On Holy and Great Wednesday morning, 30th March/12th April 2017, the last Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts of the Holy Week was celebrated at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with the participation of Hagiotaphite Fathers and several newly arrived pilgrims.

The last Pre-Sanctified Liturgy was also celebrated according to the rules of Worship at the Horrendous Golgotha, led by Elder Sacristan Most Reverend Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, with the participation in prayer of many pilgrims.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/EIAVV7H58s8

httpv://youtu.be/vVLz1ZkUeM8

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On Holy and Great Wednesday evening, 30th March/11th April 2017, the Sacrament of the Holy Unction was observed at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with concelebrants Hagiotaphite Archbishops, as our preparation for our participation in the Cross and Resurrection of the Lord.

After the Patriarchal and Episcopal Service, the Hagiotaphite Fathers, nuns and pilgrims were anointed by His Beatitude and the Archbishops.

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

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On Holy and Great Tuesday morning, 29th March/11th April 2017, the pilgrims’ baptism took place as a seal of their pilgrimage theory, at the bank of the river Jordan, at the place where our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Pilgrims were from Greece and other Orthodox countries.

The service was led by the Patriarchal Commissioner Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with the participation of approximately 700 pilgrims.

From Secretariat-General

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On Palm Sunday evening, 27th March/9th April 2017, the 1st Service of the Bridegroom of the Holy Week was observed at the Catholicon of the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection.

The Service was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, who also spoke to the noble congregation of pilgrims, underlining that the Incarnate and up to the point of death participant in our nature except sin, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Bridegroom (Nymphios) of our souls, who loves our souls and saves them by His grace, if we on our part prepare and beautify ourselves in order to receive Him, so that He will make His abode in us.

The above mentioned Service was broadcast live by the radio and tv stations of Jerusalem Patriarchate and the social media websites.

From Secretariat-General
https://www.facebook.com/JerusalemPatriarchate/videos/10155662150969796/

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On Sunday 27th March/9th  April 2017, the feast of Palm Sunday was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection.

On this Sunday, the Church commemorates the event of the Lord’s triumphant entrance in Jerusalem, a little while before His passion, when the children of the Jews welcomed Him crying aloud “Hossana to the Son of David” putting their garments and palm branches on the street for Him to pass.

The memory of this event was celebrated:

1. In the evening

On Saturday evening, at 13:45 the 9^th Hour was read at the Monastic Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen. The descend to the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection followed. Upon arrival, there was the welcoming and the veneration at the Holy Deposition and the Holy Sepulchre.

Then Vespers began in the Catholicon, led by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, who gave the blessing, while the deacons performed the incense procedure around the Shrines and bells tolling the Archbishops venerated the Horrendous Golgotha.

Consequently Vespers continued with the Great Entrance and the blessing of bread.

Upon Vespers dismissal the Patriarchal entourage returned to the Patriarchate.

2. On the day of the feast

On Sunday morning at 8:00 am, the Patriarchal entourage started the descend to the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection. Upon arrival, the entrance in the Catholicon was via Golgotha.

After the prayers to receive the blessing, the Episcopal osculation and the putting on of the liturgical vestments, the Divine Liturgy began in the Catholicon, led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants a multitude of Archbishops and Priests, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, among whom first in order was Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, and Archdeacon Marc and other deacons, at the singing of the Choir Leader Archimandrite Aristovoulos on the right and Mr. George Alvanos on the left, in the contrite participation of a large crowd of noble pilgrims from many Orthodox Churches.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession three times around the Holy Edicule and then around the Shrines, while everybody was holding palm branches singing the festal apolytikion on resurrection.

At the end of the procession and the reading of the gospel narrative, the Patriarchal entourage returned to the Patriarchate. Many pilgrims followed them there and received the blessing by His Beatitude.

From Secretariat-General
httpv://youtu.be/j-Pyosesu2Y

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On Lazarus Saturday evening, 26th March/8th April 2017, the Palm tree branches procession took place from Bethsfagi the south top of the Mount of Olives, blessed by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, and then led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, in memory of the triumphant entrance of our Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Jerusalem, “when the children of the Jews cried aloud to him Hosanna and welcomed Him with the palm tree branches”.

