Jerusalem. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of Cyprus and other countries in protecting the “Status Quo” agreements and ensuring the welfare and safety of Christians in the region.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is steadfastly dedicated to promoting cooperation with different states, and remains committed to protecting and preserving Christian cultural heritage in the Holy Land.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is delighted to announce that His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III participated -as a guest- today at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Patriarch Theophilos was the only Orthodox head of church at the ceremony. The oil used in the coronation ceremony was consecrated by His Beatitude and then by His Grace the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, further cementing the historic ties between the Coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land.

The anointing oil utilized to anoint the King and Queen is derived from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, specifically two groves at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, which also houses the burial place of the King’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, as well as from the Monastery of the Ascension.

For centuries, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this hallowed city of Jerusalem, from ancient kings to the present day.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is honoured to have played a pivotal role in this historic moment, which marks the first coronation of a British monarch in the 21st century. The ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey in London, which has hosted coronations for over 900 years, since the coronation of William the Conqueror on 25 December 1066.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III expressed “we are deeply honoured to have contributed to this historic event and to have had the privilege of contributing to the anointing of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The use of oil from Jerusalem is a powerful symbol of the historic ties between Britain and the Holy Land, and we hope that this ceremony will serve to strengthen those ties for generations to come.”

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends its warmest wishes to King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a long and prosperous reign. We offer our prayers and blessings to both of them on this momentous day.

The statements issued by the Israeli police, yesterday and today, in regards to the Holy Light Ceremony, are incorrect. They are a complete misrepresentation of the facts and of our clearly stated position.

Attributing the restrictions, imposed by the Police on the Holy Light Ceremony, to the advice of a so-called church-affiliated safety engineer is categorically misguided and false. This engineer was not commissioned or authorised to produce any report on this matter. Furthermore, once these claimed opinion letters came to light, it quickly transpired that this engineer previously stated very different figures regarding safe worship at the Holy Light Ceremony, but he then changed his report upon request from the Israeli Police so that it was brought in line with their restrictions, and thereafter retrospectively re-affirmed previous figures yet again. This, unfortunately, proves a conflict of interest and lack of good faith professionalism on his part, and loss of confidence in his opinions. Such discrepancies and differences cannot serve as an authority on a matter as important as this.

Once the fact of him having produced such a claimed opinion was disclosed, the Patriarchate through it’s legal representatives, sent an official written notification on the 10 April 2023 to the Police rejecting any and all such opinions and any reliance on them.

With this clarified, we again reaffirm our official position through the two statements produced on 09 April and 12 April 2023. We look forward to celebrating the Holy Light Ceremony and the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with faithful worshipers and pilgrims from near and far, as we have safely done so for nearly two millennia.

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.