On Thursday, the 25^th of March/7^th of April 2016, the feast of the Annunciation of Theotokos was observed by the Patriarchate in panegyric memory of the fact that the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Mariam, the pure daughter of Nazareth, and addressing her “Rejoice, O Full of Grace”, told her that by the Holy Spirit she would conceive the Son the of God, to which she replied “I am the servant of the Lord, may your word to me be fulfilled”.

The incarnation constitutes “the chapter of our salvation and the revelation of the age-long mystery”: the Son of God became the son of the Virgin, acquired our human nature, that in Himself through His entire work has blessed and deified.

The feast was observed in Nazareth, where the Annunciation had taken place. On the morning of the feast-day, the divine Liturgy was led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, having as concelebrants: Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth and Isychios of Kapitolias; Archbishops Jean of Charioupolis from the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Metropolitans Alexandros of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky and Vishnevsky; Symeon of Vinitski and Barsky, and Archbishop Vladimir of Dneprodzerzhinsk and Tsaritsnanski; Archbishops Damascene of Joppa, Aristarchos of Constantina and Methodios of Tabor; the former Metropolitan o Zambia, Joachim; Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, led by Archimandrite Ieronymos, hegumen in Fhes, Jordan; Archimandrite Timotheos, hegumen at the Monastery of Tiberias; Archimandrite Sophronios, hegumen at Ai Lambun; Archimandrite Chrysostomos, hegumen in Kana, Galilee; Archimandrite Leontios of the Russian MISSIA in Jerusalem; Arabic-speaking presbyters and Archdeacon Evlogios, as well as other deacons, and Archimandrite Philotheos, hegumen in Accra. A pilgrim from the Metropolis of Langadas sang in Greek and the Nazareth Choir in Arabic, in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr G. Zacharoudiakis, and the Greek representative to Tel Aviv, Mr Gennimatas. A great crowd of pious locals and pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Romania and other countries participated in the service. In fact, so many were the faithful, that this Orthodox feast was observed as a feast of the entire city, led by the Head of our salvation, the Nazarene.

The Patriarch delivered a sermon in Greek, quoting the words of the Evangelist Luke as follows:

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to the virgin Mariam.  The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you. Blessed art though amongst women… And she said “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you”’. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. [Luke 1, 26-38]

“Mary’s unquestionable contribution to the human race”, said the Patriarch, “lies in the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate through her, and saved us from the fallacy of the devil and of the ancestral curse. In other words, the Virgin Mary liberated man from the chains of sin and the attrition of death. Also”, added the Patriarch, “the name of the Virgin is interpreted as “Lady”, which signifies that Theotokos stands above all as the source and root of the freedom of men”.

After Communion and the Apolysis, a procession followed from the Church of the Annunciation to the town’s centre, terminating at the Shrine in bliss and for the glory of God.

At noon, the Metropolitan of Nazareth and the Community Council hosted His Beatitude and Entourage and several others to meatless lunch with fish.

After lunch, the Patriarch and Primates visited the town of Touran near Nazareth, where His Beatitude inspected the renovation of the Church now underway by the subvention of the Patriarchate.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/eYMxNdMNlPM

httpv://youtu.be/6zD82XU-0nE

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd-PguRBq74

On Thursday, the 25^th of March/7^th of April 2016, the feast of the Annunciation of Theotokos was observed at the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos in Gethsemane, at the heart of which lies the Tomb of the Mother of God.

The divine liturgy on feast-day was led by His Eminene Theodosios, Archbishop of Sebaste, having as concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, e.g. Archimandrite Meletios, Archimandrite Parthenios and f. Charalambos-Farah, and deacon Anastasios. Novice Georgios, nun Danielia and Archimandrite Eusebius sang for a congregation of nuns, monks and pilgrims.

Before the apolysis, His Eminence spoke of the event of the Annunciation of Theotokos as fulfillment of God’s promise for the salvation of man, on which Christians should draw in order to become carriers of peace for their region and brothers.

After the divine Liturgy, the hegumen, Archimandrite Nektarios, hosted the Patriarchal Entourage to a reception at the hegumeneion.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/l0BIdRv8fPo

On Thursday, the 25^th of March/7^th of April 2016, the Annunciation of Theotokos was celebrated at the Church of the Annunciation of the Rum-Orthodox Arabic-speaking Community of the town of Rafidia, near Nablus, Samaria, wherein Jacob’s Well also stands.

The divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Theophanes, Archbishop of Gerassa, having as concelebrants Protopresbyter Nikitas, the Hegumen at Jacob’s Well, f. Ioustinos, and the Hegumen of the Monastery of the Annunciation, Rafidia, f. Leontios. The town’s choir sang as the Orthodox flock of the parish participated in joy and bliss.

On the conclusion of the divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Leontios and the Community Council hosted Primates to the hegumeneion, followed by lunch with fish on the occasion of the feast.

