The Despotic feast of Theophany was celebrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

At the Catholicon of the Church, His Beatitude held the service of the Great Blessing of the Water with the contrite hymns of Theophany and the prayers of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Sophrony. The faithful Christians who attended the service were blessed with the sanctified water.

Then the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Sepulchre, presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and the Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina and Dimitrios of Lydda. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and Fr Ioannis, as the service was attended by faithful Christians from Jerusalem and a few pilgrims due to the ongoing war, the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos and the Consul Mrs Anna Mandika.

His Beatitude blessed everybody with the Holy Cross that contains part of the Sacred Wood and the blessed water from the Service of the sanctification of Theophany.

After the Liturgy, the Patriarchal Entourage returned to the Patriarchate Hall, where His Beatitude wished everybody the enlightenment of the Father of Lights.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday, January 5/18, 2024, the Great Royal Hours of Epiphany were read in the monastic and Patriarchal Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, followed by the Divine Liturgy of the Great Basil and the Service of the Sanctification of the waters of the Eve of Epiphany. The Church and the faithful were sanctified and then the Patriarchal entourage went up to the Patriarchate Hall, under the chanting of the “When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan…”. His Beatitude concluded the service and received the Episcopal entourage of His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios of Sebasteia, who brought the sanctified water from Saint James Cathedral.

Then, at 9:00 a.m. His Beatitude departed to Jericho, where he visited the Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elijah and Sycamore tree of Zacchaeus, and the Prefect of Jericho Mrs Yousra Sweti, before he reached the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist. The Royal Hours with Vespers and the Divine Liturgy had been held at the Holy Monastery by Archimandrite Meletios before the Patriarchal Entourage arrived. The Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate and Hegoumen of the Monastery Archimandrite Bartholomew has renovated the whole structure and the complete service of the Forefeast of Theophany has been held there in the last few years.

Upon His Beatitude’s arrival, a supplication was held, and then the Procession towards the west bank of the river Jordan began, under the chanting of the “When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan…”. At the bank of the river, His Beatitude held the service of the Sanctification of the waters and went down to the river where He boarded a small boat and blessed its waters. The river Jordan was sanctified by the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which we were redeemed from the sin of our forefathers and set free from the power of the devil.

As the waters were blessed, the apolytikion was sung again, in joy and rejoicing by the participating limited number of pilgrims, due to the war situation, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos and the Ambassador of Georgia Mr Lasha.

After the service, the Hegoumen and renovator of the Monastery, Archimandrite Bartholomew hosted a fasting meal. Later on, the Patriarchal Entourage visited the Holy Monastery of Abba Gerasimos of the Jordan and returned to Jerusalem to prepare for the great Despotic and universal Orthodox Feast of Theophany.

From Secretariat-General

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On the morning of Sunday, January 1, 2024, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia at his chapel located between the Holy Monastery of Saint Theodore and the New Gate.

On the commemoration of Saint Basil and in his honour, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archimandrite Amphilochios under the preparation and care of the Hegoumen, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios. The service was attended by pious pilgrims, monks, nuns and members of the Greek community.

During the Divine Liturgy, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Holy Sepulchre Fathers visited the Holy Monastery for veneration.

His Beatitude and the congregation were offered a treat by the good keeper of the Monastery and its maintainer, the Elder Kamarasis, Hegoumen Archimandrite Nektarios.

From Secretariat-General

On the night of January 1/14, 2024, the Despotic feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia, was celebrated in the Patriarchate.

This holiday was solemnly celebrated as a “parresia” after all the splendour and propriety, initially in the Catholicon of the Church of the Resurrection with Matins, followed by the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great at the Holy Sepulchre. The Liturgy was presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theofilos and with him their Eminences, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops, Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina and Dimitrios of Lydda, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks, the first of whom is Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios s and deacons, representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate, Fr Vassianos and Roumania Fr Ioannis. Hierodeacon Simeon delivered the chanting on the right and the monk Joseph on the left, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos and the Consul Mrs Anna Mandika.

