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THE FEAST OF THE PROPHET ELISHA AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Tuesday, June 14/27, 2023, the feast of the prophet Elisha was celebrated by the Patriarchate. This feast was celebrated in the Holy Monastery named after him in Jericho, in the area where there is also the sycamore tree of Zacchaeus.

During this feast, the Church commemorates that the prophet Elisha was descended from the village of Abel – Meul and was a farmer by profession. God sent the prophet Elijah to him and anointed him as a prophet. Then the prophet Elisha slaughtered his twelve pairs of oxen with which he was working and offered a feast to the people and followed the prophet Elijah.

God anointed Elisha as a prophet and graced him with the power of many miracles, which are mentioned mainly in the books of Kings of the Old Testament.

Through his prayer, the prophet Elisha turned the bitter and dangerous waters of the spring of Jericho into sweet. He also healed Naaman the Syrian from leprosy, resurrected the son of the Shunammite woman, and made his servant Jezi a leper because of his avarice.

Saint Elisha followed his teacher, the prophet Elijah, until the end when the prophet Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire into the heavens and threw his fleece down to Elisha, on which he stepped and crossed the Jordan River.

In honour of the prophet Elisha, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos led the Divine Liturgy in the above-mentioned Church, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, the Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and the Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks, among whom the Reverend Archimadrites, Ignatios, Hegoumen of Beit Jala, Claudius, Onuphrius and Kyriakos, Fr Stavros Aranki and Fr Youssef Hodali and others, Archdeacon Mark and the Hierodeacon Dositheos. The service was attended by Jericho believers and pilgrims.

Before the Holy Communion, His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon:

“Take as an example, my brothers, the long-suffering and long-suffering of the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord”, (James 5:10) Saint James the Brother of God orders.

Beloved brothers in Christ,

Reverend Christians and pilgrims,

The grace of the Holy Spirit brought us all together today in this Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elisha, to celebrate his solemn memory and to thank the Lord our God, “gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4, 11-12).

“Of the prophets, some foretold Christ by word, and those according to him [Christ] revealed Him by their works; by word foretold about Him; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the twelve with them; by works, He was shown by Elijah the Thesvite and Elisha his disciple”, says the Bishop Basil of Seleucia.

Indeed, Elisha was distinguished as one of the great religious personalities of Sacred History. He was called to the prophetic office, anointed by God’s command under the prophet Elijah as his successor (3 Kings 19,16). The Prophet Elijah saw Elisha ploughing his field and called him to follow him, he threw his fleece at him (3 Kings 19,19-20). This act symbolized the calling of Elisha to the prophetic office and the drawing of power and divine authority from it. By means of the fleece of the Prophet Elijah, Elisha divided the waters of the Jordan River and crossed it. From this event, the “sons of the prophets” recognized in Elisha the spirit of the teacher Elijah and worshipped him to the ground (2 Kings 2,7 / 4 Kings 2, 13-15).

The prophetic work of the spirit-bearing Elisha is inextricably linked with extraordinary actions and various miracles, which were recorded by the Holy author of the Books of the Kings. From the power of the miraculous divine energy in him, we can distinguish the change of brackish water into a drinkable spring in the inner region of your city Jericho (2 Kings 2, 19-22), the multiplication of the oil of a poor widow, in order to relieve her from serious debts, (2 Kings 4,1-6), the resurrection of the son of the rich Shunammite woman who hosted him, (2 Kings 4, 18-37), the healing of the leprosy of the Aramean general Naaman, ( 4 Kings 5, 1-14) and after his [Elisha’s] death, the resurrection of a dead man, thrown into the Prophet’s tomb and coming to touch his bones, (4 Kings 13, 20-21).

The mention of the Prophet Elisha by our Lord Jesus in today’s gospel reading is noteworthy: “And many lepers were with Elisha the prophet in Israel, and none of them was clean, except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4,27). These words of the Lord infuriated those present in the Synagogue because Jesus “began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4,21). In other words, the work of the prophets and that of Elijah and Elisha was carried out in the person of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as Saint Cyril of Alexandria interprets. The Psalmist also testifies to this truth, saying: “Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 104, 15).

The Holy Prophets and the righteous people in the Old Testament were the anointed ones by the Lord because they were dedicated to Him [God] and inspired by Him. God called these to minister the mystery of the divine Providence, hidden from the ages in God, (Cf. Eph. 3:9), as Saint Paul preaches.

This divine call to the ministry of the mystery hidden in God was also received by our today celebrated Prophet Elisha. Let us, therefore, hear the Author of the Book of Kings: “And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up, lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes” (2 Kings 4, 32-35).

In the described manner, in which Elisha resurrected the son of the Shunammite woman, the interpreter Basil of Seleucia discerned the pattern of the incarnation of the Son and Word of God, thus he points out saying: “Elisha bears the type of Christ”.

