On Sunday, 19th June/2nd July 2017, the day of the memory of St. Jude the Apostle, brother of the Lord and memory of our Father among the Saints Paissious, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos led the Divine Liturgy at the old Holy Church of St. George in the town Zababde, in Samaria district past Jacob’s well.

In this town of the State of Palestine there is a Greek-Orthodox Arab-speaking community of approximately 800 people.

With His Beatitude, co-celebrants were the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the Archimandrites Meletios and Demetrios, the Head of the Parish Fr. Touma Dawoud and Archdeacon Marc; singing on the right was Archimandrite Demetrios and on the left the Choir of this Community, with the participation in prayer of many of the members of this Community.

His Beatitude preached the Divine word to the congregation as follows:

    ^“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21), is what the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of St. James the brother of God, Jude, one of the Apostles commands.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians,

The great Apostle of the Lord Jude, who was deemed worthy of the manifestation of God, has gathered us all today in your town Zababde, in order to thank the Lord our God for the good benefits of our Christian congregation and its children.

Indeed, the words of Jude the Apostle – of course not of Judas Iscariot – in his catholic epistle are God-inspired words, by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. And this is so because Jude was deemed worthy of the vision of God’s goodness as the hymn writer says: “The great Apostle of the Lord, deemed worthy of the manifestation of God, was beloved, and he beheld the splendour and beauty of the vision of Him”. Jude accomplished this because he hearkened to our Lord Jesus Christ’s exhortation, according to which, those who hear and keep the word of God are blessed. “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28).

Moreover, the “servant of Jesus Christ and brother of St. James the brother of God”, our exquisite Jude, became eye and ear-witness of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His gospel preaching. For this he was established a teacher of the Orthodox faith of the Lord, as the hymn writer says: “Sprung from a noble root, thou art risen before us, a branch bestowed by God, ever feeding the whole world, upon the fruits of thy words, O eye-witness of God the Lord, O thou brother of our God, and Christ’s all-wise herald, who hast taught the Lord’s pure Orthodox Faith to all men, initiate of His grace”.

Let us hear, my beloved ones, the hierophant Apostle saying: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude, 1:3). And in more detail; I saw the dangers that surround you from the false teachers and I considered it imperative to write in order to urge you to adhere to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Church, which has once and for all been delivered to the Christians.

Christ’s Saint Jude instructs us to remain steadfast in Christ’s faith, because faith, according to St. Paul is the shield of our protection against the works of the devil. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16). Moreover, according to St. John the Evangelist and Theologian, the faith to Jesus Christ the Son of God is a light dispelling the fallacy of the world, and strength of a new spiritual life which is opposed to the fallacy of this world. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5).

It is an undeniable fact, my beloved brothers and sisters, that our faith in Christ the Son of God and Son of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is being thwarted / fought against by the powers of darkness of this crooked era. For this reason, we are called by St. Jude the Apostle whom we celebrate today, to establish ourselves upon the foundation of our holy faith, through prayer that is guided by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit Who conjoins and constitutes the constitution of our holy Church. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21).

Moreover, through this faith to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prophets, the Apostles and all the Saints, who according to St. Paul compose the “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1), who witnessed the truth of the faith, “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Hebrews 11:33-34).

And faith, my dear ones, is activated and bears its fruit through prayer as St. James the brother of God teaches: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). In other words, the prayer of the righteous man who is a faithful member of the Church has a great power and acts strongly and effectively. For this reason St. Paul urges us saying; let all of you become tireless in prayer. Keep vigil on it and accompany it with thanksgiving to God: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

Interpreting St. Paul’s words, our Father among the Saints Theophylactos says: “This is the true prayer, the thanksgiving for all things we have suffered or made us sorrowful, for the sake of the common benefit.”

We “Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”(Eph. 5:20), Who has deemed us worthy of the partaking of His body and blood in communion with you, by the intercessions of St. Jude the Apostle and together with the hymn writer let us say: “O Jude, thy brethren praise thee, as the brother of the Word Who shone forth from the eternal Father before the ages, and in these last times was inexpressibly incarnate of the holy Virgin and became man. Him do thou fervently entreat, O Apostle, that peace be granted unto the world, and the forgiveness of transgressions and great mercy unto us who honour thee.” Amen.”

For the Sermon in Arabic please follow the link:

 https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/07/02/31620

At the end of the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude honoured with a medal of the Patriarchate and an icon of the Theotokos each one of the excelled students from the town Zababde, from Primary, Secondary and University Education and addressed them as follows:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our Dear Children, Lyceum and University Graduates,

Responding to your noble invitation we have come to Zababde, this beautiful town, in order to become communicants of the Eucharistic body and blood of Christ on the one hand; on the other hand, to participate in the joy of your successful graduation from the educational institutions.

We are especially glad for this important event of you progress, which is determining so much for your personal improvement and development as it is for your scientific training, and even more for your contribution to the social and national fields of your scope.

And we say this because you are the future and at the same time the expectation not only of our blood-related family, but also of our Ecclesiastical Community and of the striving for its independence State of Palestine, under the wise command of our President, His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abbas.

As the Educational institutions Graduates, you undertake even greater responsibilities, because the path that you are going to choose is your own choice, as St. James the brother of God and first Hierarch of the Jerusalem Church says: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13).

