On Sunday October 15/28, 2018, at 10.30 a.m. there was a Doxology Service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre according to the tradition, on the commemoration of the national anniversary of 28 October 1940, namely the fight and victory of the nation of Greece against the occupational powers of theNazis and Fascism of World War II.

There was also a memorial service for the repose of the souls and the remission of the sins of our ancestors who fought for their faith and country and died heroically on the battlefields of our nation.

The Doxology was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with co-celebrants Hagiotaphite Archbishops and Hieromonks, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos and members of the Consulate. The service was also attended by monks and nuns, members of the Greek Community in Jerusalem and visiting pilgrims from Greece.

After the Doxology, bells tolling, there was a reception at the Patriarchate for all who honoured the national anniversary, where His Beatitude addressed all present as follows;

Your Excellency Consul General of Greece

 Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos,

Reverend Holy Fathers and Brothers,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

October 28, is the day we hold the annual commemoration of our fathers and brothers who died in the fight for our national territorial integrity against the invaders of Nazism, which had born the monstrosities of Auschwitz – Birkenau and other concentration camps and camps of extermination of innocent fellow humans.

For this reason, clergy and the people along with the visiting pilgrims, came down to the All-Holy Church of the Resurrection, where we had the service of a thanksgiving Doxology to our God and Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who has given us the glory of good against evil, as John the Evangelist says: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world’ (1 John 5:4).

Moreover, we have prayed for the repose of the souls of those who fought heroically and martyred for our pious nation and our home land.

The painful experience of World War II proved that the
human-centered view of the purpose of human existence and of the world leads inevitably to man’s self-destruction and nihilism. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

And we say this because the sacrificial fight of the Greeks for their homes and sanctuaries was inspired by the God-centered view of the purpose of human existence, namely of the moral and spiritual values of the Greek-Orthodox wisdom.

This festal anniversary of the commemoration of October 28, 1940, incarnates precisely this Greek-Christian and Greek-Orthodox wisdom, and it is our duty to honour it.

The historic events of 1940 have a special place in the world history and especially in the glorious history of Hellenism and of the Greek nation. The historic events of 1940 proved without doubt to the world leaders of this era that “he darkness is past, and the true light now shineth”, namely the light of Christ(1 John 2:8).

Unfortunately we cannot keep silent about the fact that the ideology of Nazism and Fascism threaten humanity once more, with new misleading movements and slogans.

And we say this, because all of us are witnesses of our contemporary experience of war conflicts in the world and clutter. Regional killings among both strangers and brothers intercede one another, religious fanaticism and its messianic syndrome cultivate violence and its produce, acts of terrorism and immoral financial interests are in conflict with the Divine Law of respect and freedom of humans and of the people in general, with the pretext of economic prosperity.

The anniversary of October 28, 1940, calls all of us that we “should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). In other words, we are called to safeguard the sacred consignment of the moral and spiritual values of our tradition and faith, for which our Fathers and brothers sacrificed themselves.

Concluding, let us cry aloud;

Vive October 28 1940!

Vive the pious nation of the Romans!

Vive Hellas!

Vive our Hagiotaphite Brotherhood!

Consequently the Consul General of Greece delivered the following address;

Your Beatitude,

Most Reverend Archbishops,

Reverend Fathers,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Today it is a day of honor and memory for Greece and for our nation. We celebrate one of the most enduring pages of our newer history and we are called upon to pay tribute to its protagonists and to learn the lessons that will enable us to be worthy of them and to follow where appropriate their example.

The historic NO to the ultimatum of 28 October 1940 to grant our sovereignty, was the unanimous denial of the Greeks to lose their freedom and their national honour. It was their collective refusal to renounce their history, their values ​​and their ideals. It was also a resounding reaction to the dark political forces of fascism and Nazism and to their conquering plans, a reaction that was highly valued and acknowledged by all the major countries, as contributing substantially to the final victory in the Second World War. The Greeks were the ones who made the first victory of the war against the Axis forces.The historic moment, when the Greeks said NO was not an easy time for the Homeland, since a few years earlier it had had an unspeakable plight. Greece seemed quite weakened economically and militarily so its enemies underestimated it. They calculated that the Greeks would not have the courage and the common will to engage in an absolutely unequal conflict. And yet NO has unequivocally demonstrated the deep historical consciousness of the Greeks, the strong common understanding of their brilliant journey through the centuries that they fueled then, and always feeds on their patriotism, vigor, self-denial, and great sense of pride, with which they rush to defend their sacred tradition and faith. NO was precisely the refusal of the Greeks to forget their history and live as an insignificant and submissive nation.