After the Divine Liturgy, a litany took place in the Holy Shrines with the relic of the right hand of the Great Basil, which is kept in the Sacristy.

At the end of the Litany, the cutting of the Vasilopita took place in the Office of the Elder Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, by His Beatitude, who distributed it and wished everybody a happy and prosperous New Year 2024.

Around 7.00 a.m. after the Divine Liturgy in the monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, His Beatitude cut the pie for the Holy Sepulchre Fathers in the Epitropikon.

At noon, His Beatitude attended the meal of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood in the Central Monastery and blessed it.

From Secretariat-General

On December 31, 2023, the last day of the year (Old calendar) / January 13, 2024, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of St. Melani of Rome in the place of her ascesis in the building complex of the Women’s Monastery of Megali Panagia, adjacent to the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood.

On this day, the Church, especially that of Jerusalem, remembers that St. Melani was a noble, wealthy and illustrious mistress, descended from a noble family of Rome. After the death of her husband and her two children, she went to Egypt to visit the monks on Mount Nitria. She dispersed her wealth to those who were there to be helped and to those professing their faith persecuted by the Arians, from whom she fed 5000 in three days. When they were exiled to Palestine, she also came to Jerusalem and built a monastery from her own resources, and died there around 410.

In honour of Saint Melani, Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning by the ministering Priest of the Monastery Archimandrite Makarios, Archimandrite Christodoulos and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and monk Joseph, as the service was attended by the nuns of this and other Monasteries.

The priest and the congregation were received by the abbess, nun Melani, who diligently preserved the icons of the Holy Church of the Monastery.

From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, December 27, 2023/January 9, 2024, the feast of the Holy First Martyr Stephen was celebrated at the place of his stoning in Gethsemane and the Holy Temple bearing his name.

On this day, the Church remembers that the First Martyr Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, one of the seven deacons, was brought before the Synod and confessed Christ our God in a divine vision, and for this, he was led outside the walls of the Holy City and stoned. While he prayed for those who were stoning him, a young man named Saul was guarding their clothes.

The Divine Liturgy was presided over by the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristoboulos of Madaba, along with the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, the Priest of the Beer Sheba Community Fr. Alexandros, Priest Nektarios and Hierodeacon Anastasios. The chanting was delivered by John and monk Joseph of Mount Athos and of the choir of the Beer Sheba Community in Russian, Arabic, and Romanian.

The Liturgy was followed by the litany and the prayer at the spot of the stoning of the holy First Martyr Stephen.

After the Divine Liturgy, the good Carer and Hegoumen of the Monastery, Archimandrite Epiphanios, offered a treat to the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation in the rectory and the forecourt of the Holy Monastery.

From Secretariat-General

For the Synaxis of the Theotokos and the memory of the Shepherds, a Divine Liturgy was held on Monday, December 26, 2023 / January 8, 2024, in the Village of the Shepherds, in the Holy Monastery of the Synaxis of the Theotokos and the Shepherds. The blessed spiritual Father of the Lavra of Saint Savvas Archimandrite Seraphim renovated the Monastery. The Liturgy was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis with co-celebrants the Spiritual Father of the Monastery of Saint Savvas Archimandrite Eudokimos, Priests from the neighbouring areas and Hierodeacon Eulogios. The feast was celebrated in contrition and not in solemnity as usual, due to the war situation.

After the Divine Liturgy, a treat followed in the rectory by the renovator, the gracious and dignified Hegoumen of Beit Jala and this Monastery Archimandrite Ignatios.

  From Secretariat-General

Christmas was celebrated in Doha, Qatar, with ecclesiastical splendour and solemnity.

On Sunday, December 11th/24th, 2023, in the evening, the Vespers and Matins began and then the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Arabic, Greek and English.

