On Sunday, 6/19 December 2021, the feast of our Father among the Saints Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra in Lycia the wonder-worker was celebrated in the town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, and at the magnificent Church dedicated to him.

The Saint was celebrated as the patron Saint of this town, a Saint of the 4^th century who was distinguished for his virtue and holiness, the helping of the poor, the orphans, the widows, those at sea, as “a rule of faith an icon of meekness and a teacher of temperance”. Saint Nikolaos participated in the 1^st Ecumenical Synod in AD 325 and defended the doctrine of the one essence of the Son with the Father.

The Divine Liturgy in this town on the morning of the feast was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, who was festively welcomed by the Scouts. Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were their Eminences, the Archbishops Aristarchos of Constantina, and Philoumenos of Pella, the Hegoumen of Beit Jala, Archimandrite Ignatios, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the ministering Priests of the parish, Fr Joseph, Fr Paul and Fr Elias and Hierodeacon Eulogios. The chanting was delivered by the Church choir amidst a great multitude of the Orthodox faithful of the town, and the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

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

“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2), the psalmist proclaims.

Beloved brethren in Christ,

Noble Christians

Again and again, we thank the Holy Trinitarian God who deemed us worthy to meet in this Holy Church dedicated to Saint Nikolaos, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia the wonder-worker, to celebrate his commemoration.

Saint Nikolaos was distinguished in the firmament of the Saints of the Church because, according to the psalmist he “walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:2). This is moreover confirmed by his hymnographer who says: “A fervent protector art thou of the whole Church of Christ, most boldly destroying the ungodly teachings of all the impious heresies; and a rule of Orthodoxy wast thou to all men, interceding for all them that follow the teachings and godly admonitions” (Matins, Kathisma 5).

Indeed, our Father Nikolaos became a “rule of Orthodoxy”, namely a defender of the redeeming Orthodox faith. And this, because he paid heed to the advice of Saint James the Brother of God: “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22), as well as to the Lord’s word: “whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:19).

In other words, these biblical words became a work and manner of living of the spiritual shepherd of the Church Nikolaos the wonder-worker, whose fame was heard all over the world. Therefore, he dwells in the dwelling place of the Lord and in His Holy Mountain, which is the Kingdom of Heaven.

The characteristic feature of the Orthodox faith is distinguished in Saint Nikolaos. And we wonder, what is this characteristic feature? It is holiness, according to the words of Saint Paul: “dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). And according to the Chief of the Apostles Peter, the characteristic feature is again holiness, as he teaches, quoting the Holy Bible: “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16 / Leviticus 20:7), the Lord says.

Holiness means attachment to God, which means the keeping of God’s commandments as it was written about Moses and Aaron and Samuel: “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them” (Psalm 99:6-7). The testimonies in this case are the divine commandments of God.

These testimonies, the divine commandments did the God-inspired Father of ours Nikolaos keep, that is why he was deemed worthy “to become partaker of His Holiness” (ref. Hebrews 12:10), namely of the purity according to Saint Chrysostom, and to the piety of God, according to Ecumenios. Because of this, his hymnographer asks for Saint Nikolaos’ help with the words: “O man of God and faithful servant, minister of the Lord and man of desires, vessel of election pillar and foundation of the Church and heir of the Kingdom, be not silent, but cry out in our behalf unto the Lord” (Great Vespers, Aposticha Glory).

The purity of heart, the hegemonic spirit and the virtues in Christ of the Bishop of Myra in Lycia made him not only preacher of the Orthodox faith against the abominable heresy of Arius, in the First Ecumenical Synod, which was convened during the reign of Constantine the Great in Nice of Asia Minor in AD 325 but also a wonder-worker, that’s why he also took this name. Moreover, Saint Nikolaos is especially known as the protector of the poor, the orphans, the widows and a guide of the blind.

Like another Paul, Saint Nikolaos became a zealot of the Gospel of Christ saying: “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7-8).

For this reason, our Holy Father is projected as a prototype of a shepherd and teacher but also of Christ’s faith, praying and saying: “Cause me to know, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk, for unto Thee have I lifted up my soul” (Psalm 143:8); “Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God” (Psalm 143:10). “On Thee was I cast from the womb; from my mother’s womb, Thou art my God” (Psalm 22:11). And he heard David saying: “if riches flow in, set not your hearts thereon” (Psalm 62:11). Moreover, the words of Wise Solomon: “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee” (Proverbs 3:3).

