After the contrite fasting period of the Dormition, the Feast was celebrated in ecclesiastical brilliance in the Emirate of Qatar.

On Tuesday evening, August 14/27, 2018, there was a six-hour Vigil, with Great Vespers and the Blessing of Bread, Matins, and the Lamentations of Theotokos according to the order of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, followed by the Episcopal Divine Liturgy. Co-celebrants to His Eminence Makarios were the visiting Archimandrite Nicodemus from the Holy Metropolis of Didimotiho, and the ministering Priests of the H. Church of Saint Isaac, Saint George and Saint Makarios of Jerusalem. The Vigil was attended by many faithful who prayed in respect and reverence to the Most Holy Mother of God.

From the Holy Archdiocese of Qatar

On Wednesday August 15/28, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Dormition of Theotokos in all reverence and brilliance at Thetokokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane.

According to the typikon order and the Status Quo of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, at the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos above and around Her Tomb, Vespers was held in the evening led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the morning, led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitans; Timotheos of Boszra, Panteleimon of Veroia, and Timotheos of Thessaliotida and Fanariofersala from the Church of Greece, the Most Reverend Archbishops; Aristarchos of Constantina, Demetrios of Lydda, Philoumenos of Pella, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, visiting Priests of the brotherly Orthodox Christian Churches, Archdeacon Mark and other Deacons. The chanting was delivered by Mr. Emanuel Daskalakis, choir leader in Thessalonica, and the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos, local faithful and pilgrims who prayed in contrition from Palestine, Greece, Russia, Romania, Cyprus and other countries.

Before the Holy Communion His Beatitude read the following Sermon;

“She that is higher than the Heavens, and more glorious than the Cherubim, and more honourable than all creation; she that because of her exceeding purity became the vessel of the everlasting Essence, today committeth her all-holy soul into the hands of her Son. With her, all things are filled with joy, and she granteth us great mercy” the hymn writer of the church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and Pilgrims

The Mother of God and Theotokos, the Most Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary, has gathered all of us from the ends of the earth in this most sacred place, her Tomb, in order to celebrate the passage of her soul and pure body from earth to heavens, namely her Dormition.

The Mother of God is especially honoured and blessed, “for in her, the Uncontainable One, Christ our God, was pleased to be contained”;in other words, God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ and Saviour of the world became incarnate and was born through her pure blood.

The Ever-Virgin Mary from Nazareth, who became the Mother of God, is the only one among women who is magnified and blessed by all generations, according to her own true testimony; “for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name” (Luke 1:48-49). And this – according to the established interpreters –  is owed to Mariam’s outmost humility; “this word was spoken to Maria neither in a simple manner, nor without judgment, but due to her exceeding humility, which God loves, and raises up the one who humbles himself and makes himself a slave, as an imitator of God…and in Isaiah He says: “ but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). The without corruption death in flesh of “the fountain of life” namely the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, became a passport from the earthly and perishable life to the divine and indeed changeless one, as the hymn writer says; “Thy death was a passage to an everlasting and better life, O pure and immaculate Virgin, and it translated thee from the perishable to the verily divine and changeless life, that in gladness thou mightest look upon thy Son and Lord”.

The great mystery of the incarnation in one hypostasis God the Word our Lord Jesus Christ from the pure blood of Theotokos Mary in the Holy Spirit on the one hand; and the mystery of the dormition or rather of the sacred translation of our Lady the Most Glorious Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary on the other, constitutes the incomprehensible essence and the purpose of the mystical and God-human body of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of ours, to which we consider ourselves to be members.

Today’s top celebration of the Mother of God my brothers and sisters calls and urges us to hear her words saying; “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:49-50). In this instance the pure and Virgin Mary talks about God’s compassion and mercy towards all the pious people who fear God. “His mercy (God’s) is not only upon me but upon all those who fear Him” St. Theophylaktos comments.

And praying for the perfection of the Christians in Christ, St. Paul says; “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you…That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph. 3:14-19).

This fullness of the knowledge and love of Christ was familiar only to the Ever-Virgin Theotokos Maria, who became the Mother of God the Word the Christ, and therefore we say along with the hymn writer: “Rejoice thou full of grace, Virgin Mother of God, Bride unwedded, the Lord is with Thee. Intercede to your Son and our God to save our souls and grant peace to our tested region. Amen. Many Happy Returns!”