In fact, the bright Elisha bears the type of Christ, because he, as his hymnographer states: “the Holy Spirit showed thee to be an uprooter of every evil and a planter of every virtue, O all-blessed Elisha” (Matins, Ode 4, Troparion 1).

 And the abundant grace of the Holy Spirit in Elisha is none other than that of the Spirit of Christ. And this Holy Spirit, as the wise Paul preaches, “understands our infirmities”, prays with us and “overcomes our groaning and whispering” (Cf. Rom 8:26) for our spiritual progress and salvation.

The prophetic and miraculous speech of the God-bearer Elisha was strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit. This means that the Holy Spirit rests in the hearts of those who live a virtuous life and keep their hearts pure, according to what is said in the Psalm: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and put your own [and sovereign] spirit in my heart.” “, (Cf. Psalm 50:12).

For we too, my beloved brothers, beseech the prophet Elisha, the one who has boldness in the presence of God, that after our most blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, but also of our celebrated Holy Father Methodius Archbishop of Constantinople, that they may intercede for our souls and for the peace of the Holy Land and the universe. Amen. Many happy returns”.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Monastery, Archimandrite Philoumenos, provided a reception.

At noon, a meal was offered by the Central Council of the Jericho Community in a city restaurant.

From Secretariat-General




THE FEAST OF SAINT ONUPHRIUS AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Sunday, June 12/25,2023, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of our Father among the Saints Onuphrius the Egyptian.

On this feast, the Church commemorates that Saint Onuphrius lived in the strictest monastic anchorite striving in Egypt, after the example of the prophet Elijah and Saint John the Baptist. Saint Pafnoutius found his dead body and buried it.

This feast was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to him, opposite the pool of Siloam, at the potter’s field which was bought by the Pharisees “to bury the foreigners” (Matt. 27, 7-8), with the thirty silver coins that Judas returned to them (Matt. 27,3-6).

Inside and around the monastery there are tombs carved in the rocks. One of them belongs to the first Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Iouvenalios during whose Patriarchal Office the Church of Jerusalem was declared a Patriarchate in AD 451.

At the Church of this Monastery, the Divine Liturgy was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, the Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, and the Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina and Makarios of Qatar, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks and Priests from the Holy Metropolis of Patra, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and pilgrims.

Before the Holy Communion, His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon:

“Godly-wise Father Onuphrius, by separating thyself from the turbulence of the world, thou wast lifted to the height that is found far above the world; and longing after the very Source of Good, thou hast in truth reached what thou didst most desire. Since thou art all aflame with the shining rays thereof, O blest of God, by thine intercessions snatch us from the gloom of sin” (Vespers, stichera 3) the hymnographer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brethren in Christ,

Reverend Christians and pilgrims

The noetic heavenly light, the Holy Spirit that enlightened the eyes of the heart of our Holy Father Onuphrius the Egyptian has gathered us all in his Holy Monastery, in this biblical place of the potter’s field, which is called “the field of blood unto this day” (Matt. 27, 7-8), to celebrate his commemoration in honesty and truth (cf. 1 Cor. 5,8).

And we say this because the purpose of the feasts of our Holy Church is the rendering of honour to those who have renounced the world and bore their cross and followed Christ, on the other hand, the promotion of their virtues to the faithful, in imitation of the saints.

Our Holy Father Onuphrius was such a true imitator of Christ, who heard of the lives of the prophet Elijah and Saint John the Baptist and retreated into the deeper desert, seeking to be blessed by holy anchorite men, whose burning desire was the immigration to the heavenly city, as Saint Paul preaches: “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 13,14).

This ardent desire had also captured the soul of our Father Onuphrius, just like that of the psalmist who exclaims: “I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name” (Psalm 119,131-132).

In this ardent desire and honest love for Christ, Saint Onuphrius had God the Father as his accomplice, as Saint Paul confirms: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8,28).

Interpreting the phrase “to them who are the called according to his purpose”, Saint Cyril of Alexandria says: “According to his purpose means according to their will, just as some righteous and holy men became saints not only because God called them, but also because this was their own will”.

Our Holy Father Onuphrius obtained these two wills. And this is so, because he “loved the Lord God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind” (cf. Matt. 22,37), according to Christ’s command. The exceeding power of the love for God is praised by the hymnographer of Saint Onuphrius, saying: “O love, thou transcendently shining light! O sum of all the virtues, whoever fillest the heavenly orders with gladness and grace, and hast made thy dwelling in the Saints, the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles: by their prayers also dwell in us, that with them we may sing to God: Alleluia” (Matins, Oikos).

Saint Onuphrius, whose holy commemoration we celebrate today, shines like a bright light in our contemporary world of apostasy, lawlessness and the prevailing disorder. And it shines like a light, because he became a migrant from the confusion of the world, living and being fed off in the deserts and on the mountains, clothed with Christ and always listening to the voice of St. Paul saying: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3,20), therefore, “Be careful of nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4,6).

