On Thursday 3rd/16th February 2017, the memory of St. Symeon the God-receiver was celebrated by the Patriarchate, at the Monastery dedicated to him where his tomb is preserved, on the west side of New Jerusalem.

This feast is observed one day after the Dominical Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, and the Church commemorates the fact that St. Symeon received the Lord when He was presented at the Temple of Solomon, brought by His parents at his fortieth day of age with a pair of turtle doves and two doves. This was done according to the Law of Moses, in order for the infant to be sanctified, but it turned out that the One who came to be sanctified, was actually the One who offered sanctification to Simeon and to the Temple (Luke 2:29-33).

This event was celebrated on the above mentioned Holy Monastery with Vespers in the evening which was led by Archimandrite Ananias, and the Divine Liturgy in the morning, officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Geronda Secretary-General Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Methodios of Tabor, and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, among whom the Draguman Archimandrite Matthew, the Hegoumen of St. George in Al Khader Archimandrite Ananias, the Hegoumen of Fhes in Jordan Archimandrite Ieronymos, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of the Shepherds-Beit Sahour Archimandrite Ignatios, the Supervisor of the Russian Envoy in Jerusalem (Missia) Archimandrite Alexander, other Priests of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Priest of the Shrine of the Annunciation in Nazareth Fr. Simeon, Archdeacon Mark, and Deacon Anastasios, at the singing of the left choir singer of the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection Mr. George Alvanos, and the participation of the noble congregation, members of the Greek Community, Arab-speaking Orthodox and pilgrims from Greece, Russia, and Romania.

To the noble congregation His Beatitude gave the following Sermon:

“Let the gate of heaven be opened today, for the unoriginated Word of the Father has made a beginning in time without forsaking His divinity. As a Babe forty days old, of His own will He is brought by the Virgin His Mother, as an offering in the Temple of the Law. The Elder receives Him in his arms, crying as a servant to his Master: “Let me depart, or mine eyes have seen Thy salvation”. Glory to thee, O Lord, for Thou hast come into the world to save mankind”, the hymn writer of the Church proclaims.

Beloved brothers in Christ,

Noble Pilgrims,

Today the Holy, for us Orthodox, Church honours and felicitates the incomprehensible to men sacrament of God the Logos’ condescension and his kenosis to the point of Incarnation, in the face of the Righteous Saint Simeon the God-receiver, whose holy tomb is preserved in this Church and Monastery which are named after him, where we Orthodox are gathered to celebrate in thanksgiving the event of Divine philanthropy.

This fact is the entrance of the child Jesus and his presentation by his parents in the Temple of Solomon, together with his receiving by Righteous Simeon and Prophetess Anna, according to Luke the Evangelist: “ And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon… 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 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: 22-39).

Our Lord Jesus Christ – as the hymn writer says – “having come forth” from “the undefiled Mother”, meaning the Ever-Virgin Theotokos Mary, was presented “in the Temple of his glory as an infant in arms”, held by the Elder and Righteous Simeon. Saint John of Damascus says, “Being God indeed, he becomes man…and is held as an infant in human arms”. “This Christ”, St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “is the one who created us according to the likeness of God, and now he has become human according to our likeness”.

This Incarnate God the Logos is the “Salvation” of “God the Father” for the salvation of the people, meaning the same Christ “Whom the eyes of Elder Simeon have seen”, as the hymn writer of the Church exclaims: “The Elder, having seen with his eyes the salvation that was to come to the peoples, cried aloud unto Thee: O Christ that comest from God, Thou art my God”, and in other words, Lord, when the Elder Simeon saw with his own eyes the Saviour who came for all nations, he called unto you with a loud voice: Christ, You are my God who has been begotten by God the Father. “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God”, Prophet Isaiah says (Luke 3:6, Isaiah 40:5).

In other words, my dear ones, “the salvation of God”, means that Christ is being offered to all people, and especially to those who have the desire and the good will to know and receive Him in their spiritual arms. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:46-47).

“The salvation of God”, the incarnate God the Logos, Christ, is the living God, whom the Elder Simeon saw with his natural eyes as a perfect man, while with his spiritual eyes, he saw Him as true and uncreated light, meaning his divinity, as the hymn writer Monk Cosmas wrote: as the Elder bend over to touch him, he exclaimed to the Ever-Virgin Mary, Thou Most Pure are holding fire, and I marvel how to hold God in my arms, Who reigns over uncreated light and peace.