        The great historical fact that we celebrate today also demonstrated the moral stature and the strong sense of justice of the Greeks. Thanks to this infallible guide they did not hesitate to oppose those who wanted to impose the arbitrary law of the powerful.
Today, Greeks all over the world honour the fallen and fighters in the battlefields of 1940-41, in Pindos, Macedonia, Crete and elsewhere. We honour those who contributed to the National Resistance and those who continued to fight the conquerors in the battlefields of the Second World War in the Middle East and in Europe on land, air and sea. We do not forget the thousands of innocent victims of the occupation.

        The national heroic effort that began with the NO of 28 October 1940 as in any other national effort was critical to the active participation and valuable contribution of Hellenism to the diaspora. The great contribution of the Diaspora in the Middle East has historically been recorded, and in particular that of the Hellenism of Jerusalem, for which Greece is proud and grateful.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the mother of the Churches, has always been a distinct point of reference in the effort of bringing together all the forces of the nation with a view to its moral and spiritual upheaval and resistance to many adversities, a centuries-old orthodoxy and a lighthouse of the universal values ​​of Hellenism.

Today’s anniversary prompts us to reflect on the importance and relevance of the message of 28 October 1940 on modern Hellenism. This glorious page of our history was written by people who, like us today, wanted to live in peace, free, with democracy and social justice. The unbroken unity and consistency they have shown, the patriotism, the sense of historical responsibility and self-sacrifice, and the courage and persistence that steered them in the years of war and occupation remind us that our ability to recover and to prosper, was and remains inexhaustible.
It is a great responsibility for us to understand this message, to pass it on to the new generation, and to be united as it they were then, with determination and vigilance. Long live October 28, 1940 Long live Greece.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday night to Friday, October 12 to 13/ 25 to 26, 2018, the commemoration of the translation of the relics of St. Savvas the Sanctified from Venice to Jerusalem in the year 1965, was celebrated in his Lavra.

The All-night Vigil on the commemoration of this event was held for the first time after the transfer of St. Savvas relics into his new reliquary by the initiative and care of Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki and his associates. The Service was officiated by our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Arab-speaking Priests and Archdeacon Mark. The hymns were delivered by the Choir Leader Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos and Fathers of the Monastery of St. Savvas on the right in Greek, and Archimandrite Philotheos with the Arab-speaking choir on the left in Arabic, while the service was attended by the Fathers of the Monastery of St. Savvas and noble Orthodox Christians from various countries and from the village of Beit Sahour, from Bethlehem and Beit Jalla.

His Beatitude delivered the following sermon to this festive congregation;  

 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken” (Psalm 34:19-20), the psalmist proclaims.

Beloved Holy Fathers and Brothers,

Noble Christians,

The righteous man of the Lord, Savvas the sanctified, has gathered us all in his wondrous Lavra in order to celebrate the translation of his sacred and incorrupt complete relic from Venice to the place of his ascesis in doxology and thanksgiving; we also greet the recent transfer of his relics in his new silver elaborate reliquary.

Great indeed and marvelous are the works of our Lord God the Almighty; “just and true are thy ways, thou Kings of saints” (Rev. 15:3), John the Evangelist witnesses in his revelation.

It is precisely on these just and true ways of the Lord that our Father among the Saints Savvas trod, and the Lord delivered him from his many sorrows and trials. “God tested them (the righteous ones) and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:5-6), we read in the Wisdom of Solomon. Also, referring to the testing of the faith in Christ, Apostle Peter says; “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Our Father Savvas was accepted by our Lord God as “a sacrificial burnt offering”, namely like a victim of burnt offering, which is completely burnt in the altar and is being offered to God as a fragrant smell, and this offering is the multitude of the trials of the tested faithful man. Moreover, the faith of the righteous which is being tested in the furnace, will be revealed to their praise and honour and glory on the Day of Judgment, when our Lord Jesus Christ will come again as a glorious Judge.

The truth of these Biblical words is confirmed and boldly confessed and fumbled through the incorrupt fragrant relic of our Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified, which is lying before our eyes. This is the faith of our Fathers, this is the faith of our Church, this is the faith of the Orthodox Christians.