Interpreting these words of Saint Paul, Ecumenios says, “Be careful of nothing, do not say anything, not even curse against the enemies, do not say anything when in sorrow”. In other words, my dear brothers and sisters, we should put such trust in the Divine Providence, that our mind and heart will be free from any agony and concern of our needs. We should rely on God, so much so, that we keep the peace and tranquillity of our hearts unshakable. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Saint Paul says (Romans 8,18).

The vision of this very future divine glory did our God-bearing Father Onuphrius achieve, having thus boldness towards God. Therefore, as we honour his holy commemoration, let us entreat him, along with our Most Blessed Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and the also celebrating today, our Holy Father Peter of Mount Athos, that they may intercede with our Lord God for our souls and for the peace of our region and of the whole world. Amen. Many happy returns!”

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a litany at the tombs of the founders of the Monastery and a memorial service at the tomb of the blessed nun Seraphima, concluding with the prayer for the fruit.

Finally, the renovator of the monastery, Abbess Paisia hosted a reception for His Beatitude and the congregation.

From Secretariat-General




THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF THE BLESSED ARCHIMANDRITE PHILOTHEOS OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE BROTHERHOOD

At 11:00 am on Saturday, June 11/24, 2023, the funeral service for the repose of the soul of the blessed Archimandrite Philotheos Vardakis of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, who served as an Episcopal Commissioner at the Province of Acre – Ptolemais of Northern Israel and slept in the Lord on the evening of Thursday 9th / 22nd June 2023, after falling from scaffolding while repairing the wall of the Holy Church of Saint George in Acre.

The Funeral Service was presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, along with the Holy Sepulchre High Priests and Hieromonks, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, Jerusalem faithful and Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Priests and the faithful people, who came from the communes of the region of Acre.

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

“The sudden and violent departure to the Lord of our beloved brother Archimandrite Philotheos, Hierarchical Commissioner of the Metropolis of Ptolemais – Acre, gathered us together in mourning around the completion of his funeral service. We stand in tears before his corpse, just like the Lord stood in tears before the tomb of this four-day-dead friend Lazarus, whom He resurrected from the dead. Our soul is captured by fear and cowardice before the mystery of death, but never despairing, since even our Lord was afraid before His death on the cross and begged the Father, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from Him”. Cowardice before death is one of the ineradicable human passions, which the Lord condescended to, becoming Incarnate for our salvation. Circling the dead body of our beloved brother, we are “sad for the parting” and hear the words of the hymnographer, “I mourn and weep when I think of death”.

Nevertheless, while we humanly contemplate these things, it does not distract our attention that death was redeemed through death, namely the death on the Cross of the Son of God, the God-man Jesus Christ. Our Lord willingly accepted death and through His death, He redeemed our death. He died as a man and rose as a God-man. Life arose from the grave, the grave shone bright with life. In the power and light of the Resurrection of Christ, death is only the separation of the soul from the body. It is sleep. Death is the sleep of those who sleep in hope of the resurrection. As the Holy Bible says: “those in the monuments are raised”. Those who believe in Christ pass to eternal life in the soul and in the spirit and enjoy the joy of the uncreated works of the Holy Trinity.

Moved by this faith, our deceased loved one, born in 1962, left his hometown of Charakas, Monofatsiou, Heraklion, Crete, at the age of twelve, and came to the Holy Land, in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and studied at the Holy Zion Priestly School with care and conduct excellent and praiseworthy – the speaker had this student for six years. After graduating, she accepted the monastic schema in 1979 and joined the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood. He ministered initially as a deacon and then as a Hieromonk in various ministries assigned to him, such as that of the Hegoumen of Beit Jalla, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of Saint Charalambos, the Hegoumen of Hoseva and the Hegouen of Haifa. He was sent by the Patriarchate for theological studies in Belgrade and after transferring universities, he graduated from the Theological School of the University of Thessaloniki.

In the years 2001 and 2002, he served as the Patriarchal Representative of the Metropolis of Ptolemais – Akris, and from the year 2003 until his death as the Hierarchical Commissioner of this Metropolis, which had under its spiritual and pastoral responsibility twelve communes; Acre, Abelin, Sakhnin, Kufr – Yasif, Kufr Smea, Rame, Pkea, Sfaamer, Baane, Zdeide, Tarshiha, and Maker. In these, he developed in consultation with the Patriarchate for over twenty years a remarkable and praised Pastoral work of spiritual Orthodox catechesis and excellent teaching of Byzantine Music by a group of male and female Byzantine chanters, spreading contrition to the souls of the faithful in the Patriarchal liturgies of Tabor, Nazareth and others. He was esteemed and loved by all.

His main concern was the dignity of God’s house and for this reason, we can pray for him saying “Sanctify them, Lord, who love the dignity of your house”. In this work, he was prematurely interrupted by death, when he accidentally fell from the scaffolding, from which he was building the wall of the Holy Church of Saint George in Acre by his own hands. Asking myself why this happened to him like this, I said that “as unsearchable is His will”. The Lord only knows!