The love of our Father Nikolaos with all his mind, all his heart and all his soul to God led his footsteps to the Holy Land, the place of the Nativity, Crucifixion and the three-day burial and Resurrection of our Saviour Christ.

And we, my dear brethren, as the eye-witnesses of the All-holy Shrines of the mystery of the Divine Providence, are called to venerate at the Cave of Bethlehem the One Who was born from the pure flesh of the Ever-Virgin Mary, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the manner of the Church and not of the world, spiritually and not materially, “Setting our affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2), as Saint Paul advises. And as other Magi, let us offer Him (Christ who was born of the Holy Spirit) our gifts, namely the humility of our heart, the repentance and the forgiveness of one another, so that in pure heart, we may celebrate the metropolis of the feasts, praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men” (Luke 2:14). Many happy returns and blessed Christmas.”

After the Divine Liturgy, there was a reception, followed by a meal.

During the meal His Beatitude addressed those present as follows:

“Both in thy life and after death, O Holy Hierarch Nikolas, thou hast been glorified greatly by God with manifold wonders; for who hath ever but called out upon thy blest and holy name with all his faith, and not straightway been hearkened to, having found thee to be a fervent protector?” (Matins, Exapostilarion 2).

Honourable Mr President and respected members of the Ecclesiastical Committee,

Dear Brethren in Christ

The great patron Saint of your historic town of Beit Jala, Saint Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra in Lycia, has gathered all of us, both the clergy and the people to glorify the One who glorified him.

Today’s brilliant feast of Saint Nikolaos who visited your town during his pilgrimage in the place of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the 4^th century has special importance for the Church of Jerusalem and its congregation.

The Christian presence throughout the centuries and especially the presence of the Rum Orthodox in the Holy Land of Palestine is proven to be the salt of this land. And we say this because the Holy Church of Jerusalem and its reverend people testify with all their power, their unceasing historical course in the holy land from the time of the Saints Constantine and Helen the Equal to the Apostles until today.

The Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, namely the Church of Jerusalem and all Palestine remains the cornerstone of the guarantee of the cultural, religious and national identity of the Christians living here, as Saint Paul says: “Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:19-20).

Indeed, my dear brethren, we have Saint Nikolaos as our fellow citizen and protector, that is why the hymnographer of the Church says: “who did not call upon your holy name in all faith and was not heard instantly, having found you as a fervent protector, O Nikolas?”

And Saint Nikolaos calls all of us to keep our faith whole and unblemished, the faith we have received from the Holy Apostles, hearkening to the urging of Saint Gregory the Theologian: “We theologize not in the manner of Aristotle [as philosophers] but as fishermen [in the manner of the fishermen Apostles]”.

For all these, let us raise our glass in a toast and wish everybody, many happy returns, peaceful, healthy, and merry Christmas. Moreover, let us thank from the depths of our heart the local authorities, and especially the Police and His Excellency and our dear President of the Palestinian State Mr Mahmoud Abas, wishing him health and longevity and governmental power. Once again, many happy returns!”

From Secretariat-General

The commemoration of our Father among the Saints Nikolaos the wonder-worker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia was observed at his Holy Monastery near the Patriarchate on Sunday, December 6/19, 2021. The Divine Liturgy was officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda with the participation of many faithful Christians from Jerusalem, under the hospitality and care of the renovator of the Hegoumeneion, Hegoumen Archdeacon Mark.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen Archdeacon Mark hosted a reception for the congregation at the Hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

From Friday 4/17 December 2021 to Sunday 6/19 December 2021 the three-day festivities of our Holy Father John Damascene, our Holy Father Savvas the Sanctified and our Holy Father Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra of Lycia were observed at the Lavra of Saint Savvas, in the desert of Judea, on the right side of Brook Cedron, which leads to the Dead Sea.

The Lavra was founded by Saint Savvas, who came from Cappadocia in the Holy Land in AD 456 and for many years received his monastic training by Saint Euthymius the Great and his co-ascetic Saint Theoktistos. Beginning with this Lavra, Saint Savvas founded more Monasteries in Palestine and became the spiritual father and guide of thousands of monks, as well as a defender of the Orthodox Doctrine of the 4^th Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon in AD 451, along with Saint Theodosios the Cenobiarch, as testified by the biographer of the Palestinian Saints, Cyril of Skythopolis.

