On Sunday, August 22 / September 4, 2022, on the commemoration of Saint Moses the Ethiopian, an Episcopal Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Church dedicated to him in Raphidia of Samaria, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, with concelebrants the Hegoumen Archimandrite Leontios, the Steward Fr Nectarios Khouri and the participation of the Hegoumen of Jacob’s well Archimandrite Ioustinos.

After the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen Archimandrite Leontios, and the trustees of the parish of Raphidia, hosted a festal meal for the Fathers and the congregation.

From Secretariat-General

On Sunday, August 15/28, 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, that is, of her Ascension into heaven by her Son, who from His right-hand remains in perpetuity for the sake of the Church and of all humanity, always reaching ” of all those who are in harsh circumstances, in sorrow and in need”.

This feat was celebrated in the Gethsemane Church of the Dormition and in the Theotokos Tomb with a Divine Liturgy.

This Liturgy was presided over by the H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of their Eminences,  Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Metropolitan Timotheos of Bosra, the Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina and Makarios of Katar, the ministering Priests of the shrine, Archimandrites Meletios and Dionysios, Arabic-speaking Elders and priests of other Orthodox Churches, of the Patriarchate of Moscow and Romania. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and a visiting Byzantine choir from Greece, under Mr Ioannis Plevritis. The Liturgy was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and a large congregation of faithful Christians, coming from the occupied territories and pilgrims from Greece, Cyprus, Romania and foreign countries.

Before the Holy Communion H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theofilos delivered the following Sermon:

“The Most High hath hallowed His tabernacle” (Psalm 45,5). “The mountain of God is a butter mountain, a curdled mountain, this is the mountain wherein God is pleased to dwell”, (Psalm 67, 16-17), exclaims the praiser of the blessed Theotokos Saint John of Damascus, invoking the psalmist.

Beloved brothers in Christ,

Reverend Christians and pilgrims,

We, as the other Apostles, gathered here, in the village of Gethsemane, to honour the memory of the venerable metastasis of our most glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary, but also to venerate her Sacred Tomb.

“How the source of life is transferred to life, passing through death! How she who in her birth overcame the limits of nature now submits to its laws and submits to death the immortal body. For this [the body] must lay off mortality and put on incorruptibility, because the Lord [the sovereign] of nature did not refuse to submit to death. He perishes according to the flesh and with death He abolishes death and with corruption, He grants us incorruptibility and makes His death the source of the Resurrection”, St. John of Damascus exclaims with admiration. 

Indeed, the Virgin Mary was shown to be the source, that is, the Mother of life, and Life, in this case, is Christ according to his word: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I give thee life eternal” (John 10:28). And according to the testimony of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, he who is united by faith to the Son of God and has Him as his own, has the true and eternal life. “He who has the Son has life” (John 5:12). How much more “has the life of the eternally gracious and blessed in women Mary (Lk. 1,25), from whose pure blood the Son of God became incarnate through the Holy Spirit and her Son.

Today the Holy Church of Christ solemnly celebrates a paradoxical miracle in Gethsemane where “the source of life”, according to the hymn, “is placed in a monument, and the tomb becomes a stairway to heaven”. Today the Theotokos and Mother of God, the exalted throne of the Most High moved from earth to heaven. “For through her the salvation of all mortals hath come. We have not the strength to look upon her, and it is not possible to render her worthy honour” (Glory of Vespers, grave tone). “Today she committeth her soul full of light, not the immaculate hands of Him that was incarnate of her without seed” (Entreaty, both now).

In other words, the Immaculate Virgin Mary is also the “living after death” and this is because her death was, on the one hand, a life-giving death, on the other hand, it introduced her to the glory and life indeed of her Only Begotten Son, ” He who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34), according to the divine Paul. That is why she saves through her Son, the faithful people of God, as her hymnographer Saint Cosmas, says: “The bounds of nature are overcome in thee, O immaculate Virgin: for thy childbirth is virginal, and thy death is the espousal of life. O thou who after childbirth art virgin, and who after death art living, do thou, O Theotokos, ever save thine inheritance” (Katavasiae, Ode 9).

We, who honour her venerable Dormition, beseech the  Ever-Virgin Mother of God, who has saved the human race torn from the ancestral decision [=sin], to intercede with her Son and God, the Lord and our Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our souls. Amen. Many Happy returns!”