Nevertheless, I found comfort in recalling that in the year 1979, the Archimandrite Modestos met his death, just after rescuing a pilgrim during the pilgrimage baptism in the Jordan River. In 1990, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of Hoseva, Archimandrite Anthony, while repairing the narthex of the Church, met his death by landslide stones that covered him. Saint Athanasios the Athonite met his death with other monks from the collapsed dome of the Catholicon of the Great Lavra Monastery, which he had climbed to inspect.

Worthily commemorating his good works in his Funeral Service today, we beseech the Most High to consider him and forgive him as a human being who sinned intentionally or unintentionally and rank his soul among the faithful and righteous in Paradise. So be it”.

The deceased was accompanied by their Eminences, the Archbishops Theofanes of Gerassa and Makarios of Qatar, and all congregation to the place of his burial in the Holy Zion Cemetery.

May his remembrance be ever-lasting!

From Secretariat-General




FORTIETH-DAY MEMORIAL SERVICE OF THE BLESSED METROPOLITAN CORNELIUS OF PETRA

On Saturday, June 11/27, 2023, after the Divine Liturgy on the Horrendous Golgotha, which was officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, there was the fortieth-day memorial service for the repose of the soul of the blessed Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra.

The memorial service was presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the participation in prayer of Archimandrites and Hierodeacons of the Holy Sepulchre, Archdeacon Mark and Priests from other Churches, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, local faithful Christians and pilgrims from Crete, among whom the relatives of the blessed Metropolitan.

After the service, there was a reception at the Patriarchate Hall.

The Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood wishes for his eternal memory.

From Secretariat-General




THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS AT THE PATRIARCHATE

Sunday, May 29th/June 11th 2023 was celebrated by the Patriarchate as All Saints’ Sunday, the feast of all the Saints of the Old and New Testaments, Patriarchs, Prophets, Forefathers, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, martyrs, confessors, retainers, new martyrs, Who are the fruit of the activity, of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, did not come, we would not have the miracle of the institution of the Church and its myriad saints.

With the feast of All Saints, the cycle of Pentecost holidays closes.

This holiday was celebrated in the chapel of All Saints, inside the Holy Church of the Most Holy Monastery of Panagia Sayda Naya in the Old City of Jerusalem.

It was celebrated with Vespers in the evening and with Divine Liturgy in the morning, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan  Isychios of Kapitolias, with the elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, Archimandrite Claudius and Hierodeacon Dositheos and Fr Farah. The chanting was delivered by Dr Yacub and His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, as the service was attended by many believers from the parish of Saint James and pilgrims from Greece and other countries, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude came for veneration, accompanied by the Holy Sepulchre Fathers.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal entourages and the congregation were offered a rich reception by the Abbess, Reverend Nun Seraphima.

From Secretariat-General




THE FEAST OF THE MONDAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE HOLY ZION

Monday, May 23/June 5, 2023, was celebrated as the Monday of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, especially on the hill of the Holy Zion, because it was on this hill that the Holy Spirit descended upon the holy disciples and apostles in the form of fiery tongues.

In honour and adoration of the Holy Spirit and in memory of the event of the inspiration, Vespers was held on Sunday evening in the chapel of Pentecost in the Cemetery, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with the participation of the priests and parishioners of Saint James Cathedral, the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, nuns and pilgrims.

On Monday morning, a Divine Liturgy was held in the Holy Trinity Church on the ground floor of the building of the Patriarchal School of Zion, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios Sebasteia, with the co-celebration of the Archimandrites, Raphael, the Exarch of Athens and Amphilochios, and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba and Hierodeacon Simeon along with the students.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a procession marched from the Church after the recitation of the prayers of the Kneeling service, one prayer in the Church, the second in the chapel of the School’s estate (catacomb), the third in the Upper Room.

On the way down from the upper room, the officiating Archbishop and his Entourage entered the interior of the tomb of David and prayed.

A supplication was also offered for the departed in front of the south door of the Cemetery.

The Episcopal procession in litany went to the ceremony hall of the School, where the Managing Director Archimandrite Mattheos offered a reception.

On this day, the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pela presided over a Divine Liturgy in the celebratory Church of Pentecost in the county of Toubas, the area of Samaria after Jacob’s Well.

From Secretariat-General




HIS BEATITUDE THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM CELEBRATES THE D. LITURGY AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY OF MISSIA IN NEW JERUSALEM ON THE MONDAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Patriarchate celebrated Monday, May 23/June 5, 2023, according to the divinely inspired book of Pentecost, as Monday of the Holy Spirit. It was honoured as a day of dedication especially to the Holy Spirit, because of His great work enlightening the Holy Glorious Apostles. The Holy Spirit, “God and deifying”, “fire divided into different gifts”, came from the Father through the Son to the apostles and sat in a kind of fiery tongues on their heads and strengthened and enlightened them “so that they could speak in different languages the greatness of God”.

