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THE FIRST PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY OF THE HOLY & GREAT LENT AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Ash Wednesday morning, February 8/21, 2018, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos was present at the Service of Matins and the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts at the Holy Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.

The Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts was also celebrated at the Horrendous Golgotha, by Geronda Sacristan Most Reverend Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis. The choir was formed by the Templar Fathers and the choir leader of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos, while the service was attended by a congregation of local faithful and pilgrims.

 From Secretariat-General

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THE GREAT LENT PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Cheese fare Sunday evening, February 5/18, 2018, the Service of the Small Compline was held at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen. At the end of the Service, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos read the prayer of forgiveness for all present, in order to begin the Great Lent on Ash Monday, the following day.

The prayer was followed by the brotherly osculation of forgiveness and the kissing of His Beatitude’s hand by the Priests, the monks, the nuns and the pilgrims.

From Secretariat-General

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THE FEAST OF ST. SIMEON THE GOD-RECEIVER AT THE PATRIARCHATE (KATAMON 2018)

On Friday February 3/16, 2018, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of St. Simeon the God-receiver, who held in his holy arms our Lord Who was brought to the Temple according to the Law when He was forty days old. The feast was held at the Holy Monastery of St. Simeon where his tomb lies, at the Katamon district of West Jerusalem.

St. Simeon was especially honoured at his Holy Monastery as the one who received the Lord when He was forty days old at the Temple. He was honoured by the Divine Liturgy on the morning of the feast, which was officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishops; Aristarchos of Constantina and Geronda Secretary-General, Methodios of Tabor and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the Hagiotaphite Archimandrites Ananias, Hegoumen of the H. Monastery of St. George in Al Hader, Porphyrios, the representative of the Patriarchate in the U.S.A. (Long Island) and Ieronymos, the Hegoumen of Fhes in Jordan. There were also Arab-speaking Priests, visiting Priests from the Orthodox countries of Russia, Ukraine, and Romania, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacons Anastasios and Sophrony. Present was also the Master of Ceremonies Fr. Bartholomew. The right choir was led by the choir leader of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos and the left by Mr. George Alvanos, who sang in Greek, Arabic, Russian and Romanian. The Service was attended by a large congregation of Greeks from the local Greek Community and pilgrims from Russia, Greece and Romania.

His Beatitude preached to them the Divine word as follows;
“When Isaiah beheld God symbolically on an exalted throne attended by Angels of glory, he cried: O wretched man that I am! For I have seen beforehand the incarnate God, the Lord of peace and unwaning light” the hymn writer of the Church St. Kosmas Bishop of Maiouma exclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

The almighty grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all in this sacred burial place of St. Simeon the God-receiver, at the Jerusalem suburb “Katamon”, so that we praise in thanksgiving the God-receiver, and with him chaste Anna, who were Prophets of God and saw Him made a babe for our sakes.

Prophet Isaiah beheld symbolically the incarnation of the Word of God through the Ever-Virgin and Most Blessed Theotokos Mary and this was confirmed by  “a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:25-32).

The incarnate God, “the King Lord of hosts” according to Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5) and the “salvation of God” (Luke 2:30), according to Elder Simeon is no other than Christ, who is the Lord of the unwaning light and of peace. For this reason St. Kosmas the melodist says “Our Lord and God Jesus Christ is the Master of the unwaning light and of peace”, while according to St. Paul, God dwells in light near which no man can approach unto; ‘whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:16). And according to St. John the Theologian, God is the light which radiates holiness and truth and inside it there is no sign of darkness, ignorance, nor sin. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). According to prophet Isaiah the ordinances of God are light to the people on earth; “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9).

This unapproachable light, my dear ones, is the Holy Spirit, which sat on each of the Apostles in the form of a tongue of fire on Pentecost day; “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:3-4). The Holy Spirit enlightens and sanctifies every man that comes in the world. “The earth was lightened with God’s glory” St. John the Theologian preaches (Revel. 18:1).