The God-inspired Prophetess Anna also became partaker and communicant of the experience and witness of St. Simeon; “she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:37). And having seen the child, she thanked and glorified God, “she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

This “salvation” that “hath visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68), with his sacred blood, our Lord Jesus Christ, is noted by St. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews saying: “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come…neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:10-12). “Christ entered into the holy place”, meaning into “the heavenly Holy of Holies”, the Fathers of the Church say, expounding on St. Paul’s words: “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:13-14).

 St. Simeon also worshiped this “living God”. Prophetess Anna was speaking of this “living God”. This living God, the God-Man Christ, the one who “is set for the fall and rising of many” (Luke 2:34), calls us to meet him not according to the law, but in the Holy Spirit.

Let us all my brothers today and forever exclaim together with our Father among the Saints Cyril of Jerusalem the words of the feast. Let us dance with the angels. Let us be enlightened with the shepherds. Let us worship with the Wise Men. Let us celebrate with Bethlehem. Let us rejoice magnifying with the Ever-Virgin Mary. Let us offer with Joseph two turtle doves, the soul and the body. Let us embrace with Simeon, and confess with the Prophetess Anna, that we may receive in us the eternal gifts, by the grace and the mercy and the philanthropy of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom glory and power together with the Father and the Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

For the Sermon in Arabic please follow the link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/02/15/27821

After the Divine Liturgy the renovator of the Monastery for the last thirty years, Elder and at present recovering from illness, Hegoumen Archimandrite Theodoritos, received the Patriarchal Entourage and the congregation at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

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On Wednesday 2nd/15th February 2017, the feast of Hypapante (Meeting) of the Lord was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the Nunnery of Saida Naya, which is a stone’s throw away on the North side of the Church of the Resurrection, opposite Hanke Mosque and next to the Monastery of our Father among the Saints Euthymios.

At this feast, the Church commemorates the circumstance that our Lord Jesus Christ, obeying the Law of Moses, which he came not to destroy but to fulfill (Mat. 5:14-19), he was brought to the Temple of Solomon by his parents, at his fortieth day of age, when the righteous Simeon held him in his arms, and saw the fullfilment of the prophesy that he would not face death before he would have seen the Christ of the Lord. At that instant he exclaimed: “Lord, now letttest 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 2:29-33).

This Dominical Feast, which has been praised by the various hymn writers of the Church with Katavasiae, and many hymns, was celebrated at the above mentioned Holy Church in the evening with Vespers and on the morning of the feast with the Divine Liturgy, both led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with concelebrants the Archimandrites Ignatios, Makarios and Stephen the delegate of the Holy Sepulchre in Russia, at the singing of the left choir singer of the Church of the Resurrection Mr. George Alvanos in Greek, and Mr. Rimon in Arabic, and the presence of a big crowd of praying faithful, locals, Greeks, Russians and Romanians, all different nationalities united in one Orthodox faith.

During the Divine Liturgy H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came to venerate.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the renovator of the Monastery Abbess Seraphima offered a reception to the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

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On Monday, 31st January / 13th February 2017, the feast of the Three Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom was celebrated at the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity inside the Patriarchal School on the hill of Holy Zion.

The common memory of the three Hierarchs was established by the Church in the 11th century, in order to solve the dispute among the faithful as to who of the three Hierarchs is the greatest. It has been established as a School feast, due to the contribution of the three Hierarchs in promoting the Greek education.

The ecclesiastic and school feast was officiated in the morning for Matins and the Divine Liturgy by the Most Reverend Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis Elder Sacristan and Chairman of the School Board, with concelebrants the Dragouman Archimandrite Matthew, Archimandrite Porfyrios and Hieromonk Euphrosynos, at the singing of the School students with the choir singer of the Church of the Resurrection Mr. George Alvanos.

At the Koinonikon of the D. Liturgy, the teacher Hieromonk Euphrosynos gave the festal Sermon.

After dismissal, the Director of the School offered a reception to the Episcopal Entourage, the teachers and the congregation at the School Hall.

From Secretariat-General

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On Friday 28th January / 10th February 2017, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos led the Festal Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of St. George, located in the village of the 10 Lepers, north of Neapolis at the Samaria region.