The Roman-Orthodox Jerusalem Patriarchate which constitutes the oldest religious, ecclesiastical and cultural institution in the Holy Land in general and in Palestine in particular, has never ceased to provide for the cultivation of knowledge and science and the Christian education. This is undeniably witnessed by the historic accounts of the venerable Patriarchate, which up to the present day contributes greatly towards the harmonious co-existence between the religious doctrines and the Christian Communities, through its schools which operate throughout its spiritual jurisdiction.

The Roman-Orthodox Patriarchate achieves this because the education it promotes, aims mainly and primarily to the education of people inspired and dominated by the principles and morals of the love of Christ’s gospel, as this is formulated in St. James’ letter, which says: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).

These words from St. James are those which constitute the knowledge of truth and freedom, which stems from the knowledge of truth for which our Lord Jesus Christ “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philip. 2:8).

With these words, we would like to express our warmest fatherly congratulations, not only to the graduates, but also to their teachers and parents and our community. Moreover, we would like to wish every strength from above and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, so that they are proven worthy of our expectations.”

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/07q0PKuZ4bU

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On Tuesday, 14th/27^th June 2017, the Patriarchate celebrated the memory of the Holy Prophet Elisha at the Holy Monastery named after him in Jericho, where Zacchaeus’ sycamore tree stands. The Holy Prophet Elisha was Prophet Elijah’s student, and he was called to the order of the Prophets by God, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen, he responded to God’s invitation and sacrificed his oxen, offered them as food to the people and followed Prophet Elijah.  

The area of his life and mission was Jericho, where by God’s help he worked many miracles for the help of the people. One of these was the turning of the water of the spring by Sarantarion mount in Jericho from bitter to sweet, so that its drinking would not be deadly.

Prophet Elisha was deemed worthy to see his teacher, Prophet Elisha, ascending into Heaven in a fiery chariot, and received by him a double measure of his teacher’s grace, and his mantle, which having placed on top of the water of river Jordan he walked on the water and crossed the river.

For the memory of Prophet Elisha, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the aforementioned Holy Church. It was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks of the Patriarchate and the Hegoumen of the neighbouring Holy Monastery of St. Gerasimos of the Jordan Archimandrite Chrysostom, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of the Shepherds Archimandrite Ignatios and Archdeacon Marc, at the singing of Archimandrite Demetrios Kavathas on the right in Greek and the choir singer of the Church on the left in Arabic, with the participation of the parish congregation of the Arab-speaking Orthodox Community of Jericho, monks and nuns from Jerusalem and pilgrims.

His Beatitude preached the Divine Word to this noble congregation as follows:  

“Plainly informed by a divinely inspired oracle, the wondrous Elias anointed thee a prophet, O glorious Elisseus. In thee the bounteous grace of the Holy Spirit found rest and came to dwell, O celebrated Elisseus” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

The grace of the Holy Spirit which finds rest and abides in abundance in the righteous man of God, namely Prophet Elisha, has gathered us all in this hagiographic (Biblical) place of Jericho and the Jordan river district, in order to praise his festal memory as the wise Solomon says: “The memory of the just is blessed; Blessings are upon the head of the just” (Proverbs 10:6,7). “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice” (Proverbs 29:2).

This just man, Elisha, did the exquisite among the prophets Elijah anoint a prophet by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And Elisha received the prophetic gift because he was distinguished for the cleanness of his heart and his manner of living was equal to that of the angles as the hymn writer says: “Rejoice, O Elisseus, 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.” This is also widely shown as he received a double measure of grace by the Holy Spirit according to the witness about him in the Holy Bible: “And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me….And he said… it shall be so unto thee” (4 Kings 2:9-10).

The double measure of the grace of the Holy Spirit that was given to him is shown in his prophetic ability and action, which coincides with unexpected works and various miracles, such as the healing of the leper Naaman the Syrian. This miracle is also recalled by our Lord Jesus Christ during His preaching, as Luke the Evangelist witnesses: “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).

Moreover, this historic town of Jericho is an irrefutable witness of Prophet Elisha’s miracles, who healed “the bitter water” at the fervent asking of the town’s citizens (4 Kings 2:19), namely the water that was unhealthy and deadly: “The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive”…

 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’”  And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken” (4 Kings 2:19-22).

The Holy Church of Christ honours especially Prophet Elisha, because not only did he work beneficiary miracles by the power that was given to him by God, but also worked miracles against evil and avarice, namely voracity and the social disorder or corruption in general. And he did these, motivated by philanthropy and love towards his neighbour.

Today’s celebrated marvelous Prophet Elisha was distinguished as a Saint of the Church for his virtue. And the one who praises the righteous man, praises virtue itself. And this is so, because the righteous men of God by their example “proclaim the virtues of the One who summoned us from darkness, namely of Christ, to His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). It is therefore imperative, my brothers, Peter the Apostle orders, to progress in virtue, because the divine power of Christ has given us all things that contribute to spiritual life and reverence. And He has given these to us through the knowledge of the true God, who has called us from the condition of sin to salvation, through His perfection and power: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Communicant and participant of our Prophet Elisha’s virtue has also been our Father among the Saints Methodios, Archbishop of Constantinople, who is co-celebrated with him today.

This Holy Church Father inverted the fallacy of heresies and the iconoclasts, defending the Orthodox faith and teaching by his divine word.

The divine and virtuous life of Prophet Elisha as well as of our Father Methodios deemed them worthy of the vision of God’s glory, namely the incorruptibility of their holy relics which witness the resurrection of our Saviour Christ, but also the incarnation of God the Word through the pure blood of the Ever-Virgin and Most-Blessed our Lady Theotokos Maria.