In this famous Monastery, the commemoration of Saint John Damascene was observed on 4^th December at the chapel dedicated to him, where his tomb also lies, by Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, who will stay at the Lavra until 6^th December for the feast of Saint Nikolaos.

On Saturday 5/18 December 2021, an all-night Vigil was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos on the commemoration of Saint Savvas the Sanctified. Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were their Eminences, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and his helpers in Greek on the right and by Archimandrite Philotheos in Arabic on the left. The Vigil was attended by many Orthodox faithful from Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and northern Israel, at the honorary presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

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

“Make me go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way” (Psalm 119:35-37) the psalmist proclaims.

Beloved Fathers and brethren in Christ,

Noble Christians

The desert rejoices today along with the land of the river Jordan, on the commemoration of our Righteous and God-bearing Father Savvas the Sanctified, in his Lavra, the place of his ascesis.

Our Holy Father Savvas was a sanctified vessel and a dwelling house of the Holy Spirit since he was in his mother’s womb, that is why he became the top of the righteous and equal to the angels. He managed this hearkening to David’s word: “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way” (Psalm 119:37).

Interpreting these words of David, Saint Athanasius the Great says: “Vanity is the obsession for the sightseeing, the vision of those not in need, and the misplaced imagination of the mind, which Paul explains by saying: “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:17-18). Vanity of the mind means for someone to have the logical mind and not use it for the vision of the true things, but to allow it to deliver him to Satan the jailer. Not wishing thus, he says: “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity”. Because this also is an act of the grace of God”.

Indeed, Saint Savvas received the grace of God, because, as Saint John of the Ladder says: “The schooling and the upbringing that we have had since our childhood play their role in virtue and the monastic life, and either help or incommode us respectively”.

In other words, Saint Savvas renounced the vanities of this world since his childhood and sought the monastic life of the monks of the desert, as his biographer Cyril of Skythopolis confirms: “Savvas was predestined by God since he was in his mother’s womb and foreseen before his body was formed, according to the great prophet Jeremiah (ref. Jer. 1:4-5). Having scorned all things related to worldly life, he surrendered himself to the Monastery called Flavianes…. where he was trained in monastic life with precision and in a short while he learned the psalter and the rules of the coenobitic manner of living”.

Our Father Savvas learned the manner and the ways of ascesis as a disciple of the great ascetics of the desert, Theodosios the Cenobiarch, Euthymius the Great, Theoktistos and Gerasimos. He became a teacher of the desert, a spiritual beacon shining in the dark. “And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:5-6), according to wise Solomon.

This precisely is witnessed by the present Lavra, which the Saint founded, as well as the complete, incorrupt and fragrant relic of his which lies here. Even more, this is testified by the presence of the Monks of Saint Savvas, who ceaselessly pray for their souls and for all of us, and safeguard the ever-burning light of the consignment given to them by Saint Savvas the Sanctified: “The light of the Monks are the Angels, and the light of all the people is the life of the monks”, Saint John of the Ladder says.

These God-inspired words, my dear brethren, are the content of our Holy Father Savvas’ consignment, to all the monks, and especially to those who strive in ascesis in his Lavra. And this is so, because the God-bearing Savvas himself “attained to the orders of the Angels, whose life he didst emulate without blame” (Matins, praises Glory), as his hymnographer says.

As for us, who honour the commemoration of the equal-to-the-angels Savvas, who has boldness before Christ God, let us entreat him so that along with the Theotokos the Mother of our God, will ceaselessly pray for the remission of our sins and for the dawn of the light of the knowledge of the Sun of Righteousness, our Lord Jesus Christ to shine in the cave of our souls.

And let us say with the psalmist: “the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints” (Psalm 89:5). And in more detail; the heavens shall praise Thee with the angelic powers O Lord. The essence and power of God are worth admiration. In the Church of the Saints, namely those in heaven, unceasingly the Angels praise Thee. Amen. Many happy returns and blessed Christmas!”