The large crowd of people who participated in this procession went down from Bethsfagi through the valley of Gethsemane and was dismissed upon arrival at the Holy Monastery of St. Anna, inside the city walls through the Gate of St. Stephen.

From Secretariat-General
httpv://youtu.be/mbmfLK6e0wU
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On Saturday,26th March/8th April 2017, the rising of Lazarus by our Lord Jesus Christ was celebrated by the Patriarchate in Bethany. On this feast, according to the narrative of John the Evangelist, the Church commemorates the following event; Lazarus from Bethany, which is nearby Jerusalem, was a friend of Christ, and having become seriously ill, he died. Having arrived at his tomb, the Lord in His divine-human power resurrected Lazarus who had already been dead for four days, confirming thus to both His disciples and us our common Resurrection.

In memory of this event, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the day of the feast in the Holy Nunnery named after Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary, the place where the Lord began walking with Martha and Mary heading for the tomb.

The Divine Liturgy was led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, visiting Reverend Metropolitans of the Russian Church George of Nizni Novgorod and Alexander of Chlemitski in Ukraine, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, among whom the Priest of the Holy Monastery Archimandrite Epiphanios, and Hieromonks chanting, as well as the nuns of the Monastery amidst a fully crowded Church.

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

“O Christ, who art the Resurrection and the Life of man, standing by the tomb of Lazarus Thou hast confirmed our faith in Thy two natures, O forebearing Lord, proving that Thou wast born from the pure Virgin as both God and man. For as man Thou hast asked ‘Where is he buried?’ and as God by Thy life-giving command Thou hast raised him from the dead on the fourth day” the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble pilgrims,

Great and paradox is the miracle worked today at this holy place where our Lord Jesus Christ stood and Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary welcomed Him. This great miracle is the resurrection from the dead of the holy and righteous friend of Christ Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, and whose memory we festively celebrate. And this is so, because Lazarus became the salvific preamble of our rebirth, our general resurrection in Christ, as the hymn writer says: “Giving us before Thy Passion an assurance of the general resurrection, Thou hast raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, like the children, we also carry tokens of victory, and cry to Thee, the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord”.

Being with His disciples in Bethany, by the tomb of the buried Lazarus, whom He resurrected, eventhough he had been dead for four days, Christ proved that He is the resurrection and the life, as St. John the Evangelist witnesses: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).

Moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ proved that He is perfect God and perfect man. In other words, He certified His two hypostatic natures, the divine and the human. He certified His undertaking of the human flesh by the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit, which He deified, absolving it (the flesh) from the corruption of death, that is, the corruption of sin.

By Lazarus’ resurrection, it became known that Christ was the Son of God and God; and that he was resurrected, and there will be resurrection of the dead. For this reason the hymn writer proclaims: “Christ the joy of all, the truth, the light, the life, the resurrection of the world, in His love appeared to those on earth; and He became Himself the pattern of our resurrection, granting divine forgiveness unto all”.

It is precisely this joy of the resurrection, which our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the world, that we foretaste today, with our presence in Bethany, the town of Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary. The hymn writer says, “Today Bethany proclaims beforehand the Resurrection of Christ the Giver of Life, and it rejoices at the rising of Lazarus”. And Bethany also conveyed the message of the coming of the King of Glory in Jerusalem according to Prophet Zacharias who said: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

Of course, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Saviour Jesus Christ is the One who encouraged the children of Jerusalem to cry aloud “Hosanna in the highest, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Let us therefore my beloved brothers, prepare ourselves, so that just like the innocent children we mystically praise him with palm trees and branches and proclaim: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest. And together with the Hymn writer let us say: “By the prayers of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, grant us worthy too, to witness Your Cross and Passion O Lord, and the glorious, and queen of the days, Resurrection of Your philanthropy” Amen. Happy Easter!”

The dismissal of the Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession to Lazarus’ tomb, led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, where the gospel narrative according to St. John the Evangelist on Lazarus’ resurrection was read.

The Abbess of the Monastery Nun Eupraxia offered His Beatitude a reception and a meal to the Episcopal Entourage.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Mr502qYcjak

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On Saturday, 26th March/8th April 2017, Lazarus Saturday was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the south-east top of the Mount of Olives, in memory of the resurrection of Christ’s friend Lazarus, who was dead for four days.