Boasting over the Saints of our God and Saviour Christ, we cry out with the hymn writer and say:“Thou who wast once a ploughman wast made a Prophet of the Lord; and with Elias’ mantle, his spirit twofold didst thou gain. Wherefore, O great Elisseus, with him we honour and praise thee.”

“Thou like the sun didst rise from the East, O Father, and settest in the West in thy holy contest, righteous and supremely wise Methodius; and with thy doctrines’ shining beams thou hast enlightened the whole world. Pray for us all, O God-bearer.” Amen.”

For the Sermon in Arabic please follow the link below:

https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/06/27/31510

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery Archimandrite Philoumenos, who has overcome his illness by the grace of God and Prophet Elisha, offered a reception to the Patriarchal Entourage and the Congregation, while at noon, the Community and the Hegoumen offered a meal.

During the meal, Mrs Nahinda Halte, member of the Jericho Community,  addressed His Beatitude in Arabic ( the link will be posted in due course).

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/aEtdR0K9vtY

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On Sunday, 12th/25th June 2017, the Patriarchate celebrated the memory of our Father among the Saints Onuphrius of Egypt, at his Holy Monastery located in the district of the ancient Jerusalem, opposite Siloam font and on the slopes of Abu Tor hill, by the carved rocks – tombs of the field of blood – the potter’s field, which was bought by the Pharisees to bury the strangers with the thirty silver coins that Judas returned to them when he regretted the betrayal of his Teacher (Mat. 27:3-10). Among these tombs visible are the tombs of the Patriarch of Jerusalem Iouvenalios (541 A.D.) and of monk Cyril, renovator of the Monastery around 1923.

In this Holy Church – naturally half-carved rock – for the memory of St. Onuphrius of Egypt, who lived an ascetic life in Thebais of Egyp in the 4^th century A.D., having only his long beard as garment, as witnessed by St. Pafnutius who buried him, Vespers was held in the evening, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the day of the feast, officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, together with the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Archdeacon Marc. Participants in prayer were a noble congregation of monks, nuns, laity, members of the Greek Expatriates community and the Arab-speaking congregation, at the singing of Archimandrite Demetrios Kavathas and by the end of the service, also Archimandrite Eusevios.

His Beatitude preached the Divine Word to the noble congregation as follows:

“Godly-wise Father Onuphrius, in spirit thou didst become great Elias’ follower, for thou dwelest far removed from the turbulence of the world; thou didst deny all the yearnings of the flesh and didst abide in the barren wilderness, where, with exceeding joy, thou, O blessed man, didst soar aloft in soul to the Heavens, where thou truly hadst thy citizenship” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims.

The most bright light of our Saviour Christ, the Holy Spirit Who abides in the souls of His Saints, has gathered us all today in this holy shrine, where the Holy Monastery of the celebrated our Father among the Saints Onuphrius lies, in order to offer glory and thanksgiving to our Holy Trinitarian God.

The annual observation of the  memories of the Saints by our Holy Orthodox Church is on the one hand a recalling of the life in Christ in this world of corruption and sin, and on the other, an invitation to the heavenly chamber where our Holy Father Onuphrius  rejoices eternally.

Our Father among the Saints Onuphrius, who lived a coenobitic life in a monastery in the town Hermoupolis of Thebes in Egypt, retreated to the depths of the desert where he was distinguished as its citizen and a student of the spirit of the Holy Prophets, Elijah of Thesbis, and John the Baptist, who had become imitators of God, as St. Paul says: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour” (Eph.5:1-2). And in more detail, since God has forgiven you, become therefore imitators of God as dear children. And live in love, just like Christ loved us and gave Himself up for our sakes and our salvation, and offer a sacrifice to God, so that this sacrifice will be before Him as a sweet smelling savour.

Interpreting these words of Paul, St. Chrysostom says; “See that to suffer by the enemies is a sweet smelling savour and a well pleasing sacrifice; and if you die, then it is a sacrifice; this is an imitation of God”.

Indeed our Father among the Saints Onuphrius accomplished the death of imperishableness through his hard ascesis in the desert. In other words he became a sweet smelling savour and a well pleasing sacrifice to our God and Saviour Christ, as the hymn writer of the Church proclaims:“Offering thy mind as a whole-burnt offering unto Him Who endured death by the Cross for our sakes, thou worthily becamest a partaker and joint heir of His glory”.

Precisely to this cause we also are called my beloved Brothers and Sisters, to become worthy communicants and co-heirs of the glory of our Saviour Christ and His Saints. This is the purpose of our calling in the faith of the crucified and resurrected our Lord Jesus Christ, as St. Paul preaches: “whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

What does this mean: “whom he justified, them he also glorified”? It means the restoration of our communion in Christ with God the Father. The restoration of the communion and the vision of the Divine glory, which Adam of old lost due to his disobedience to the will of God.

The Saints of Christ’s Church received the crown of righteousness because they had become obedient to the Divine will and steadfast in the Orthodox faith as the hymn writer of our Father among the Saints Onuphrius says: “ thou hast accomplished the path of ascesis and kept the faith; therefore O Father of righteousness thou hast received the crown of righteousness, which Christ hadth prepared for thee, He who giveth the prizes and the strength and the antidote of the pains; of which now deliver us also and save us from dangers.”