The foundation of our Orthodox Church, my dear ones, is Christ, while the saints of the Church are the chosen ones and those beloved by God, St. Paul preaches (Col. 3:12).

We are also called to this cause through our Holy Father Savvas, so that we become participants of the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, and imitators of His righteous saints, to Whom belongs the glory the power and mercy unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

After the Vigil, at dawn of the new day, a reception was offered with boiled wheat at the entrance of the Church, which was followed by a meal.

On His way back, His Beatitude stopped to venerate the Holy Monastery of St. Theodosios the Cenobiarch.

From Secretariat-General

On Wednesday night to Thursday October 11 to 12/24 to 25, 2018, the ordination of Mr. Savvas Mahouli to Deacon took place during the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Sepulchre.

The ordination was held according to the decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, by the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, in order that the ordained will minister as a Deacon and consequently as a Priest at the parish of the Greek Orthodox Arab-speaking Community of Tarsiha, a town in North Israel.

Before the ordination His Eminence spoke in fatherly words to the ordained as follows;

“Most devout sub-deacon Savvas,

At this hour we are blessed by God to be at the most sacred place in the world. The place of Horrendous Golgotha and of the Holy Tomb. The place of the crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are also blessed to officiate a sacred sacrament. The sacrament of the Last Supper, the sacrament of the Eucharist. Within the frame of this salvific sacrament there is another one. The sacrament of your ordination to Deacon, your settlement in the first degree of Priesthood.

You are called to accept this sacrament after the positive suggestion of your reverend father, steward Fr. Theodosios Mahouli, of the steward Fr. Gregory Houri and the Council of the Greek Orthodox Community of Tarsiha and of the Patriarchal Representative in Acre Ptolemais, Archimandrite Philotheos. This suggestion was approved and blessed by H.H. Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Holy and Sacred Synod, so that you are going to minister the Greek Orthodox flock of Tarsiha.

It is indeed a great honour and a great responsibility that the Church puts on your shoulders, because we have taken into consideration your Christian upbringing from your father and Priest, and your mother. Of course we have taken into consideration your studies in Theology at the University of St. Tyckon in Pennsylvania and your pedagogical studies in Ukraine.

Thank God first of all for this election, and all those who have suggested you, the Patriarchate which approved the proposal, and promise that from today forth, you are going to return the favour with your honest, devout and pure ministry. Let the Holy Bible be your reading, as well as the Fathers of the Church and especially the two Epistles of St. Paul to Deacon Timothy, and let your work be the devout worship of God and the ministry of the people in the Church.

Come forth, therefore, in faith, fear of God but also in courage and hope, kneel in front of the Angel’s stone of the Holy Tomb and by the placing of the hands of the Archbishop, entreat the Holy Spirit to come down on you, to purify you from all sin and establish you a vessel of holiness and all other virtue.”

Through the placing of the hands of the Archbishop on the head of the ordained and the invocation “the Divine Grace….”, the All-holy Spirit established him in the first degree of Priesthood. Those present witnessed the event by calling “Axios, Axios” in great joy. The ones who honoured the ordained were the Patriarchal Representative in Acre, Archimandrite Philotheos, the new Deacon’s Father, Priest Theodosios, his mother, other relatives of his, the Priest of Tarsiha Steward Gregory, fellow citizens of his, Hagiotaphite Fathers and Monks and pilgrims.

The newly ordained Deacon offered a reception to all those who honoured him at the Office of Geronda Sacristan, Most Reverend Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, who was represented by Monk Nikolaos.

From Secretariat-General

https://youtu.be/j6U0CKNPjr8

On Saturday night, September 30/ October 13, 2018, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Lavra of St. Savvas the Sanctified according to the Typicon order of the Lavra. The Liturgy was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki and the Most Reverend Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina, Philoumenos of Pella, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Arab-speaking Priests, as well as visiting Priests from other Churches, Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Demetrios.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal Liturgy took place on the event of the placement of St. Savvas’ relics from the Relinquary in which he came from Venice on October 12 1965, to a new elegant silver one. The new Relilnquary has been made under the noble, studious and tireless care of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, funded by Mr. Charalambos Mylonas, founder of the Shipping Company TRANSMED SHIPPING and his wife Chariklea, with the fine art of the Architects Petros Koufopoulos and Marina Myrianthi-Koufopoulou, the silversmiths Vasilios and Spyridon Haidou and the Company that owned by brothers Lazarou in Volos.

