On Thursday, June 14/27, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of Holy Prophet Elisha at the Church dedicated to him, at the centre of the town of Jericho by the sycamore tree of Zachaeus.

The Church honours St. Elisha, son of Saphat from the land of Abelmeholah as a great Prophet, who was called to be Prophet Elijah’s disciple, he accepted the call and learned by him, working great miracles by the Divine Grace at the district of Jericho and the Jordan river. Some of these were the turning of the bitter waters of Jericho into drinking water, the healing of King of Syria Neeman from his leprosy, and the walking on the waters of river Jordan stepping on Elijah’s fleece. Prophet Elijah had thrown his fleece to Elisha and gave him two-fold his grace when he was carried on the fiery chariot into heavens (4 Kings, 11-14).

In this Church, the Divine Liturgy was led by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, among whom Archimandrite Chrysostom and Fr. Kyriakos, Archimandrite Ignatios, Arab-speaking Priests among whom Fr. Yusef Hodali, Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Eulogios, while the service was attended by a congregation from the town of Jericho and pilgrims from elsewhere.

His Beatitude sermon to this congregation is the one below;

 “Rejoice, O Elisha, who while on earth hast shown an example of a life equal to the Angels, and while in the flesh hast lived without a peer. Since thou didst preserve the eye of thy soul pure of all that is material, O Prophet, thou was counted worthy to foresee things to come by the clear light of the Spirit” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

The grace of Prophet Elisha has called us in this Holy place of the Biblical town of Jericho, where the waters were “bitter but they were healed” in order to festively celebrate the Prophet’s commemoration in his holy Monastery.

“God is wondrous in his saints” (Psalm 67:36), the Prophet-King David says. Indeed, Prophet Elisha is distinguished among the Prophets because God worked great miracles through this chosen Prophet, whose anointing to the prophetic gift was done at the command of God, by Prophet Elijah, whose heir he became. “And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room” (3 Kings 19:15-16).

As it is well known, Prophet Elijah found Elisha plowing his field at the valley of the river Jordan, and called him to follow him, throwing over him his fleece. “And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, go back again: for what have I done to thee?” (3 Kings 19:20-21). This event shows that Elisha became not only Prophet Elijah’ heir, but also an instrument of the mystery of the Divine Revelation, namely a vessel of the lighting power of the Holy Spirit.

Referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in the Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul ranks the Prophets directly after the Apostles by saying; “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets” (1 Cor. 12:28). “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy” St. Paul advices again (1 Cor. 14:1). And elsewhere he 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 corner stone” (Eph. 2:19-20).

In these God-inspired words of the Apostle of the nations, it is clearly shown that both the Apostles, the sanctified vessels of the Grace of the Gospel, and the Prophets, the God-inspired instruments of the Law of Moses, are the foundation stones, while Christ is the corner stone, on which the structure of the Church is based. The Church of Christ, in other words, is the one that unites in a harmonious and inseparable unity the Old with the New Testament. “For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18).

The Holy Church of Christ honours and venerates the commemoration of the holy Prophets, and of Prophet Elisha, because they belong to the heavenly body of the “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). Let us hear the holy hymn writer saying; “Rejoice, Elisha supremely wise; for after cleansing thy mind of the carnal desires and lusts, thou within thee didst receive God the Spirit’s clear shining beams, which thou didst pass on to all, O glorious one, and didst appear wholly like unto the light. Hence, thou art gone to dwell in the never-setting light that is on high, ever praying for us all, who praise and honour thee”.

We are also called to this “never-setting light”, namely our mystical union with God in heavens, by Prophet Elisha, my dear brothers and sisters, in order to dwell in “the eternal dwelling places” (Luke 16:9).

And the Church of Christ on earth, is the dwelling place where the cleansing of our souls and bodies is being accomplished, a cleansing from the spiritual leprosy, namely of sin. And we say this because today’s honoured Prophet Elisha became among other things also a healer of the illness of leprosy, according to the witness of our Lord Jesus Christ who said; “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27).

In the general Epistle of St. James, the Brother of God, the Prophets are projected as examples to imitate. “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience” (James 5:10).