On the morning of Monday, December 12/25, 2023, Matins and the Divine Liturgy were held in the Greek, Arabic and Romanian languages, in the presence of Mrs Ekaterini Thanou, representative of the Greek Embassy, and with the participation of the Christian congregation of the local Church. s. After the end of the Divine Liturgy, a formal banquet was held in the hotel hall of the city, which was attended by the clergy, the Ambassador of Greece in Doha, Mr Ioannis Ioannidis and members of the flock.

On the morning of Saturday, December 24, 2023/January 6, 2024, the Royal Hours of Christmas were read while in the evening Vespers, Matins and the Divine Liturgy were held in Slavonic, Serbian and Arabic languages, with the participation of many faithful, in the presence of members of the staff of the Embassy of Russia and the Embassy of Serbia. After the Divine Liturgy, a reception followed in the event hall of the Holy Church.

The services were presided over by the Most Reverend Archbishop Makarios of Qatar with the co-celebration of the Dean Priest Christoforos. Instead of a sermon, His Eminence read the Christmas Message of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, in the languages in which each Service was held. The choirs also sang in their respective languages.

(Photographic material is attached).

From the Holy Archdiocese of Qatar

On Monday, December 26, 2023/ January 8, 2024, the Patriarchate celebrated Christmas in the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, as it was celebrated on the 25th of the month in Bethlehem, following the custom of the Holy Church of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood.

This feast of Christmas was celebrated after the feast of the Synaxis in honour of the Mother of God, who ministered par excellence in the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ our God.

The Divine Liturgy was held by the ministering Priest of the Church Archimandrite  Amfilochios, in the presence of H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Holy Sepulchre Archbishops, Priests and monks, the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate Archimandrite Vassianos and his Entourage of the Church of the ROCOR Archimandrite Romanos and the faithful of the Church of Jerusalem and in the honourable presence of the representative of the Greek General Consulate in Jerusalem Consul Mrs Anna Mantika.

After the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude bearing the mantle and the High Priests and Priests their insignia, the ascension to the Patriarchate took place, the Patriarchal Polychronism was chanted and solemn greetings and the solemn fraternal embrace were exchanged.

From Secretariat-General

The Christmas Feast of Sunday, December 25, 2023/January 7, 2024, began with the Descent in the evening from the entrance to the Baptistery and the entrance to the Basilica, presided over by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias.

Then the sequence of Matins began, as written in the Minaion, in the Catholicon of the Basilica. During this time, His Beatitude, the High Priests and the Priests proceeded to the Grotto, with, the President of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Committee, representative of the President of the Palestinian State Mr Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen, Mr Ramzi Khouri and associates of his office on the right and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos on the left and the representative of the King of Jordan.

In the Grotto, a prayer was offered and the Gospel according to Luke was read “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed” (2,1). Afterwards, the Patriarchal Christmas Message was read by the Elder Secretary-General His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina in Greek and by the Protopresbyter Fr Issa Mousleh in Arabic:

“A strange and marvellous mystery do I behold;

      the cave is a heaven; the Virgin a cherubic throne;

the manger a space wherein Christ God the

Uncontainable One hath reclined.

Him do we praise and magnify”

                                                       (Christmas Canon, Heirmos of Ode 9)

Mankind beheld “a strange and marvellous mystery” indeed, as the hymnographer of the Church writes, at the end of times, during the reign of Caesar Octavianus Augustus. We saw God’s condescension manifested in Bethlehem of Judea. Fulfilling His promises to the prophets, God “sent redemption to His people”. This redemption is the Only Begotten Son and His Word, “of the same essence” as the Father. Through God the Father, He was blessed to be incarnated, to take on human soul, flesh and body from the Holy Spirit and the Ever-Virgin Mary. “As He willed and as He pleased” and as the Evangelist John says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. (John 1, 14). For our sake, He “emptied himself” (Phil. 2, 7), and was “secretly born in a cave”. He accepted the ultimate poverty; He was born in a cave and wrapped in swaddling clothes; He lay in a manger. In this poverty “the wealth of His Divinity shone”. Because of this, “the heaven through the star brought over to Him the Magi as the beginning of the nations” and “precursors of the Church” according to Saint Chrysostom. An angel revealed Him to the shepherds who kept the night watch and a multitude of angels proclaimed Him from heaven through the hymn, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men”, announcing that God’s goodwill for men is peace. This all-pervading Divine peace is brought to the world by God’s Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ; He is “the Angel of great counsel, the Prince of peace and the Sun of righteousness”. 