A meal followed the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, after which, His Beatitude thanked God for this spiritual feast and accompanied by the Fathers, returned to Jerusalem via the Monastery of Saint Theodosios the Cenobiarch.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday morning, 5/18 December 2021, the commemoration of our Holy Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified was observed at the chapel dedicated to him in the Monastery of the Archangels with the Divine Liturgy which was observed by the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, with the co-prayer of the Hegoumen and renovator of the Monastery, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda. The service was attended by Monks, Nuns and faithful.

From Secretariat-General

On Friday, 4/17 December 2021, the commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara was celebrated at her chapel within the Monastery of Saint Nickolaos with the Divine Liturgy held by Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, under the hospitality of the Hegoumen and renovator of the Hegoumeneion of the Monastery, Archdeacon Mark.

From Secretariat-General

On Wednesday 25^th November/ 8^th December 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr Catherine the all-wise at her Holy Monastery on the north-west side of the Patriarchate in the Old City of Jerusalem.

On this feast, the Church commemorates that Saint Catherine came from Alexandria, a very beautiful very wise and virgin and with eloquence put to shame the irreverent idol worshipers by the strength of the Holy Spirit in a debate with them, where she confessed she was a Christian; for this reason, she was tortured and suffered a martyr’s death for Christ, during the reign of Maximinus in AD 305.

In her honour, His Eminence Archbishop Methodios of Tabor officiated Vespers on Tuesday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday morning, with the co-celebration of the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, Priest Farah, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Eulogios. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and Mr Gotsopoulos and the Patriarchal School Students, in the presence of Nuns and faithful Christians.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came for veneration, accompanied by Hatiotaphite Fathers.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal entourages along with the congregation were offered a reception by the Hegoumen of the shrine Archimandrite Stephen.

The commemoration of Saint Catherine was also celebrated at the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai, where no delegation from our Patriarchate was sent this year due to the covid-19 restrictions.

 From Secretariat-General

On Saturday 21 November/4 December 2021 the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple.

On this feast, the Church commemorates the offering of the Theotokos to the Temple by her parents, the Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna. She was only three years old when she entered the Temple in the Holy of Holies where she remained being fed by an Angel and preparing for the great redeeming work of the conception by the Holy Spirit and the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This feast was celebrated:

1. At the Monastic and Patriarchal Church of Saints Constantine and Helen with the participation in prayer of H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos who chanted the Katavasiae of Christmas, “Christ is born, give ye glory…”
2. At the Nunnery of Megali Panagia which is located on the southwest side of the Patriarchate. Vespers on Friday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning were officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa with co-celebrants the ministering Priest of the Monastery Archimandrite Makarios, and other Hieromonks and Deacons, among whom the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, the Hegoumen of Beit Jala Archimandrite Ignatios, the Hegoumen of the Monastery of Joachim and Anna Archimandrite Meletios, Priest Hader and the Hierodeacons Eulogios and Simeon. The chanting was delivered by Mr Gotsopoulos, Monk Dositheos and the Patriarchal School students and the services were attended by the Nuns of the Monastery, other Nuns and faithful from Jerusalem and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

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

The Patriarchal and Episcopal entourages along with the full congregation were offered a rich reception by the Abbess of the Monastery Reverend Nun Melani, who has renovated the Church and has had the restoration work of the icons completed in it.

From Secretariat-General

On Monday, 16/29 November 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Holy Hieromartyr Philoumenos the Hagiotaphite at Jacob’s Well in Nablus of Samaria, the place of his martyrdom.

On this day the Church of Jerusalem commemorates that Archimandrite Philoumenos the Hagiotaphite was serving as the Hegoumen of Jacob’s well and was attacked by an ungodly man, he was beaten and brutally tortured and departed this life on the evening of 16/29 November 1979.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem canonized him among the Saints with a Synodical decision in 2009.

For the commemoration of the martyrdom of the new martyr, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the newly-built magnificent Church of Saint Photeini the Samaritan woman, which was built above the well by the current Hegoumen, Archimandrite Ioustinos.

The Divine Liturgy was observed by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, with the co-celebration of the Hegoumen of Jacob’s well Archimandrite Ioustinos, the Hegoumen of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour Archimandrite Ignatios, the Hegoumen of Rafeidia Archimadrite Leontios, Fr Kyriakos from the Holy Monastery of Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan, Arab-speaking Priests from the neighbouring towns of Nablus, Hierodeacon Eulogios and a congregation from the neighbouring Arab-speaking Communities, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

After the Divine Liturgy the Hegoumen and renovator of the Church of Saint Photeini, the chapel of Saint Philoumenos and of Saint Ioustinos the philosopher and martyr, Archimandrite Ioustinos, hosted a reception and a meal.