Such an example of suffering affliction, of long-suffering but also of intercession towards God for the sick, those who suffer injustice, and those tested by misdemeanors have we the luminary of the world, Elisha the Prophet.

Let us therefore entreat St. Elisha and along with the hymn writer say; “Thou Prophet and herald of Christ, at no time art thou ever separated from the throne of majesty, yet thou art ever present at the side of every one in sickness; while ministering in the highest, thou dost bless the whole world and art everywhere glorified. As thou forgiveness for our souls”. Amen. Many Happy Returns!”

Before dismissal His Beatitude read the prayer for the fruit, especially for the grapes.

After the Divine Liturgy the Hegoumen of the Shrine Archimandrite Philoumenos offered a meal to the Patriarchal Entourage and others.

From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, June 12/25, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of our Righteous Father Onuphrius of Egypt at his holy Monastery, at the deep end of valley Enom, opposite of Siloam font.

Our Holy Father Onuphrius lived in Egypt in the 4^th century in total abstinence of the passions and in ascesis of the virtues of Christ, “having become an immigrant from the turbulent world”, he lived in outmost austerity and poverty and nudity that was covered with his long beard, and became an example to imitate for the ascetics of all times.

The Patriarchate has dedicated a Monastery to him in the lower part of Jerusalem, the City of David, opposite Siloam’s font, which is the place the Pharisees bought with the thirty silver coins that Judas returned to them when he regretted his action of Jesus betrayal. For this reason, this place was called “field of blood” or “Potter’s field”.

In this Church which has a part inside a cave, the Divine Liturgy was led by our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, with first in rank Archimandrite Ignatios and Fr. Nectarios and Fr. Eirinaios, from the Holy Monastery of Oblou, of the Holy Metropolis of Patra from the Church of Greece, Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Sophronios, at the presence of a large congregation of pilgrims, monks and nuns.

His Beatitude delivered the following sermon to this congregation:

“You ought to behold the delight of the Lord, O God-bearer and with Him alone did ye long to converse alone. Wherefore ye abandoned the world, fleeing afar off to dwell in the wilderness and in mountains; and putting on Christ, ye took no thought for raiment, for ye had trafficked for the garment of incorruption, wherewith ye entered into the heavenly bridechamber, where ye rejoice eternally, O Onuphrius” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

The sacred commemoration of our Father among the Saints Onuphrius has gathered all of us today in his Holy Church in this Biblical and historical “potter’s field” also known as the “field of blood” (Matthew 27:7-8), in order to celebrate his feast in Eucharist and Doxology.

The holy hymn writer calls our Holy Father Onuphrius from Egypt, a citizen of the desert, an Angel in flesh, wonder worker and healer of the souls of all who come to him. Indeed, Saint Onuphrius became a co-citizen of the Angels, a participant of the righteous and the holy, therefore he received the crown of righteousness that Christ prepared for him, as St. Paul says; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for a me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”(2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Our Father among the Saints Onuphrius loved Christ so much that when he heard the life of the great zealots of Christ, of Elias the Thesvite and John the Forerunner and Baptist, he retreated in the desert where he lived for sixty years without seen any man at all, as his synaxarist says. And according to the witness of St. Pafnutius the Great, who met the Saint in the deepest desert and was also present at the departing of the Saint to the heavenly dwelling places, saw that our Father Onuphrius “was naked and his body was covered with white hair all over”.

For this the holy hymn writer says: “Wherefore ye abandoned the world, fleeing afar off to dwell in the wilderness and in mountains; and putting on Christ, ye took no thought for raiment, for ye had trafficked for the garment of incorruption”.

And what was the raiment of incorruption which he strove to secure, for his cover? It was the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ for which St. Paul proclaims by saying; “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). And elsewhere he says; “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).