The “path of ascesis” of our Father among the Saints Onuphrius was the path of Christ’s love according to the example of St. Paul who says: “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2). And Christ’s love is at the top of the commandments. And this is so, because “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16) according to St. John the Evangelist.

Our holy Church honours the annual memory of its Saints because it is through them that we come to know the “path of ascesis” namely the way of our completion in Christ, as the hymn writer says: “the crowds of the monastics honour thee the teacher of the desert Onuphrius; for it is through thee that we have come to know the right path…wherefore beseech the Lord that our souls find mercy.”

God’s righteous men and friends of Christ indeed intercede the Lord for the mercy of our souls and the healing of the sick “who come to them in faith”. However, faith without love towards our neighbour “is empty” it has no value, as John the Evangelist says: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20).

The honoured today Saints Onuphrius of Egypt and Peter of Mount Athos, who while being of the same nature with us humans, were deemed worthy of the vision of the Divine splendid glory, call us to walk in the path of the life in Christ. To this cause, we have helpers and protectors especially and exceptionally the Most Blessed Theotokos and Mother of God, the All-Holy and Ever-Virgin Mary as well as the Holy Saints who intercede for us to the Lord. Amen.”
After the Divine Liturgy there was a small Procession from the Church towards the tomb of the founder and renovator of the monastery monk Cyril, where the prayer for the fruit was read and there was also a memorial service at the tomb of the recently reposed nun of the Monastery Seraphima.

Afterwards, a reception with cakes and fruit followed at the hegoumeneion, as offered by the present renovator of the Monastery, Abbess Paessia.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/O_ysczP28ks

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On Tuesday morning, 31st May/13th June 2017, the tonsure of the novice and graduate of the Patriarchal School of the Holy Zion Panayiotis Xenakis took place at the Chapel of the Holy Pentecost in the Patriarchate.

Novice Panayiotis was tonsured by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and was named Patrick, at the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers. St. Patrick was a Hieromartyr and Bishop of Proussa.

After the tonsure His Beatitude counseled the new monk, telling him he was called to join the Order of the Great Ones of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, at the decision of the Holy Synod, which appreciated his morals at the School and his service at the tasks he had been appointed with, and that it is an honour for him to serve the All-Holy Shrines, the Patriarchate and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, whose mission is Christ’s confession in the Holy Land and the service of the people of God.

From Secretariat-General  

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On Sunday, 29th May, day of the memory of the Martyr St. Theodosia the Virgin, according to the unmovable cycle of feasts and day of the memory of the Constantinople fall and 9th June, the Patriarchate celebrated according to the movable cycle of the Pentecostarion feasts the feast of the All Saints, who were fruit of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, at the chapel inside the Holy Church of the Holy Monastery of Sayda Naya.

The festal Divine Liturgy was led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, who gave the following Sermon to the congregation that had filled the chapel;

“With the Sunday of All Saints, the movable cycle of feasts that began on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee comes to an end.  The Church has presented us with the complete work of Divine Providence in the contrite Triodion and the joyful Pentecostarion, with the Feast of Pascha as the central event. We saw the fall of the first created people and the rectification of our nature through Christ’s Resurrection. We welcomed the coming of the Comforter in the world and celebrated the birth of a new people of God, the inauguration and the infusion of the Holy Spirit “on all flesh”. Closely connected to this feast, is the present feast, the seal and the end of the festal period.

 It comes therefore as the proof of the work of the Church, of the impact of the Holy Spirit in the world. Because it presents us with the fruits of that harvest, the harvest of the white fields–nations that the Apostles were sent to reap. And as Nikiforos Xanthopoulos comments very nicely on the Synaxarion of the day: the most divine Fathers established this feast after the descend of the Holy Spirit, in order to show that through the Apostles, the presence of the All-Holy Spirit managed to sanctify and make the human nature wise, and restore the people to the state of the angels through Jesus Christ, either with the offering of their martyr’s blood, or by their virtuous life and behaviour. And this is a supernatural work that is being accomplished. The Spirit, God, descends, and man, the earth, ascends. God’s Logos ascends the deified flesh and draws in it those who wish to accomplish works of reconciliation with God.  The so far alienated to God people are united with God and become His friends. The nations offer their beginning, the All Saints.

Nevertheless, there is a second reason that caused the constitution of this collective feast. Many Saints are known and honoured with feasts and celebrations by the Church. However there are many more in whom the Holy Spirit dwelled and made them sanctified. But they remained unknown and inconspicuous. Consequently, the Church honours today those unknown Saints, who “lived according to the teachings of Christ in India and Egypt and Arabia and Mesopotamia and Phrygia and in the countries above the Black Sea; moreover, all over Western Europe and the British isles, or to say it plainly, in East and West.”

The Synaxarist also provides us with a third reason. It would be imperative for all the Saints who are celebrated individually to be gathered in a single common feast, in order to show that way, that all together, they fought for the one Christ, in a common arena, they ran in the arena of the Christian virtue, they were servants of one God and they worthily received the crowns of victory from Him. Likewise, the common feast will be an impulse to the faithful who believe in the same Christ, and are servants of the same God and strive like those (the saints) in the beaten path of the life in Christ. It will be an impulse as well as a certain hope that today’s fighters will accomplish their (the saints’) glory, and they will also be numbered in the chorea of the saints, as they “have borne the burden and the heat of the day” (Mat. 20: 12). This feast could be our own feast tomorrow, when God’s grace deems it worthy to summon us in the blissful world of the triumphant Church in heaven. Because the children of the Church live in this hope; that the words they hear today “on this day, the Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the feast of All Saints, who shone forth throughout the world, in North and South, East and West” will be co-celebrated with them someday.