Immediately after the Sermon most of the faithful present received the Holy Communion.

After Dismissal, the Patriarchal Entourage went up to the Hegoumeneion, where the Hegoumen Most Reverend Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela offered them a refreshing reception, accepting the wishes and praises of His Beatitude for the order and nobility in which the Feast was organized.

2. In the town Abud

On this day, in town Abud near Ramallah and at the Byzantine Church of the Dormition of Theotokos, the Feast of the Dormition was festively celebrated led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia.

From Secretariat-General

The Service of the Lamentations of Theotokos at Her Most Sacred Tomb was held on the Forefeast of the Dormition on Tuesday August 14/27, 2019.

For this Service the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, led by its Hegoumen His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, marched in procession from the Patriarchate Headquarters to Gethsemane, through Via Dolorosa, and was welcomed by the Hegoumens of the Monasteries of St. Charalambos, Praitorion, the Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and St. Stephen.

In Gethsemane, after a short break at the Hegoumeneion, the Patriarch’s welcome and entrance in the Church of Theotokos’ Tomb was done under the chanting of the Apolytikion of the Dormition.

Once the Patriarch, the Archbishops and Priests were dressed in their liturgical vestments, the service of the Lamentations began, and the Epitaph was moved from the place of the icon of Platytera in the middle of the Church. The three stasis of the Lamentations were chanted, the first by His Beatitude and the other two by the visiting Archbishops from the Church of Greece; the second stasis b the Most Reverend Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veroia, Naousa and Kambania and the third by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Theologos of Serres, while the myrrh was distributed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Timotheos of Thessaliotida and Fanariofersala, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos.

After the Blessings and the Praises, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Theologos of Serres delivered a Sermon.

After the Praises and the Doxology, the Epitaph was transferred to the entrance of the Church where a special prayer was read and then the Epitaph was returned to its original place for the thousands of faithful to venerate.

At the end of the service the Hegoumen Most Reverend Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela refreshed the Patriarchal Entourage and the people with a reception at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

On Sunday August 12/25, 2019, the ceremony of the Cathode of the icon of the Dormition of Theotokos started from the Metochion of Gethsemane, opposite the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and headed in procession to Theotokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane.

 This contrite ceremony started at dawn of the above day, at 5.00 am (summer time) in procession, led by the Hegoumen of Gethsemane Most Reverend Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela, who was carrying the icon in front of his chest, surrounded by Archbishops and other Hagiotaphite Fathers, with the long procession behind and in front of him with Priests, Monks and Nuns, as many Byzantine choir singers were chanting the hymns of the Dormition.

The procession stopped for prayers before the Holy Monasteries of St. Alexander Nefsky, Praitorion, The Ancestors of God and St. Stephen.

Concluding in Gethsemane, and at the Holy Shrine of Theotokos’ Tomb, there was a final prayer and the icon was placed behind Theotokos’ Tomb, in front of the icon of Platytera. This was followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, with the participation of thousands of faithful who venerated the sacred icon asking Theotokos’ intercession.  

From Secretariat-General

On Monday, August 6/19, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. On Mount Tabor

On this feast, according to the Gospel narratives, the Church commemorates the event that our Lord went up on Mount Tabor before His Passion; the mount is in Galilee and there, before the eyes of His disciples Peter, James and John, He was transfigured, His appearance changed, His human nature was concealed and His Divine nature was revealed in glory. A bright cloud surrounded Him and Moses and Elisha appeared next to Him, conversing with Him about His Passion which was going to happen in Jerusalem, while the Father’s voice was heard from heaven saying: “This is my beloved Son  in whom I am well-pleased; hear ye him”. Petrified the disciples fell on the ground and Peter asked the Lord to make three tents so that they would stay on the mount. After this vision which was according to the standard of the Resurrection, the Lord commanded the disciples not to tell anyone before His Resurrection.

This event was primarily celebrated at the place where it happened, on Mount Tabor, with an all-night Vigil which was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and visiting clergy from various Orthodox countries. The chanting was delivered by Priest George on the right and by the choir of the Patriarchal representative in Acre Archimandrite Philotheos on the left in Arabic, at the presence of a large crowd of faithful who prayed in contrition at the outdoor night atmosphere.

