On the morning of Holy Friday, the 28^th of March/10^th of April 2015, the Great Royal Hours of Holy Friday were read initially at the Praetorium wherein lies the Prison of Christ.

The Hours Service was followed by a procession from the Praetorium via the Via Dolorosa (Street of Suffering) to the Golgotha, led by Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, carrying the Cross on his shoulders, and followed by a crowd.

There, before the Church that had already been opened according to the right of the Orthodox, the Hours of Holy Friday were again read on the Horrendous Golgotha in the presence of a crowd of pious faithful.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/9co-cigLLUo

On the evening of Holy Thursday the 27^th March/9^th April 2015, the Service of the Twelve Gospels was conducted at the Katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection.

The service was led by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who read the First of the Twelve Gospels, while Hagiotaphite Primates and Priests went on to read the remaining Gospels. Singing the troparia of the Lord’s Passion were Archimandrite Aristovoulos on the right and Monk Joseph of Mount Athos on the left. Pilgrims from across the world participated in piety and awe.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/iQFJY4LHL4M

httpv://youtu.be/uUA8VUai4pI

On the morning of Thursday, the 27^th of March/9^th of April 2015, after the divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great at St James Cathedral, the ceremony of the washing of the feet began at 8:00 am (summer time 9:00) in the Holy Court.

The ceremony, unique to Orthodoxy, was led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who washed the feet of twelve Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, after the example of the Lord who was the first to demonstrate humility as a path to excellence. During the rite, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias read the Evangelical pericopes pertaining to the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet, as thousands of Orthodox faithful piously observed from the Holy Court, the rooftop of the Central Monastery, the roof of St James, of Abraham Monastery and the Dependency of Gethsemane.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Beatitude, priests and faithful walked to the Patriarchates where they were welcomed by Hagiotaphite Primates.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/ffEnnwCrT2E

On the afternoon of Holy Wednesday, the 26^th of March/8^th of April 2015, the sacrament of the holy Unction was conducted at the Monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen. The Unction was offered as necessary preparation of Christians for their participation in the Holy Easter and Communion.

The ceremony was led by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, with co-officiating Primates and Hieromonks and concelebrant monks, nuns and a great crowd of Christian Orthodox faithful.

From the Secretariat-General

On Palm Sunday, 23^rd of March/5^th of April 2015, at 6:15 pm (summer time) the first of the services of the Nymphios, namely Christ the Bridegroom, was held at the Church of the Resurrection as Holy Monday Matins.

The service was led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, while the Head Cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, sang on the right, with f. Joseph of Mount Athos on the left. In attendance were pilgrims from Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Ukraine and Romania.

To this congregation, Patriarch Theophilos preached the Word of God by heart.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/iHA5jhtPaH8

On Palm Sunday, the 23^rd of May/5^th of April 2015, the Patriarchate commemorated the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ to Jerusalem, when the children of the Jews had welcomed him by spreading their coats in the road, shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

1. Saturday afternoon

On Saturday afternoon, at 2:00 pm, the Ninth Hour was read at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen.

Immediately afterwards, Hagiotaphite Fathers, Primates, Priests and monks, led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Archbishop of Jerusalem, proceeded to the Church of the Resurrection.

There, the Patriarch gave blessings and performed a censing, while the Primates venerated at the Holy Apokathelosis [Deposition from the Cross].

Veneration was also performed at the Holy Sepulcher.

Vespers began upon entrance to the katholikon whilst deacons were performing a censing along the Holy Shrines and the “Anoixantaria” were sung by the Head Cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos.

Vespers was attended by pious pilgrims visiting from Greece and elsewhere.

1. On feast-day

On the morning of Palm Sunday, the Patriarchal Hagiotaphite Retinue walked in procession to the Church of the Resurrection.

There, the Divine Liturgy began at the katholikon, led by Patriarch Theophilos. Co-officiating with Him were the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, and their Eminences Archbishops Dorotheos of Avila, Aristarchos of Constantina, Methodios of Tabor and Demetrios of Lydda; also, Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhni Novgorod and Archbishop Demetrius of Orshansk from the Church of Russia; Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and presbyters visiting from the Churches of Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Romania. In attendance was the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, and a great crowd of faithful from Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus and Romania.

On the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a procession began from the Beautiful Gate of the Katholikon thrice around the Holy Sepulcher as His Beatitude, Primates, priests and the faithful carried palm branches.

After the procession, the Patriarchal Retinue proceeded to the Patriarchates, were the Patriarch addressed guests in Greek.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/uWKdvZ5YbVg

On Lazarus Saturday, the 22^nd of March/4^th of April 2015, the Patriarchate commemorated the raising of Lazarus, Christ’s friend from Bethany.

A. On Friday afternoon:

The event was commemorated on Friday afternoon on the Site of the Ascension of Christ on the Mount of Olives, being adjacent to Bethphage and Bethany, with Vespers performed on the ruins of the old Byzantine Church of the Ascension (now a mosque), after the outdoor Holy Altar had first been consecrated.