This very newness of life did our Holy Father Onuphrius follow, namely the path of the Gospel. And the path of the Gospel is no other than the path of incorruption and of eternal life. Let us hear the hymn writer saying; “Thou madest thyself a temple altogether luminous with the virtues, O righteous and all-blessed Onuphrius, flashing lightning-like with eh far-shining radiance of the clear and divine beams of Godlike miracles”. And again; “Apprehending the illumination of Christ with an inspired mind, thou joyfully dweltest in the desert as in Paradise, putting forth shoots of incorruption.”

Our Father Onuphrious became co-heir of the glory of the Son and Word of God the Father, not only because of the power of his faith, but also because of his harsh ascetic striving, and of course through the help of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul preaches; “ The Spirit [of adoption] itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:16-17). In other words, we become co-heirs of Christ if of course, we co-suffer with Him, in order to be glorified together with Him.

The holy festal commemoration by our holy Church of its saints, as our Holy Father Onuphrius, is not a commemoration of worldly events and historic persons, but rather a witness of the life in heavens, namely of “ the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23).

This witness, my dear brothers and sisters, are we called to join, heeding to our Holy Father Onuphrius on the one hand; and hearkening to the words of wise Paul on the other, saying; “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

This means that the one bearing the name of Christ should continuously strive, praying unceasingly, hearkening to the words of the Lord in the book of Revelation of St. John: “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). In other words, the one who belongs to the mystical body of Christ, namely the Church, should not neglect his spiritual duties for the sake of the worldly matters. And this is so because the danger of his spiritual death is always lurking.

Interpreting the words of St. Paul, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Cor. 12:27) and “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called” (Ephes. 4:4-5), St. Gregory of Sinai says: just as the body without the spirit becomes dead, likewise, the one who neglects the commandments of the Lord becomes dead in the spirit and remains without the power and the light of the Holy Spirit and the grace of Christ.

Because we, my brothers and sisters, through the Holy Baptism have been born children of light and sons of day (1 Thess. 5:5), let us not sleep the sleep of indifference and carelessness, as those who do not know Christ do, but let us be vigilant and sober, according to St. Paul’s advice; “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6).

Let us imitate the vigilance, the abstinence, the fasting and the wakefulness, as well as the unceasing prayer of today’s honoured, our Holy Father Onuphrius, as well as our Holy Father Peter of Mount Athos, and along with the hymn writer say; “As Angels in the flesh who dwelt in the hosts incorporeal, ye lit the desert like stars flashing in the night with your ascetic pains and toils. Now O God-bearing Fathers, importune God’s great mercy for us who sing your praise, Onuphrius and Peter while crying out: Alleluia”. (And along with our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary who prays for our souls). Amen.”

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession inside the Monastery and a memorial service for the repose of the souls of the founders of the Monastery and Nun Seraphima who has recently slept in the Lord, as well as a prayer for the blessing of the fruit.

After the Divine Liturgy the good keeper and renovator of the Monastery Abbess Paissia offered a reception to the Patriarchal Entourage and the congregation at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

On Sunday of All Saints, June 10/23, 2019, the Church celebrated the feast of all the Saints, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors and Righteous, who are the fruit of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If the Comforter had not had come, the Church itself would not have existed, nor would it have this numerous richness of saints.

The Church of Jerusalem celebrated this feast at the small chapel dedicated to All Saints inside the H. Church of the Meeting of the Lord in Panagia Sayda Naya, near the Patriarchate at the Christian Quarter.

Vespers in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning were led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with Hagiotaphite Hieromonks as co-celebrants, with first in rank Archimandrite Ieronymos, and Deacon Eulogios. The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen Archimandrite Eusevios and the Nuns of the Monastery and the services were attended by a congregation from Jerusalem and pilgrims from Greece and other countries.

The Episcopal entourage and the congregation were offered a reception at the hegoumeneio and the courtyard of the Holy Church, by the renovator and keeper of the Monastery, Abbess Seraphima.

H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers visited the chapel for veneration during the Divine Liturgy.

 From Secretariat-General

https://youtu.be/G0GAJaLAhkA

On Monday June 4/17, 2019, the feast of the Monday of the Holy Spirit was celebrated at the Russian MISSIA and its Church of the Holy Trinity, as a feast of a special honour and worship of the Holy Spirit, Who inspired and enlightened the Holy Apostles in the form of tongues of fire.