For the worship and honour of the Holy Spirit, especially on this day, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Spiritual Mission to Jerusalem (MISSIA), presided over by our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of their Eminences,  Metropolitan  Isychios of Kapitolias, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the Head of MISSIA Archimandrite Alexander, Archimandrite Dometianos, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios and the representative of the Church of Moldavia of Russia His Eminence Archbishop Ungheni & Nisporen Petros, Arabic-speaking Priests and Priests from of the Gornesky Mountain Monastery, chanting in the choir of the monks of MISSIA and of the Gornesky Mountain Monastery, with the participation in the prayer of many Russian-speaking mainly believers.

Before the Holy Communion, His Beatitude spoke through the following speech from Greek translated into Russian as follows:

 “Come receive the fire-breathing dew of the Spirit as the reason cleansing from faults and offences, O all ye that are the Church’s light-formed children; for now is the Law come forth from holy Sion: tongues formed of beacon-fire, even the Spirit’s grace” (Matins, 2nd canon, ode 5, heirmos) Saint John Damascene, the hymnographer of the Church proclaims.

 Reverend Archimandrite Father Alexander, Superior and representative of His Holy Beatitude the Patriarch of Moscow, Cyril in the Russian Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem,

Beloved brothers in Christ,

Reverend Christians and pilgrims,

The grace of the Holy Spirit that has shone upon us today, brings us all together in this Church of the Holy Trinity, to celebrate Pentecost, the epidemic of the Holy Spirit, the participating in the Eucharistic divine mystery of the Body and Blood of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit emanating from the Father and being worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son is the one who, as the hymnographer says: “the Holy Spirit provideth all things; He gusheth forth prophecy; He perfecteth the priesthood; he hath taught wisdom to the illiterate. He hath shown forth fishermen as theologians. He holdeth together the whole institution of the Church” (Vespers, Troparion 3).

 An essential component of the institution of the Church, but also of Orthodoxy, are the Apostles, who on the one hand “were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4) on the day of Pentecost; on the other hand, the Lord Himself “breathed upon them saying: receive Holy Spirit, if you forgive their sins, they are forgiven; if you keep them, they are kept” (John 20:23). Go ahead, he said to them, to the Apostles, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”, (Matthew 28,19-20).

 From the order of the Lord “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (28,20) it is shown that this must form the basis of the teaching of the Apostles. Because even Basil the Great, in his interpretation of these words, says: “Teaching them, not keep some of them, while leaving aside others, but keep everything I have commanded you”, and Saint Cyril of Alexandria, commenting on the Lord’s words: even if [Jesus] goes to the Father, presenting Himself in the flesh on our behalf … but receives has co-habitants the righteous through the Spirit [the Holy One] and co-exists with the saints for all things”; and Saint Chrysostom interprets more analytically saying: “he did not only say he will be with them but also after all those who believe in them. The Apostles were not going to remain on earth until the end of time, but they would converse with the faithful as if they were one body”, and for those then and those after this such and such promised grace, Zigavinos notes.

 Through all this it becomes clear that the Communion of the Holy Spirit acts through the unity of the Church according to the word of the Lord: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The Church, being the body of Christ is the abode of the Holy Spirit: “You are the body of Christ and members in part”, (1 Cor. 12, 27), “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13), Saint Paul preaches.

 This unity of the faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit is pervaded today by the participation of the brotherly Churches of Jerusalem and Russia and not only in the common cup of the “mystical blessing”, of the divine thanksgiving of the Body and Blood of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. “Love unity, shun divisions; imitate Jesus Christ, as also He of His Father”, orders Saint Ignatius the God-bearer. ” Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1, 10), the wise Paul preaches. 

However, the disturbed order and unity in the body of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church causes us agony and sorrow. And this is because, as Saint Paul preaches, “And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12, 26).

Therefore, we too, my beloved brothers, as members on behalf of the body of Christ, who “gives us the ministry of redemption” (2 Cor. 5:18), and who “receive not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit emanating from God the Father and resting in the Son”, (Cf. 1 Cor. 2:12), let us pray to the Lord and after the psalmist, say: “Create in me a clean heart, God, and put a right spirit within me”, (Psalm 50,12) Amen. Many happy returns, blessed and peaceful.”

From Secretariat-General




THE FEAST OF PENTECOST AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Sunday, May 22nd/ June 4th, 2023, the Patriarchate celebrated Pentecost Sunday, that is, the fifty-day completion since the Ascension of the Lord and the day of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

On this day, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles (Chap. 2), the Lord, who was gloriously taken up into the heavens, sent His holy disciples and Apostles, through His Father, His Holy Spirit. This paradoxical phenomenon was revealed “in a violent breath” and “filled the house where the disciples were sitting” and “in tongues of fire, which sat at the head of each one of them, were illuminated and spoke in other languages the greatness of God”. Through the Holy Spirit, the apostles were enlightened and strengthened and proclaimed to those who heard the noise and gathered multitudes Christ Crucified and Risen and believed in the preaching of the Apostle Peter and were baptized “on that day as many as three thousand souls” and “formed the first Church”.

