On Wednesday the 15^th/28^th of August 2013, the feast of the Dormition of Theotokos was celebrated by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem at the Bier of the Mother of God.

Vespers was first held on the evening of the feast, led by the Most Reverend Joachim, Metropolitan of Zambia at the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite f. Aristovoulos chanted the Vespers’ troparia in the Byzantine mode, especially so the Doxastikon “With a sign by the authority of God” within the eight modes (octoechos), whilst the faithful people piously observed, placing lit candles along the steps of the church.

On the morning of the feast, the Divine Liturgy was officiated at the Bier of the Mother of God, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, officiating. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Metropolitans, Isychios of Kapitolias, Patriarchal Commissioner; Timotheos of Vostroi; the Most Reverend Joachim, visiting Metropolitan of Zambia, and their Eminences, Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constanina, and Methodios of Tabor; Hieromonks of the Holy Sepulcher and visiting priests from the Holiest Sister Orthodox Churches of Russia, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine and Belarus. The choir chanted under the direction of Archimandrite Aristovoulos in Greek and Mukhtar George Kamar in Arabic, in the presence of the Greek Consul-General in Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis and his wife, and also Ms Aspasia Mitsi. A great crowd participated devoutly and venerated the Bier of the Mother of God, consecrating their hands, lips, eyes and foreheads.

During the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek.

In Arabic, the speech may be read here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/08/28/2658

At the dismissal of the divine Liturgy, the Patriarchal retinue and members of the personnel were hosted at the Hegoumen’s Quarters by the Hegoumen, Archimandrite f. Nektarios.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/abEOY9Ze3wA

On Tuesday the 14^th/27^th of August 2013, the rite of the Lamentations or the Epitaph of Theotokos was performed by the Patriarchate at the Bier of the Mother of God in Gethsemane.

An attendance of Fathers of the Holy Sepulcher with sojourner clerics of the Church of Greece and other Orthodox Churches, led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, commenced at 6:30 am from the Gate of the Patriarchate. Moving across the Via Dolorosa and passing before the Holy Monasteries of Praetorium, St Anne and St Stephanos they arrived at Gethsemane.    

Once there, His Beatitude and Prelates waited at the Hegoumen’s Quarters for the priests to descend into the Holy Church, pay their respects, and put on the appropriate vestments for the rite.

Subsequently, His Beatitude proceeded down to the court of the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos and, in the presence of appropriately attired priests, holding the Gospel, cross and censer He put on a patriarchal mantle and blessed the Holy Entrance.

Immediately afterwards, the hieratic procession walked towards the Bier of the Mother of God, whilst chanters sang “In Giving Birth You Kept Your Virginity”.

Having venerated the Bier of the Mother of God, His Beatitude was dressed in full primatial vestments, whilst the Prelates wore a stole and a pallium, and the priests a stole. Then, the procession of the Lamentations began in three stases: A’: “The Pure One in the tomb”, B’ “Worthy it is to praise you, Theotokos”, and C’: “All generations offer a song unto your burial, O Virgin”, with the Evlogitaria at the end.

Within the troparia of these stases, Theotokos was praised for having conceived the Lord through Spirit, having raised him in obedience and devotion until the passion on the cross as the first Myrrh-bearing witness of the Resurrection, and as having slept a natural death and been buried in her tomb in Gethesemane, then taken by her Son to Heaven in soul and body, to stand on his right and offer supplication and protection to those piously invoking her. These theological and devout hymns were received in great piety by a crowd of the Lord, co-chanting on occasion.

Attentively the crowd also listened to the Word of God delivered by the sojourner Metropolitan of the Church of Greece, the Most Reverend Theologos, Metropolitan of Serres (available through the audiovisual material cited below), on Theotokos as mother of the Lord and eternal mediator before her Son on behalf of each and every faithful Christian Orthodox, and equally for the faithful of our Nation, suffering gravely at present because of the financial crisis from which he wished that we exit through the intercession of Theotokos.

At the conclusion of the sermon, the priests who carried the Epitaph in which the icon of the body of Theotokos was placed, climbed the stairs next to the Gate of the Church. There, a supplication was made for the pilgrims of the All-Holy and Life-Giving Sepulcher and of the Bier of the Mother of God, as well as for peace, health and kind condition for the whole world.

