On the evening of Lent Monday, the 10^th/23^rd of February 2015, the service of the Great Compline was held at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen. The service will be officiated every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the duration of the Great Lent, until Holy Wednesday, by the serving hieromonk. Patriarch Theophilos concelebrated with Hagiotaphite Primates, Hieromonks, monks and nuns. Only a few pilgrims were allowed to attend the service, as the first three days of the Great Lent is a holiday for the Patriarchate and entrance is prohibited to visitors. On the conclusion of the Compline, the Great Canon of St Andreas, Archbishop of Crete, was sung.

From the Secretariat-General

On the evening of Cheesefare Sunday, the 9^th/22^nd of February 2015, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, recited the wish of forgiveness at the monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen.

The wish was recited at the end of the Small Compline, in preparation of the faithful for the onset of the Great Lent.

The wish of forgiveness was followed by fraternal embrace and expression of regret.

From the Secretariat-General

On Cheesefare Sunday, the 9^th/22^nd of February 2015, the Patriarchate observed the memory of St Charalambos the great martyr, one day after the saint’s designated feast, as this year it coincided with Lent Monday.

The memory of the saint was celebrated at the Monastery dedicated to him, which lies between the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Resurrection.

St Charalambos, hailing from Magnesia, Thessaly, and having served there as deacon, suffered a martyr’s death during the reign of Severus in 198 AD.

Vespers and the Divine Liturgy were led by His Eminence Methodios, Archbishop of Tabor. Co-officiating were Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Hierodeacons, as Archimandrite Eusebius sang. Mass was attended by a pious congregation of nuns, local Jerusalemites and pilgrims from Greece, Russia and Romania.

His Eminence Methodios preached the Word of God to the congregation, underlining the saint’s perseverance as an example to be emulated by Christians during the Great Lent.

His Beatitude Theophilos proceeded to venerate during the Divine Liturgy.

The Patriarch, the Prelatic Retinue and the faithful were hosted to a reception by the Hegoumen, f. Kallistos, in his quarters.

From the Secretariat-General

On the evening of Wednesday to Thursday, the 5^th to 6^th/18^th to 19^th of February 2015, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis and Elder Sacristan, ordained f. Sophronios Felekis as deacon during a Divine Liturgy performed in the Holy Sepulcher. F. Sophronios is a graduate of the Patriarchal School of Sion and was recently tonsured as monk.

Before the ordination, His Eminence advised the pious subdeacon Sophronios with paternal words, underlining his obedience  to the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, with the help and support of his mother. Archbishop Isidoros invoked the example of the deacon’s patron saint, St Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who protected Orthodoxy and guarded the Holy Shrines.

The mother of the ordained deacon attended the ordination along with friends, fellow students, Hagiotaphite Fathers and pilgrims. The Head Cantor of the Church of the Resurrection sang with Patriarchal School students.

After the ordination, f. Sophronios hosted guests to a reception in the Office of the Elder Sacristan.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/1fTpXqiMWmU

On Monday, the 3^rd/16^th of February 2015, the feast of St Simeon the Receiver of the Lord was observed at the Monastery dedicated to him in Katamonas, West Jerusalem.

The tomb and partial relics of St Simeon are kept in this historical Monastery of the Patriarchate, granted to it by the Metropolis of Zatar, Croatia, three years ago.

Patriarch Theophilos led the Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating with Him were the Metropolitans of Veria and Kitrous, visiting from Greece; and their Eminences, Archbishops Methodios of Tabor, Theophylaktos of Jordan and Theodosios of Sebaste; Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Hierodeacons, as well as Presbyters visiting from the Orthodox Churches of Russia, Romania and Ukraine. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem and a large crowd of pilgrims from Russia, Romania and Hungary, as well as the remaining members of the Greek Parish in Katamonas.

During mass, the Patriarch preached the Word of God in Greek.

On the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Abbot, Archimandrite Theodoritos, hosted guests to a reception in his quarters.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/EVOWQY2UZl0

On Sunday, the 2^nd/15^th of January 2015, namely Meatfare Sunday, the Hypapante of the Lord was celebrated at the Church of Sts Constantine and Helen. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem led the Divine Liturgy.

On the same day, the Hypapante of the Lord was also observed at the Church of the Holy Monastery of Seida Naya which lies to the North-East of the Patriarchate, in the Christian quarter.