This action is the least offering in return to St. Savvas, for all the intercessions and healings he provides with his incorrupt relics for the Fathers in his Lavra and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, to the pilgrims around the world and to the whole world.

After Dismissal, the Patriarchal Entourage was offered a reception by the Spiritual Father of the Lavra Archimandrite Eudokimos who also addressed all present as follows;

Your Beatitude Father and Master,

Most Reverend Holy Archbishops,

Reverend Fathers and noble pilgrims,

This day has gathered us to celebrate a historic event at the Holy and sacred Lavra of our Holy Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified.

It refers to the placement of the Saint’s relics from the old Relinquary to a new, silver and elegant one.

53 years ago, during the Patriarchal office of Benedict I, after all the procedures between the Latin Patriarchate and the representatives of our Patriarchate, the Holy Synod appointed a Delegation to receive and transfer St. Savvas’ holy relics from Venice to his Holy Lavra.

Members of the Delegation were the memorable Metropolitan Vasilios of Caesarea, Archimandrite Germanos, who later became Metropolitan of Petra, at that time Hierodeacon Kyriakos, who is now Metropolitan of Nazareth – and the only one still alive, our reverend Geronda memorable Archimandrite Seraphim, and Archimandrite Theodosios, Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of St. Lazarus in Bethany, who carried the liturgical vestments to dress the Saint.

We thank the All-Merciful God who deemed us worthy to change the liturgical vestments of our Saint, to receive the great blessing, all of us who participated in this beautiful service.

We warmly thank His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch Theophilos; I believe that St. Savvas inspired His heart which loves monasticism to grant the blessing, so the construction of the new Relinquary was made possible despite the difficulties.

We should express our warmest thanks to the noble couple of brothers Mr. Charalambos Mylonas and his wife Chariklea for their great contribution for the construction of the Holy Relinquary of St. Savvas.

Also, we thank from the depths of our heart the Most Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, who had the initiative for the Relinquary, and supervised all work to be done as it should for a great Holy Father of our Church, with much love, care and diligence.

We also thank the craftsmen of the Relinquary, who worked zealously and with love, so that all things would be done the best they could, and also all those who anonymously contributed in any way for the completion of this sacred work. May the Lord our God, through the intercessions of our Most Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and our Holy Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified, return them a thousand-fold their pay in the Kingdom of Heaven.

By your prayers, Your Beatitude, which we ardently seek.

Thank you.

His Beatitude glorified God and thanked all contributors to this God-pleasing work – righteously done to honour our Holy Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified, and underlined the greatness of the spiritual treasure that is kept in the Monastery of St. Savvas, before he blessed everybody and returned to Jerusalem.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday morning, September 20/ October 13, 2018, the sacrament of the ordination of Mr. Charalambos Farah to Deacon took place at the Horrendous Golgotha by the Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella.

Before the ordination and at the point of the D. Liturgy when the Bishop said “and may the mercy of our great God”, the ordaining Archbishop and the ordained exchanged addresses on the ordination.

After the speeches and the troparia of the ordination, the ordained knelt before the Holy Altar of the Horrendous Golgotha and the Archbishop placed his hands on the Deacons head saying “the divine grace which heals all weakness…” and giving the liturgical vestments to the Deacon exclaimed “Axios, Axios!”

Likewise, “Axios” was exclaimed by the Patriarchal Representative of Acre Arhcimandrite Philotheos, the co-celebrant Priests of the area, the Deacon’s wife his relatives and fellow citizens. The town Koufr Yasif where the ordained comes from and where he will serve, belongs to Acre.

After the ordination, the ordaining Archbishop, the ordained Deacon and those who honoured him returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters and paid their respects to His Beatitude, thanked Him, and He addressed them with words of blessing, strengthening, comforting and salvation.

From Secretariat-General

The Feat of the Doha Cathedral was celebrated with special ecclesiastical brilliance, with the participation of clergy from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and from Athens, who came to honour the Feast and co-celebrate at the Ordination of Deacon Stylianos to Priest. For pastoral reasons the feast was transferred to Friday.

On Thursday October 11, 2018, Great Vespers was held, officiated by the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, with the blessing of bread. The hymns were delivered by the Church choir and His Eminence Aristovoulos in Greek, Russian and Arabic. After Vespers, there was a pre-festal reception for the clergy, representatives from the Greek Embassy and members of the congregation at the courtyard of the H. Church. The Dance Club of the Greeks of Qatar danced traditional dances in Greek costumes.