From the Secretariat-General

On Sunday, the 21^st of March/3^rd of April 2016, the Patriarchate celebrated the veneration of the Holy Cross at the Church of the Resurrection.

The feast of the Veneration of the Cross has been established by the Church to be observed on the Third Sunday of the Great Lent, so that through it the faithful may become strengthened in their spiritual fight for fasting and asceticism before welcoming the Holy Easter.

The feast was observed by the Patriarchate as great Parrhesia.

A. Vespers

Vespers began from the afternoon of Saturday by reading the Ninth Hour at 13:35 pm at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen.

Subsequently, amidst bells tolling, the Patriarchal entourage proceeded to the Church of the Resurrection and venerated at the Holy Apokathelosis and the Holy Sepulchre.

Members of the Synod and the Primates went on to venerate at Golgotha, whilst deacons censed the shrines. The Great Vespers was led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, the Primates concelebrating. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang on the right, with the Most Reverend Joachim, former Metropolitan of Zambia on the left, as pious monks, nuns and pilgrims participated in mass.

On the conclusion of Vespers, the Patriarchal Entourage returned to the Patriarchates.

B. On feast-day

On the morning of the feast, after venerating at the Apokathelosis and the Holy Sepulchre, and once the Patriarch and Primates were dressed in sacerdotal vestments, the divine Liturgy was performed at the Holy Sepulchre, Patriarch Theophilos officiating. Co-officiating were Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias; Archbishop Vincent of Ploesti, Romania; Archbishops Dorotheos of Avila, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebaste, Demetrios of Lydda, Philoumenos of Pella; Joachim, former Metropolitan of Zambia, and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks led by the Elder Kamarasis, Archimandrite Nektarios. In attendance was the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr G. Zacharoudiakis, Consul Mr V. Koinis, and other members of the Greek Consulate-General, as well as praying monks, nuns and pilgrims.

On the conclusion of the divine Liturgy, a procession took place around the Holy Sepulchre and the Sites of Veneration.

After the Parrhesia, the Patriarchal Entourage walked to the Patriarchates, where His Beatitude addressed guests in Greek, extending thanks to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour for allowing participants the joy to venerate the Holy and Life-giving Cross on the very site where He had treaded. “This site”, the Patriarch said, “is the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, wherein lies the place of Christ’s martyrdom, Crucifixion and three-day burial. To this holy site we have come, clerics and laymen, and performed the divine Liturgy with Parrhesia, by proclaiming the great sacrament of piety, namely our faith to Christ Crucified and Resurrected from the dead”.

The holy services were broadcast live from the Church of the Resurrection and the Holy Sepulchre on the Patriarchate’s radio station: http://www.radio.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/

* A larger gallery with images from the Great Parrhesia of the Veneration of the Cross may be reached at the Patriarchate’s Central Website: http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/eng and the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/JerusalemPatriarchate/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums and

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b84p2tokn014wto/AAByVsJU9dJCW36xpyW8T_-Va?dl=0

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/hvdPzjTyu8g

httpv://youtu.be/oGhQiqLyqYQ

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=https://youtu.be/SO9R6fGJtqg

At 10.45 of Friday, the 12^th/25^th of March 2016, Doxology was held at the katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection on the national day of the 25^th of March 1821.

Doxology was led by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, having as concelebrants Hagiotaphite Primates and Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and monks in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, members of the Greek parish and the Rum-Orthodox flock in Jerusalem.

Doxology included a prayer of gratitude to God for His help in the liberation of our nation from merciless slavery, and supplication for the repose of the souls of those heroically fallen during the years of the Revolution.

On the conclusion of Doxology, the Patriarchal Entourage returned to the Patriarchates, where the Patriarch addressed clerics and laymen in Greek.

“A bottomless source of inspiration for the revolutionary fighters of 1821”, His Beatitude said, “were admittedly the spiritual greatness of Hellenism, especially of the Christian Orthodox Faith, as proclaimed by the great figures of 1821, Germanos of Old Patras, Kolokotronis, Makrigiannis and several others”.

“We are obliged”, the Patriarch added, “to underline this today, as contemporary perception, namely of the new order, of the divine and natural moral values, e.g. freedom and respect of human rights, is permeated by motives of anarchy and worship of created things”.

“The Greek Revolution of 1821, for the faith and the homeland, has proven that man does not live for his mortal flesh, but instead for the unsurpassed grandeur of his godlike soul. “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16, 26).

The Patriarch closed His speech by referring to the contribution of the Church of Jerusalem through the participation of it faithful children, both clerics and laymen, in the fight for freedom.