This Holy Church is built inside a cave, where the lepers who were healed by the Lord lived, and of whom one returned to thank the Lord (Luke 17: 12-19).

Upon arrival at the village, His Beatitude was warmly received by the Scouts, who escorted Him at the Holy Church of the Shrine of St. George.

Therein, He was received by the Priests who were dressed in their liturgical vestments and the caretaker of the Monastery, Hagiotaphite Monk Vissarion. Having put on His cloak, H.B. led Matins followed by the Divine Liturgy, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Geronda Secretary-General Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archimandrite Stephen Legate of the Holy Sepulchre in Moscow, Archimandrite Ignatios Hegoumen of the Shrine of the Shepherds, Archimandrite Chrysostom Hegoumen of the Shrine of Cana, Archimandrite Ioustinos Hegoumen of the Shrine of Jacob’s Well, Archimandrite Leontios Hegoumen at Rafidia, Fr. Georgios Tzifna, Fr. Nasser, Fr. Andrew, Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Anastasios, at the singing of Archimandrite Leontios in Greek and Arabic on the right, and members of the parish on the left, and the praying members of the parish of this village.

To this small congregation His Beatitude gave the following Sermon:

“And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”, Luke the Evangelist mentions (Luke 17: 12-19).

Beloved Brothers in Christ,

Noble Christians and beloved children,

God’s infinite mercy gathered us all in this holy hagiographic place and shrine of the healing and cleansing of the ten leper men by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in order to thank and glorify His Holy Name in celebration and worship through the Divine Liturgy. In addition, in order to honour the great and God-anointed King and Queen and equal to the Apostles, Constantine and Helen, who highlighted this shrine by erecting a magnificent Church and Holy Monastery, which have been preserved throughout the centuries by the venerable Patriarchate Rum Orthodox, and the Order of the Monks of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.

The enduring presence of a small congregation, meaning the Christian community, here, is an irrefutable witness of the mission of the Church of Jerusalem, that is the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which is no other than the evangelizing of the infinite mercy and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to St. Luke the Evangelist, Jesus Christ was on his way to Jerusalem through Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a certain town – the one named Bourkin – ten leper men met him, who stood afar off and with loud voices they said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us (Luke 17:11-13).

Leprosy and its symptoms are described in the Old Testament in the book of Leviticus (13:1, 14:57). The sufferers of this illness were considered unclean by the Mosaic Law because they were highly contagious, that is why they were placed in quarantine by the rest of the people. This is confirmed by the fact that the ten lepers “stood afar off, and they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. This also shows that just as the other people abhorred the lepers for their impurity, Jesus also would abhor them. But it is exactly at this point where the great mercy and the infinite philanthropy of our God and Saviour Jesus are revealed, “Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), according to St. Paul. And again according to St. Paul, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (Eph. 2:4-5).

The condition of the ten lepers, my beloved, before and after their healing by Christ shows two things: On the one hand the emptiness of the man who lives away from God and without faith. On the other hand, the fullness of the man in God, who approaches in the faith of our God and Saviour, Christ. And while emptiness bears sorrow and despair, meaning hopelessness, the state of fullness, on the contrary, bears gladness and gleefulness, meaning, hope, in the hearts of the people.

The illness of leprosy in this situation means the state of sin and its results. And we say this because sin reveals itself as an illness in both soul and body. This very psychosomatic illness is promoted by our contemporary society through “globalization”. And “Globalization” is the term that aims to the isolation and alienation of man from the source of life, light and salvation, our Lord and God the Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as His Holy Church, which “Christ loved…and gave himself for it…That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).

The great therefore mystery of the Church becomes comprehensive through faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight”, the wise St. Paul proclaims (2 Cor. 5:7). This means that we spend our present life by faith, without seeing face to face our Lord Jesus Christ as the ten lepers saw him, especially as “the stranger who returned to give glory to God” (Luke 17:18). “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:19). Let us note that the faith of this stranger, meaning the Samaritan leper, is inseparable to his gratitude and thanksgiving to Christ for the healing that he received by Him.