This event was celebrated with a solemn Divine Liturgy at the Holy and Life-giving Sepulchre, which was presided over by our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, along with their Eminences the Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebasteia, Demetrios of Lydda, two Archbishops of the Serbian Church Damascene and Ioannis, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, the Archimandrites Claudios, Nicodemos, Makarios, Hieronymos, Raphael, the Exarch of Athens, Dometian of the Patriarchate of Moscow and John of the Patriarchate of Romania, Fr Anastasios and Priest Nikolaos, other Orthodox Priests, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon, as the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and the Consul of Georgia Mr Lhasa and many pilgrims.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Vespers of the Monday of the Holy Spirit, which is also called the Kneeling service, was added.

In this service, the prayers of the kneeling service from the Pentecostarion were also read by His Beatitude and by the Bishops in Greek and Arabic.

At the Holy Altar of the Catholicon, the Vespers of the Kneeling service was also held at the same time, according to the order kept, for the Holy Sepulchre Fathers staying in the Central Monastery.

After Vespers, the Patriarchal Entourage went up to the Patriarchate Hall.

From Secretariat-General




THE FEAST OF SAINTS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Friday, May 20 / June 2, 2023, the feast of the glorious and God-crowned great sovereigns and equal to the apostles Constantine and Helen was celebrated by the Patriarchate with a transference of the actual feast date.

On this feast, the Church honours Constantine the Great as an apostle, because with the decree of the Milanese of the year AD 312, he recognized Christianity as the freed religion of the Roman state, and allowed the construction of Churches for the worship of the true God through Christ, His incarnate Son. The Church also honours his mother Saint Helen on this day, because, following her son as king, she came to the Holy Land and erected the Church of the Resurrection on the Holy Sepulchre and the Martyrdom on the Horrendous Golgotha and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and other churches in different places of the incarnate presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This holiday was celebrated by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem through the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood in the central monastery’s Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, its patrons.

The feast was celebrated in the afternoon during Vespers, presided over by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of the Typikon keeper of the Church Archimandrite  Alexios, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, the Exarch of Athens Archimandrite  Raphael the priests of the Church Archimandrites; Stefanos and Amphilochios, Epiphanios, Claudius, Meletius and  Dionysios, Arabic-speaking Priests, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Dositheos, under the chanting of Hierodeacon Simeon and the members of the Brotherhood.

After Vespers, the Brotherhood sat down in the courtyard of the Epitropikon and received the boiled wheat and the bread with wine.

On the morning of the feast, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem officiated the Liturgy in this Church, with the Typikon Keeper Archimandrite Alexios, the ministering Priests of the Church as above, as well as the Archimandrite Ieronymos, Priest George Baramki from Saint James Cathedral and Fr Youssef Hodali, ministering Priest in Beit Jala, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Dositheos, with the co-prayer of representatives of the Patriarchate of Moscow and Romania, two Bishops of the Patriarchate of Serbia, John and Damascene, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Evangelos Vlioras, the Consul Mrs Christina Zacharioudaki, member of the Consulate and Mrs Zozonakis representative of the E.U. after her husband and many local believers and pilgrims from various countries.

After dismissal, His Beatitude the priests and clergy and the people, chanting in unison, went to the Patriarchate Hall, receiving, according to the custom, the bread of blessing from the hands of the baker Abbess Seraphima in the aisle towards the Throne Hall.

At the Hall, His Beatitude spoke through His following address:

“Raising up thy perception to Heaven’s heights, and considering the comeliness of the stars, through them, thou wast brought to know the divine Lord of all that is; for amidst them the weapon of Christ’s Cross shone brilliantly; the words: Conquer and rule in this sign, were inscribed thereon. Wherefore, having opened thy soul’s eyes, thou didst read there the words written for thy sake, and didst learn what way thou shouldst take, O all-venerable Constantine. Intercede with Christ our God that forgiveness of all their transgressions be granted to them that with longing keep thy holy memory” (Matins sessional hymn after Ode 3), the hymnographer of the Church proclaims.

Your Excellency Consul General of Greece Mr Evangelos Vlioras,

Dear Holy Fathers and Brothers,

Reverend Christians and pilgrims,

Today the Holy Church of Christ of the East, especially the Church of Jerusalem, honours the Holy memory of the glorious Saints, God-crowned and equal to the apostles, the great sovereigns Constantine and Helen.