Many of the faithful received Holy Communion.

After the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Hellenoupolis hosted a reception treat in the hegoumeneion with fruit and refreshments.

In honour of the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Divine Liturgies were held in the celebratory town of Abboud, by His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios of  Sebasteia and in Ain Arik, by His Eminence  Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday 14/27 August 2022, on the Forefeast of the Dormition, the service of the Lamentations of the Theotokos – a unique service of the Church of Jerusalem – was held at the Church of the Dormition in Gethsemane, where the Tomb of the Theotokos lies, after an all-night vigil which was officiated by the Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate, Archimandrite Bartholomew.

For this service, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood marched down Via Dolorosa from the Patriarchate Headquarters, and after a short rest at the Hegoumeneion of Gethsemane, the welcoming reception began at the courtyard of the shrine with lit candles and incense offering under the chanting of the Apolytikion of the Dormition. The service was held at the centre of the Church, before the Epitaph of the Mother of God, presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, along with Hagiotaphite Hierarchs and Hieromonks, following the Typikon order with the three stasis of the Lamentations, with the incense offering inside the Tomb and around the Church and the chapels in it.

After the completion of the third stasis, the Geronda Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina delivered the following Sermon:

“Your Beatitude, Father and Master,

Reverend Chorea of Hierarchs,

Your Excellency, Consul General of Greece,

Reverend Fathers

Christian congregation of the Lord

Gathered today, on the eve of the Dormition of the Theotokos around her sacred monument, we remember not only what is connected with her Dormition, but also what from the beginning is connected with her immaculate face. We remember all that the Church received from her and from the Apostles and teaches them to us through its Holy God-bearing Fathers. We engrave anew in our memory that the Theotokos was a gift of God to her childless and godly parents, Joachim and Anna, and to all humanity. That she was the fruit of their natural conjugal relationship and that her conception was not immaculate, that is, she was not free from the original sin and its consequences, which is death. The Mother of God inherited from the Forefather only the original sin and she had no personal sin nor disposition or inclination for it. For the exceeding and surpassing purity and cleanness of her life, God chose her, destined her, to become a vessel of His grace. With the goodwill and providence of God, when she was three years old, she was kept in the Holy of Holies of the Temple of Solomon and then she was given by the Priests to the sober and righteous Joseph to protect her virginity.

“When the fullness of time came”, God called her to become His accomplice in the work of regeneration, rebirth, renovation and salvation of man. Through the mouth of the Archangel Gabriel, he addressed her with the address that no mortal has ever heard, “Rejoice, thou who art full of grace” and asked her to become the mother of His only-begotten Son and Word, Who alone with Him is without beginning. To her question, “how will this be done, since I do not know a man”, she received the answer, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you”. When with trust and free and indiscriminate obedience she answered, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be unto me according to Thy word,” then she lent her flesh to God, then, “along with the bodiless voice,” the bodiless took flesh, the bodiless became flesh, the second person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ our God, became man, God and became man, God-man, “in one hypostasis and with two natures, wills and actions”.

How does this happen? “There is no investigation of the mystery”. However, it was done with Divine power and energy. “As Ηe knew, as Ηe willed, and as Ηe pleased”. As the Archangel said to the Virgin, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you…and the holy child born will be called the son of God”. As the Evangelist of love affirms, “the Word became flesh”. As the Apostle of the Gentiles tells us by revelation, that “God sent His Son, born of a woman, from whom Christ took flesh”. As the Church sings in all the masterpiece hymns of the divine poets of its Holy Fathers and above all in the praise hymn for the Virgin in the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, “in thee, O Full of Grace, all creation – both the company of Angels and the race of men – doth rejoice…for He made thy womb a throne, and He made thee more spacious than the heavens, from thee God was incarnate, and became a child, He, our God, Who existed before the ages”.