The priests went on to lower the Epitaph into the area behind the Bier of the Mother of God and in front of the icon of the Platytera, known as “Ierosolymitissa”, where a supplication was made and the Patriarchal Polychronism chanted. The dismissal of the rite of the Lamentations followed, whilst even after the dismissal the crowd was eager to venerate the sacred icon.

Subsequently, the Patriarchal retinue and the people of the Lord were received at the Hegoumen’s Quarters by the Hegoumen of Gethsemane, Archimandrite f. Nektarios, where they were offered cold water, lenten cakes and nuts in the presence of the Consul-General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, and personnel from the Greek Consulate General.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/pw1PaU8Ml1M

On Monday the 12^th/25^th of August 2013, a procession took place intended for the descent of the icon of Theotokos from the Dependency of Gethsemane opposite the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, to the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos in Gethsemane, wherein lies the Tomb of the Virgin Mary.

As is well-known, this particular icon of Theotokos in the type of the Dormition is kept at the chapel of Gethsemane opposite the Church of the Resurrection.

From there it is received on the 12^th of August each year, to be taken to Gethsemane, where it lies until the 23^rd of the same month, at which it is returned to its initial position.

In keeping with this order, the procession of the holy icon of Theotokos began this year at 4:00 am/5:00 am (summer time) from the Dependency. The icon was carried close to the bosom of the Hegoumen of Gethsemane, Archimandrite Nektarios, in the midst of their Eminences, the Archbishops of Ioppi and Lydda, Damaskinos and Demetrios, priests of the Holy Sepulcher and sojourner priests of the Orthodox Churches, long rows of monks and nuns, and a great crowd eager to venerate the sacred icon, placing their problems, adversities, agonies, pains and illnesses onto Theotokos for help, protection, support and cure, whilst chanting “Apostles from the ends of the earth” and “In Giving Birth You Kept Your Virginity”, in Greek, Arabic and all languages of the Orthodox.

As the procession moved across the Via Dolorosa from the Church of the Resurrection to Gethsemane, it paused for supplication before the Holy Monasteries of St Alexander Nevsky, Praetorium, St Anne and St Stephanos.

Eventually, the sacred icon was lowered down to the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos in Gethsemane and placed behind the Tomb of the Virgin Mary next to the Platytera for veneration by the faithful. There it shall remain for the duration of the divine Liturgy today, but also for the following days and hours until the Eve, on which the Engomia [Lamentations] are chanted, of the day of the Dormition of Theotokos, in anticipation of the Completion of the feast on the 23^rd of August, when the procession is resumed, this time from Gethsemane toward the chapel.

After the descent of the icon, a divine Liturgy was also held at the chapel of Theotokos on the Mount of Olives in Little Galilee where it is believed that Theotokos was announced her Dormition by an angel.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/f6Qv73GCs64

On Monday the 6^th/19^th of August 2013, the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was celebrated on Mount Tabor in remembrance of the extraordinary and sublime event which came to pass in glory and brilliance within a luminous cloud as the Father said from the heavens: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 17, 5) and in the presence of prophets Moses and Elijah – the revelation and manifestation of the divine nature of the Lord, His human nature briefly concealed before the eminent disciples Peter and James and John.

The event, celebrated by the Church as one of the feast’s of the Lord, was honoured on the very site where it took place and also at the adjacent Holy Monastery during a nocturnal Divine Liturgy out of doors, His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, officiating. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Timotheos, Metropolitan of Bostroi and Patriarchal representative in Cyprus; the Elder Chancellor, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina; Hieromonks of the Holy Sepulcher, and Presbyters of the Arab-speaking Communities of the Patriarchate from towns lying in the vicinity of Mount Tabor, amidst the pious sound of Byzantine chants sung in Arabic by a choir conducted by the Hegoumen of Accra-Ptolemais, Archimandrite f. Philotheos; and in Greek by Presbyter f. Georgios of the Church of Greece. A great crowd participated reverently, of faithful pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania and Cyprus.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery, Archimandrite Hilarion, hosted the Patriarchal retinue and offered them rest at the Monastery’s guesthouses.

On the morning of the feast, the Divine Liturgy was held inside the Church, the Most Reverend Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth officiating. Co-officiating were Hieromonks of the Holy Sepulcher and Arab-speaking Presbyters in the presence of a great crowd from the Northern Communities of the Patriarchate.