The Lord resurrected Lazarus who was buried for four days, and escorted him from his tomb to his home town Bethany, sympathizing to the point of tears with our death, due to our fall, and thus confirming the common Resurrection of all people in His glorious second coming.

This event was celebrated at the above mentioned place by the Patriarchate according to the Typikon rules of worship, at the special place of the Byzantine Church ruins, for centuries occupied by the Ottomans, present Muslims, where they keep a Mosque.  

At the recently renovated Holy Altar and more recently vandalized and then sanctified by the prayer of the Holy Altar, Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Arab-speaking Priests of St. James the Brother of God Cathedral, and deacons, at the singing of Archimandrite Aristovoulos with the novices of the Patriarchal School on the right, and the choir of the St. James Cathedral under Mr. Rimon Kamar on the left, with the participation of faithful from Jerusalem and the pilgrims who have arrived for the Feast of Pascha from Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Cyprus.

 At the end of the Divine Liturgy at the Mount of Olives, many of the Priests and the pilgrims went to Bethany to participate to the feast there as well.

The good keeper of the Nunnery opposite the Ascension Shrine Monk Ahillios offered a reception to the Episcopal entourage and the pilgrims.

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

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On Friday, 25th March/7th April 2017, the feast of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos was celebrated in Nazareth.

At this feast, the Church commemorates that fact that in the last days, God fulfilled the long foretold mystery of the incarnation of His Only Begotten Son and Logos. To this cause, He sent Archangel Gabriel to a pure virgin in Nazareth and announced to her that by the power of the Holy Spirit, she was to conceive and bear in flesh the Saviour of the world.

When the virgin said “behold the maiden of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy word”, the incorporeal Logos took bodily form, and the One without flesh became incarnate. This even was celebrated by the Jerusalem Church at the place of its revelation, in Nazareth, at the Shrine where the spring is.

The outdoor Services of Matins and Divine Liturgy were led by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Most Reverend Archbishops Aristarchos of Constantina, Damascene of Joppa, Methodios of Tabor, the visiting Metropolitans Simeon and Alexandros from Moscow Patriarchate, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks Fr. Hilarion Hegoumen of Tabor, Fr. Chrysostom Hegoumen of Kana, Fr. Sophronios Hegoumen of Aylaboun, Fr. Philotheos Hegoumen of Acre, Arab speaking Priests, many Russian speaking Priests, the Priests of the Holy Shrine Fr. Evaggelos, Fr. Simeon, Fr. John, Fr. Sergios, Fr. Athanasios and Fr. Samuel. Singing was the Choir Leader of the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos with the newly organized by him choir and the choir of the Nazareth Shrine, in Greek, Arabic, Russian and Romanian, at the participation in contrition and piety of a large congregation from the locals in Nazareth and other towns of north Israel, and many pilgrims mainly from Russia but also from Romania, Serbia and Greece.

At the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude preached the divine word as follows:

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad” (Psalm 96:11), for “all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God”(Psalm 98:3).

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

The annunciation of the coming of the “saviour of God”, meaning the Word (Logos) of God from Virgin Mary, has brought us together from near and afar in this blessed place of our hagiographic town of Nazareth, in order to celebrate in doxology and thanksgiving the memory of this universal and world-saving event. And together with Archangel Gabriel let us say to the Virgin and Theotokos, Mother of God Mariam, “Rejoice, thou who are highly favored! The Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28), for Thou has given birth to the Saviour of our souls.

This great and paradox mystery was foretold by the great Prophet Isaiah saying “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This is the concealed mystery in all time, and today made known to us humans; that is, God’s Logos and God becomes the Son of the Virgin by the outmost condescension. “A pavilion full of light is prepared for Thee, O Master: the undefiled womb of the Child of God. Come down and enter it, taking pity on Thy creatures, whom the avenging spirit in his envy has attacked and holds in bondage. They have lost their former beauty, and await Thine descend for their salvation” the hymn writer exclaims.