In her who held and gave birth to this supernatural mystery, virginity and motherhood do not oppose each other but meet and unite. As Saint Kosmas, the melodist sings, in the face of the Immortal Virgin, “the bounds of nature are overcome in her, for her childbirth is virginal”, the birth is held by a Virgin. Similarly, the bounds of nature are overcome during her exodus from this world, because “her death is the spousal of life”, death is betrothed to life. She who is “a virgin after childbirth”, is also “living after death” (Katavasia ode 9). After her burial at “the village of Gethsemane” by the Holy Apostles who were gathered in a heavenly command through the air”, her Son, as Saint John Damascene sings, “bestowing on her the supernatural, as he protected her in the labour and kept her a Virgin, even in the tomb her body was preserved incorrupt and was co-glorified by her divine metastasis”.

This truth is also expressed by the Kontakion of the Feast of the Dormition, “the grave and death could not hold the Theotokos, who is unsleeping in her intercessions and unfailing hope in her mediations. For as the Mother of Life she was translated to life by Him Who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb”. The tomb housed but did not preserve, the God-receiving relic of the Theotokos. However, it was sanctified by this and is sanctified by the daily Divine Liturgy, which is offered on it. To this tomb, which, as a precious pilgrimage relic, has been preserved throughout the centuries by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we are exhorted to hasten by the pre-eminent praiser of the Most Holy Theotokos, Father John of Damascus, “Come ye faithful, let us draw nigh unto the tomb of the Mother of God, let us embrace it, touching it sincerely with the lips and eyes and forehead of the heart, and let us draw up bounteous gifts of healing that stream from the ever-flowing fountain” (Matins, Ode 9, 2nd canon, Troparion 2).

In the same way, on tomorrow’s “important day of the metastasis”, as Saint John of Damascus calls it, and on today’s overwhelming exodus ceremony, which is presided over by the Primate of the Church of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, let us kneel in reverend before the empty Tomb of the Mother of God and pray to the one who experienced her metastasis in the heavens before the common Resurrection  and sits on the right hand of the Saviour and has boldness before Him, to intercede for the forgiveness of our sins, for the cleansing of our souls from our personal passions, for the healing of our infirmities, for the healing of the wounds of the body of the Church and the wounds of the Orthodox states, for goodness of the state of the universe, for the pacification of the Middle East, for the cessation of the horrible wars waged unjustly throughout the world, for the repose of their deceased victims, for the protection and relief of their living victims, wounded, homeless, displaced and refugees, and for the transformation of earth again into a paradise, in which the fruits of the prayer, “Your kingdom come, let Your will be done” will be visible.”

The service continued with the praises, Doxology and the litany of the Epitaph up to the entrance of the Church, the supplication and its placement before the Theotokos Tomb until the Apodosis of the Dormition.

After the service, the Hegoumen, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis hosted a fasting reception with grapes and seasonal fruit at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

Early in the morning at 5:00 a.m. (Summertime) August 12/25, 2022, the service of the procession of the sacred icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos was held, following a Holy Vigil, which was officiated by the Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate, Archimandrite Bartholomew. The icon is kept in the Metochion of Gethsemane, opposite the Church of the Resurrection.

The procession headed from the Metochion to Gethsemane through Via Dolorosa and after a prayer stop at the Russian monastery of Saint Alexander Nevsky, of Praetorium,  the shrine of the Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and of Anna and of the Holy First Martyr Stephen.

The Hegoumen of Gethsemane, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis was carrying the holy icon before his chest, surrounded by Archbishops and Priests from the Patriarchate and from other Churches. At the same time, the procession was led by nuns and pilgrims on either side of the road, who were chanting the hymns of the Dormition.

Arriving in the courtyard of the Holy Church of the Dormition, the icon was brought to the centre of the Church through the steps with lit candles, a supplication was offered and it was placed southwest of the Theotokos Monument to remain there for worship until the 23rd August.

A Divine Liturgy followed with the participation of thousands of believers, presided over by His Eminence, Metropolitan Joachim of Hellenoupolis, with the co-celebration of Hieromonks of the parishes.

After the Divine Liturgy,  the Hegoumen hosted a fasting reception.

The Divine Liturgy was also celebrated at the celebratory chapel of the Holy Monastery of the Men of Galilee by His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba.

From Secretariat-General

On Friday, August 6 / 19, 2022, the Despotic feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated at the Patriarchate. During this holiday, the Church remembers that our Lord Jesus Christ before His passion took three of the pre-qualified disciples, Peter and James and John, and they went up to Tabor, where He was transfigured before them.