From Secretariat-General

On Monday, 9/22 November 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the sixteenth election and enthronement anniversary of His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos at the glorious throne of the Mother of Churches.

For this joyful and important event, there was a Doxology at the Catholicon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at 10.30 a.m. The Doxology was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with co-celebrants the Hagiotaphite High Priests, Hieromonks and Deacons, and the participation in prayer of Monks and Nuns from all areas of the Patriarchate’s jurisdiction, along with laity faithful, and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

After the Doxology, bells tolling, everybody returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters.

At the Great Hall, Geronda Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina addressed His Beatitude on behalf of the Holy and Sacred Synod and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood as follows:

“Your Beatitude Father and Master,

A rather joyful and important event has gathered today the reverend members of our Venerable Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and the Christian congregation of the Church in a gathering of Doxology at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

This event is Your Beatitude’s election and enthronement at the glorious and martyr’s throne of the Mother of Churches, sixteen years ago, by the canonical and unanimous voting of the members of the Holy and Sacred Synod and the representatives of our Rum Orthodox Arab-speaking flock. This happened after a period of harsh testing which endangered but did not destroy the vessel of the Church. Then the Brotherhood stood up to its height and the demands of its mission, condemned and renounced the illegal agreements of deporting property of the Patriarchate of incalculable material and cultural value, undermining the Status Quo of the Old City of Jerusalem and placed Your Beatitude on the Patriarchal Throne, to guide the vessel of the Church from the stormy sea of foggy corruption in the prosperous port of honesty, justice and transparency.

Having received the order, Your Beatitude did not waste any time, nor hesitated on toils and pains and efforts, but on the contrary, rushed with all Your might to costly court trials and meetings with local and foreign people of authority and influence for the refutation of the illegal agreements which were signed without the approval of our Holy and Sacred Synod and the knowledge of the Brotherhood. This interest You Beatitude extended to the utilization of the property of the Holy Sepulchre in Greece through a system of financial transparency, able to bring to the Patriarchate income corresponding to its heavy costs. With the same responsibility and sensitivity, Your Beatitude was also responded to the financial reports submitted by the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in the Church of Cyprus.

Your Beatitude exhibited also a lively, practical and effective interest in the preservation of the Pilgrimage rights of the Brotherhood and our nation in cooperation with the Custody of the Franciscans in the Holy Land, through the reverting of attempts to create permanent situations by the Armenians, such as the case of the placing of curtains by us at the God-receiving Cave in Bethlehem, the cathode of the Orthodox Icon in the Cave during our Vespers when our Feast of Epiphany coincides with the Armenian Christmas and it is a Sunday or a Monday. Moreover, the removing of the barriers the Armenians illegally placed on the façade of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the exercising of our right to offer incense inside the altar of the Armenian chapel of Saint Helen and our attitude regarding this matter on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the cessation of the Armenians’ work at their chapel of Saint John the Theologian in the courtyard of the Holy Sepulchre until an agreement among the Three Major Communities is reached.

The actions and efforts of Your Beatitude for the preservation of the Church property and the Pilgrimage rights of the Patriarchate did not in the least divert You from exercising the pure Pastoral work through Your title as the Hegoumen of the Brotherhood or as the Patriarch of the Rum Orthodox Arab-speaking flock of ours. Over the past years and during the current one of the pandemic, Your Beatitude visited the celebrating Holy Monasteries and Communities and strengthened the mindset of the Monks and the faithful either by words or by financial help. Similarly, You have received at the Patriarchate Priests and caretakers of the flock and guided them to the most convenient for them solution to their Communities’ problems. However, the most tangible support of Your Beatitude and the Patriarchate to the flock has been the recent agreement between the Patriarchate and the international company Raouabi, after the gaining of the relevant licence by the Jerusalem Municipality, for the construction of the “Al-Quds Lana” in Bir Nabala Beit Hanina in East Jerusalem on property that belongs to the Patriarchate. This will include four hundred flats, a school, shops, offices, a mall, recreation areas and parking spaces and will offer great relief in the suffocating housing problem of the Community of Jerusalem.