“Of all my Lord’s friends, I laud and sing the praises; and let any to come with them and be numbered.”

Nevertheless, the feast had not always had such a wide context. It was only a feast for all the martyrs. In the 4^thcentury we have St. Chrysostom’s sermon on this feast. Moreover, the Typikon of St. Sophia in Constantinople in the 10th century mentions a gathering and Pannychid in the Great Church and in the Church of the Holy Martyrs, located near the Church of the Holy Apostles. The feast is named “All Saints” but the synaxarion of the day specifies that the memory of “all holy martyrs who have martyred throughout the world in different times for the name of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” is observed. If Xanthopoulos’ information is correct, the All Saints feast was established during the reign of Leon the Wise, when he built a Church and wanted to honour it in the name of his wife Theophano, who “had greatly pleased God”. He was however advised that it would not be prudent to dedicate a Church to a woman, even if she were a Saint, but who had recently died and the time had not yet given her “the honour and reverence”. The King was convinced and dedicated the Church in honour of “all the Saints throughout the world…” saying “If Theophano is a Saint, she will be numbered among all these ones”.

Regardless the origin of the new feast with the general context, that is, not only for the martyrs but for all Saints, its extension was very successful. Martyrs of Christ are not only those who shed their blood for Christ’s faith and thus sealed their faith and witness. Martyrs are all those who fought the fight of the Christian life and carried patiently Christ’s cross in this world. Martyrs are those who martyred for Christ through the daily martyrdom of consciousness; the confessors, who confessed the good confession “before both nations and kings”; the Hierarchs, who pastured Christ’s flock God-lovingly and sustained the correct faith; the Saints and ascetics who crucified their flesh “together with the passions and the desires”; the worldly people, who lived in the land of temptations and struggling, and nevertheless “behaved” as if they were in heaven; and along with these, the Prophets, righteous and forefathers of the Old Testament, who lived according to the law and “martyred through faith” waiting for the promised land; and exceptionally, the Holiest of the Holies, the Most-holy Virgin and Mother of Christ, the Theotokos Mary.

We honour the Saints with the present feast, setting their life as an example and entreating them to intercede for us to God. Whose Grace and immeasurable mercy be with us all. Amen.” 

During the Divine Liturgy H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came to venerate the Holy chapel together with Hagiotaphite Fathers, as well as the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal and Consulate entourage as well as the congregation were offered a rich reception by the good keeper and renovator of the Monastery Abbess Seraphima at the Hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/2mJ3R7bqgpA

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On Saturday, 28th May/10th June 2017, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, made a pastoral visit to the Greek Orthodox Arab-speaking Community of the town Zdeinde in north Israel, at the district of Acre.

This Community keeps a Holy Church in the honour of St. Patrick, Bishop of Proussa. In this Holy Church the Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the feast of the Apodosis of Pentecost, that is, the completion of eight days since the first day of celebration last Sunday, and the feast of St. Patrick which was transferred as it is normally observed on 19th May.

The Divine Liturgy was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, the Head of the Holy Church Fr. Ilias, Arab-speaking Priests from the neighbouring Communities and Deacon Agapios. Singing was the choir of Acre-Ptolemais, under the Patriarchal Commissioner Archimandrite Philotheos at the presence of the full congregation of St. Patrick’s Parish.

To this noble congregation His Beatitude preached the divine word as follows:

“Shining brightly with the divine light, O blessed Patrick, thou didst disdain the cleverness of the eloquent; and cast into the hot springs as into a furnace without being burned, thou didst cry: Blessed is the God of our Fathers” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims. Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians,

The All-Holy and Life-giving and All-powerful Spirit, the one God of the Trinity, of the same honour, essence and of the same glory to the Father and the Son, has gathered us all in this Holy Church in the name of Saint Hieromartyr Patrick, Bishop of Proussa, in order to celebrate the memory of the Patron Saint of our town Zdeinde on the one hand, and the Apodosis of Pentecost on the other.

Saint Patrick was highlighted a vessel of the enlightening grace and power of the Holy Spirit with his ordination as a Bishop as well as with his martyr’s blood. Moreover, he became communicant and participant of the gospel preaching and the pastoral mission of the Holy and spirited Apostles, whose “line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:4) according to the psalmist.

The great Hieromartyr Patrick shone during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (284-305 A.D.). Due to his zeal for Christ, he was slandered to Proconsul Julian, who summoned him and with various means attempted to change his mind and faith and force him worship the gods of idols. To Julian’s argument that the transpiration of the warm waters, as providence of the gods (of the idols), is blown out and discharged for the benefit of the people, Saint Patrick replied: it may be that the warm waters are transpired for the benefit of the people, but by His power the Lord Jesus Christ has promised two places, the one is full of goods where the righteous find rest, while the other is of darkness and fire, where the sinners will be condemned after the resurrection from the dead.

Saint Patrick draws the aforementioned witness from Prophet Isaiah who says: “their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). For this, St. Paul says more precisely: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7).