The Divine Liturgy was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishops; Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebastia, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the Head of the Russian Spiritual Mission (MISSIA) Archimandrite Alexander, Archimandrite Athanasios, Archimandrite Dometian and other Priests of the Moscow Patriarchate, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Archdeacon Mark and other Deacons, at the chanting of the Monastery of the Russian Nunnery of Oreini choir, with the attendance of a noble Russian congregation.

His Beatitude read the following Sermon to this congregation;

“Let us faithful celebrate this fair post-festal time with joy and the final festival this is the day of Pentecost, which now fulfilleth the promise and time appointed. For on this day, the fire of the Good Comforter straightway came on earth, like unto tongues in form and it enlightened the disciples and made them Heaven’s initiates. Behold, the Comforter’s light hath come down and enlightened the whole world” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Reverend Archimandrite Alexander, representative of H.H.B. the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Cyril in Jerusalem,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

The grace of the All-holy and Life-giving Spirit has gathered all of us today in this Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, which belongs to the Spiritual Mission (MISSIA) of our brotherly Russian Church in Jerusalem, in order to co-celebrate in Eucharist the “fair post-festal time and the final festival” as the hymn writer says.

The feast of Pentecost is called “final” because it refers to the rebirth and renewal of us humans, as St. Paul preaches by saying; “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared… he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour” (Titus 3:4-6).

And the shedding of the Holy Spirit on us is no other than the completion of the time of the sending of the promised Holy Spirit to the Apostles, by our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost, “at the upper room, where all the Apostles were gathered in one accord along with Mary the Mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:13-14).

Apostle Peter’s testimony at the Acts of the Apostles says; “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:32-33).

This shedding forth of the Holy Spirit was foretold by the Holy Prophets Joel and Ezekiel, who said respectively: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28) “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). And this new spirit was given to us, according to St. Paul, by the High Priest, namely our Lord Jesus Christ, who is settled in the house of God, namely in the Church of the faithful. “And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near…, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:21-23).

In other words, Holy Pentecost is the time during which the Holy Spirit established the Apostles members of the resurrected from the dead body of Christ, by the providence of the Father and the cooperation of the Son. We, by the power and the working of the Holy Spirit have put on Christ through the holy Baptism, as St. Paul teaches; “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), and again he says; “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).

On Pentecost day, the Church that is in the spirit becomes body of Christ and the Holy Apostles members of the Body of Christ. As the sacred hymn writer says; “The Holy Spirit perfecteth the priesthood; He hath taught wisdom to the illiterate. He hath shown forth the fishermen as theologians. He holdeth together the whole institution of the Church.”

According to St. Clement of Rome the Church “was revealed in the flesh of Christ, namely it became the body of Christ by the incarnation of Christ the Word of God. Because the incarnation of the Son and Word of God became with the synergy of the Holy Spirit and whatever happens within the Church happens with the synergy of the Holy Spirit, and for this reason, Pentecost is linked with the revelation of the Church in the world.”

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the One that Christ spoke about a little while before His Passion on the Cross; “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:15-17).

Interpreting these words, St. Bazil says; “The Lord clearly distinguishes the diversity of the persons. If I go, He says, I will pray the Father and He shall give you a Comforter. Therefore, the Son is the one who entreats, the Father is being entreated, and the Comforter is the One who is being sent”.

According to St. Cyril of Alexandria, the Comforter is “the Spirit of the Truth of the Son”. This Comforter is the power and the teacher of the Church, as well as our protector, as St. Cyril of Jerusalem says; “We have a great ally and protector by God, a great teacher of the Church a great defender for us…And [the Holy Spirit] is called Comforter because it prays and comforts and deeply understands and feels our infirmities” (Catech. 16:20).

The deeper meaning of the “final” feast of Pentecost and the “post-festal” one, namely today’s feast of the Holy Spirit, is clearly expressed by the hymn writer by saying; “Of old the tongues were confounded because of the audacity in the building of the tower, but now the tongues are made wise for the sake of the glory of Divine knowledge. There, God condemned the impious because of their offence; and here, Christ hath enlightened the fishermen by the Spirit. At that time the confusion of tongues was wrought for punishment, but now the concord of tongues hath been inaugurated for the salvation of our souls”.