Before the Holy Communion His Beatitude read the following sermon;

“Christ took Peter, James, and John, 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 there appeared 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.” The hymn writer of the Church says.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

The grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all in this holy Mount Tabor, where the Lord’s feet have stood, in order to celebrate the annual commemoration of the Holy Transfiguration of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The event of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ holds a special place in the great mystery of the Divine Providence, namely of the infinite philanthropy of God the Father, for the salvation of mankind. And this is so, because on the one hand, on Mount Tabor Christ revealed His Glory to His disciples before His Passion on the Cross; and on the other, He revealed it to those who follow and believe in Him, in the Kingdom of Heaven, and in addition, that Jesus Christ Himself, is the Son of God as the hymn writer of the Church delivers in precision and clarity; “Before Thy venerable Cross and willing Passion, taking the divine disciples whom Thou hadst preferred, O Master, Thou wentest up with them into Mount Tabor, wising to show them Thy glory openly. And as they all looked on Thee transfigured wondrously an shining forth brighter than the sun, they cast themselves down being amazed at thy might and Sovereignty; and they cried out: Thou art the Timeless Light and the Father’s Effulgence, though Thou, O Christ, of Thine own will, without change, art made manifest now in the flesh”.

The glory Christ showed and revealed His disciples is no other than the timeless light and brightness of God the Father, namely His Divinity united in one hypostasis with His human nature. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) says the Lord. And St. Paul preaches; “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past…Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:1-3). Moreover, this is being witnessed by the Evangelists who say: “While he yet spake, behold, 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” (Matt. 17:5).

And the “timeless light” the one that is beyond time and pre-eternal, or else, the uncreated light, is according to St. Paul “the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:15-16). This means that God alone has in Himself immortal and uninterrupted, eternal life, and dwells in a light that no man can ever approach, a light that no man has ever or ever will see. “For there shall no man see me, and live” the Lord says (Exodus 33:20). And the hymn writer of the Church adds; “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.”

God the Word, Christ, as the hymn writer says, is a “changeless Light”. This means that Christ did not receive something He had not already possessed, nor that He was transformed into something He was not, but that He revealed to His disciples exactly what He was, as St. John Damascene says; “Not that He received something that He did not have, nor that He was transformed into something He was not, but He appeared to His disciples exactly as He was” (Vol. 9, p. 38).

In other words, Christ’s disciples who were present on His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor were found worthy of the experience of the vision of the glory, namely of the divine Light of the Transfiguration. And according to St. Chrysostom, not only did the disciples behold the unapproachable and uncreated Light, but they also  experienced its energy,  as the hymn writer says; “Shining faintly upon Mount Tabor today, Christ laid bare before the disciples the image of His divine brightness as He promised.” And again; “The changeless Nature, having been mingled with mortal nature, shone forth past all telling, and in part revealed unto the Apostles the Light of Its own Immaterial Godhead.” This means that the disciples, while being men “as we are” (James 5:17) did not see the incomprehensible Nature of God, but His uncreated energy in the human nature of God the Word, Jesus Christ.

In this point, my dear brothers and sisters, we should stress that Christ’s disciples saw His Transfiguration provided that they themselves had been transfigured spiritually, which means that they had accomplished their “catharsis” (cleansing) from sin, and therefore were able to accept the Light, or better say, the energy of the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, according to Jesus’ words; “ye are clean” (John 13;10).

Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, said on the sermon on the mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Interpreting these words, St. Cyril of Alexandria says that pure are those “ who having renounced every kind of love of the flesh, have been united with God in the Spirit of the Son, and have differentiated themselves from the worldly pleasures, and   while having denied their own lives, they have commended themselves only to the will of the Spirit, leading a by all means pure life in Christ.”

This means my dear ones, that the divine and uncreated light which shone upon mount Tabor is Christ, while the cloud that overshadowed the disciples is the presence of the Holy Spirit. Not everybody became communicants and participants of this vision of the uncreated light and the overshadowing cloud from which “a voice was heard”, but only the disciples and the prophets that were present.

Let us who co-celebrate this uninterpreted mystery of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray that the light of Christ’s Transfiguration may shine in our minds as St. Paul also says; “ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). Amen! Many happy returns!”

Immediately afterward the faithful received the Holy Communion.

Before dismissal His Beatitude read the prayer for the blessing of the grapes.