There, He hid His human nature for a little while and revealed to the disciples His divine nature in its brilliance, shining more than the sun and His clothes were now white as snow and was seen with the prophets Moses and Elias, conversing with them about His passion, which would happen in Jerusalem in the near future. Then a bright cloud overshadowed them and yet the voice of the Father was heard “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am blessed, you are listening to Him” ​​and Peter asked Him to build three tents for them to stay there, (Matt. 17, 1-5). The Lord revealed this vision, showing the glory of His Resurrection, to strengthen His disciples during the time of passion and to show the original beauty of man before the fall, the lost and able to be regained by men in Him. After this, the Lord took His disciples and came down from the Mount.

This event was celebrated on Mount Tabor with an outdoor All-night Vigil, presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theofilos. Concelebrating with Him were their Eminences, the Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Bishop Sergius of Estonia of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archimandrite Parthenios, Archimandrite Alexander from the Russian MISSIA in Jerusalem, many visiting Priests from the Patriarchates of Moscow and Romania, many Priests from the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Eulogios. The chanting was delivered by the Hegoumen of Acre Archimandrite Philotheos and the choir established by him as a large congregation of faithful Christians attended the service.

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

“Being perfect God, Thou becamest perfect mortal, mingling manhood with the entire Godhead in Thine own hypostasis, which Moses and Elias saw in its two natures on Mount Tabor”, Saint John Damascene proclaims (Minaion, Ode 3, Canon 2, Troparion 3).

Beloved brethren in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

Today the Holy Church of Christ most joyfully celebrates the commemoration of the Holy Transfiguration of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, that is why we also, both the clergy and the people came to this holy place of Mount Tabor, to exclaim along with the Apostles; thou art blessed the God of our Fathers.

“What a great and terrible spectacle is seen today! The visible sun shone down from the heaven, but from the earth, the incomparable spiritual Sun of Righteousness shone out like lightning upon Mount Tabor” (Minaion, Ode 6, Canon 2, Troparion 1), Saint John Damascene says, marvelling at the event of the Transfiguration of our Saviour Christ. Indeed, “now the unheard-of is heard; for the Son, Who without father came from the Virgin, is gloriously testified by the Father’s voice to be God and man, the same unto the ages” (Ode 7, Canon 2, Troparion 3).

Because Christ spoke many times to His Disciples about His Passion on the Cross, His death and the three-day burial, and about His glorious Resurrection, as well as about the martyrdom which His Disciples would face at the end of their lives; and because He wanted to show them what exactly is His future glory, Who is “the beloved Son of God the Father” (cf. Matt. 17:5), He took with Him “Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him…, and a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face and were sore afraid” (Matt. 17:1-6).

Interpreting these Gospel words, Saint Cyril of Alexandria says: “We say that the Transfiguration of Christ happened without casting off the human form of His body, but with the cladding of some luminous glory, which transformed the colour of the unworthy form of the flesh to an inner appearance, just like Saint Paul says: “It [the body] is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power” (1 Cor. 15:43). Therefore, the body is naked flesh, not completely covered neither with glory, nor with natural brilliance, but it has simplicity and lack of divine glory along with infirmity. At the time of the resurrection, there will be a complete change of glory according to the divine nature, and not a change of form. Because it is then that it will be luminous with the cloak of the divine glory: “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:43).

Noteworthy of today’s feast is the fact that “He Who Is, today was transfigured upon Mount Tabor before the disciples, Having taken on the nature of man, He showed in Himself the original beauty of its image” according to the hymnographer (Great Vespers, Aposticha 1). In other words, our Saviour Jesus Christ revealed to His disciples the unspeakable greatness of His divinity, which is the uncreated light, as the Evangelists narrate: “And [Jesus] was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). Interpreting this phrase from the Gospel, the connoisseur of the divine illumination of the uncreated light, Saint Gregory Palamas, says: “But what is this cloud, and how did it overshadow them, while it was so luminous? Could it be the uncreated light, in which God dwells, the light that He is clothed upon like a garment? Because it is said: “He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies” (Psalm 18:11). And as the Apostle says, “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” (1 Tim. 6:16). Therefore, here, both light and darkness are one and the same, the light that overshadows due to its extreme brilliance”.