Precisely this inauguration in Christ for the salvation of our souls, as well as the unity of our faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit, who enlightened the Apostles, through whom we have received the glory of the knowledge of God, have we come to demonstrate through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in the Holy City, the City of Jerusalem, we, the brotherly Churches, namely the Church of Jerusalem (Sion) which has been founded on the blood on the Cross of our Saviour Christ, and the Orthodox Russian Church which has been watered by the blood of its new martyrs.

Let us entreat the Comforter Who has been sent to the Saints, to dwell in our hearts and along with the hymn writer let us say; “Draw nigh unto us, draw nigh, O Thou Who art everywhere present, and even as Thou art ever with Thine Apostles, so do Thou also unite to Thyself us who long for Thee, O Compassionate One, that, being united with Thee, we may praise and glorify Thine All-holy Spirit”. Amen. Many Happy Returns.”

Consequently His Beatitude stressed the importance of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the restoring and strengthening of the wounded unity of the Church and of the Orthodox peoples.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a meal, offered by the Head of MISSIA Archimandrite Alexander. During the meal His Beatitude offered Archimandrite Alexander an icon of Theotokos of Jerusalem, while the Archimandrite offered His Beatitude an icon of St. Euphrosyne.

From Secretariat-General

On Monday of the Holy Spirit, June 4/17, 2019, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit was especially celebrated due to His inspiration to the Holy Disciples and Apostles who were gathered at the Upper Room, at the hill of Holy Zion. This event was celebrated at the place where it happened, at the Holy Zion and in particular;

1. At the Holy Trinity Chapel inside the Cemetery of the Holy Zion of the Patriarchate, Vespers and the Kneeling Service were led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with the participation of Priests and Byzantine choir singers of St. James the Brother of God Cathedral.
2. On Monday morning the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity in the building of the Patriarchal School, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with co-celebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, with first in rank Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios. The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos and the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos and the members of the Greek Consulate in Jerusalem, as well as many pilgrims and local faithful.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession with the reading of the Kneeling service at the aforementioned Church, at the Pentecost Chapel (Catacomb),at the Upper Room, with a special prayer at Prophet-King David’s tomb and a prayer for the departed at the exit of the Cemetery of the Holy Zion.

The Episcopal entourage and all present were offered a reception at the reception hall of the School by the Director of the School Archimandrite Mattheos.

From Secretariat-General

On Pentecost Sunday on June 3/16, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the Holy Disciples and Apostles.

According to the book of Acts of the Apostles (ch.2), the All-holy Spirit came down to the Holy Apostles, who were gathered at the Upper Room on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection, and with “a sound as of a rushing wind” and “in cloven tongues like as of fire” (Acts 2: 2-3) sat upon the head of each of them and they were enlightened and started speaking about the marvels of God. The crowds that rushed to them heard the words of Apostle Peter, they believed, and the first Church was formed.

This event was celebrated at the Holy Sepulchre with the Divine Liturgy 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 Archbishops; Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebastia, Demetrios of Lydda and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks with first in rank Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, Archdeacon Mark, Deacon Sophronios and other Deacons. The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos and the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos and many pilgrims.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by Vespers of the Monday of the Holy Spirit, in which the Kneeling Service was read by His Beatitude and the Archbishops in Greek and in Arabic.

The Holy Spirit Vespers for the Hagiotaphite Fathers took place in low voice at the Holy Altar of the Catholicon, by the Ministering Priest of St. Constantine.

After Dismissal, the Patriarchal Entourage and the faithful went to the Patriarchate Reception Hall.

There, His Beatitude wished to all present many happy returns and fruitful years with the exploitation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, June 2/15, 2019, the Saturday of Souls, the Patriarchate held the commemoration of those who have slept in the Lord, the Hagiotaphite Fathers of all past centuries, of the memorable Patriarchs, Archbishops, Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and Monks.