At noon, the Hegoumen Archimandrite Hilarion hosted His Beatitude, who spent the night in Tabor, for lunch, as well as the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Nazareth, their retinues and pilgrims.

For the feast of the Transfiguration, the Divine Liturgy was held at the Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Gethsemane, His Eminence Dorotheos, Archbishop of Avila officiating, and at the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Ramallah, His Eminence Philoumenos, Archbishop of Pella and Patriarchal Commissioner in Irbet, Jordan, officiating.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/FiPbAb88AxE

On the night of Friday to Saturday, the 3^rd to the 4^th/16^th to the 17^th of August 2013, during the Divine Liturgy at the All-Holy and Life-Giving Sepulcher of the Lord, Templar Monk Agapios Hadjipavlis was ordained deacon by the Grand Sacristan, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis, having as participants Brothers of the Holy Sepulcher, including the Templar Fathers, acquaintances of the ordained and a crowd of faithful.

Before the ordination, the ordaining Archbishop addressed the ordained, saying among other things:

Most pious Subdeacon Agapios,

[…] Your mission as a Monk of the Holy Sepulcher and a Deacon shall be twofold. Apart from safeguarding and caring for the All-Holy Pilgrimage Sites with which the Lord has entrusted us through the centuries, you will have the pastoral responsibility of guiding souls towards salvation.

You shall become the channel, the way through which people afflicted by life’s sorrows will know Christ and find peace.

And this you shall only achieve if you yourself embrace Christ’s teachings, known through his Sermon on the Mount but much more through his personal example.

Love, obedience, patience, forbearance, tolerance, brotherly love, justice, should from now on rule your behaviour.

In this new spiritual struggle lying before you, you must carry your cross uncomplainingly, just as Christ did, and you shall climb your own Golgotha just as our Lord did, always with the hope that crucifixion is followed by resurrection. […]

After the Divine Liturgy, the Grand Sacristan held a reception at the Office of the Church of the Resurrection for the ordained deacon and the congregation, wishing him prosperity and progress in his diaconate, by the mediation of Theotokos and the wishes of His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, and of the entire Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/VzIBVK0Z77A

On Friday the 27^th of July/9^th of August 2013, the feast of St Panteleimon, the glorious great martyr and healer, was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to his name. The Monastery, which once bore the name of St Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem and Catechizer, lies between David’s Gate and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem at the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Vespers and Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast was led by His Eminence Damascenus, Archbishop of Ioppi, with Hieromonks, Brothers of the Holy Sepulcher and Hierodeacons co-officiating. Participating were great numbers of pious faithful from Jerusalem and pilgrims.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived at the church in the company of Brothers of the Holy Sepulcher and blessed the congregation.

His Beatitude and retinue, His Eminence and retinue as well as the pious congregation were treated to a reception at the Hegoumen’s Quarters by Mother Superior Charitine, who is also the renovator of the holy Church and Monastery.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/n4eBC0i6mD0

On Tuesday the 24^th of July/6^th of August 2013, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem conducted the monastic initiation of two deacons of the All-Holy Church of the Resurrection, namely Ioannis Ioacovou who was given the name Juvenalios and Alexandros Hadjipavlis, renamed Agapios.

This tonsure took place according to a decision by the Holy and Sacred Synod which took into account the good novitiate and diaconate of these two young monks.

After the rite, His Beatitude congratulated the tonsured monks on their new mission to meet the obligations of monastic life at the Holy Sepulcher.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/CZXAcmMU5A4

The feast of Prophet Elijah the Thesbite, celebrated on the 20^th of July each year, was honoured by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Saturday the 21^st of July/3^rd of August 2013, due to pastoral reasons. The celebration took place at the Prophet’s Holy Monastery which lies next to the main road leading from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, in the proximity of the ruins of the ancient Monastery of the Seat of Theotokos.

On this site stands the Monastery since very ancient times, set on the tradition that, having escaped the anger of kings Ahab and Jezebel, the Prophet Elijah sought refuge in this area. First he brought down fire from God and heaven and burnt the altar on Mount Carmel and then he slept under a juniper tree until awoken by an angel of the Lord, telling him: “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you”. So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. (1 Kings 19 4-9)

In the church of this Monastery, renovated by the late Arkadios, Metropolitan of Askalon, who hailed from Cyprus, a vespers was held in the evening, the Most Reverend Theophylaktos, Archbishop of Jordan and Patriarchal Commissioner in Bethlehem, officiating.