In other words, the leper who gratefully thanked Christ sustained the bond with his benefactor, while the remaining nine lepers, due to their ingratitude and thanklessness, broke their bond with Christ. Because of this, St. Paul and his associates returned to the towns where he had preached the gospel of Christ, in order to support the faith of his disciples, according to St. Luke who says: “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22).

Precisely this, my dear brothers, is done by the Holy, for us Orthodox, Church, through the liturgical and worshipping cycle of the readings of the Scriptures in general, and the Gospel in particular. According to them, for example, we are going through the week of the Publican and the Pharisee, that is, the first week of the liturgical book of the contrite Triodion, which prepares us for the bright and salvific feast of Easter.

Today’s festal memory of the healing of the ten lepers calls us through the words of St. Paul to examine ourselves, in order to know, that if we keep our faith alive, Christ is in our midst. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (2 Cor. 13:5).

Let us implore Theotokos the Mother of our God, the Most Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary, so that together with Saints Ephraim the Syrian and Palladios of Helenoupolis, entreat our Lord and God the Father, to have mercy on our souls, and grant peace to the world and our tested region. Amen. May you have a good preparation for the scope of the Great Lent.”

For the Sermon in Arabic please follow the link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/02/10/27714

After the Divine Liturgy the caretaker of the Monastery Monk Vissarion offered a meal to the Patriarchal Entourage and all the congregation.

From Secretariat-General

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On Thursday 20th January/2nd February 2017, the memory of St. Euthymios the Great was celebrated by the Patriarchate, at the monastery named in his honour, located next to the H.Monastery of Seyda Naya, at the north side of the Christian quarter near the Patriarchate.

According to the Synaxarion of the Church and also the biographer of the Palestinian Saints, Cyril of Skythopolis, St. Euthymios from Melitini of Armenia came to the Holy Land around 420 A.D. Having acquired the monastic training from his homeland and also being trained according to the Palestinian monasticism following the teaching of his predecessor ascetics Saints Hilarion and Chariton, he founded the Lavra at the Judea desert which spreads between Jerusalem and Jericho. There, he gathered a multitude of monks who were his own spiritual children and thousands of others who came from other monasteries seeking spiritual guidance. At the Lavra he received mainly the advanced in ascesis monks, who had previously been trained at a Coenobion, and he was treated by all with respect and trust, due to his pious and strict ascetic life, his enlightenment by the Holy Spirit and the miracles that God deigned him to work.

St. Euthymios became St. Savvas’ spiritual guide in the monastic life, in cooperation with his co-ascetic St. Theoctistos, who was in charge of the Coenobitic Monastery, to which St. Savvas was sent by St. Euthymios due to his young age. St. Euthymios baptized the members of an envoy from Persia and recommended Peter to become Patriarch of Jerusalem.

St. Euthymios – prior to St. Savvas and St. Theoctistos – was a strong defender of the Doctrine of the 4^th Ecumenical Synod in Chalcedon in 451 A.D., that is, the co-existence of the two natures of Christ, both divine and human. To this salvific truth he restored the Byzantine Empress Eudocia, who had fallen in the fallacy of Monofisitism.

This historic Lavra of St. Euthymios, which significantly contributed to the cultivation of the Lavra-style monasticism and supported the Church, suffered the decaying of time and the war results since 638 A.D. and has now become a tourist attraction as an archaeological site. The tomb of the Saint is found there, discovered in the 1929 excavations and in the recent time of the Israeli archaeological society.

Vespers and the Divine Liturgy were led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis at the Holy Monastery of St. Euthymios and not in the former Lavra, with concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Hierodeacons, at the singing of the left choir singer of the Most Holy Church of the Resurrection Mr. Alvanos, the Legate of Athens Archimandrite Damianos and sister Mariam, with the large praying congregation of the Greek Community in Jerusalem, monks, nuns and noble pilgrims.

During the D. Liturgy, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came with Hagiotaphite Fathers to venerate.

After the D. Liturgy, the good keeper and dealer of the matters concerning the Monastery, Abbess Christonymphi gave a reception to the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation at the hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

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On Monday 17th/30th January 2017, the memory of our Father among the Saints Antony the Great was celebrated by the Patriarchate at his chapel, which is in the Holy Church of the H. Monastery of St. Nikolaos, north-west of the Patriarchate.

Matins and the D. Liturgy on the day of the feast were celebrated by Dean Fr. Nikitas, at the singing of nuns of the Patriarchate.