Of this very divine luminous power of the working of the unapproachable and uncreated light of the Triune Divinity did the Prophets and Apostles who were present on Mount Tabor become communicants and seers, and along with them all the righteous and the Saints of the Church of Christ.

Let us pray then, my dear brethren, to our God and Saviour Christ, Who was transfigured on this Mount, that the light of His face may also shine upon us and we may be deemed worthy of the vision of His unapproachable glory. And let us say along with the hymnographer: “O changeless Light of the Light of Thine unbegotten Begetter, today, O Word, have we now seen in Thy Light’s manifestation the Father and Holy Spirit as Light on Tabor, guiding with light all creation” (Exapostilarion). Amen! Many Happy Returns!”

Likewise, a morning Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Nazareth Kyriakos in this holy Church, fully consecrated by the rector Archimandrite Hilarion, who also hosted a meal at lunchtime.

This event was also celebrated in the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ramallah, presided over by the Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, under the hospitality of the active Hegoumen Archimandrite Galaktion and the participation of a large congregation who prayed in contrition.

It was also celebrated at the Tomb of the Theotokos in Gethsemane, presided over by His Eminence, Archbishop Theodosios Sebastia, under the hospitality of His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Hellenoupolis and attended by a large congregation of monks, nuns and pilgrims.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, the 31st July / 13th of August 2022, His Eminence Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth went to the city of Beer Sheva, the capital of the desert of the Negev in southern Israel, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy in memory of the Holy Martyrs Maccabees, their mother of Solomoni and their teacher Eleazar in the rented house, which serves as a temporary building of the church, until the Lord allows to erect the Triune Holy Church of Beer Sheva.  Co-celebrants to His Eminence were; the Hegoumen of Rafidia, Archimandrite Leontios, the Economos Fr. Spyridon of Nazareth, and the Economos Fr. Alexander Yasevich, the ministering Priest of Beer Sheva.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by an official guest, His Excellency the Consul of Greece to Tel Aviv, Mr Anastasios Konstantaras, representative of the Ambassador of Greece, His Excellency Mr Kyriakos Loukakis.

At the Divine Liturgy the chanting was delivered in Slavonic, Greek, Romanian and Arabic, by all the members of the Greek Orthodox Russian-speaking Parish, under the direction of their Hegoumen, His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, who also delivered a Sermon in Russian.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba hosted a meal for His Eminence and his Entourage.

From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, July 28/August 10, 2022, the memory of Saint John the New Hozevite, from Romania, was celebrated in the Holy Monastery of his repentance, of Saint George and John the Hosevites.

Saint John was added to the Saints of the Church of Jerusalem by its Synodal decision and by a special canonization ceremony in the Holy Monastery of Hozeva on January 18th / 31st of the year 2016, designating July 28th as the day of his commemoration.

This year, the commemoration of Saint John was celebrated with an All-night Vigil, which was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of His Eminence, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the Archimandrites John and Abraham from the Patriarchate of Romania, the Hieromonk of the Monastery, Archimandrite Chrysogonos, and Archdeacon Mark. The chanting was delivered by the Monks of the Brotherhood.

Before the Holy Communion, H.H.B. delivered the following Sermon:

“Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart” (Psalm 97:11), the psalmist proclaims.

Reverend Holy Fathers and Brethren,

Noble pilgrims

The full of the divine grace memory of our Holy Father John the New Hozevite has gathered us all in this Holy Monastery, to glorify in Eucharist the One who has glorified His Saint, according to Saint Paul’s words: “whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Romans, 8:30). Inspired by the sacred desire for the desert life, our Father John left his homeland Romania and dwelt in the desert of the River Jordan, where the hermitages of the Monastery of Saint George the Hozevite are. “I”, Saint John says, “did not want high positions, nor did I desire wealth. I always had only the desire for the desert inside me like a flame”.

This unquenchable flame of his desire was kindled by David’s words: “Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes” (Psalm 119:123-124). In other words, Saint John fled to the desert seeking his salvation, both through strict asceticism and through the study of God’s law, that is, the Holy Scriptures, invoking the Apostle Paul saying: “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phil. 3:8-11).