At the end of the Vigil the Hegoumen and renovator of the Holy Monastery Archimandrite Ilarion offered a reception.

On the morning of the feast day, at the ample light of Tabor, the Divine Liturgy inside the Church was led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, with co-celebrants Hieromonks and Priests from the Galilee district, in the presence of a large congregation, pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Romania and local Palestinians from the borders of Galilee, and Acre-Ptolemais.

2. At Gethsemane

The commemoration of the Holy Transfiguration was celebrated at the sacred shrine of Gethsemane Theotokos’ Tomb, according to the Status Quo. The Divine Liturgy was led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, with co-celebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, the ministering Priests of the Shrine of Gethsemane Archimandrites Meletios and Dionysios, while the chanting was delivered by Hieromonk Euphrosynos at the presence of a noble congregation.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of Gethsemane Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela offered a reception at the hegoumeneion.

3. In Ramallah

The Transfiguration of the Lord was also celebrated at the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration that belongs to the Patriarchate in Ramallah, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the presence of a large congregation of the Orthodox faithful of the city in contrition and prayer.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Monastery Archimandrite Galaktion offered the Episcopal entourage a fasting festal meal of fish.

From Secretariat-General

On Sunday, July 30/ August 11, 2019, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos officiated the Divine Liturgy at the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, above the God-receiving Cave, where our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the flesh.

This Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the centenary completion since the foundation of Jamaeye, namely the Greek-Orthodox community in Bethlehem, whose parish Church is the Basilica.

Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophylactos of Jordan, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, the Hegoumen of Beit Sahour and Beit Jala Archimandrite Ignatios and Dragouman Archimandrite Mattheos, the Priests of the Basilica Fr. Spyridon, Fr. George and Fr. Issa, Archdeacon Mark and other Deacons. The chanting was delivered by Mr. Yakub in Greek on the right and by Mr. Samih in Arabic on the left, along with the Community choir under Mr. Lawrence Samour, as the service was attended by the Greek Orthodox flock of Bethlehem.

Before the Holy Communion His Beatitude preached the Divine Word as follows;

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10) St. Paul advices.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters and Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

The grace of the God-receiving Cave of the incarnation of God the Word our Lord Jesus Christ  who was born through the pure blood of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, has gathered us all in this most sacred universal shrine of the Biblical town of Bethlehem, in order to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, namely the great sacrament of the Divine Eucharist, the sacrament in the blood and body of Christ, of our communion and love, as well as the Christian Rum-Orthodox witness in Palestine throughout the centuries.

And this witness is no other than the witness of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John, according to whom “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “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).

It is precisely this witness of the love of God the Word that the established Biblical Church of Jerusalem evangelizes, the Church for which St. John Damascene exclaims; “Rejoice Holy Zion, Mother of Churches, and God’s dwelling place”. This witness is proclaimed also both in words and in action by the primary monastic order of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood with its Christian flock, which has been tested by the worldly powers of darkness of this era (Eph. 1:16), which powers of darkness, namely “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8) according to Apostle Peter. This means that the Christians’ persecutors and accusers were inspired and moved by Satan, whose purpose is the disorder (1 Cor. 14:33) which opposes the peace in Christ and the unity of the Church.

And for Christ, “who is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18), God the Father was pleased to agree and reconcile everything to Himself. “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, whether they be things in earth [the people on earth with God and with one another], or things in heaven [the angels]” St. Paul preaches (Col. 1:19-20).

In other words, Christ came in the world to unite everything. He suffered death on the Cross and was resurrected from the dead that “he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (John 11:52). After all, this is the content of Christ’s fervent prayer a little while before his passion on the Cross, that His disciples may remain united by the Holy Spirit in the bond of love, unity and peace. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one” (John 17:20-21).

The institution of the Church which is not and should not be considered neither a social nor a political-financial organization – it is the mystical body of our God and Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As for the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, it is the one Who brings together and constitutes the unity of the institution of the Church.

Those who bear the Name of Christ, the members of the Church, who bear the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, should be distinguished for their unity in one manner of thought, and in one mind, as St. Paul advices by saying; “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).

Referring to the highest meaning of the unity of the Church says: “The name of the Church is a name of agreement and unity”. On the contrary, the divisions among the members of the Church in different deployments as well as the schisms of the Churches which disintegrate the unity of the body of the Church of Christ, are a grave sin, so that “not even the blood of martyrdom can wash out such a sin”, St. Chrysostom teaches.