The new radiographic machine donated to the clinic ‘Saint Benedictos’ by Mr Athanasios Martinos by Your Beatitude’s actions and those of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras will contribute to the better medical care of the flock members and of every ill person, regardless of religion and nationality.

For the prosperity of the Christians in the Holy Land, the cooperation between the local Christian Churches was cultivated by the care of Your Beatitude at the Patriarchate. We have maintained the community in Christ among the brotherly Orthodox Churches, with Your Beatitude always stressing the necessity of continuation of the dialogue for the solving of pressing issues.

For the continuation, increase and enrichment of the God-pleasing work of Your Beatitude, the Holy and Sacred Synod and the whole Brotherhood stand by Your side and walk along with You, with each member offering his own qualifications, experience, education, love in Christ, obedience and respect to the Patriarchal institution and to You, its Primate, who “stands in type and place of Christ”.

On behalf of the Holy and Sacred Synod and the Brotherhood, I raise my glass on a toast Your Beatitude, wishing You many happy returns, peaceful, joyful, stable and fruitful, in strong governmental power, by the Holy Spirit, and in jubilation of Your children, as fruitful newly planted olive trees, surrounding Your table, for the praise of our blessed nation and the glory of our Trinitarian God. So be it.”

Then the Consul General of Greece Mr Vlioras addressed His Beatitude, followed by the representatives of the communities of the flock, the representative of the Russian Church and others.

Thanking all those, His Beatitude addressed all as follows:

“I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:1), King-Prophet David chants.

Your Excellency Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Evangelos Vlioras,

Reverend Holy Fathers and Brothers,

Beloved Christians,

The vineyard of the Lord, namely the Holy Church of Jerusalem, “which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself” (Psalm 80:15-16), celebrates today the sixteenth anniversary of the settlement of Our Mediocrity at the Apostolic Throne of the Holy and righteous James the Brother of God and its First Hierarch.

This festal anniversary does not refer to Our unworthiness, but to the God-founded and Apostolic institution of the Church “and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28), according to the Evangelist Luke.

That is why, along with the Reverend members of the Venerable Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, we went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where we rendered a thanksgiving Doxology to our Holy Trinitarian God, “which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13) according to Paul.

Our care and ministry so far of the Patriarch, Hegoumen, Monastic and Shepherd “on the throne of grace of the High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, who came from Heavens, from Whom we receive mercy and grace” (ref. Hebrews 4:14-15), that is the throne of the Mother of Churches and the Holy Zion, the dwelling place of God, has only one purpose; the keeping of the God-given Apostolic tradition and the consignment of the healthy faith and the keeping the word of truth right, through Jesus Christ, according to the witness of Saint John the Evangelist; “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Moreover, to the preservation of the All-holy Shrines which are the tangible and true witnesses of the great mystery of reverence (1 Tim. 3:16), but also to the holy places of the logical worship as well as the defence of the irrefutable and sovereign rights of the noble and royal nation of the Rum Orthodox Christians.

Nevertheless, hearkening to the Lord’s command: “that you should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me” (Acts 1:4), we have not ceased raising our voice toward all directions in this country and internationally in favour of the non-alteration of the multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic character of the Holy City of Jerusalem, which is the spiritual capital of the whole world, especially for the moral and material strengthening of the Christians living in the Holy Land.

This is what we do under the care of the Holy Presence, the leading institutional role of our Venerable Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the internationally recognized, in the exercise of its spiritual and religious mission, but also in the care for the preservation of the existing Status Quo, both in its pilgrimage and demographic character in the Holy City of Jerusalem, threatened by those who lurk for its deterioration. “Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you”, Saint Peter advises (1 Peter 5:7).

This sixteenth enthronement anniversary of Our Mediocrity calls us not to boasting, but to vigilance. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), the Chief of the Apostles Peter says. “For our boast is in Christ”, Saint Paul preaches, “the testimony of our conscience” (ref. 2 Cor. 1:12).

Keeping “this rule” (Gal. 6:16), namely Paul’s word, “the testimony of our conscience” we are called to complete our ministry, to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5), in the contemporary world of globalization through which “the mystery of iniquity doth already work” (2 Thess. 2:7), namely, “blasphemy, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:22).