The steadfastness of Saint Patrick’s faith had as a result his beheading by sword, together with his co-martyrs Akakios, Menandros, and Polyenos. In other words, our Father among the Saints Patrick, preached and confessed his faith in Christ with boldness and courage in front of persecutors and fighters against “the Kingdom in heavens which cannot be moved” as St. Paul teaches saying: “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). This means that we should worship God in fear and reverence, because God is a fire that burns out and destroys every irreverent and ungodly man.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). It is precisely this Divine and All-Holy Spirit that descended from heaven, on the day of Pentecost, and filled the whole house where Christ’s disciples were sitting. “And there appeared unto them (the Disciples) 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).

Holy Pentecost is the beginning of the propagation of the enlightening and salvific preaching of the gospel by the Apostles throughout the world and of course of the Church, which appeared to the world soon after the Ascension in Heaven of our Lord Jesus Christ and the sending of the other Comforter as He promised to His disciples saying: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

And this Comforter, namely the Spirit of truth, Who is proceeded by the Father and rests in the Son, forms and conjoins the whole institution of the Church as the hymn writer says: “The Holy Spirit provideth all things; He gusheth prophesy; He 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. Wherefore, O Comforter, one in essence and throne with the Father and the Son, glory to Thee.”

This very Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Saviour Christ, made St. Patrick a pastor, namely a perfect Bishop and Priest as well as His co-witness. In other words, these Hieromartyrs of Christ were deemed worthy of the vision of God, meaning the theory of God’s glory, as their hymn writer says: “The glorious Martyrs, adorned with the vesture of the priesthood, made it more sacred with their own blood; and dancing for joy in the vision of God, they chant: Blessed is the God of our Fathers”. While St. John the Evangelist says “ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13). In other words, the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwells only in Christ, according to the true witness of St. Johh the Evangelist: “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3:34-35).

The purpose of the mission given by God the Father to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, was to restore the communion and relationship with God, from which (communion) man had fallen out. And according to St. Cyril of Alexandria, “it is only for God’s nature to save the people from devil and sin and corruption”. “We therefore have (the knowledge)”, Ecumenios says, “from this autopsy….and the workings of love towards each other, that God is in us, and He has given us from His Spirit and we receive Him in communion”. And that which God has given us from His Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering…meekness”, this is the fruit of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul teaches (Gal. 5:22-23).

Having become participant of this fruit of the Holy Spirit, our Father among the Saints Patrick, received the crown of divine glory. Therefore let us say together with the hymn writer: “As thou now abide noetically with the Angels, O blessed Patrick, remember those who keep thy venerable memory, and entreat thy Master in thy prayers that they be rescued from perils”, by the prayers of the Most blessed, our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Amen. Many happy returns.”

Many of the faithful received the Holy Communion at the Koinonikon and upon dismissal His Beatitude’s blessing .

At the end of the Divine Liturgy there was a reception and a meal at the new reception hall of the Parish, where His Beatitude gave an address in Arabic (the link will be posted in due course).

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/8ld_yja8qmI

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On Monday, 23rd Mary/ 5th June 2017, the Feast of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was celebrated at the Ecclesiastical Mission (Missia) and its Holy Church of the Holy Trinity of the Moscow Patriarchate, located on West Jerusalem near the New Gate.

This festal Divine Liturgy on Monday of the Holy Spirit was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, invited by the aforementioned delegation which belongs to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate.

With His Beatitude, co-officiating were the Archbishops of the Patriarchate, the Patriarchal Commissioner Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Secretary-General, the Most Reverend Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Archimandrite Stephen, Arab-speaking Presbyters, Fr. Joseph and Fr. Paul from Beitjala, and Russian-speaking Presbyters, Fr. Nikolaos, the Head of this Delegation Archimandrite Alexandros and his assistant Archimandrite Leontios, and other Hieromonks and Elders of the Moscow Patriarchate, and Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Anastasios together with Deacons of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Participants in the Divine Liturgy were a congregation of Orthodox Russian citizens of Jerusalem, who belong to the pastoral care of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, and pilgrims from Russia and Arab-speaking Orthodox faithful.

His Beatitude preached the divine word to this congregation as follows:

“We celebrate Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit, and the time appointed for the promise, and the fulfilment of hope. How great is this mystery: it is both exceeding great and most venerable. Wherefore, we cry unto Thee: O Creator of all, Lord, glory to Thee”; St. Gregory the Theologian exclaims through the voice of the hymn writer of the Church.

Most Reverend Archimandrite Father Alexander, representative of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia in Jerusalem,

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims, 

The One who has been ascended in glory in heavens and sat on the right side of God the Father, and has sent down to His Holy disciples and Apostles the divine and holy and consubstantial and of the same force and of the same glory and coeternal Spirit, gathered us all in this named after the Holy Trinity magnificent Church, in order to celebrate in thanksgiving the Feast of Holy Pentecost and thus the coming of the Holy Spirit, namely Its coming in the world.

The sending of the Comforter, namely the Holy Spirit, was an explicit promise of the Lord to His disciples according to the evangelists. “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7). “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). And this promise was fulfilled on the fiftieth day after the bright Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, in the upper room of Jerusalem, where “they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 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 2:1-4).

The indeed great and unintelligible mystery of Pentecost is the inauguration of the revelation on earth of the secret body of Christ, namely the Church, whose pertaining to God-manhood institution is maintained and assembled by the coeternal, consubstantial and sharing the same throne with the Father and the Son Holy Spirit, as the hymn writer of the church effectively expresses: “The Holy Spirit provideth all things; He gusheth forth prophesy; He 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. Wherefore, O Comforter, one in essence and throne with the Father and the Son, glory to Thee”.