The leadership personality of Constantine the Great undoubtedly contributed effectively to the reshaping of human history through the recognition of the Christian faith and the mission of the Church in the world. The First Ecumenical Council under him in Nicaea in AD 325, of the three hundred and eighteen godly Fathers is a landmark in the institutional organization of the Church on earth.

Saint Gregory, extolling the political and religious significance of the work of Constantine the Great, of the reconstruction of the state into a single Empire of East and West, thanks to the freedom granted to the Christians and the Church, says: “…he increased the matters related to the Christians and joined the state with Christ’s presence”.

The hymn writer of the Church, speaking of the inextricable link of the reverence of Saints Constantine and Helen to the Holy Land, says: “Let us faithfully honour Constantine with his mother Helen?” for hearing the words of the Prophet, who spoke of cedar, pine and cypress, thy understood him to refer to the tripartite Cross, whereby the saving Passion was accomplished” (Matins, Oikos). “With divine deeds thou didst build up thy heart as a temple of God, O Helen? and thou didst raise up unto Him sacred temples at the places where He suffered for our sakes the immaculate Passion in the flesh” (Matins, Ode 7, Troparion 3).

The acceptance of the Christian faith by Constantine the Great, which resulted in the Christianization of the Roman Empire, created the wonderful culture of Romiosyni, whose spiritual greatness was reflected in the peoples and nations of the Mediterranean, but also in the Middle East and especially in the Holy Land and its centre, the Holy City of Jerusalem, which bears the indelible imprint of his seal.

A true witness of this fact is the Church of Jerusalem after the Order of the Studious (Spoudaioi), of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, which throughout the centuries has guarded and ministered to the Holy Places by erecting magnificent Temples, such as the Church of the Nativity and Resurrection of our Saviour Christ.

Therefore, we dutifully performed a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in the monastic Church of the glorious Saints, great Sovereigns and equal to the apostles Constantine and Helen, surrounded by the honourable members of our Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood and having as part of our prayers the faithful members of our Christian flock, as well as the visiting pilgrims.

The venerable memory of the redeemed Constantine and his mother Helen, we solemnly honoured, having prayed to them, so that with the intercessions of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, they may not cease beseeching the Lord for us of the Holy City of Jerusalem and for the peace of our region and the whole world. Amen. Many happy returns”.

At noon, there was a meal at the Patriarchate’s refectory, for our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, the Holy Fathers, Mr Vlioras and other guests of honour.

From Secretariat-General




HIS BEATITUDE THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM THEOPHILOS CELEBRATES THE D. LITURGY IN THE COMMUNITY OF TURAN

On Sunday, May 15 / 28, 2023, on the commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos made a Pastoral visit to the Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Community of the county of Turan, adjacent to Cana of Galilee.

His Beatitude was warmly received by a parade of Scouts and a reception by the Priests, and he officiated in the Holy Church of Saint Georgios of this Community, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, the  Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Elder Chief Secretary Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, Arabic-speaking Priests of the Galilee region, the Archdeacon Mark and the Hierodeacon Eulogios, under the chanting by the members of the Community choir and the participation of many faithful of the city.

Before the Holy Communion, His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon:

“O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles”, (Ps. 43,3), the psalmist exclaims.

Beloved brethren in Christ,

Dear Christians,

The wishes of the holy God-fearing Fathers of the holy Church of Christ have brought us all together today in your city of Lower Galilee Turan, so that we may thankfully celebrate their holy memory as well as the establishment of the First Ecumenical Synod, in Nicaea of Bithynia, in the year 325.

Our holy Church especially honours the 318 God-bearing Fathers, because they are the ones who, at the invitation of the holy Emperor Constantine the Great, convened the first Ecumenical Council, which on the one hand condemned and fought against the heretic teaching of Areios; on the other hand, it formulated in the most precise way the Orthodox faith, as we profess it in the Creed.

The accuracy of the doctrines is that which also determines the correct way of life of the Christian. For this reason, Saint Paul commands his disciple, Timothy, saying: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6,20).

Those who lost their aim at faith, are those who invent and do not resort to the sources of our faith, that is, to the Holy Bible, Old and New Testament and the holy Apostolic Tradition, constituting the totality of the divine sources of faith of salvific truths, handed down by the Lord and the Apostles to the faithful in the Church.

Let us hear in this case Saint John of Damascus saying: “You believe by hearing”. “Listening to the Holy Scriptures, we believe in the teaching of the Spirit. This is the end of all those who are legislated under Christ, believing, worshipping and doing the commandments of the one who reformed us. The person who does not believe nor commune with the Catholic Church’s tradition of beliefs through inappropriate works to the Devil is unfaithful”. And more simply: “you believe by hearing”, because by listening to the Holy Scriptures we believe in the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And this faith is perfected by all that was legislated by Christ since it is manifested by works, which show piety and apply the commandments of Him who renewed us. He, therefore, who does not believe in the tradition of the Catholic Church or communes with the devil, doing inappropriate works, is an infidel. This is what Saint Paul preaches: the Church, “which is the Church of the living God, is a pillar and ground of the truth” (Cf. 1 Tim. 3:15).