The feast commemorates the presentation of Jesus Christ to the Temple of Solomon on the completion of forty days from His Nativity, according to the stipulation of the Law that “every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”. There, He was received by the righteous Simeon, who said: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2, 22-38).

His Eminence Theophanes, Archbishop of Gerassa, led the Vespers and Divine Liturgy, preaching the Word of God to Greek-speaking and Arab-speaking faithful (see video), while teachers and students at the Patriarchal School sang with members of the Christian Community of Jerusalem, in the presence of the Greek Consul-General, Mr G. Zacharoudiakis.

Patriarch Theophilos proceeded to venerate in the course of the Divine Liturgy.

After mass, abbess Seraphima hosted the Patriarchal retinue to a reception in her quarters.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/8Rkp8vvV2zk

On Saturday, the 1^st/14^th of February 2015, namely the Saturday of Souls, a memorial service was held for the repose of the souls of departed Hagiotaphite Fathers, Patriarchs, Prelates, Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and monks. The service was officiated by Patriarch Theophilos at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen, with co-officiating Prelates, and Hagiotaphite Archimandrites as concelebrants.

On the conclusion of Vespers and mass, kollyva were offered at the Church Board Hall, the Epitropikon.

The Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service were also performed at the Church of the Cemetery in St Sion, led by Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, with Patriarchal School students serving as cantors.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/CzweyBmShKU

On Saturday, the 1^st/14^th of February 2015, H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, conferred the tonsure upon two novices, namely Socrates Felekis, a graduate of the Patriarchal School on the Holy Sion, and Stavros Voukas, who was recently admitted to the aforementioned Patriarchal School.

With the rite of the tonsure, His Beatitude gave the two tonsured monks the names Sophronios, for Socrates, and Synesios, for Stavros.

After the tonsure, the Patriarch spoke to the new Hagiotaphites with words of advice, underlining the honour of the monastic schema bestowed upon them, and the significance of the struggle that awaits them in favour of the Holy Shrines and the Orthodox flock in the Holy Land.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/3dUnCKTdsII

On Thursday, the 30^th of January/12^th of February 2015, the Patriarchate celebrated the memory of the Three Holy Hierarchs, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. This feast, honouring the ministry of teaching, was celebrated at the Patriarchal School on the hill of the Holy Sion.

The feast was established by the Church in the 12^th century in order to unite its members – then separated into fractions with partisans of St John, St Basil and St Gregory – into a single body honouring the three ecumenical teachers both as saints and as men of letters promoting the link between ancient Greek education and Christian teachings.

Vespers and the Divine Liturgy were held in the Church of the Holy Trinity on the Holy Sion, led by the Chairman of the School Board, Elder Sacristan, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis. Co-officiating with him, were Presbyter Efthymios and Hierodeacon Dionysius.  Teachers and students sang in the presence of a pious congregation made of members of the Greek Parish of Jerusalem and pilgrims.

Mr Mexis delivered the panegyric of the day (see video).

After mass, Vice-Principal, Mr Spyridon Mwxis, hosted the Prelatic retinue and the congregation to a reception at the School’s hall of events.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/ROP-gVebzAk

On Monday, the 20^th of January/2^nd of February 2015, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of hosios Efthymios the Great at the Monastery dedicated to his name, within the Christian quarter, north of the Patriarchate.

St Efthymios came to the Holy Land from Cappadocia in 420 AD, and led an ascetic life with St Theoktistos in the desert of Koutila, between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. There, he founded a lavra which went on to become an important monastic center, while he himself became the teacher of St Savvas the Consecrated who came to the Holy Land in 456 AD. St Efthymios preached Christianity to the Persians and was distinguished as an opponent of Monophysitism and a proponent of the dogma of the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon, which proclaimed Christ’s single hypostasis in two natures. To this day, the Monastery stands as an archaeological site.

His Eminence Damascene, Archbishop of Joppa, led the Vespers and divine Liturgy at Hosios Efthymios Monastery in Jerusalem, with co-officiating Hieromonks and Hierodeacons. Archimandrite Eusebius sang with Patriarchal School students, in the presence of local Christians and pilgrims from Greece, Ukraine, Russia and Romania.

His Eminence Damascene talked to the congregation of the ascetic figure of St Efthymios, his dedication to monastic life, and his contribution to the salvation of several monks.

Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem came to the Monastery during mass to venerate.

On the conclusion of the divine Liturgy, Abbess Christonymphe hosted guests to a reception at the hegoumeneion.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/mloc1xbkedc