After the D. Liturgy the congregation was offered a reception.

From Secretariat-General

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On Sunday, 16th/29th January 2017, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos led the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Monastery of St. George, named Beitjala, in the village Al Khader between Bethlehem and Hebron.

This Holy Monastery has been in the centre of the village with the name Al Khader, since the middle ages, and is completely inhabited by Muslims who respect the Monastery and its surrounding land, which has not been obtained by any Christian.

In this Holy Monastery, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos led the D. Liturgy on the morning of the above mentioned day, with concelebrants the M. Rev. Archbishops Aristarchos of Constantina and Theophylactos of Jordan, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks with preceding the Reverend Archimandrite Ignatios, Hegoumen of the H.Monastery of the Shepherds, the Hegoumen of the H. Monastery of St. George in Al Khader Archimandrite Ananias, Archimandrite Mattheos, Arab-speaking Presbyters, Archdeacon Mark and Deacon Anastasios, and many praying faithful Orthodox, who formed a choir singing in Arabic, from the neighbouring towns, that is, Bethlehem and Beit Jala.

His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos preached the Divine Word to this congregation as follows:

“ It was not flesh and blood that inspired thee Peter, but God the Father, to theologize Christ, Son of the Living God, that is why He proclaimed thee blessed, and called thee Peter as a steadfast stone and foundation of the Church” the hymn writer of the Church exclaims.

Beloved Brothers in Christ,

Noble Christians,

Today our Holy Church celebrates the memory of the glorious Saint Apostle Peter, whom “… when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (Acts 12:4-7,11) as referenced by St. Luke the Evangelist.

Apostle Peter is distinguished among the Apostles because at Christ’s question to his disciples “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered saying “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mat. 16:15-17).

Commenting on these words of the Lord, St. Chrysostom says that “he confessed Him to be the genuine Son”, meaning, “by nature and especially he understood Him to be the Son of God”, while those before him simply “confessed Him Son of God, having understood Him by virtue, just like the rest of the Saints” Zigavinos says. That is why the hymn writer exclaims: “It was not flesh and blood that inspired thee Peter, but God the Father, to theologize Christ, Son of the Living God”.

Moreover, in the Lord’s words: “And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mat. 16:18), the reputable Church Fathers say: “we say just as Peter did. You are the Christ, Son of the Living God, we shall become Peter if God the Logos would say unto us, Thou art Peter. Every single imitator of Christ is a rock… and upon each and every one of these rocks, every word of the Church is founded together with a manner of living according to it. In addition, the God-founded Church is in each of the perfected ones (the deified) who sum up the total of those who complete the blessing of words, actions and meanings.”

In other words my beloved ones, Apostle Peter is called first of the Apostles, because he was the first of them who confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This means that Peter was distinguished as far as the confession of faith is concerned, and not according to the gift of the Holy Spirit, of which gift all of the Apostles were filled on the day of Pentecost, and by the Holy Spirit “they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). This is precisely the meaning of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, that Christ is the head of the Church, meaning of His body, as St. Paul preaches “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:17-18).

These words of St. Paul become comprehensive to each one of us, only when we actively and regularly participate in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church, and especially the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which is the steadfast foundation of the visible to the world structure of the Church, meaning the visible organization of the Church.

As such an ordinance, the Church , meaning divine and human, visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly, is the space and place, or phrased better, the house, where the salvation of man takes place, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself said when he entered the house of the Publican and wealthy Zacchaeus in Jericho. “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:8-10).

In other words, my dear ones, whoever wants to see who Jesus is (Luke 19:3), he climbs down the tree of sin, just like Zacchaeus of today’s Gospel citation, and welcomes Christ, the Son of God in the house of his soul. “For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). The wealthy Publican Zacchaeus is propounded by the Evangelists as an example to imitate. And this is because Zacchaeus realized the priceless of his soul and for this he wanted to see Jesus. In fact, in Jesus Christ Zacchaeus came to know both the path of salvation and the immortality of the soul. This path of salvation is according to Apostle Peter “the way of truth” (2 Peter 2:2), meaning Christ who said: “I am the way” (John 14:6), “and whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4), “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

The Holy Church of Jerusalem shows this very way to salvation to all who seek it, through the preserved and to this day actively serviced Holy Shrines, monasteries and Churches, as also witnessed by this Holy Shrine, meaning the Holy Monastery of St. George the Triumphant in the Palestinian town of Al Khader, that is, of St. George.