In the morning of the aforementioned day a panegyric divine Liturgy was held, led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of co-officiating Prelates. The Liturgy was attended by a pious Greek-speaking, Arab-speaking and Russian-speaking congregation.

During the Koinonikon of the mass, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem proclaimed God’s Word, which in Arab may be found here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/08/02/2609

At the end of the Liturgy, a reception was held at the Hegoumen’s quarters, followed by lunch offered by Hieromonk Paisios, head of renovation works at the Monastery.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/yAkGMRDEYMI

On Saturday, the 30^th of June/13rd of July 2013, the feast of the Gathering of the Twelve Holy Apostles was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to them, near the western shore of the Tiberian sea, at the centre of the present-day city of Tiberias. This Monastery was discovered on the ruins of an older Monastery, dated to the years of St Helena. At the Church of this Monastery, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem officiated the divine Liturgy with the Very Reverend Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth, the Most Reverend Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, Hegoumens of Monasteries in the vicinity of Tiberias, e.g. the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Archimandrite f. Ilarion, the Holy Monastery of Cana in Galilee, Archimandrite f. Chrysostomos, presbyters of parishes in the region of Galilee and priest-deacons, with the pious participation of Russian-speaking and Arab-speaking faithful, hailing from Galilee and Accra, and amidst chants from the Choir of Accra-Ptolemais under Hegoumen Archimandrite f. Philotheos.  

To the pious congregation, His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek. An excerpt of his speech is cited here below:

“…As is well known, this day’s feast is an extension of the great feast in memory of Peter and Paul, the Heads of the Apostles. And this because just as the Prophets in the Old Testament, so too the Holy Apostles in the New Testament make up the foundation stone of the Church of Christ, indeed the cornerstone mentioned in the teachings of the wise Paul: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2, 20-21).

In Arab, the speech may be read here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/07/13/2552

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery, Archimandrite f. Timotheos received the guests at the Hegoumen’s quarters. The reception was followed by lunch serving fish from the Tiberian sea.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/a3N6cv1Hrww

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On Friday the 29^th of June/12^th of July 2013, the feast of the glorious saints, Apostles Peter and Paul, was celebrated at the Church dedicated to them in Capernaum. The church, which invites admiration both outside and inside, was built by the late Damianos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in 1935, on an archeological site with ruins of ancient Capernaum on the west bank of the Tiberian sea.

As is well known, the Lord taught in Capernaum and there performed many of His miracles, after he had left His birthplace of Nazareth. Of them he said: “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee…” (Matthew 11, 21-24).

In this holy Church, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem led the Diving Liturgy. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Kyriacos, Metropolitan of Nazareth, the Elder Chancellor Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, the Elder Sacristan Isidoros, Archbishop of Ierapolis, and priest-monks of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as the Hegoumen of the Monastery of the Apostles in Tiberias f. Timotheos, of the Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, f. Ilarion, the Hegoumen in Fhes, Archimandrite f. Ieronymos, presbyters from the Patriarchal Community in the region of Galilee and Accra and many faithful from the Patriarchate’s Arab-speaking, Greek-speaking and English-speaking flock, mainly from its northern jurisdiction, participating in piousness and devoutness.

During the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude preached the word of God to the pious congregation, an excerpt of which is cited here:

A joyful feast shone today over this holy biblical land of Capernaum, the most sacred memory of Sts Peter and Paul, carriers of the spirit and heads of the apostles. They are the sources of pride the benevolent God, the Father, offered to His Church. And this, as Peter became the stone of faith, and Paul the orator of Christ’s Ecumenical Church. The apostolic preaching of these two leading luminaries of the Church had as its source and point of reference the cornerstone of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, God and Saviour of the World, as attested in their epistles. Peter says: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him”, come closer and closer to the Lord, who is a stone of life and gives life, and though he was rejected of men who crucified him, before God he is special and honoured (1, Peter: 2-4). And Paul avows that: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3: 10-11) for none other may place a different cornerstone over the one now lying immovable and unshakable on the foundation of the construction, and this cornerstone is Jesus Christ.  

In Arab, the speech may be read here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/07/13/2555

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and the procession, the diligent renovator of the Monastery, Hegoumen f. Eirinarchos invited everyone to a fish lunch.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/a3N6cv1Hrww

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