We Christians, my dear brothers and sisters, should not be satisfied only in a dry and intellectual faith, but we should try to prove it in practice, as Prophet Isaiah preaches; “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me” (Isaiah 29:13).

The great Apostle of the nations Paul, anxious as a spiritual father for the spiritual state in Christ of the Christians, says encouragingly; “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God… be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Paul’s word: “be not conformed to this world” refers to the manner of living of those people who were not reborn through Christ. It refers to the fallen and corrupt nature of the people who follow this transitory world, as St. John the Evangelist teaches by saying: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:17).

We, my dear brothers and sisters, who have the ark of salvation, namely the Church, the mystical body of Christ “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3), are called to be worthy of God’s gifts; “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). Many happy returns!”

After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophylactos of Jordan, who is the Patriarchal Representative and renovator of the shrine, currently working on the preservation of the wooden ikonostasion with the “Artis” team, offered a reception at the hegoumeneion.

Finally, the Community under its President Mr. Fretz offered the Patriarchal Entourage and others a meal at the “Casa Nova” Hotel which is next to the Basilica.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, July 28/ August 10, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of our Holy Father John the New Hozevite from Romania at the Holy Monastery of his ascetic life, the ancient Monastery of Hozeva, which is located by the bank of brook Chorath, near Jericho.

On this day, primarily the Church of Jerusalem, but also the Church of Romania commemorate Saint John the New Hozevite, who came in the Holy Land from Romania in mid- 20^th century and lived an ascetic life in Holy Monasteries of the river Jordan district and in that of Saints George and John the Hozevites. Due to his marvelous signs he was canonized a Saint by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 2016.

The feast of the Dormition of Saint John was celebrated with an all-night Vigil, officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, who was welcomed by the Hegoumen Fr. Constantine with the following words;

“My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord…” (Psalm 130:6-7).

Your Beatitude Father and Master,

With Your Reverend Entourage,

In our time people have lost hope to a great extent; the Saint we celebrate today wrote about hope in November 1952:

“Hope is being born simultaneously with the man’s soul and it is the pillar of life. If the virtue of hope had not existed, nor faith, neither love would remain within the soul, and therefore life itself would be lost. This is the wondrous power of the soul which elevates those who have been hurt – the bright ray of light that leads to the truth. In short, we can say that the person who has unshakable hope within him can never be defeated by the storms and the hardships of life”.

Your Beatitude,

Our Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, and first among all Your Beatitude, marches – through difficulties, temptations and sorrows – in this present life, based precisely on this hope the daughter of patience according to Saint Paul (Romans 5:4). Having as an anchor of Hole the Faith in the Trinitarian God and His Saints, one of whom is Saint John the New Hozevite who we honour today.

Welcome!”

After the welcoming speech, according to the typikon order, the Vigil started with the Compline, Salutations of the Saint and Vespers, followed by the Divine Liturgy. Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Priests from the Romanian Patriarchate, and Archdeacon Mark. The chanting was delivered by the Byzantine singers Leonidas Doukas, Christos Stavrou, Gregorios Zarkou and Dionysios Thanasoulis, as the Vigil was attended by a Congregation of Monks, Nuns, and laity who came from the world for the elevation of their souls and prayed in deep contrition.

Before the Holy Communion His Beatitude read the following Sermon;

“Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth” (Psalm 26:8) the Prophet-King David sings.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 Noble pilgrims and Christians,

Let us rejoice in the Lord, for by the grace of the Holy Spirit we are gathered today in this sanctified and sacred place, the Monastery of Hozeva, in order to celebrate the sacred commemoration of our Father among the Saints John the New Hozevite from Romania.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12) St. James the Brother of God says. Blessed is the one who willingly endures temptation, because he will become experienced and cleansed just like the pure gold, he will receive the crown of life and become the dwelling place of Christ, the heavenly King. The God-man Christ will come therein with his grace and make His abode with him (John 14:23), just as He truly says, according to our Father John.

Indeed, my dear brothers and sisters, our Father John, who loved this ascetic place of Hozeva, was tested and found worthy of the crown of eternal life as the Holy Bible proclaims; “But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God…like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-6). And in more detail, God accepts the many hardships of the tested faithful like a sweet fragrance, just like the “sacrificial burnt offering” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:6), namely the burnt offerings of the sacrifices that are being completely burnt in the altar.