The Greek Consul-General went on to read the message of the President of the Greek Republic, Mr Pavlopoulos. Here follows an excerpt: 

“The unparalleled example of our ancestors the Fighters, of 1821, must inspire and guide us for all time. Even more so during this current historical occasion for our Homeland. All Greeks, both those living in Greece and those who make part of the thriving Hellenism abroad, owe, now more than ever, to create an unbreakable front of joint responsibility and coordinated actions, so that we may successfully deal with the new challenges of the times and secure a better future for Greece and the new generations of Greeks. Now is the time when Hellenism must take action, united, according to its nature and historical destination, making the best of the immense potential and the excellent quality of human resources and of the Greeks of the Diaspora”.

The Greek President also referred to the huge financial and social problem facing Greece today in consequence of the unprecedented flow of refugees, calling upon the country’s European partners to remember that the center of Europe is not the common currency but Man himself. “We ask”, said Mr Pavlopoulos, “of the European Union to remember its principles and deal with the Refugee problem in accordance with its political and legal civilization, isolating those extreme voices within its midst that advocate exactly the opposite choices and are guided by anti-humanitarian and anti-democratic phobic syndromes”.

The event closed with a reception hosted by the Greek Consulate.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/faac5ofJWus

On Sunday, the 7^th/20^th of March 2016, the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the Patriarchate commemorated the restoration of the icons by pious emperors Theodora Augusta and Michael in the year 843 AD following more than a century of merciless persecution against them.

Through the restoration of the holy icons, the Church attests to the incarnation, humanization and birth in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and to His appearance amongst men. According to the Fathers of the Church, denying the icons equals denying the presence of Jesus on earth.

A’ Vespers

This event was celebrated by the Church with the reading of the Ninth Hour at 2:00 pm at the monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen, followed by Vespers at the Church of the Resurrection, censing and veneration at the Apokathelosis and the Holy Sepulchre, as members of the Synod and Primates venerated at the Golgotha, amidst bells tolling.

After Vespers, the Patriarchal Entourage walked to the monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen.

B’ On feast-day

At 7:00 am of Sunday, the 7^th/20^th of March 2016, the Patriarchal Entourage, headed by Patriarch Theophilos, walked to the Church of the Resurrection.

Once His Beatitude, Primates and Priests were dressed in sacerdotal vestments, the divine Liturgy began at the katholikon, led by the Patriarch. Co-officiating were Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Archbishops Dorotheos of Avila, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebaste, Demetrios of Lydda, Makarios of Qatar and Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, and Archimandrite Nektarios as head priest. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang with pious pilgrim, novice Georgios, and others in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, as a great crowd of nuns, members of the Greek parish, the Arabic-speaking flock and pilgrims participated in piety.

The Apolysis was followed by a procession of the Holy Icons around the Holy Sepulchre and the shrines surrounding the katholikon, in declaration of their victory.

On the completion of the procession, the Patriarch read the Gospel on the Resurrection and the Synodicon of the First Sunday of Lent for the eternal memory of those who restored the Holy Icons and anathema against the iconoclasts.

At the Patriarchate, His Beatitude addressed guests in Greek, pointing out that “the restitution and veneration, hence the restoration of the Holy Icons marks a great event for our Orthodox faith in the Crucified and Resurrected Lord or better say God the Logos united in substance with our own human nature, as proclaimed by the Apostle Paul:  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3, 16)”.

The Patriarch closed his speech by proclaiming “Eternal Memory!” for the followers of the holy icons.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/C8yOOCqXg-s

httpv://youtu.be/tNjLftPfSdw

httpv://youtu.be/aa0i9tKjtYg

On Saturday, the 6^th/19^th of March 2016, the Saturday of the First Week of the Fasting Period, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem commemorated the miracle of St Theodore the Tyron and the Great-Martyr at the Monastery dedicated to his name to the west of the Patriarchate on the way to the New Gate.

St Theodore the Tyron, named after the order of the new recruits of the Roman Army where he served, suffered a martyr’s death by fire during the reign of Maximian in the year 217 AD.

During the 4^th c., St Theodore appeared in a vision to Archbishop Eudoxius during the reign of Julian the Apostate, and informed him that, in the course of the first week of fasting, Julian had sprinkled the edibles at the market of Constantinople with the blood of animals, and urged him to inform Christians not to buy or eat any of them, but eat boiled wheat instead. The Christians obeyed and remained pure of the contagion of idolatry.

Vespers and the divine Liturgy in honour of St Theodore were led by Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia, with Archimandrite Ignatios, hegumen at the Monastery of the Village of the Shepherds, Archimandrite Porphyrios, Archimandrite Paisios, hegumen at the Monastery of the Prophet Elias, Archdeacon Evlogios and f. Nikita concelebrating. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang for a pious congregation of monks, nuns, locals and pilgrims rom Greece, Russia and Romania.

During the service, Patriarch Theophilos arrived at the church to venerate.

The Patriarchal and Prelatic Entourages were hosted by the hegumen, Archimandrite Alexios.