This very Holy Spirit, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets (Creed) is the One who was with the Righteous Simeon. “And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:25-26). In reference to these, the melodist says; “The joy of the afflicted is come, the Redemption of Israel hath truly appeared as an infant in His Temple, letting me depart unto the lift that is to come, cried Simeon rejoicing”. Regarding the infant’s coming to the Temple, Isaiah says “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6). “The first is born, the latter is given; the first for what was seen, the latter for what was understood” St. Amphilohios of Ikonion interprets.

This infant, born in the Cave of Bethlehem from the pure blood of the Ever-Virgin Theotokos Mary and held in the arms of the Righteous Simeon, becomes “seen and understood” continuously throughout the ages to all those who want to be saved and inherit the eternal life. This is accomplished through our participation, my dear brothers, in the sacrament of the Eucharist, the divine and bloodless sacrifice of praise which is offered to God the Father through Jesus Christ, as St. Paul preaches; “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). And according to Prophet David, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23).

In other words, the only way to salvation is found in honest reverence and in healthy faith. Related to this, the Father of the Church Theodoritos says: “it is appropriate not only to praise God and offer the sacrifice of praise, but also to walk upright and adjust our personal life accordingly”.

“The salvation of God”, Christ, Who “through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God” (Hebrews 9:14) is the One Who will deem us worthy to worship the Living God as we should, St. Paul preaches.

Behold my brothers, a time pleasing to us, a time for repentance, “He Who is full is emptied out; He Who is before eternity receiveth a beginning; the Word taketh on the grossness of matter; the Artificer is fashioned; the Uncontainable, assuming a body, is contained in thy womb, O Virgin graced of God”.

Let us entreat the Righteous and God-receiver Simeon, whom we commemorate today, that by the intercessions of himself and of Anna the prophet we may be deemed worthy to see “the salvation of God” and the Son of the Ever-Virgin Mary, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, to Whom belongs all glory and power unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

The Hegoumen and renovator of the Holy Monastery for over 40 years, Archimandrite Theodoritos offered a reception to the Patriarchal entourage and the Congregation at the hegoumeneion and the courtyard of the Monastery after the Divine Liturgy.

From Secretariat-General

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THE FEAST OF THE MEETING OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple was celebrated by the Patriarchate on Thursday February 2/15, 2018, at the Holy Church of the Meeting of the Lord in the Holy Monastery of Panagia Sayda Naya at the Christian Quarter near the Patriarchate.

On this Feast the Church commemorates the event that forty days after the Lord’s Nativity in the flesh, He was brought to the Temple by His parents with a pair of turtles and two doves, in order to fulfill the Law. He was then received by Simeon the Righteous who took Him in his arms and recognized Him as the Christ of God and then exclaimed “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

For this Feast, Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning of the Feast, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with co-celebrants the Hegoumen of Fhes in Jordan Archimandrite Ieronymos, the Dean Priest Nectarios, visiting Priests from Russia and Romania, and Hierodeacon Sophrony. In the choir were the choir leader of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos, Mr. George Alvanos, Church choir singers from Greece and the Patriarchal School students in Greek, and Mr. Rimon Kamar in Arabic. The services were attended by a large congregation.

H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came for veneration during the Divine Liturgy, escorted by Hagiotaphite Fathers.

After the Divine Liturgy, the renovator of the Monastery Abbess Seraphima offered a rich reception at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

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THE FEAST OF THE THREE HIERARCHS AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The Feast of the three Hierarchs – Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom – was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity inside the Patriarchal Priestly School of Zion, on Monday January 30/ February 12, 2018.

This Feast of the common commemoration of the Three Hierarchs has been celebrated by the Church since the 11th century. This came as a settlement on the prevailing argument in Byzantium regarding who is the best, at the highest rank and the greatest of the three saints.

This Church feast is also a feast of the Education, as the three Hierarchs protected and influenced the education with their correct ideas on the classical education and the Christian teaching of the Gospel.