For the repose of the souls of all the above, Vespers was held in the evening where the canons of the memorial service were chanted with intervals of reading the names that have been kept by the Brotherhood.

The memorial service was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with the participation in the prayer of the Archbishops wearing epitrahilio and omoforo.

In the morning the Divine Eucharist was celebrated and the memorial service was held again with the reading of the names before the Holy Communion.

At the Epitropikon the boiled wheat was given with the wish: “May God give them rest” and “Ever-lasting remembrance”.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, May 26/June 8, 2019, the eve of the Sunday of the Holy Fathers, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos officiated the Divine Liturgy at the Russian-speaking parish of the Church of St. Nikolaos, which belongs to the Patriarchate and was buiit by Patriarch Damianos in 1911. The Church had been at the disposal of the Arab-speaking members of the Patriarchate until the year 1948, when due to the Arab-Israeli conflict the members of the parish abandoned it and twenty years ago, during the Patriarchal Office of memorable Patriarch Diodoros the Church was returned to the Patriarchate, damaged in time, and since then, it has been used for the Services of the incoming Russian Orthodox faithful, who are under the care of the Patriarchate.

The Divine Liturgy on the commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod in Nice in 325 A.D. was officiated by His Beatitude, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophylactos of Jordan, the Hegoumen of the H. Monastery of St. Charalambos in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Kallistos, the Hegoumen of the H. Shrine in Cana, Archimandrite Chrysostom, the Russian-speaking Priest of the parish Hieromonk Sergios, Priest Simeon and other Priests and Archdeacon Mark. The parish choir chanted in Russian and the service was attended by a large number of faithful from this town of Midgal Ha-emek.

His Beatitude spoke to this congregation as follows;

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:1-3).

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims

The grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all in this Holy Church of St. Nickolaos in town Moundejel, in order to celebrate in Eucharist and thanksgiving the annual commemoration of the 318 God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod in Nice (in 325 A.D.), with you, the Russian-Speaking and inseparable member of the body of the Church of Jerusalem.

Our Holy Orthodox Church especially honours the commemoration of the 318 Holy Fathers, because they were not only established as genuine vessels of the Holy Spirit, but also as true teachers and shepherds of the world, hearkening to St. Paul’s wise advice; “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, 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. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:28-29).

The grievous wolves are no others than the known leaders of the heresies of Arianism, Nestorianism, Monothelitism and many other similar distorted teachings, as St. Paul foresaw by saying; “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30).

The Holy God-bearing Fathers of the Church are those who kept the consignment, namely the truth of the Gospel, exactly as they received it from the Holy Apostles, “avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6:20).

The truth of the Gospel refers to eternal life; it is the knowledge of the true God, the Son of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, as He Himself says; “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

Explaining the phrase “eternal life”, Christ defines what it means, and which is the way or the means to accomplish it. Interpreting these words of the Lord, St. Cyril of Alexandria says; “He defined faith through the power of the true knowledge of God as mother of the eternal life… And life is the knowledge, as the completion of the power of the mystery and the one which brings forth the mystical blessing of the communication between the human world and the supernatural one, through which, we are united with the living and life-giving Word.”

In other words, by dear brothers and sisters, the knowledge of the true God means that we should have a personal knowledge of God the Father and His Son the Christ, just as we personally know people with whom we live together or are in close communication.

This very personal knowledge did the Holy Apostles gain, by becoming disciples and friends of Christ, hearkening to His advice; “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14).

This consignment of the knowledge of the true God is being preached, evangelized and witnessed throughout the centuries by the Holy Church of Jerusalem, to every man “whosoever will save his life” (Matt. 16:25).

As in the past, “By faith Noah, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world” (Hebrews 11:7), likewise Christ, prepared His Church for our salvation, founding it on the redeeming blood of His crucifixion on the Horrendous Golgotha. For this reason the Church of Jerusalem does not have national borders. The “national” borders of the Church of Jerusalem are; the place of the incarnation of God the Word, namely of the Nativity of Christ from the pure blood of the Ever-Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, of His baptism in the river Jordan, of His Crucifixion on the place of skull, the Golgotha, and of His three-day burial and Resurrection in Jerusalem.