And hearkening to the God-inspired words of the psalmist: “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek” (Psalm 27:8), the Holy Righteous John managed to form Christ within him through his ascetic striving and unceasing prayer, according to St. Paul’s advice; “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal. 4:9). Interpreting these words, St. Cyril of Alexandria says; “until the great and extremely intelligent character of Christ is gradually doubled in our minds”.

The incorrupt and fragrant complete relic of our righteous and God-bearer Father John that lies before us, is an irrefutable and tangible and visible witness and proof that Christ is the light and the truth of the world. “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12) says the Lord.

This true light of life is being announced and preached by our Holy Orthodox Church through its saints amidst the generation of the distorted and perverted people of our time.

And we say this because the righteous, namely the saints of God, are shown as luminaries in the world on the one hand (Philip. 2:15) and on the other, they “shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). Moreover, the Saints will sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel according to Evangelist Matthew; “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28).

The incorrupt and fragrant holy relic of our righteous Father John foretells and announces the “rebirth”, namely the resurrection from the dead on Judgement Day. For this St. John advices all those who follow our Lord Jesus Christ through St. Paul’s mouth, to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). “that we may have boldness in the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17), as St. John the Evangelist preaches.

Rendering glory and thanksgiving to the Holy Trinitarian God, for “He is wondrous in His saint” (Psalm 67:36) our Father John, let us entreat him so that along with the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, may intercede for the salvation of our souls. And let us say along with the hymn writer; “As we the faithful delight today, on thy memory, our righteous Father John, we glorify Him that made thee glorious, Christ our Lord, the supremely good. Beseech Him ceaselessly, O all-venerable, that we attain to the splendour of the Saints, and to everlasting glory since thou hast boldness to speak freely unto Him at any time.” Amen. Many happy returns!”

After the Divine Liturgy the reorganizer and Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery Fr. Constantinos offered a meal.

From Secretariat-General

On Friday, July 27/ August 9, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon at his Holy Monastery which is located between the Patriarchate and Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem.

On this day the Church rends a special honour to the commemoration of Saint Panteleimon who came from Nicomedia by an idolater father named Eustorgios and a Christian mother named Euvouli, from whom he was taught the sacred scriptures.

Having studied the science of medicine, he healed the sick for free, working signs and miracles by the power of Christ, Whom he confessed and martyred during the reign of Maximian in the year 305 A.D.

In the Holy Church of this Monastery Vespers was held in the evening, and the Divine Liturgy in the morning, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis with co-celebrants the Hegoumen of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour Archimandrite Ignatios and the Hegoumen of the H. Monastery of St. Catherine Archimandrite Stephen, at the chanting of the Hegoumen of the H. Monastery of Saints Theodoroi and Typikon Keeper of the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen Archimandrite Alexios and Monk Raphael. The services were attended by a congregation of monks, nuns and pilgrims.

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

The Episcopal entourage and the congregation were offered a reception by the renovator of the Holy Monastery Abbess Haritini.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday, July 26/ August 8, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Holy Righteous Martyr Paraskeve at the chapel of the Holy Monastery of St. Basil, where the icon of the Saint is being kept. The Saint confessed Christ in Rome, was tortured and beheaded during the reign of Emperor Anthony in the year 140 A.D.

In honour of the Saint, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the morning of the feast by Priest Nikitas and Archdeacon Mark, under the chanting of nuns with the participation of monks, nuns and laity.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy the good keeper of the Monastery reverend Abbess Thecla offered a reception to all present at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

The commemoration of the Dormition of St. Anna was celebrated by the Patriarchate, at her Holy Monastery by St. Stephen’s Gate inside the wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, on Wednesday July 25/ August 7, 2019.

On this feast the Church while honouring the Dormition of St. Anna, commemorates also her life, which was according to God’s Will, her faith to God and that of her husband Joachim, which evoked God’s mercy and gave her, the former barren woman, Mary, the Most Holy Theotokos, and by the Holy Spirit the Mother of our God, to be the fruit of her womb.

In honour of St. Anna Vespers was held in the aforementioned Holy Monastery in the evening, and the D. Liturgy in the morning by the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew.

After the Divine Liturgy the Hegoumen Archimandrite Meletios offered a reception at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General