The exuberance of the Holy Spirit which filled the Apostles is the same divine power which mesmerized the whole world and enlightened it with the light of truth and justice. Precisely to this cause were the Holy Apostles and Christ’s disciples called, to whom Jesus spoke, saying: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Mat. 28:18-20).

The spreading of the Gospel teaching by the Holy Apostles and Christ’s disciples shone light to the world and also gushed to all the faithful the grace of the Comforting Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, as the hymn writer says: “As Thou didst aforetime promise Thy disciples, Thou hast in every deed sent forth the Comforting Spirit, O Christ, and hast shined light upon the world, O Friend of man”. And “that which was anciently foretold in the Prophets and in the Law is fulfilled; for on this day the grace of the Divine Spirit is poured out on all the faithful”.

As the Synaxarist of todays’ feast effectively mentions, the Holy Spirit was given to the Disciples and Apostles in three occasions; quite dimly before His Passion; after the Resurrection a bit clearer by breathing upon them; and now He sent It down fundamentally; rather It came down by Itself, to complete their enlightenment and sanctification. This denotes that the “Apostolicity” guarantees the unity, holiness and catholicity of the Church as expressed in the Creed of our faith. And as the hymn writer says: “Upon the Apostles did the Holy Spirit descend by His own authority, as Thou didst promise, O Christ, and brought forth one harmony of faith in the Trinity, our God uncreated, from the many languages of all sundry nations”.

The Holy Spirit descended on the Holy Apostles in the form of tongues of fire, St. Chrysostom interprets, in order to remind us of the old story. “Because therefore in the past the people misbehaved in pride, they wanted to build a tower reaching up in the heavens, and through the division of tongues their evil agreement was halted; for this reason now the Holy Spirit is given to them in the form of tongues of fire, in order to assemble the divided world by this”.

Precisely for this reason the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us also the sharing the same doctrine and beliefs Brotherly Orthodox Churches, in this bloodless altar, in order to proclaim the agreement and unity in the Holy Spirit and hear St. Paul saying: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gal. 5:22). “Charity vaunteth not itself” (1 Cor. 13:4). And according to St. Chrysostom “love does not work anything bad against our neighbour; where love lives, Cain is nowhere to kill his brother”.

Therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this Feast, let us cleanse our hearts by the Holy Spirit and accept Its coming, being enlightened in a mystical way. And with St. Gregory the Theologian let us say: “Gather us all into Thy Kingdom; grant forgiveness to them that hope in Thee; forgive them and us our sins. Purify us through the operation of Thy Holy Spirit, and destroy the enemy’s devices which are against us”, and stop the schisms in our brotherly Orthodox Churches. By the prayers of the Most-Holy Theotokos and all the Saints. Amen.”

Upon Dismissal, there was the exchange of the appropriate to the feast gifts between the Heads of the two Churches, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Patriarch Cyril of Moscow through His representative Archimandrite Alexandros. His Beatitude offered a cross for blessing for Patriarch Cyril, while the latter offered Patriarch Theophilos an icon of the Theotokos.

Soon afterwards there was a short reception at the Hegoumeneion of the Monastery and finally there was a monastic meal in honour of the Patriarchal Entourage, where His Beatitude gave and address in English, as per the link below:

https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2017/06/05/33215

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/XYPZEbepQ10

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On Monday of the Holy Spirit, 26th May/ 5th June 2017, the Patriarchate celebrated the Descend of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire on the Holy Disciples and Apostles of the Lord, at the place where the event occurred, the Holy Zion, where the Upper Room stands.

1. In the Evening

This event was celebrated with Vespers in the evening, which took place at the chapel of the Patriarchate at the cemetery, on the ruins of the Byzantine Church, officiated by the Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, Secretary of the Holy Synod, with co-officiating the Typikon Keeper Archimandrite Alexios, the Presbyters of the Holy Church of St. James the Brother of God, and other Arab-speaking Presbyters, Deacon Agapios and also praying with them was Archimandrite Bartholomew. At this feast the Kneeling prayers were read, where the faithful prayed while kneeling down.

2. On the Day of the Feast

On Monday morning the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, on the first floor of the Patriarchal School, led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, with concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Archimandrite Makarios, at the singing of Archimandrite Demetrios and the Patriarchal School students, with the participation of many faithful, monks, nuns, laity and pilgrims.

Afterwards, according to the order, there was the Procession towards David’s Tomb, with the reading of the Kneeling prayers, the first in the Church to start with, and then the second in the Catacomb, the third in the Upper Room and the concluding Deisis in Prophet David’s Tomb.

Consequently, when the Procession returned, a Deisis for the departed was offered at the south gate of the Cemetery, and finally there was a reception by Mr. Nikolaos Souliotis, the School Director, at the reception hall of the Patriarchal School.

From Secretariat-General
httpv://youtu.be/An_YJY22auM

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On Pentecost Sunday 22nd May/4th June 2017, the Patriarchate celebrated the remembrance of the inspiration by the Holy Spirit at the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection.

On this Feast, the Orthodox Church worldwide and the Mother of Churches celebrates the event that fifty days after His Resurrection from the dead and ten days after His Ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ sent through His Father the Holy Spirit to His Holy disciples and Apostles, who were gathered in the upper room and enlightened them and they spoke in foreign languages the marvellous acts of God, namely the truth for the salvation of the people in the Incarnate, Crucified and Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.
            For this feast, there the Festal Divine Liturgy was celebrated as Parresia at the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection, led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants Hagiotaphite Archbishops, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, and the Most Reverend Archbishops Theodosios of Sebastia, Demetrios of Lydda, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks. Singing was the Choir Leader of the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos, with the participation of a great crowd of faithful local people as well as pilgrims.