Our Holy Church of Jerusalem was made by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself the inexhaustible fountain, namely the place of the Holy Pentecost, during which the Holy Spirit came down to the Apostles as “tongues of fire” while they “were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1-2). “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5) as St. Luke the Apostle and Evangelist says.

This reality “out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5) of the existing Orthodox Christians is being ministered liturgically by the Church of Jerusalem, which is in essence the “good olive tree”  to which “the natural branches”, namely our brothers of the same doctrine “are grafted into their own olive tree” (Romans 11:24) as St. Paul preaches.

Today my dear brothers and sisters, we have come as the good shepherd to the courtyard of our own flock, in order to declare the unity of our faith and the community of the Holy Spirit.

Behold why then, our Holy Church of Jerusalem is the Church of the Passion on the Cross, of the Resurrection and of Pentecost, and behold why the Church of Jerusalem is called the Mother of all Churches, while its Head is the successor of St. James the Brother of God, the First Hierarch of the Church in general.

Let us entreat today’s honoured Saints and God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod in Nice, so that along with the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary they may intercede our God and Saviour for the salvation of our souls.

And let us say along with St. Paul: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32) and in more detail; and now, I entrust you, my brothers, into God and into the Word which His grace has revealed to us, and Which Word will protect you from every fallacy and distortion of faith. I entrust you in God, Who is able to continue your progress in development and give you as an inheritance among all those who progressed towards their sanctification which they received through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Many Happy Returns.”

After the Divine Liturgy the Community offered a reception to the Patriarchal Entourage at the courtyard of the Church.

From Secretariat-General

https://youtu.be/k4vfEPi3EXM

The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord was celebrated one day after the feast of the Apodosis of Pascha, on Thursday May 24/ June 6, 2019.

On this feast the Church celebrates the fact that the Lord was ascended in heaven in glory, while His disciples were watching Him, and sat at the right side of the Father, having the human nature He had received with His incarnation and deified it. This event was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the place where it happened, on the Mount of Olives.

The feast was celebrated in the evening with Vespers, led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, with co-celebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, with first in rank Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the Priests of St. James Cathedral, at the chanting of the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos on the right in Greek and Mr. Rimon Kamar on the left in Arabic.

After Vespers the first part of the Small Compline was read, the canon of the feast was chanted and the procession towards the Shrine of the Men of Galilee started, where His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos was waiting to give His blessing.

Afterward the procession returned to the Ascension Shrine, the Small Compline was concluded and followed by the Dismissal.

On the morning of the Feast the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Shrine, led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, with co-celebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and visiting Priests from other Churches. The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos on the right in Greek and Mr. Rimon Kamar on the left in Arabic, as the service was attended by a noble congregation of local faithful and pilgrims.

During the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude and members of the Holy and Sacred Synod came to venerate, and then, according to the custom, visited the Imam who lives near the Shrine, and the Holy Monastery of the Ascension which is opposite the Shrine, where the Care Taker Monk Achilios welcomed them. Their visit continued to the Holy Russian Monastery of the Ascension, where they were received by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Mark of the Russian Church, and the Holy Monastery of the Men of Galilee where they were received by the Hegoumen Archimandrite Anthimos.

The feast of the Ascension  was concluded with these.

From Secretariat-General

https://youtu.be/4LZ9R0gPwlM

On Wednesday, May 23/ June 5, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Apodosis of Pascha, which is the completion of forty days after the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On this day the Church service is exactly the same as that of the day of Pascha, without the Biblical readings.

For this feast Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the day of the feast at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.

After the Divine Liturgy, according to the Hagiotaphite order, His Beatitude went to venerate the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, escorted by Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At that time the Divine Liturgy was being celebrated at the Catholikon of the Church, led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, the chanting was led by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos and many faithful were present at the service.

After the Divine Liturgy the Episcopal Entourage returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters where His Beatitude blessed them by saying Christ is risen!

From Secretariat-General