Based on this Divine revelation, as it was witnessed by eye and ear witnesses in the Holy Scriptures, the Church believes and preaches to its members and the whole world, that Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of the human race, not as deified man but as God Incarnate, for the salvation, that is, the deification of man. God came down to earth, to raise man to heaven, because “our conversation remains” (Phil, 3, 20) according to Saint Paul. The Fathers of the Church say incessantly, “God became man and man became divine”. And Saint Gregory Palamas proclaims that “the flesh is glorified along with the reception and the glory of the body, which becomes the glory of the Godhead”. Through the Incarnation, the Cross, the Resurrection from the dead and His Ascension, Christ as God and man, God-man, sat down at the right hand of the Father after assuming His human nature and paved the deification for those believing in him.

Having ascended into heaven, the Incarnate One, the crucified in the flesh and risen from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ, left the Church on earth, that is, the holy disciples and apostles, their successors, the hierarchs, priests and the Christ-named congregation, so that it may fulfil His mission unto the ages; the mission of the teaching, the conciliation and the sanctification of people, so that what was heard on the first night of His Nativity, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill among men” prevails on earth.

The Church worldwide, especially the blessed Church of Jerusalem, proclaims this word and performs this work, obedient to its founder, as it ministers in the places of His manifestation in the flesh, the first of which was the city of Bethlehem. In the magnificent Constantinian Basilica of the Nativity and the humble Grotto, the Mother of the Churches will celebrate again this year, starting from Jerusalem, keeping its ancient tradition since the days of the pilgrim Aetheria and our late predecessor Patriarch Sophronios.

 Filled with the joy of the Nativity of Christ, we address Our Patriarchal and Fatherly wishes and blessings to “every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” (Jn.1, 4, 2), to the pious pilgrims, especially to Our reverend flock in Gaza, along with Our prayers, that Saint Porphyrios remains its protector and of all those suffering there under the raging war.

In particular, we express our gratitude to the President of the Palestinian state, Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen, through his representative, Mr Ramzi Houri, and we wish him God’s strength in the success of his efforts and struggles, including the protection of the tested Palestinian people, to live in peace, justice and prosperity in the context of an absolutely free Palestinian state worthy of international recognition.

In the Holy City of Bethlehem CHRISTMAS 2023

THEOPHILOS III

PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

This was followed by the veneration of the star and the Manger. Then the exit took place from the north gate of the Grotto and the top of the steps of the chapel of the Armenians, to hold the procession three times around the Catholicon and the sides of the Basilica of the Nativity and there was a supplication at the central part of the Church.

When the Entourage reached the iconostasis, His Beatitude started chanting the 9^th Ode, the service of Matins continued and then the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. The services were presided over by His Beatitude, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theophanes of Gerassa, Dimitrios of Lydda and Philoumenos of Pella, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, other Holy Sepulchre Priests, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Eulogios. Despite the ongoing hostilities in the area, a large congregation of Palestinian Orthodox Christians attended the Vigil.

The Divine Liturgy was also celebrated in the Grotto of the Nativity by His Eminence Archbishop Nectarios of Anthedona, the representative of the Patriarchate in Constantinople.

The Patriarchal Liturgy finished at 3.30 a.m., as per the Status Quo.

After the Vigil the Patriarchal Representative in Bethlehem hosted a meal, sharing the plight of the Palestinian people who are being tested by the ongoing war.

In the morning the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos went down to the Grotto for veneration and left the Basilica, indicating with this act the end of the first day of the Great Feast of Christmas at the Basilica of the Nativity and the Grotto, where Christ our God was born in the flesh.

From Secretariat-General