On the morning of this feast of the education, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the aforementioned Holy Church of the School. The Service was officiated by the Chairman of the School Board, Most Reverend Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, with co-celebrants the Archimandrites Porphyrios, Nectarios – Elder Kamarasis – , Dragouman Mattheos, the Arab-speaking Priest Nectarios and Hierodeacon Patrick. The choir was led by the left choir singer of the Church of the Resurrection Mr. George Alvanos with the help of the School students. The Service was attended by a congregation of the teachers, monks, nuns and noble pilgrims.

The Sermon of the day was delivered by the School Director Archimandrite Mattheos, who also offered a reception to the Episcopal entourage and the congregation at the reception hall of the School after the Divine Liturgy.

From Secretariat-General

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 PRIEST’S ORDINATION AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Sunday of the Last Judgment (also called Meatfare Sunday) January 29/February 11, 2018, Fr. Ilias Zorab was ordained a Priest at the Holy Church of the Nativity of Theotokos in Beit Jalla. Fr. Ilias is to serve as a ministering Priest in the Greek Orthodox Arab-speaking Community of this town.

The ordained Priest was honoured by the presence of the Hegoumen of Beit Jalla Hagiotaphite Archimandrite Narkissos, Fr. Paul, Fr. George Awad, Fr. Joseph and Fr. George from Beit Sahour, the Hagiotaphite Archimandrites Sergios and Ananias – Hegoumen of the H. Church of St. George, and the Vestry-men of the Community, the Mayor and the Presidents of the Orthodox Communities – Jamaiye, Il-hsan, who sang in the choir along with Ibrahim and Nidal. Present were also the Priest’s parents, his wife, relatives and many faithful.

Before the ordination, the officiating Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, admonished the new Priest in Arabic (see video). The newly ordained Priest replied to His Eminence in Arabic (as per the video).

The large congregation approved of the newly ordained Priest and hailed “Axios” in reply to the Archbishop’s words.  After dismissal, the new Priest accepted the congratulating wishes of those who honoured him at the reception hall next to the Church. At noon he offered a meal to the Episcopal entourage and all Priests, as well as to many of the guests.  
From Secretariat-General

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THE FEAST OF ST. EUTHYMIOS THE GREAT AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The commemoration of our Holy Father among the Saints Euthymios the Great was celebrated by the Patriarchate on Friday January 20/February 2, 2018, at the Holy Monastery dedicated to his name next to the Holy Monastery of Panagia Sayda Naya at the Christian Quarter, at a short distance from the Patriarchate.

St. Euthymios came from Melitini of Armenia in the Holy Land in 406 A.D. and founded a Lavra in the desert between Jerusalem and Jericho. He gathered many monks in it and led them in the monastic perfection in Christ, but there were also many people from the towns who came to him for his spiritual council.

St. Euthymios had St. Theoctistos as his co-ascetic. St. Theoctistos had founded a Coenobitic Monastery for the monks who were beginners. St. Euthymios had founded a monastic Lavra for the advanced in ascesis monks. St. Theoctistos and St. Euthymios became the spiritual teachers of St. Savvas when he came to the Holy Land from Cappadocia in 456 A.D.

St. Euthymios’ Lavra became a monastic centre due to his manner of living as well as a missionary beacon of Orthodoxy against the heresy of monofycitism, which preached on nature of Christ and not one hypostasis in two natures, according to the doctrine of the 4th Ecumenical Synod in Chalcedon in 451 A.D. St. Euthymios was deemed worthy by God to receive the gift of clairvoyance and that of healing and ended his life in peace at the age of ninety seven years old.

In the aforementioned Holy Monastery, in honour of St. Euthymios, Vespers in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning were led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias with co-celebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, with first in rank Archimandrite Ieronymos. The choir was led by the left choir singer of the Church of the Resurrection Mr. George Alvanos with the help of the Patriarchal School of Zion students. The services were attended by a congregation of monks, nuns and pilgrims. The Episcopal entourage and the congregation were offered a rich reception by the Abbess, Nun Christonymfi.

From Secretariat-General

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THE FEAST OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS ANTONY THE GREAT AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The commemoration of our Father among the Saints Antony the Great and Master of the Desert was celebrated by the Patriarchate on Tuesday January 17/30, 2018, at his chapel inside the Holy Monastery of St. Nikolaos on the west side of the Patriarchate.