On Friday October 12, 2018, Matins and the Divine Liturgy were celebrated in which there ordination of Deacon Stylianos to Priest took place. The Service was officiated by the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Makarios of Qatar, Archimandrite Leontios, Dean Priest Spyridon, Priest Demetrios and Deacon Stylianos, with the participation of a large crowd of faithful. The Divine Liturgy was followed by the Procession of the Holy Icon of St. Isaac the Syriac and a reception at the Archdiocese Headquarters.

From the Holy Archdiocese of Qatar

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On Sunday September 17/30, 2018, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Sacred Cross was celebrated at the Holy Monastery of the Cross, which is located on West Jerusalem, near the Jewish Knesset.

This Feast was celebrated a few days after the actual feast date at this Monastery, because tradition has it that Lot planted in this location the piece of wood that was comprised of pine wood, cypress wood and cedar wood, and from which the Cross of our Lord’s crucifixion was made.

For this Feast, Vespers in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning were led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa. For the Divine Liturgy co-celebrants to His Eminence were the Most Reverend Archbishops Theodosios of Sebastia and Aristovoulos of Madaba, at the presence of many Roman Orthodox faithful from the occupied territories, and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos.

After the Divine Liturgy and the Exaltation of the Cross, the new Hegoumen Most Reverend Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella offered a reception to the Episcopal entourage, the Consul General and many of those present.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday September 14/27, 2018, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Sacred Cross.

On this Feast, the Patriarchate commemorates the event of the Exaltation of the Sacred Cross after its finding behind the Horrendous Golgotha by the Archbishop of Jerusalem Makarios and St. Helen during the feast of the Consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 336 A.D.

For this Feast the Church Services were;

1. Great Vespers in the evening of the Fore feast, with a welcoming reception of His Beatitude and of the Patriarchal entourage, with incense offering at the Holy Deposition, veneration of the Holy Sepulchre and Golgotha, incense offering procedure around the Shrines, Great Entrance and the Blessing of bread.

After the dismissal of Vespers the Patriarchal Entourage returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters.

2. The Divine Liturgy on the day of the Feast was officiated by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with co-celebrants the Archbishops of the Patriarchate, Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Archbishops, Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina, Methodios of Tabor, Theodosios of Sebastia, Makarios of Qatar, Nectarios of Anthedona, Philoumenos of Pella, and the visiting from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and from the Church of Greece Most Reverend Metropolitans Panteleimon of Xanthi and Peritheorion, Nikiforos of Maronea, and Grabriel of Nea Ionia, the visiting from the Moscow Patriarchate Most Reverend Metropolitan Pitirim of Nikolaev and Ozakov, the visiting from the Church of Serbia, Bishop Eininaios of Canada, Bishop John of Pakrats and Slavonia, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, with first in rank Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, Hierodeacons, and Archdeacon Mark. The hymns were delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos and a visiting choir from Greece, while the Service was attended by a very large congregation of pilgrims in joy and contrition.

After the Dismissal of the Divine Liturgy the Procession began from the Catholicon, and marched through the Deposition to the Cave of the Finding of the Sacred Cross, while the Deacons were offering incense by the Holy Altar of the Armenians and the Exaltation took place at the spot of the finding of the Cross. Consequently the Procession marched three times around the Holy Sepulchre and went up to Golgotha, where the Exaltation of the Cross was carried out again from the Holy Altar to the four sides of the horizon.

Finally the Procession returned to the Catholicon and concluded at the Patriarchate Headquarters, where His Beatitude addressed all present as follows;

“Today the death that came to man through eating of the tree is abolished through the Cross. For the curse of our first mother Eve that fell on all mankind is destroyed by the Fruit of the pure Mother of God, whom all the powers of Heaven magnify”, the hymn writer of the Church exclaims.

Honourable Consul General of Greece Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos,

Reverend Fathers and Brothers,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

We rend glory and thanksgiving to the Holy Trinitarian God, who has deemed us worthy to celebrate with boldness in this Holy Eucharistic synaxis the Holy and most praised feast of the Exaltation of the Sacred Cross, in this very place of its discovery and Exaltation, at Golgotha, the place of skull.

The Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is “a great sign” for us according to St. Cyril of Alexandria. “For every work and wonder of Christ has been great, divine and marvelous, but His Sacred Cross is the most marvelous of all. For it is by nothing else that the death has been abolished, the curse of our forefather has been released, Hades has been destroyed, the resurrection has been granted…but for the sake of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” according to St. John of Damascus.