 Our holy John succeeded in his fierce desire, to win Christ, but also to know the power of His Resurrection. This fact is also demonstrated by his Holy and Incorruptible relic before our eyes, as well as by the medicinal fragrance emanating from this. In addition, this fact, namely, the incorruptibility and sanctity of the relics of our Holy Father John, is an answer to the prayer of the psalmist who says: “Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation” (Psalm 85:7).

The chosen servant of God John, through his ascetic struggle in the desert but also through his preaching in written word, emerged as the Holy Apostles, a sincere and perfect worker of the Gospel of Christ. We say this because our Divine Father through us men and specifically through Saint John manifests the fragrance of the power of his knowledge in every place, as the Divine Paul preaches saying: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14).

Indeed, my beloved brothers, this holy place of Hozeva, which has revealed the illustrious multitude of holy and righteous ascetics and spirit-bearing Fathers, became a place, where the Son and Word of God and Son of the Ever-Virgin and most blessed Theotokos Mary, our Lord Jesus Christ reveals “the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14).

Therefore, we who honour the commemoration of His Saint, cry aloud with Saint Paul: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

Let us beseech God, who works all things for all” (Cf. 1 Cor. 12:6), so that our Lord Christ, the true God, Who is risen from the dead, through the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos and of the today celebrated Our Holy Father John the New Hozevite, may direct our hearts to the love of God and to the obedience of Christ (Cf. 2 Thess. 3,5) and to the communion of His glory. Amen. Many happy returns”.

Welcoming H.H.B., the Hegoumen and renovator of the Monastery, Archimandrite Constantinos addressed the Patriarch as follows:

“Your Beatitude, Father and Master, with Your Holy Entourage,

We celebrate once again the memory of Saint John the New Hozevite, whose incorrupt relic is treasured in the Holy Monastery of Hozeva, a refuge and comfort for all of us.

The times we live in are harsh and the need for inspiration and spiritual prototypes is imperative. Such a prototype is Saint John the New Hozevite, who, throughout his life was distinguished by the founding virtue of the Monks; the Humility that raises up high!

And while processing so many virtues, he never boasted about them, according to Chrysostom’s words: “This is humility, when one has the chance to boast, he brings himself down, and humbles himself, and finds balance” (Saint John Chrysostom, Homily on Genesis, Vol. 92, p. 167,29).

Also, applying to himself the phrase, “let us not believe ourselves to be superior, but consider all people superior to us” (Saint John Chrysostom, Homily on Genesis, Vol. 92, p.167,24), he found the precious Pearl, our Lord Jesus Christ!

The aforementioned facts are clearly displayed in the Saint’s letter of some Monk of Mount Athos in 1957, and reveal his character. He wrote among other things:

“I received your fraternal letter, but my situation did not allow me to answer you… I beg you to forgive me because, in addition to my illness, my carelessness contributed to this!… But I wonder how from the heights of the spiritual mountains you descended so low, as to my poverty, to benefit! I am poor and penniless, brother! I have spent my whole life in vain!… However, for the effort and willingness you have, I will write to you what I always say to myself… First, sell what you have, sacrifice whatever ability (you think you have) and erase everything you know except our holy Faith! And buy the field that has the treasure in it! The “field”, my brother, is the pure heart like a baby, the lack of malice and the simplicity of the Lord. Entrench it well and then dig there continuously with the Spirit Knife. If the soil is hard, wet it regularly with the water of tears and sweat so that it softens! And then the treasure will be seen. The prayer of the heart! Be careful not to bring it to the surface, because it disappears! May your mind only be nourished, brightened and secretly elevated where your soul desires!… Forgive me, brother, and help me with your holy prayer, because I am very weak, mentally and physically”.

Your Beatitude, Father and Master,

Pray that, through the intercessions of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Hozeva, and those of Saint John the New, whom we honour today, we may experience the humility that raises up high, and be deemed worthy of the endless joy of Paradise, always by the prayers of Your Beatitude, Amen!”