Let us thank our Lord God and beseech the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, to intercede together with St. George for our souls and for peace and righteousness in our oppressed region of the Middle East. Amen.

And in Arabic, in the link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/01/29/27479#more-27479

After the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude inaugurated the renovated Hall of the Monastery which will be used for the needs of the congregation, to host the Sunday school and other events.

On this occasion, His Beatitude addressed the congregation as follows:

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men” (Titus 3:8).

Beloved Brothers,

We rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ, because we were found worthy by His grace and the intercession of St. George the Great Martyr, that we might with you be refreshed (Romans 15:32). The Sunday Divine Eucharistic Gathering, meaning the Divine Liturgy, is a witness of the mission of the Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The mission of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the preaching of the Gospel of love in Christ, peace and philanthropy, towards every man, without any national, religious or cultural discrimination.

This is exactly what St. Paul teaches addressing the heads of the Churches, “that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works” (Titus 3:8) and “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6).

The renovation of this Hall for the spiritual and communal service of the Church in general and the H. Monastery of St. George in particular, is a good and pious work. “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men” St. Paul says (Romans 14:18).

For this reason, St. Paul adds, let us pursue every single thing contributing to peace and to the spiritual benefit, progress and “things werewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19).

We consider it appropriate and a duty of ours to thank all who contributed for the completion of this work, especially though those who offered financial and material donations.

We also express our thanks to the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery Reverend Archimandrite Ananias, who preceded in the materialization of this initiative, taking into consideration the benefit of this shrine, our noble congregation as well as the residents of the Al Khader village.

Finally, we would like once again to repeat the mission of the Patriarchate, which aims for the preservation and the service of the Holy Shrines on the one hand, and the concern of the benefit of its Christian congregation on the other.

May our Lord God, by the prayers of the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, together with the intercession of St. George the Great Martyr, bless and establish this good work. Amen.

For the Arabic please follow the link:  https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2017/01/29/27481

At the end of this ceremony, the Hegoumen Archimandrite Ananias offered a reception and a meal.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/rlme7RlWK-A

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On Sunday 16th/29th January 2017, the memory of St. Peter’s sacred chain was celebrated by the Patriarchate at his prison where there is a Holy Monastery at present, named after St. Nicodemus or “The Lentil’s”, located east of the Praetorion which was the headquarters of each Roman Governor of Jerusalem, of Pilate’s at the time of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Herod Agripa’s the first, at the time of St. Paul’s preaching.

This same Herod had killed James the son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist, and in order to offer his services to the Jews, he imprisoned St. Peter, aiming also to kill him, however he was disappointed, because an angel of the Lord appeared at night, set free and helped St. Peter escape, by opening the gates of both the prison and the walls of the city for him; then St. Peter realised he was not having a vision but an angel of the Lord saved him from Herod’s intentions, and he went to Mark’s house which was used as a church, at the time when all the congregation was praying for his release, and a girl named Rode came to open the door at his intense knocking (Acts 12:1-17).

At the underground chapel of the Apostle’s prison, under the Church dedicated to St. Nicodemus, the Lord’s secret disciple, Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with concelebrants the Hegoumen of the H.Monastery Archimandrite Makarios, Archimandrite Meletios and other Hagiotaphite Fathers, at the singing and praying of monks, nuns, and members of the Church of Jerusalem.

After the D. Liturgy the Hegoumen Archimandrite Makarios offered a reception to the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation at the Hegoumeneion.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/fnjHgeJta1A

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On Tuesday 11th/24th January 2017, the Feast of St. Theodosios the Cenobiarch was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the Monastery founded by him and dedicated to him, which is located east of Bethlehem and Beit Sahour, at the desert of Judea, at an 8km distance from the Lavra of St. Savvas the Sanctified.