As for the Holy Apostles and their successors, the God-bearing and God-breathed ones who are said to be fathers of the Church, they received the light and truth of God, according to the psalmist saying, ” O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles ” (Ps. 43,3).

Today’s Gospel narrative of St. John the Theologian, who is known as “the priestly prayer of Christ to God the Father”, refers to his preserving his unity with His disciples and the members of His Church: “Father, the hour has come…and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me “, the Lord says(John 17, 22-23).

The prayer of Jesus Christ to God His Father: “that he may be one as we are one” (John 17:22), refers to unity, which is founded on the correct faith of the Church and is reflected in the life of believers through the expression of mutual love, that is, the spiritual unity of believers in imitation of the physical and essential unity of the persons of the Holy Trinity, as Saint Cyril of Alexandria says.

In other words, my dear brothers, we are called according to Paul to preserve the unity of love between us, ” With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”, (Eph. 4, 2-3).

In his prayer to God the Father, Jesus asks for the joy of His disciples: “that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves ” (John 17,13). Interpreting these discourses of the Lord, Saint Cyril of Alexandria asks: “What then is the fulfilled and perfect joy? To know and believe, not only that Christ was man for us, but also that He was like us except for having any sin and He is the true God. It is clear and there is no doubt that He (Christ) has the ability to save those who worship him, whenever he wills, even though he does not seem to be present in the flesh. This fact will give us the possibility to have complete joy because we always have near us a supporter who is able to save us from all evil.

Joy, my dears, has as its source God the Father. The Only Begotten Son and Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the self-joy, as the Apostle Peter assures us: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy ” (1 Peter 4, 12-13).

It is worth noting that joy in Christ is inextricably linked to repentance, as the Evangelist Luke testifies, referring to Christ’s sermon: “I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15,7).

We too, my beloved brothers, can have fulfilled joy when we observe the correctness but also the unity of our Orthodox faith, listening to the voice of the holy and God-fearing Fathers who, by the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit, and the intercessions of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary the Most blessed, “With pious mind they refuted the godless dogma of the grievous Arius, and by synodal decree banished him for the Catholic Church. And they instructed all to openly confess the consubstantial and co-eternal Son of God, Who existed before the ages. This in exactness and piety, did they set forth in the Symbol of Faith. Wherefore, following their divine doctrines and believing with assurance, we worship, in one Godhead, the Father, Son and the All-holy Spirit, the Trinity in one essence”. Amen, many happy returns!

A reception followed, where His Beatitude addressed the President and the members of the Ecclesiastical Committee and the congregation again as follows:

“Blessed are you, the God of our fathers, and blessed be your name, holy and glorious forever” (Tobit 8,5), ” thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness” (Ps. 143, 10).

Dear Mr President and respected members of the Ecclesiastical Committee,

Dear Holy Fathers and Brothers,

Dear Father Spyridon,

My beloved brothers,

In addition to today’s feast, the Holy Church of Christ celebrates the glorious Ascension of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ into heaven and the memory of the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in AD325 of the three hundred and eighteen godly Fathers.

The feast of the Ascension of our Saviour Christ refers to the sealing of the glorious Resurrection of Christ. And this is because through His Ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ “divinized the body which He had assumed”, i.e. our human nature, which was assumed by the pure blood of the Ever-Virgin Mary. The feast of the holy God-bearing Fathers of the first Synod in Nicaea, refers to the entrenchment of the sanctifying teaching, (1 Tim. 1:10) namely of the right faith, as Paul wrote to his disciple Titus saying: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers…who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake…Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Tit. 1,10-13).

This healthy teaching and correct faith, the Apostolic tradition, has been preserved by the Church of Jerusalem, the Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, founded on the blood of the Cross of Golgotha and the empty tomb of the Resurrection of Christ, through the ages, thanks to its presence and constant tireless activity of the monastic order of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.

We boast in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31) that here, in your beautiful town of Turan, where our Christian Orthodox Community lives and we rejoice in your good testimony of the moral values and truths of the Gospel of love, peace, love for our fellow men and hospitality, especially the harmonious symbiosis and coexistence with other respected religious communities.

We also proclaim this Gospel message today, my beloved brothers, through the Eucharistic fellowship with you, listening to the order of Saint Paul saying: ” Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20, 28-30).

With these words, we want to assure you that the Venerable Rum-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Mother of all the Churches, has never spared effort and expense, has never abandoned the Christian flock entrusted to it by the divine Providence, and has never ceased to care for the preservation of the Holy Places of our faith as well as for the preservation of the multi-religious and multi-ethnic status of the Holy City of Jerusalem. Many and blessed returns.”

At noon, a hospitable, rich banquet was offered by the Community.

From Secretariat-General