Fr. Konstantinos submitted to the website of the Patriarchate the following detailed biography of the Saint, supplementing the text of his canonization, and posted there for those interested to read it:

https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/blog/2016/01/31/day-of-canonization-of-st-john-the-new-chosebite-at-choseba-monastery/

and benefit from it, which took place on January 18th / 31st of the year 2016:

“Biography of Saint John the New Hozevite

Elias Iakov (passport name) was born in the village of Horondistea, in Botosani county, Romania, in 1913 to Maximus and Ekaterini. Due to the fact that he was orphaned by both parents, he was raised until the age of 11 by his pious grandmother Maria, who instilled in the child’s soul the Divine Teachings. After she slept in the Lord, he passed into the guardianship of an uncle and lived a hard childhood in the midst of contempt and deprivation, but with hope firmly oriented to the Lord Jesus, Whom he actually saw with his own eyes on Easter 1927, when he was crying inconsolably at the grave of his parents.  The Lord said to him in a sweet voice:

“Don’t cry my child and don’t be sad, because yes, I am with you. Christ is Risen!”

Studious and intelligent, after seven years of studies – in conditions of incredible poverty – in 1932 he graduated from the Lyceum with honours. Between the two options: continuing studies in Theology, or joining the Monastic order, the holy desire of Monasticism, following a Divine Prompting, prevailed. The Grace of God guided his steps in 1933 to Neamts Monastery, where he became a monk in 1936, and was given the name Ioannis. An ardent desire to worship the Holy and Life-giving Tomb, led him the same year to Jerusalem, where with the blessing of the blessed Patriarch of Jerusalem, Damianos, he served as a monk in the Lavra of Saint Savva for ten years. A model of a subordinate, he gave himself up to monastic striving and after a blessing, he lived for seven years (1947-1952) in the Romanian Hermitage of the Holy Forerunner in Jordan, under particularly adverse living conditions.

Based on his ordination letter preserved in the Archives of the Holy Monastery of Hozeva, his transfer to the river Jordan was preceded by his ordination as Deacon and Priest. Archimandrite Victorinos, head of the Romanian Representation in Jerusalem, had requested his ordination to the Romanian Patriarch Nikodimos. He, in turn, put the request to the Patriarch of Jerusalem Timotheus I, who accepted it. The first ordination was held on April 21, 1947, in the Holy and Life-giving Tomb of the Lord by His Eminence Archbishop Panteleimon of Naples and the second on April 28, 1947 by the His Eminence Archbishop Epiphanios of Philadelphia.

Expelled from the Romanian Monastery of the river Jordan, in 1952, as a nightingale that loves the desert, he settled with his co-ascetic Ioannikios (also of Romanian origin) in the Lavra of Hozeva for one year and six months. Then, seeking complete isolation to indulge in even higher spiritual struggles, he went alone to the hermitage of Saint Anne, which belongs to Hozeva. Only “the Lord saw” what he experienced and what experiences the Saint lived there, “alone with God only”. Every Sunday he went to the Coenobium to participate in the Divine Liturgy and to receive the absolutely necessary food, which the love of the Hozevite Fathers offered him. He himself diligently hid his ascetic struggles, choosing the way of life of the ancient Abbas, the “surreptitious living”. An excellent connoisseur of Greek, immersed in the Patristic texts, he translated a sufficient number of divinely inspired works into Romanian (they were published for the first time in 1968) and indeed the Salutations of the Most Holy Theotokos. Besides possessing a poetic talent, he left a rich collection of poems, of an exceptional height of meaning, the largest part of which has been translated into Greek.

On August 5, 1960, he slept in the Lord at the age of only 47 years, due to his failing health. His departure, which he had foreseen, was one befitting the righteous; Just a few minutes after the Holy Communion, as described by an eyewitness, the already blessed Father Basilios Vakras.

In October 1979, after miraculous signs, his relics was found incorrupt by the Hegoumen of the Hozeva Monastery, blessed Archimandrite Amfilochios. On the 28th of July 1980, with the holy Patriarchal blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Benedictus, his incorrupt relics was transferred from the Skete to the Holy Monastery, where it is kept today in the Catholicon Church, as a precious treasure and the source of many miracles! Glory and wealth of the Hozevite Fathers, of the Hagiotaphite Fathers in general, but also of the entire Church in service!

On Sunday, January 18/31, 2016, his canonization was announced in a solemn Divine Liturgy, which was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.

His commemoration is celebrated on July 28th/August 10th, the day of the translation of his holy relics”.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a monastic meal.

From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, July 27/ August 9, 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Holy glorious great martyr Panteleimon the healer, at the Holy Monastery dedicated to him on the south-west of the Patriarchate, near Jaffa Gate.