In other words, the Sacred Cross is the means through which we venerate our God and Saviour Christ, Who “hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:2), “that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people” (Titus 2:14), St. Paul preaches.

And this peculiar people is no other than the “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9), namely the faithful members of the mystical body of Christ, the Church, to which He “hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9) according to St. Peter.

The Sacred Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has revealed to us this “marvelous light”. For this reason Christ orders us; “Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light” (John 12:35-36).

This command of the Lord is as timely to our current reality as ever before. And this is so, because the agnostic and atheist conviction or doctrine, if you like, that has been cultivated by the worldly powers, assimilates man who has been “created in honour, to the beasts that have no wisdom and perish” (Psalm 48:12) according to the Psalmist.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). The preaching of the Cross seems like foolishness to those who walk in the path of destruction. However, to us who walk in the path of salvation, it is the power of God, which saves us, St. Paul preaches.

The salvific power of the Cross, the Divine power of the fruit of the Son of God and Theotokos Mary, is the weapon against the devil. For this reason, my dear ones, let us beseech God and pray along with the hymn writer who says; “Save us, O Cross by thy strength; enlighten us with thy radiance, O Sacred Cross, and strengthen us by thine Exaltation; for thou hast been given to us as light and salvation of our souls, and of peace to the world and our region”. Amen. Many Happy returns!

His Beatitude then received the respect of the Clergy and the pilgrims, as long as the address of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthi, who thanked God and His Beatitude for allowing his participation in this Feast.

From Secretariat-General

On Wednesday, September 13/26, 2018, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Catholicon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the commemoration of the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection.

The divine and great historic event of the Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection took place in 336 A.D., after the completion of its construction by Constantine the Great and his mother Helen.

At the Emperor’s command, a large number of Bishops, Priests and people were gathered and consecrated the first great Church of Christianity, “whose beauty the Lord hath shown to be comparative to the beauty of the heavenly firmament”. It was at that time that the Sacred Cross of the Lord was exalted, in order to be seen by all the crowds from near and afar.

For the commemoration of this event, the Divine Liturgy was officiated by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with co-celebrants the Archimandrites; Porfyrios, Kallistos, Stephen, Priest Nectarios and Hierodeacon Demetrios. The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr. Constantinos Spyropoulos, monk Nikolaos and the Patriarchal School of Zion students, while the service was attended by many pilgrimgs.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Episcopal entourage was received by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate Headquarters.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, September 9/22, 2018, day of the commemoration of the parents of Theotokos and Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, there was the consecration of the Holy Church of the Dormition, which is built in the Hannine area of the historic town of Madaba, where also lies the shrine of the historic mosaic map of the 6^th century A.D. that depicts the Holy Land during the time of the New Testament. The Church has been built by the supervision and funding of the former Patriarchal Representative in Madaba, Archimandrite Innokentios. The consecration ceremony and the Divine Liturgy were officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, having arrived to Madaba from Jerusalem and from Amman, after a warm welcoming reception for Him in the morning of the previous day. Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were the Most Reverend Archbishops; Aristarchos of Constantina and Secretary-General, Makarios of Qatar, Christophoros of Kyriakoupolis, with the participation in prayer of the Patriarchal Representative in Madaba Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba. There were also Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, among whom the Spiritual Father of the Lavra of St. Savvas the Sanctified Archimandrite Eudokimos, the Patriarchal Representative in Irbet of North Jordan Archimandrite Raphael, Arab-speaking Priests, among whom the Priest of the Shrine of Madaba Fr. Joseph, Archdeacon Mark, Hierodeacon Eulogios and Deacon George. The cantor from Greece Mr. Balogiorgos and his choir from the Music School of Athens delivered the hymns and the service was attended by a large congregation of the Christian faithful of Madaba. His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon to this congregation; “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17) St. Paul preaches.Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba,Holy Fathers and Brothers,Your Grace Archimandrite Innokentios, owner of the Holy Church of the Dormition and its surrounding premises,

Today the historic town of Madaba, which is the cultural centre of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, rejoices along with the Mother of all Churches, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on the consecration of the new beautiful Church and of the spiritual centre in the Hannina area of Madaba.