In Our ministry as a Patriarch and Hegoumen at the Apostolic and martyr’s throne of Saint James the Brother of God, We have as colleagues and co-celebrants our reverend and dear in Christ Fathers and Hagiotaphite brothers, the High Priests, Priests, Hieromonks, Deacons and Monks, distinguished for their Godly zeal and sacrificial Hagiotaphite self-sacrifice, who hear to the words of the Holy Hieromartyr Ignatios of Antioch: “Let us love one another in unity, and let no one see his fellow man according to the flesh, but in Christ Jesus. Let there be nothing among us able to divide us; but be united with the Bishop, submitting to God through him in Christ”.

Truly we say that our struggle is a struggle against the craftiness of deception (Eph. 4:14) and division, namely the schism of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy. “… every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matt. 12:25) the Lord says. That is why we who serve in the holy places of the Nativity, Crucifixion and Resurrection of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, “by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:11), do not cease praying for the keeping of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).

These methods of delusion, division and falsehood of the devil are recorded in the sacred history of the past, but also of the present era, of the Church in general and of the Church of Jerusalem in particular, that is, of the Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which is calumniated but not vanquished by the sons of the darkness of this century (Luke 18: 8).

Let us entreat our God the Father of lights and truth, “to guide our steps to the working of his commandments” through the intercessions of our Most-Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and of our Father among the Saints Nectarios of Pentapolis. May the grace of the All-holy and Life-giving Tomb of our Saviour Christ fortify all of us in the ministry of the All-holy Shrines, the true witnesses of our faith, and of the shepherding of our Christian flock which is tested by the pandemic plague of coronavirus.

For all these, we call upon all who prayed along with Us and honoured with their presence this enthronement anniversary of Ours, wishing them strength from on high, the enlightening power of the Holy Sepulchre, patience and every blessing from God, expressing also Our warm thanks to all who addressed Us; Geronda Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, who spoke on behalf of the Holy Synod and our Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, His Excellency the Consul General of Greece Mr Evangelos Vlioras, Reverend Archimandrite Alexander the representative of the Brotherly Holy Church of Russia, who conveyed the wishes of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Moscow Cyril, His Eminence Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth who spoke on behalf of our flock in Nazareth, His Eminence the Archbishop Damascene of Yaffo who spoke on behalf of our flock in Yaffo, Reverend Father Charalambos Bandour who spoke on behalf of Saint James Cathedral, Reverend Archimandrite Philotheos who spoke on behalf of the Community of Acre-Ptolemais, the Principal of Saint Demetrios School of the Patriarchate Mr Samir Zananir and the teachers Mrs Kafetzi and Mr Kongos, Mr Moris Sabela who spoke on behalf of the polyclinic ‘Saint Benedictos’, His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba who spoke on behalf of the Russian-speaking community in Ashdod, Mr Athanasios Abu Eta and Ode Issa, the Hagiographer Gabriel and all who participated in the celebration of this enthronement anniversary.”

After the ceremony at the Patriarchate’s Hall, there was a monastic meal at the refectory of the Patriarchate.

From Secretariat-General

On Sunday, 8/21 November 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Synaxis of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and all the heavenly hosts.

With the word “Synaxis”, we mean the gathering of us faithful, to honour the Marshals of the Angels and all the Angels who joined them when Archangel Michael said “Let us stand firm” and did not follow the fallen Lucifer and the angels that fell with him.

The feast was celebrated:

1. In the seaside town of Yaffo at the Holy Monastery of Archangel Michael which was renovated a few decades ago by its Hegoumen Most Reverend Damascene of Yaffo, when it was destroyed by a fire.

There, the Divine Liturgy was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with the co-celebration of their Eminences, Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archbishop Damascene of Yaffo, Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks among whom the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, Archimandrites of the neighbouring Parishes, Niphon, Marcellus and Artemios, and Archdeacon Mark, at the chanting of the Community Byzantine choir in Arabic. The Liturgy was attended by a congregation of Palestinians, Russians and Romanians, the Ambassador of Greece in Israel Mr Kyriakos Loukakis.

His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon to this congregation:  

“The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure” (Psalm 103:19-21), the psalmist proclaims.

Beloved Brethren in Christ,

Noble Christians

The grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all in the holy monastic Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel to celebrate and honour their synaxis in Eucharist.