According to the Church order, the Dismissal of the Divine Liturgy was followed by the Vespers of the Monday of the Holy Spirit with the kneeling prayers. This Vespers was held also by the Hagiotaphite Fathers who came down from the Central Monastery at the Holy Altar of the Catholicon.

At the end of Vespers the Patriarchal Entourage went to the Patriarchate where His Beatitude blessed the present Fathers and the congregation.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/FvNLWDumgA4

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On Saturday, 21st May/3rd June 2017, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood celebrated the memory of its founders, the glorious God-crowned and equal to the Apostles, the King and Queen Saints Constantine and Helen, at their Holy Church inside the Patriarchate, adjacent to the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection on the west side.

1. Vespers

This feast was celebrated with Great Vespers in the evening, led by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the prayers of Hagiotaphite Archbishops, Hieromonks and monks, first of whom the Typikon Keeper Archimandrite Alexios, and the participation of the dressed Hagiotaphite Hieromonks at the Great Entrance and the Blessing of Bread. Singing were the choir leader of this Church, Archimandrite Eusevios with Mr. George Tombros on the right and Archimandrite Demetrios on the left, at the presence of local Greeks Arab-speaking members of the Jerusalem Community, and pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Cyprus and Romania.

After Vespers, the Hagiotaphite Fathers were served boiled wheat, wine and dried bread according to their custom at the courtyard in front of the Epitropikon.

2. On the Day of the Feast

On Saturday morning, according to the order of the Brotherhood, Matins began at 6:30 a.m. while H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos descended at 8:00 a.m. Once dressed in His cloak, He prayed to receive the blessing and began officiating the Divine Liturgy, according to the order of the Brotherhood, with co-officiating the Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and the Typikon Keeper, Hagiotaphite Archbishops, at the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos. Singing on the right was the choir leader of the Church Archimadrite Eusevios and on the left Archimandrite Demetrios, while many pilgrims from Jerusalem, Greece, Cyprus, Russia and Romania participated in contrite prayer.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude with the dressed Priests, followed by the other Hagiotaphite Fathers went to the Patriarchate in a Procession at the singing of the choir; at the entrance on the Holy Monastery everybody received a small loaf of bread as a blessing for the feast.

At the Patriarchate His Beatitude gave the following address:

 “With the oil of gladness Thou, O Christ, in a most marvelous way didst anoint Thy communicants, Constantine and Helen who, hating every deceit and lie, yearned for Thy beauty; and Thou didst freely grant Thy promised Kingdom of Heaven unto them who at Thine own behest first had ruled on earth in godly piety and in true religion” – the hymn writer of the church proclaims.

Your Excellency Consul General of Greece Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos,

Reverend Fathers and Brothers,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

Our Holy Church, and thus the Church of Jerusalem, rejoices mystically today on the festal memory of its great owners and renovators of the magnificent Churches at the All-holy Shrines on the one hand; and on the other hand it rejoices for the inauguration of the worldwide modern Greece by the glorious and crowned by God and equal to the Apostles great King and Queen, Saints Constantine and Helen.

These holy King and Queen and equal to the Apostles, “not from man did great Constantine with his blest mother Helen receive the royal sovereignty, but by God’s grace from Heaven”, as their hymn writer vigorously formulates, saying: “Having seen the image of Thy Cross in Heaven, and like Paul, having received the call not from men, Thine apostle among kings entrusted the commonwealth to Thy hand, o Lord. Keep us always in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only Friend of man”.

Our venerable Hagiotaphite Brotherhood has rewarded glory to the Holy Trinitarian God by celebrating the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in the homonymous to the Saints King and Queen Monastic Church on their annual sacred memory.  And this is because these King and Queen who have dwelled among the saints, have been the God-inspired founders of the primary Order of the Great Ones, namely the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood in the Holy Land, at the place of the Passion on the Cross, the three-day burial and Resurrection of our Saviour Christ. “For it is right to exhilarate the most wondrous place of the earth according to its worthiness”, Constantine the Great wrote in his Letter to Makarios Archbishop of the Church of Jerusalem, about the building of the “Martyrio” [the Holy Sepulchre](Eusevios: History of the Church, Constantine’s life. Book 3, ch.33).

“In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them” (Psalm 15:3) prophet David chants. Indeed the Lord made Saints Constantine and his mother Helen worthy of admiration over time and worldwide, because the living witness of our Lord Jesus Christ as well as the presence of the Christians in the Holy Land are owed to them, despite the civil wars and the terrorist acts in the tested Middle East region.

Therefore we on our part who live and serve in this Holy Land exclaim with the hymn writer and say: “Rejoice, O great and all-wise Constantine, thou fount of Orthodox Faith, that dost water continually all the lands beneath the sun with thy sweet and delightful streams. Rejoice, O root from which there sprouted forth the fruit that nourisheth Christ’s most holy Church. Rejoice, thou most glorious boast the fame of all the farthest ends of earth, first of Christian kings. Rejoice, thou joy of faithful men”. Amen. Many happy returns.”

At the end of the address His Beatitude blessed the congregation.

At noon, there was a festal monastic meal.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/62DZzARE4KE

httpv://youtu.be/TPauas3nVEc

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