This project is of great importance for the people of the wider Madaba area and especially for the spiritual and liturgical needs of the local Greek-Orthodox community, because this project depicts the unceasing mission of the ministry of the word of love of Christ to our fellow men on the one hand; on the other, it displays the cultivated harmonious co-existence of the various religious communities that inhabit the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The Venerable Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in its long term historic course, has never ceased to provide with both words and actions the sacred virtues of love towards the fellow man as well as the enemy, of peace and of the absolute respect towards our fellow man who has been created by God according to His image and likeness.

The historic great national-religious leaders such as Khalif Omar Ibn Khattab and St. Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem have significantly contributed not only to the respect of the co-existence of the religious communities, but also to the fee worship of God in His House.

Such a House of God have we consecrated today, in honour of the Dormition of Theotokos and for the glory of the Name of the Almighty God, but also for the praise of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the wise governmental expertise of our most respected King Abdullah II.

Each consecrated Church is in effect a projection of our own temple, namely our body, as St. Paul says; “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19).

And we say this because the House of prayer, namely the Church of God, is the place where the Holy Scriptures are preached. St. Paul says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

For all these, we would like to thank from the depths of our heart the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba and his dear associates, the Vestry-men of the Church and all those who contributed for this work, and those who strove to organize this festal ceremony of the consecration of the Church of the Dormition.

      Finally, we consider it our duty to express the deepest gratitude of our Hagiotaphite Brotherhood to our noble congregation in Madaba, and a personal duty of Ours, to the tireless worker of the vineyard of the Lord, Reverend Archimandrite Innokentios, established member of the venerable Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, who has made our Greek-Orthodox Community here an Ecclesiastical, educational and spiritual Centre. Righteously therefore, “       there is laid up for him the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to him” (2 Tim. 4:8).

      We also express our warm gratitude to all those who honoured this feast of the consecration of the Church with their presence, and especially the local civil, military and police forces of Madaba.

Many happy and peaceful returns.”

Archimandrite Innokentios also addressed those present with the following words;

“This is the day that the Lord made; let us be glad and rejoice in it”.

Your Beatitude, Most Reverend Archbishops, Honourable Governors, Representatives of the Parents’ Association and of the Church,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The consecration of the Holy Church of the Dormition of Theotokos in Madaba, the Holy Altar of God, is being carried out today, after a series of 10 years of continuous efforts and many labours. This project includes the building of the Holy Church of the Dormition, and of classrooms at the Schools of this area and covers in total 8.000 sq.mt. of construction in 11.000 acres, in order to cover the needs of the town of Madaba in general and of the Orthodox Community in particular.

The town of Madaba has been a great Orthodox Christian centre in the past, as the most important Diocese of East Jordan; until today, Madaba has been a remarkable Shrine of the Orthodox Church of East Jordan and of the Hashemite Kingdom.

We consecrate today this new Holy Church in honour of the Dormition of the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, due to the nearby existence of the Mosque which they have been pleased to name Mosque “Of Jesus Christ, Son of Mary”, as they believe in His historic presence. This belief bridges the contrasts between Christians and Muslims and favours their peaceful co-existence in the town of Madaba.

I am in the pleasant position to count 30 years of Priestly ministry in Jordan, including 25 years in Madaba. I would like to thank the members of the Community of the Christian family of Madaba for the love and commitment they have shown, as well as all those who contributed for the completion of this project and of all other projects that were completed in the Patriarchal Committee of Madaba.

I would like to pay tribute to the memorable Patriarch of Jerusalem Diodoros I, who supported me in my first footsteps as a Hagiotaphite, and who contributed greatly in the development of Education in Jordan, with the schools of the Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, but also for all the other projects he accomplished in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Likewise, I would like to thank His Beatitude, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, for his trust in me; May your days, Your Beatitude, be many, peaceful and blessed”.

Finally, I should not omit to honour and congratulate for his election the new Patriarchal Representative, Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, who is known to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem for his ethos, purity and honesty, but also for his particularly important skills and abilities. I wish the people of Madaba may take the Archbishop as an example and benefit from his virtues and abilities.”

This festive ceremony and the Divine Liturgy were followed by a reception at the reception hall below the Church of the Shrine.

There, His Beatitude delivered the following address;        

“By means of His coming, Christ hath filled all things with His Light; our souls are now consecrated, and by His Holy Spirit He hath renewed the world; for a house is founded to the Lord’s praise and glory, wherein Christ our God, for the salvation of mortals, doth consecrate and hallow the hearts of all His faithful flock”.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians,

The pre-eternal God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has set His Church as a tower of strength, and has founded it on the rock of faith, has gathered us today in this beautiful newly-built Church of the Dormition, in order to perform its consecration in Doxology and Thanksgiving.