Vespers was led by Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa with co-officiating Hieromonks and Arab-speaking presbyters, as Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang with the Choir of St James Cathedral. A crowd of monks, nuns and pilgrims attended the service.

After Vespers, Hegoumen Achillios hosted guests to a short reception at the Monastery of the Ascension, after which the first part of the Small Compline was read with the feast’s Canon.

A procession then followed to the Shrine of the Men of Galilee, where Patriarch Theophilos was waiting to listen to the First Eothinon Gospel by the officiating Primate, Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa.

The procession returned to the Shrine where the reading of the Small Compline was completed, marking the conclusion of Lazarus Saturday feast on the Mount of Olives.

B. On feast-day

1. On the Mount of Olives

On the morning of Lazarus Saturday, the 22^nd of March/4^th of April 2015, the Divine Liturgy was held on the Site of the Lord’s Ascension, led by Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, with co-officiating Hieromonks and the priests of St James Cathedral, as well as priests visiting from other Churches. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang with novices and monks of the Patriarchal School and St James Choir.

On the conclusion of mass, Monk Achillios hosted guests to a reception at the Monastery of the Ascension.

2. In Bethany.

The raising of Lazarus from the dead was also celebrated at the Monastery dedicated to his sisters, Martha and Maria, which lies at a short distance from his tomb in Bethany.

Matins and the Divine Liturgy were led by Patriarch Theophilos and co-officiating Primates in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem and a great crowd of locals and pilgrims.

His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek.

An official procession followed to the Tomb of Lazarus, where the pericope of the Rising of Lazarus according to John was read (John 11, 1-44).

On the conclusion of mass, the Prelatic Retinue visited the Municipal Authorities of Bethany, was then hosted to meatless lunch at Martha and Maria Convent, offered by the Abbes, Nun Eupraxia.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/da62oH6O2PY

httpv://youtu.be/FEQoId7HUS4

httpv://youtu.be/t4hS0r_NQC4

On the eve of Palm Sunday, the 22^nd of March/4^th of April 2015, after Vespers at the katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection, a procession began from Bethphage, to the south of the Mount of Olives, to Jerusalem in commemoration of the Lord’s triumphant entry to Jerusalem, as the crowd shouted “Hosanna to the Son of God! Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord”.

The procession began from the Monastery of Palm Sunday, that was erected from the ground by the late Archbishop Gregorios of Tiberias, after the Patriarch had blessed the palm branches and offered them to Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, who went on to lead the procession through the Holy Site of the Ascension, via the shrines of Gethsemane and St Stephen, to the Monastery of St Anne at St Stephen’s Gate. Participating in the procession was a crowd of monks, nuns and pilgrims singing in various languages.

On the conclusion of the procession, a supplication was made along with doxology at the Church of St Anne.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/t4hS0r_NQC4

On Saturday the 15^th/28^th of March 2015, the Holy and Sacred Synod convened under the presidency of Patriarch Theophilos to discuss issues of interest to the Patriarchate.

One of these decisions was the approval to found two housing settlements, one in the city of Bethlehem, on land of the Patriarchate, and one in the adjacent town of Beit Jala. The settlements are intended to be offered on very favourable conditions to people of low means, whilst ownership of the land remains with the Patriarchate. The renting contracts for the settlements have been signed with HADI MASHAL & ASSOCIATES.

Upon a different decision of the Synod, Hierodeacon Polycarpos, serving at the Church of the Resurrection, was ordained as presbyter and promoted to the rank of Assistant Sacristan and Archimandrite.

Acting on the aforementioned decision, the Elder Sacristan of the Church of the Resurrection, His Eminence Isidoros, Archishop of Hierapolis, ordained Hierodeacon Polycarpos during the nocturnal Divine Liturgy of Saturday the 15^th/28^th to Sunday 16^th/29^th of March 2015, at the Life-Giving Sepulcher.

Attending the ceremony was f. Polycarpos’ mother, alongside numerous Hagiotaphite Deacons at the Church of the Resurrection, Hagiotaphite Fathers and pilgrims, praying for him to be blessed with the grace of the All-holy Spirit in order to guard the interests of the Patriarchate in the Holy Shrines.

On the conclusion of mass, the newly ordained hosted guests to a reception at the Office of the Elder Sacristan, Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/wH00_oyVY1I

On the afternoon of Friday the 14^th/27^th of March 2015, the service of the Akathist Hymn was performed at the katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection, namely the reading anew of the four Stases of the Akathist Hymn in the context of the Small Compline.

This mystic and magnificent service was led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who read the first Stasis of the Salutations, whilst Hagiotaphite Primates and Hieromonks read the remaining Stases. The Canon of the Akathist “I shall open my mouth” was sang by the head cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, and Monk Joseph of Mount Athos. A pious congregation of monks, nuns and pilgrims attended the service.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/lSakj_Ezeuw