On this Feast the Church commemorates our Holy and God-bearer Father Antony the Great, as the first leader of the monastic life. He lived in Egypt from 251 to 356 A.D., in extreme poverty and ascesis by which he was deemed worthy of every virtue. He taught and helped thousands of Christians and monks, defended the doctrine of the one Nature of the Son with the Father and worked many miracles as witnessed in his biography by St. Athanasios the Great.

In the aforementioned Monastery the Divine Liturgy on the morning of the feast was officiated by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, with co-celebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Deacons. The choir was led by the Hegoumen Archimandrite Aristovoulos with the help of nuns of the Patriarchate and the service was attended by many faithful.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen and renovator of the Monastery of St. Nikolaos, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, offered a reception for the Episcopal entourage and the congregation at the hegoumeneion and the courtyard of the Holy Church.
From Secretariat-General

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THE VENERATION OF ST. PETER’S CHAIN AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The commemoration of the veneration of St. Peter’s chain was celebrated on Monday January 16/29, 2018, by the Patriarchate, at the place his prison used to be. It is inside the premises of the Roman Praetorion, today’s H. Monastery of St. Nicodemus – the secret disciple of the Lord – in the district between the Praetorion and St. Anna.

On this feast the Church commemorates St. Peter’s imprisonment in chains by Herod, and his liberation by the Angel according to the narrative in Acts (Acts 12:1-19).

For this feast, Vespers in the evening and the Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast were led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa, with co-celebrants Archimandrites Demetrios and Meletios, Arab-speaking Priests and Deacon Sophrony. The choir was formed by the choir leader of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos and Mr. George Alvanos. The services were attended by a congregation of monks, nuns and locals, as well as pilgrims from Greece, Russia and Romania.

The Episcopal entourage and the congregation were offered a reception by the Hegoumen of the Monastery Archimandrite Makarios.

From Secretariat-General

 

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THE FEAST OF ST. THEODOSIUS THE CENOBIARCH

On Wednesday, January 11/24, 2018, the Patriarchate commemorated our Father among the Saints Theodosius at the Holy Monastery founded by him in the 5th century A.D. in the desert of Judea, between Beit Sahour and the Holy Monastery of St. Savvas the Sanctified.

Having come from his hometown Cappadocia to the Holy Land, St. Theodosius lived in ascesis at the Holy Monastery of Ikelia near Jerusalem and later at the cave via which the Magi “returned to their country following another way”.

At this Monastery which had four Churches, the Saint gathered 700 Monks and became the leader of the Coenobitic Monastic life in Palestine and the protector of the doctrine regarding the two natures of Christ in the 4th Ecumenical Synod of Chalkedon, along with his co-patriot Savvas the Sanctified, who was the leader of the monastic life in Lavrae in Palestine.

At the Holy Church of this Monastery the Divine Liturgy was officiated by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Theophylactos of Jordan and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Arab-speaking Priests of our Patriarchate. The right choir was led by the choir leader of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos in Greek, Russian and Romanian and the left choir by members of the Arab-speaking congregation in Arabic. The Service was attended by a noble congregation of local faithful mainly from Beit Sahour and many pilgrims.

His Beatitude preached the Divine Word to this congregation as follows;

“By imitating the obedience and unexampled humility of Christ, Who bowed His head before the Forerunner, O Father Theodosius, thou wast led up to an unshakeable tower of virtues”. The hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

Our Father among the Saints Theodosius, the master of the desert, who while being in human form became co-citizen of the angels, has gathered us all at the place of his ascesis and burial, in order to celebrate his commemoration.

St. Theodosius’ life of monasticism and ascesis is distinguished for his outmost obedience and perfect humility, in imitation of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

St. Theodosius’ virtues in Christ made him not only “an unshakeable tower” but also a wonder worker, according to his biographer, who narrates the infinite miracles of the saint. St. Simeon the Stylite was the one who taught our Father Theodosius the life in Christ, namely the angelic life on earth.