On this day the Church commemorates the life and martyrdom of Saint Panteleimon according to his synaxarion. The Saint was the son of the idolater Eustorgios and a Christian mother named Euvouli, who taught him the Holy Scriptures. Saint Panteleimon studied medicine and was named Panteleon initially, but Elder Ermolaos baptised him Panteleimon. He was an unmercenary healer, preaching Christ. He also cured a blind man, giving him his eyesight, and told him that Pantoleon cured him. He confessed Christ and suffered a martyr’s death, being beheaded during the reign of Maximian in AD 305, and was added to the millions of Christ martyrs.

In his honour, at the aforementioned Monastery, Vespers on Monday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday morning were officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, with the co-celebration of Archimandrites Stephen and Nectarios and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon, in the presence of the Greek Consulate staff and many faithful Christians.

During the Divine Liturgy, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came for veneration, accompanied by Hagiotaphite Fathers.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal Entourages and all the congregation were offered a reception by the elderly and hardworking Nun Charitini.

From Secretariat-General

On the morning of Friday, July 23 / August 5, 2022, the new Hegoumen of Gethsemane, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Hellenoupolis, celebrated the Matins with the Divine Liturgy in the chapel of the Dormition of the Theotokos at the Metochion of Gethsemane, opposite the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the prayer of a sufficient number of monks, nuns and other believers.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday, July 22/August 4, 2022, the memory of Saint Mary Magdalene was celebrated in the Patriarchate. This feast was solemnly celebrated at Saint Mary Magdalene’s Holy Monastery of the Russian Mission (MISSIA) of the Russian Diaspora ROCOR in Gethsemane.

On this occasion, the Patriarchate was represented by H.H.B., our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Archdeacon Mark through his address in English:

“Dear Archimandrite Roman,

Dear Mother Abbess Elizabeth,

Your Eminences,

Your Graces,

Beloved Members of this Sisterhood,

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We greet you on this happy feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, your patron, and we recall the words of Saint John’s Gospel, where we read:

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’, and she told them that he had said these things to her”.

So, by God’s providence, Saint Mary Magdalene, the Holy Myrrh-bearer, being the first to see the risen Christ, became an evangelist of the passion and condescension of our Lord and so is celebrated as Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Saint Mary Magdalene obeyed the commandments of our Lord, and so it was granted to her, along with the Mother of God, to be the first witness of the resurrection. Saint Mary Magdalene was given the privilege to behold the risen Lord with her physical eyes; we, in turn, experience the risen Lord with the eyes of the heart and follow her example. We, to whom the Diakonia of the Holy Places has been entrusted, especially this place dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene and so is where we venerate her, are called to be a witness of the Light of the resurrection in our own way. So, we sing with the hymnographer:

With others standing at the Saviour’s Cross

weeping and suffering with the Mother of God,

glorious Mary Magdalene offered praises, saying:

what is this strange wonder?

He chooses to suffer who upholds the whole creation.

(Kontakion)

The celebration of Saint Mary Magdalene has brought us together today as a sign of our oneness and unity in Christ. This unity is precious, and we who are called to be the servants and guardians of the Holy Places have a special responsibility to preserve and deepen the unity of the Orthodox Church. Just as Saint Mary Magdalene brought the news of the resurrection to the disciples and so strengthened them in unity, so must we, to whom so much has been given, be those who witness the resurrection and build up the Church’s unity in love.

The One who upholds the whole creation has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9), and we pray to Almighty God, dear Father Roman and Dear Mother Elizabeth, for God’s blessing upon this place and this community, that you may be a dwelling place of the martyria of our Orthodox faith and a beacon of hot to a world that is hurting and in despair.

Thank you.”

This holiday was celebrated in the Most Holy  Church of the Resurrection at night as a small internal Parresia of the Brotherhood of the Church of the Resurrection with the procession of the left hand of Saint Mary Magdalene the Myrrh-bearer.

On this day, the feast of the Holy Virgin Martyr Markella of Chiopolis was also celebrated, and a Divine Liturgy was held in her Holy Chapel, located in the Holy Monastery of Saint Spyridon in the Old City of Jerusalem by the Master of Ceremonies, Archimandrite Bartholomew after the care of Archimandrite Sergios.

From Secretariat-General