“On Sinai long ago Thou didst show the God-seer Moses a tabernacle not made by hands, thereby depicting Thy Church, O Christ”, the hymn writer says, referring to Moses’ ascend on Sinai, where the Glory of God descended upon him, and he received detailed orders on how to make the Tabernacle of the Congregation (Exodus 24: 15-16 / 25: 8-9), which was made by the Lord and not by any man, as St. Paul says in his preaching: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Hebrews 8:1-2).

As far as this “true tabernacle” is concerned, behold what the hymn writer says: “When the Word dwelt among us in the flesh, the Son of Thunder (St. John the Evangelist) spake thus in his writings: We have radiantly beheld the glory which the Son hath from the Father in the grace of truth. And as many of us as have received Him with faith, to all hath He given the power to become children of God; and we, who were born again not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but have received increase by the Holy Spirit, have raised up this house of prayer, and cry out: Do Thou Thyself now establish this house, O Lord”.

This house of prayer is no other than the New Tabernacle of the Congregation, in other words, the Church that our Lord Jesus Christ founded by His own Sacred and Redeeming blood. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17), St. Paul says.

In other words, my dear Brothers and Sisters, today’s consecrated Church is a house of prayer, “whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28). And whereby, through our ArchPriest Jesus Christ, “we offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). And in more detail; when I say sacrifice, St. Paul preaches, I do not mean the sacrifice of animals and of blood, but a sacrifice which as the fruit of honest confidence towards God, shall come forth from our lips, which will praise and glorify His Name.

“Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth” (Psalm 26:8), Prophet David chants. “The dwellings of the Lord are beloved unto them that long to see the glory of His countenance unconcealed” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims. “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power” (Revelation 15:8), St. John the Evangelist says in his book of Revelation.

This means that the Lord used to manifest His Presence and Glory in a special place that was sanctified. And according to the true witness of the Holy Scriptures (Exodus 16:7, 16:10, 3 Kings 8:11), the glory of the Lord, in other words, the Grace of the Holy Spirit, filled the house, meaning His Church, in the form of a cloud during the times of the synaxis of worship, which was the prayer in public. Nevertheless, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) the Lord says.

It is also noteworthy that this office of the consecration of Holy Church has as its reference point and source the renewed old Adam in the presence of the New Adam, who is the Incarnate Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of the Ever-Virgin Mary and Theotokos, according to the witness of the Holy Evangelists and Fathers of the Church. “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), St. John the Evangelist says. “Today hath the second Adam, Christ, shown this new tabernacle to be a spiritual Paradise, which beareth, instead of the tree of knowledge, the life-giving weapon of the Cross” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

The approved Father of the Church, St. Gregory the Theologian, comments on Jesus’ presence at the dedication of the Church of Solomon by saying: “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter” (John 10:22), the time of unfaithfulness, and Christ was present, the God and temple, God eternal, recent temple, which was demolished in a day and rebuilt in three days and remains for all eternity, so that I may be saved and I may be recalled from the old body to become a new creation, redeemed through such a philanthropy (St. Gregory the Theologian, Speech 44 on the New Sunday).

In other words, my dear ones, the temple of God as a place of worship is the workshop that operates through the Holy Spirit for the salvation of our souls. And the prayers are the way and the means for our communion with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father. For this reason, St. John of the Ladder says that the prayer in its quality is an intercourse and union of man with God, and when it comes to its effect, prayer is the constitution and the conservation of the world. Prayer is the mother of all virtues (St. John of the Ladder, Speech 28 on Prayer).

Let us therefore thank the Lord, for the festive celebration in this day of the consecration of this Holy Church of the Dormition and say along with the hymn writer: “Sanctification is befitting to Thy House O Lord; for Thy Name O friend of man is glorified therein; therefore, along with the prophet we exclaim to Thee in faith; By Thine Holy Spirit do Thou now renew us all, by the prayers of the Theotokos (and the Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna), Thou who art the only friend of man”. Amen”

The Patriarchal Representative Most Reverend Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba also spoke, underlining the importance of the completed work which has been done by his predecessor Archimandrite Innokentios, a work that he is going to continue. His Eminence also stressed the importance of the presence of the choir that came from Greece for the continuation of the cultivation of the Byzantine Music.

From Secretariat-General