This monastery was founded by St. Theodosios when he came from Cappadocia, at the place of the cave which hosted the Wise Men when “they returned to their country following a different path” (Matt.2:11-12). It was a Cenobion where the novices were trained for years in order to be accepted at the Lavra. St. Theodosios was the leader of the Cenobitic life in Palestine, while St. Savvas the Sanctified led the monks living in Lavrae. The monastery worked with four Churches and seven hundred monks, who were led by St. Theodosios in the monastic life and the charity actions, due to its neighbouring position with the world, and the people who kept knocking on the doors asking for help. The monastery’s slogan was “Let no one lazy man enter herein”. With the work of the monks it sustained an old people’s home, an orphanage and a School, that is a School for monks. From this monastery came St. Modestos and St. Sophronios, Patriarchs of Jerusalem. St. Theodosios with his co-patriot from Cappadocia St. Savvas played a significant and decisive role in the fight against Monophysitism and the establishment of the doctrine of the two natures of Christ in one Hypostasis, the human and the divine, that is the doctrine of the 4^th Ecumenical Synod in Chalcedon. The Monastery thrived in monastic life until 638A.D. and ever since it has survived the insults and transitions of the history of the world.

In the beginning of the 20^th century the Cretan monks Leontios and Galaktion undertook the refurbishment of the Monastery of the constructive damages, while in the decade of 1960s, the Hagiotaphite Archbishop Bartholomew of Madaba, from Krini of Minor Asia, reconstructed the Church. His successor was the Hegoumen Archimandrite Iakinthos from Samos. At present, and for the last forty years, Hegoumen has been the Hagiotaphite Archimandrite Ierotheos from Crete, who has protected even by putting his own life in danger the surrounding territory of the monastery. He has recently reconstructed new wings of the Monastery, paved the Church with marble and completed the icon painting on the walls according to the Byzantine art.

In this historic Monastery, for the feast of St. Theodosios, Vespers was held in the evening led by the Most Reverend Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia. On the day of the feast, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came and was warmly received, and He led the Matins and the D.Liturgy, with concelebrants the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Most Reverend Archbishop Methodios of Thabor and the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, as well as the praying with them, Most Reverend Archbishop Theophylactos of Jordan and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, first of whom was the Hegoumen of the Monastery of the Shepherds Archimandrite Ignatios, at the singing of the choir leader of the Church of the Resurrection Archimandrite Aristovoulos on the right in Greek, Russian and Romanian, and the Beit Jala choir on the left in Arabic, by Mr. Ibrahim Moukarker, with the praying Arab-speaking people of the neighbouring towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour.

At the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos gave a Sermon to the congregation in Greek, and the translation is as follows:

“Brothers, remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith you follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:7-8).[Brothers, remember the holy example of your spiritual leaders and elders, who have taught you the word of God. You should recall and study Their holy and God-pleasing end of life and behaviour and imitate their faith, St. Paul preaches].

Beloved brothers in Christ,

Noble Christians and pilgrims,

The Sacred memory of our Father among the Saints Theodosios the Cenobiarch, rose like a star again this year in his Holy Monastery, meaning the place of his ascesis and burial, where we are gathered today, in order to thank and glorify our Saviour Jesus Christ, baptized by John in the river Jordan and made manifest in the flesh in the world on the one hand, and to festally honour the spiritual cultivator of the arid desert of Palestine on the other.

Our Father among the Saints Theodosios, imitating the faith of St. John the Baptist as well as that of the holy Apostles was highlighted “our Hegoumen, who spoke to us the word of God”, in words and in actions. This is witnessed by his works until the present time, that “Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever”.

St. Theodosios was proclaimed a teacher of the desert. And this is so, because while following the exhortations of the Bible, he did not neglect the schooling of the Lord through sorrows, which however brings spiritual benefits. Neither was he discouraged being controlled and tested by the Lord. “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth”, (Hebrews 12:5-6/ Acts 3:11-12) St. Paul says referencing to the Proverbs.

Clad in the sacred garment of the monastic and ascetic life, at his arrival at the Holy City of Jerusalem from the town Mogarissos of Cappadocia, he went to Antioch near Symeon the Great the Stylite, “near whom he was engaged with the works of virtuousness, as he was meant to become a shepherd of many logical souls” according to his Synaxaristis.