The life in Christ of those who were great in ascesis such as our Holy Father Theodosius, is a continuation and an extension of the sacred history on earth, namely the mystery of the Divine Providence, which has been preached and evangelized by the Prophets, Apostles and Evangelists who were bearers of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the object of all the saints and especially of the desert fathers’ desire and love for God, has always been the humankind’s incorruption in Christ, by Christ’s resurrection, and they eagerly sought their change in Christ, the new Adam; they sought “theosis” (deification). “The Lord…transformed the heavenly things into the heavenly life” St. Isidoros Pilousiotis says.

Our Holy Father Theodosius received this transformation, namely the heavenly life, as shown by the preserved to this day incorrupt relic of his head, the irrefutable token of the faith of our Holy Church in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is also confirmed by St. Theodosius’ hymn writer, when referring to the Saint’s disciple Basil who was resurrected from the dead; “Imitating the voluntary death of Christ, the renowned Basil, thy disciple, inaugurateth the new tomb in exceeding joy, O Father Theodosius”. This is one of the many miracles St. Theodosius worked while still alive, as his Synaxarist says: “once in Jerusalem, he received schooling by great and holy men of the desert. Having mastered the ultimate abstinence, so that he would eat only once a week, and for thirty years he had not tasted bread, and having acquired the virtue in Christ, he became so great that he could work odd miracles.”

St. Theodosius is distinguished among the desert fathers, because he became a bloodless Martyr of the mystery of reverence, namely of our healthy Orthodox faith. He preached the two natures of the God-man our Lord Jesus Christ, boldly and vigorously, while the heretic followers of Nestorianism denied them. Let us hear the hymn writer referring to this issue: “Calling thy teachings to remembrance, O Theodosius, we proclaim Christ in two essences, acknowledging the two natural wills and energies and authorities in God Who was baptized in the flesh”.

In other words, my dear brothers, our Father among the Saints Theodosius did not only become a master of the desert, but also a teacher and pastor of the Church, for which Christ was willingly seen in the flesh, being baptized in the river Jordan by St. John the Baptist, and was crucified in the flesh in Golgotha.

The Holy Church of Christ and thus the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood rejoice and are glad in this Feast, because the holy feasts of the Church are a foretaste of the heavenly joy. “A foretaste of the heavenly joy, namely of the heavenly Church is today’s feast” according to the God-bearing Fathers.

St. Theodosius became a communicant of this foretaste of the eternal joy of the kingdom of heaven, and he calls all of us who honour his commemoration, to become participants of the universal salvation through our Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ.

Participants and communicants of this eternal joy were our holy fathers, the flowers of the desert, the co-patriots of St. Theodosius, Euthymios the great, Savvas the Sanctified, John the George the Chozevites, Theokletos and Martyrios along with Gerasimos of the Jordan and John the New Chozevite.

Having become martyrs of consciousness, and evangelists of Christ, they did not come from the desert where John had been preaching the baptism of repentance, but from the font of the Church. They were born of the Holy Spirit and became citizens of the desert, succeeding our Lord Jesus Christ by keeping and working His commandments.

This holy consignment of St. John the Baptist and his imitators, namely the newer citizens of the desert, has been preserved all along by the venerable Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, which has given many martyrs of the blood of Christ’s love, both in the past and the contemporary era. For this reason “the gates of hell shall not prevail against” the Church of Christ (Mat. 16.18).

Let us entreat our holy father Theodosius, who has boldness before Christ our God, so that through his prayers, along with those of the Most Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary our Lady Theotokos, we may be found worthy of the mercy of our souls and the peace of the whole world, as well as of the peace in our region. And let us say along with the hymn writer; “Forget not thy flock even now, O all-blessed Theodosius; but by thine intercessions with the Lord, save us we pray.” Amen. Many happy returns!

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a prayer at the Cave of the Magi, a Holy Litany around the Church and a memorial service of the renovators of the Holy Church, Archbishop Bartholomew of Madaba, and Monks Leontios and Galaction.

Archimandrite Ierotheos, who has served the Monastery for forty years and renovated it, offered a meal at noon.

From SecretariatGeneral

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