Yes my beloved brothers, our humankind was enslaved and maliciously fought by its rival the devil. Of course this was due to the fact that the first man, the old Adam, misused his divine gift of “free will” and instead of obeying to the Will of his Creator, he obeyed his own will. Because of this, sin entered the world, meaning the corruption of death, and man lost his first divine glory, the immortality, he enjoyed being in communion with his Creator and God. “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people” St. Paul preaches. In other words, the death of sin came to humankind through the old Adam, while the salvation comes from the new Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ.

That is why the hymn writer of the church proclaims: “Rejoice, O modest one, recalling of Adam and deliverance of Eve, joy of the world and exceeding gladness of our race: for in thee all the fullness of the Godhead is come to dwell bodily, by the good pleasure of the eternal Father and with the co-operation of the Holy Spirit”.

This undeniable truth is also confessed and witnessed by St. John the Evangelist saying “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Interpreting these words, St. Cyril of Alexandria says: it is well said by St. John the Theologian that, He (the Word) made His dwelling among us, so that he identifies the two parts of this phrase, the first is the One who dwelled and the second the place of the dwelling, so that you will not think that he was extended in flesh, but on the contrary, he took upon himself his own body of flesh, from the temple of the holy Virgin. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Col. 2:9), as St. Paul says.

The incarnation of God the Logos through the pure blood of Virgin Mary and His dwelling (of God the Logos) in her temple, meaning her womb, made her Theotokos and Mother of God.

In other words Virgin Mary with the co-operation of the Holy Spirit participates in the mystery of Divine providence, meaning the salvation of man, on behalf of all humankind. For this reason we exclaim to her: “Rejoice tabernacle of God the Word, Rejoice Holy one, holier than the Holies”. “Rejoice Thou who are full of grace, the Lord is with Thee” (Luke 1:28). “Today things below are joined to things above. Adam is renewed, and Eve is set free from her ancient sorrow; and the tabernacle of our nature, which the Lord took upon himself, deifying the substance He assumed, is become the Temple of God” the hymn writer of the Church says.

Today there are also glad tidings for the ever-existing holy Church of Christ which has been revealed by Christ’s incarnate presence. And we say this because Theotokos’ annunciation also announced the revelation of the household of our God and Saviour Christ in the world. The household which according to St. Paul is “the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth”(1 Tim. 3:15). In other words, the Church is a pillar and steadfast foundation which holds the salvific truth.

The Holy Spirit which came to Virgin Mary, this very Spirit upholds and composes the institution of the Church. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace” (Gal. 5:22) among other things, St. Paul teaches.

These very fruits of the Holy Spirit, meaning, love, joy and peace, are the good tidings that the Holy Church of Christ brings to us in celebration and festivity today. This was moreover foretold by the prophets and thus by Prophet David saying: “In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound” (Psalm 72:7).

This incarnate peace and righteousness, meaning the Son and Logos of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the One that Virgin Mary conceived in her womb and gave birth to, and became thus the key to Christ’s Kingdom. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking” St. Paul says, “but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval” (Romans 14:17-18).

Let us therefore thank our Trinitarian God and say along with the hymn writer: “The Theotokos heard a voice she knew not, when the Archangel brought her the glad tidings of the Annunciation; and accepting his salutation with faith, she conceived Thee the pre-eternal God. Therefore in great rejoicing we also cry aloud to Thee: O God, who without change has taken flesh from her, grant peace unto the world and to our souls great mercy” Amen.”

After the Divine Liturgy there was a procession at the town’s main street, led by Scouts, with the participation of all the congregation. At the end of the procession Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth and the Community Council offered His Beatitude, His Entourage and many others a meal with fish as the main course at the refectory.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/eo_FatwL9NA

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On Friday, 25th March/7th April 2017, the feast of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Theotokos was celebrated in Gethsemane at her Tomb. The feast with Matins and the Divine Liturgy was led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, with concelebrants the Priests of the Sacred Shrine Archimandrites Meletios , Parthenios and Euphosynos and Deacon Anastasios, at the singing of the choir singers of the Shrine and with the participation of monks, nuns and pilgrims from the Community of Jerusalem.

After the Divine Liturgy the Hegoumen of the Holy Shrine Most Reverend Archbishop Dorotheos of Avila held a reception for the Episcopal entourage at the Hegoumeneion of the Shrine.

From Secretariat-General

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