The Angels, as the Scripture says, are the heavenly hosts and the ministers of God, that do His will (Psalm 103:21). God makes His Angels fast and thin like the wind, and the ministers that serve Him, bright and energetic like the flame of the fire, Saint Paul preaches: “Who maketh His Angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7). These Angels are greater than the feeble men in power and strength. “Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might…” (2 Peter 2:11), Saint Peter says.

According to Saint John Damascene, “God is the maker and creator of the Angels since He brought them from non-being into being and created them according to the image that is closer to Him, as a bodiless nature, something like a spirit or an immaterial fire, as Holy David says; “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire” (Psalm 104:5). An Angel, therefore, is a noetic substance, malleable, autonomous, bodiless minister of God, who has received immortality in his nature by grace, of which substance only the Creator knows the kind and the make. However, the Angel is called bodiless and immaterial when compared to us humans; because everything that is compared to God, the Only incomparable, is found to be thick and material; truly immaterial and bodiless is only the divine”.

The heavenly hosts, namely the Angels, are distinguished in nine orders within three groups according to Theologian Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, to whom Saint John Damascene refers by saying: “Just as Saint Dionysius the Areopagite says: ‘All theology, namely the Holy Bible, calls the heavenly hosts nine, and  Saint Dionysius separates these in three groups of three. And he says that the first is the one near God and in close and immediate union with God, according to the tradition the one that has the six-winged Seraphim and the many-eyed Cherubim and the All-holy Thrones, while the second is that of the Dominions, Virtues and the Powers and the third and last is that of the Principalities, the Archangels and the Angels”.

It is noteworthy that according to Saint John Damascene, who again quotes Saint Gregory the Theologian, the angels were created before all other creation. “At first [the Creator] thinks of the angelic hosts and the heavenly and the thought becomes action”.

In today’s celebration of the synaxis of the bodiless hosts, and especially of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the Archangel Michael has a prominent position, because as a Marshal, in both the Old and the New Testament, he has displayed many benedictions to the humankind, according to his synaxarist.

Archangel Michael, my dear brethren, is the one who having seen the renegade angel, namely satan, fallen, he gathered all the orders of the Angels and saying ‘Let us give heed’, he praised the Lord of all in a loud voice as if saying; Let us all [the angles] who are created be careful and pay attention to what has happened to those who had been light with us and now they have turned into darkness.

This event, of the gathering of the orders of the Angels by Archangel Michael, was called Synaxis of the Angels, that is attention and concord and union. That is why the hymnographer says: “O Marshal passing glorious, O divine leader Michael, thou wast appointed by God’s will to be the chief and foremost of the Authorities, Powers, Dominions, Thrones, and Angels, Archangels, Principalities, wherefore as thou now standest at that dread Throne, guard and keep and save and protect and shelter all them that honour thee with faith, who art the world’s defender” (Matins, Exapostilarion 3).

The Marshal Michael’s command ‘Let us give heed’ is timely and is addressed to us who live in the modern age of globalization and the so-called “New Order”, that is, in the age of ” will worship” (Col. 2:23) which consists in resisting the truth by people with a corrupt mind and untested in faith as Saint Paul says (ref. 2 Timothy, 3:8).

We, my dear brethren, hearkening to the words of our Lord: “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18), let us say along with the Archangel Michael the angelic victorious hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Sabaoth, the earth is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Moreover, let us proclaim with the hymnographer: “Wherever thy grace casteth its shadow, O Archangel, thence is the power of the devil driven away, for fallen Lucifer cannot bear to stand before thy light. Wherefore, we implore thee to extinguish his fiery darts that are cast against us, and by thy mediation deliver us from his stumbling-blocks, O praiseworthy Archangel Michael” (Matins, Praises, Glory). Amen. Many happy returns!”

At noon His Eminence Archbishop Damascene of Yaffo hosted a meal for the Patriarchal Entourage.

2. At the Holy Monastery of the Archangels in Jerusalem

On Saturday afternoon, Vespers was observed by the Hegoumen and renovator of the Holy Church, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, and on Sunday morning the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with co-celebrants the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, Archimandrite Makarios and Hierodeacon Simeon. The chanting was delivered by the Hegoumen Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, Monk Dositheos and Nun Kyriaki as the service was attended by a large congregation of Nuns and faithful from Jerusalem and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras.

The Hegoumen Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda offered a reception to the Episcopal Entourage and the faithful.

From Secretariat-General