From the Secretariat-General  

httpv://youtu.be/EY-izx4eWuk

httpv://youtu.be/IEtEp2RLOi4

On the evening of Friday the 5^th/18^th of March 2016, the Patriarchate celebrated the First Stasis of the Salutations of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The First Stasis of the Salutations was read in the context of the Small Compline service and of the Canon “I shall open my mouth” at the katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection, under His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Patriarch Theophilos was accompanied by the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina; His Eminence Demetrios, Archbishop of Lydda, the Most Reverend Joachim, Metropolitan of Zambia, the Elder Kamarasis, Archimandrite Nektarios, and other Hagiotaphite Fathers. In attendance was the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem and members of the Greek parish and of the Patriarchate’s Arabic-speaking flock.

In the context of this pious service, His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek, saying inter alia:

“The Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary became the vessel of the Grace of the Holy Spirit, through which every man that comes to the world is enlightened and blessed. St Gregory Palamas calls the Holy Theotokos “a border between the built and unbuilt nature” and explains that no one could approach God than through her and the mediator born of her, and none of God’s gifts could be given to either angels or humans than through her”. […]

“The pure and ever-virgin Theotokos stands apart as the par excellence paradigm of obedience to the will of God, which in this case signifies fasting, namely the submission of our will to the will of God. It also signifies repentance and confession of our transgression and sins. “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6, 37) says the Lord. To the question of the Apostle Peter, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18, 21-22). […]

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/bUfK5EfSrmQ

On Thursday the 4^th/17^th of March, 2016, Thursday of the First Week of Lent, the Patriarchate observed the memory of hosios Gerasimos of Jordan at the Monastery dedicated to his name, on the West Bank of the river Jordan, before the river mouth at the Dead Sea.

St Gerasimos came from his hometown of Lycia, Asia Minor, to the Holy Land and led a monk’s life at a Monastery in the region of the river Jordan.  Having shortly deviated to the heresy of Monophysitism circa 450 AD, he returned to Orthodoxy under hosios Efthymios the great and excelled in defending the Christological doctrine of the two natures of Christ at the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon. He went on to found a monastic Lavra for advanced monks, led thousands of them to life, completion and deification in Christ, and attracted several Christians from across the world to piety in Christ. The Monastery he founded survived the transformations of human history, albeit in the tumultuous region of Palestine.

At this Monastery, His Beatitude Theophilos officiated at the divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, having as concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, e.g. Archimandrite Ieronymos, hegumen in Fhes, Jordan; Archimandrite Ignatios, hegumen at the Village of the Shepherds; Archimandrite Paisios, hegumen at the Monastery of the Prophet Elias; Archimandrite Ananias, hegumen at St George, Beit Jala; Hieromonk Kyriakos, priest at the Monastery, and the vicar of St Constantine, f. Nikitas; Arabic-speaking presbyters as f. Issa Mousleh, f. Yusef Hondali and f. Pavlos Aleme; also, Archdeacon Evlogios, Hierodeacons Agapios, Markos and f. Anastasios. Metropolitans Kyriakos of Nazareth and Isychios of Kapitolias, the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archbishops Demetrios of Lydda and Makarios of Qatar, and Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia prayed jointly. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang with monks of the Monastery of Hozeva and Bethlehem, having students from the Patriarchal School as participants. Attending the service were the Patriarchate’s Mass Media representatives, ministers of the church and pilgrims from Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania and Ukraine.

To the pious congregation the Patriarch preached the word of God in Greek.

In Arabic, the Patriarch’s speech may be reached here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2016/03/17/19668

A great crowd participated in the Sacrament of the Holy metalepsis. A procession followed, as the icon of Abba Gerasimus was carried thrice around the Monastery, and supplication was made for health and peace in the world, and for the repose of the souls of our departed fathers and brothers.

At noon, the hegumen, Archimandrite Chrysostomos, hosted everyone to meatless lunch.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/uXnde1LD9h0

httpv://youtu.be/qntOSYg30Fs

httpv://youtu.be/NpacowJ9Wa0

From the 1^st/14^th to the 3^rd/16^th of March 2016, from Lent Monday to Lent Wednesday, the first three days of the forty-day period of Tessarakosti, the Patriarchate’s offices remained closed and no visits took place at the Patriarchate. Services included the Great Compline at 2:30 pm at the Monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen, as Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem arrived from the Patriarchate holding the patriarchal staff. Also, on the morning of Lent Wednesday, His Beatitude officiated at the divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts from the Throne, dressed in a mantle.

The divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was also performed on the morning of Lent Wednesday on the Golgotha, led by the Elder Sacristan of the Church of the Resurrection, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis, with deacons of the Church of the Resurrection, monks and pilgrims participating.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/2pAQ5Qb3_9U