Indeed, our Father among the Saints was established a universal citizen of the desert of Palestine, the very desert which bore the greatest among the Prophets John the Baptist, it hosted in the cave of Bethlehem our God and Saviour Jesus Christ with His Mother, the Most-Blessed and Ever-Virgin Theotokos Mary, it gave the shepherds who remained in their fields, and watered with the spiritual drink (1^st Cor. 10:4) the multitude of our God-bearing Fathers among the Saints, such as Euthymios, Savvas, Georgios the Chosebite and the Patriarchs of Jerusalem who shone forth from his Cenobitic Monastery and were preeminent through their ascesis, Saints Sophronios and Modestos.

Our Father among the Saints Theodosios proved in himself that indeed the Only-Begotten Son and Logos of God became man and deified our human flesh that He took upon Him, as the hymn writer sings about him: that being a man in nature, he became co-citizen with the Angels, living as if having no flesh and despising all bodily needs. St. Theodosios achieved this by practising the Lord’s words: “I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Commenting on these words of the Lord, St. Theophylactos says: “He did not say that the light is in me, but that I am the light”, while St. Cyril of Alexandria notes “the Only-Begotten Son is light by nature, as from light of the by nature light God the Father”. This irreproachable light, meaning the Holy Spirit, is what Jesus saw descending in the form of a dove and staying on Him at his baptism by John in the river Jordan “And lo, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17).

Having become partaker of this divine and irreproachable light, that is of the Holy Spirit, St. Theodosios confessed and preached with all his strength the two perfect natures, both the divine and human of the incarnate Logos of God our Lord Jesus Christ, as his hymn writer says; the one that makes the world clean is baptized for me, becoming human while he is God;  the two natures of whom, blessed Theodosios proclaimed.

This sermon my beloved brothers, meaning the festal memory of our Father among the Saints Theodosios, in his famous Monastery, is not a memory of some historic event, but merely a communion of the born in Bethlehem and baptized in Jordan our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. For this St. Paul advices us by saying: “Those who have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ” (Gal.3:21). And again “ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

This new man, meaning Christ, who has given us humans incorruptibility and victory over death by His resurrection, we are called to put on, by the prayers of the Most-Blessed our Lady Theotokos Mary and by the supplications of the God-Bearer, our Father among the Saints Theodosios the Cenobiarch.

Let us also entreat St. Theodosios, as he has parresia towards Christ our God, to pray for the peace of our souls and our afflicted area. Many peaceful returns. Amen.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen Archimandrite Ierotheos offered His Beatitude and the congregation a festal meal.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/w64QNAn6E8o

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On Saturday 8th/21st January 2017, the following day after the Feast of Theophany, the memory of Saints Ioannis and Georgios the Chosebites was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the founded by them and dedicated to them Holy Monastery of Choseba, located at the banks of torrent Chorrath below the Sarantarion Mount and the city of Jericho.

Out of these two Saints, Ioannis was Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine in the 4th century, but he abandoned the pastoral care and became a monk in the Choseba Monastery, drawing a great number of monks there, while Georgios, of Cypriot origin, came to the monastery and renovated it from the damages, deterioration and destructions caused by the Persian raid in 614.

As evidenced by the history, before the time of these two Saints, four Anchorites lived in this monastery, named Promos, Zenon, Ganneos and Aian, and for those who remember, in the decade of 1950s the recently Canonized Romanian Saint Ioannis the New Chosebite lived there. Moreover, monks there were the memorable Hegoumen Archimandrite Amphilochios from Epirus, Archimandrite Antonios from Thessaloniki who was killed at the monastery while repairing the wall of the Narthex in the Church. His successor, also from Thessaloniki, Archimandrite Germanos was unjustly murdered by an irreverent man while he was driving back to the monastery. Archimandrite Gabriel was an ascetic at the cave of the steep cliff there, and at St. Anna’s Skete near the monastery a Cypriot monk and the icon painter and editor of the Gerondikon, monk Pavlos lived an ascetic life. At present monk, Blaze lives at the same place.

The stewardship of the monastery was appointed for some time by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos to the Hegoumen of the Monastery  of St. Gerasimos of Jordan, Archimandrite Chrysostomos, however in the last few years His Beatitude appointed as Hegoumen, Archimandrite Constantinos, who having joined the Brotherhood from the H. Archdiocese of Thebes and Livadia, manned the monastery with an entourage of Fathers and renovated the construction sites of the Church, the cells and other areas.

On the above mentioned day, His Beatitude was graciously received by the Hegoumen of the Monastery Archimandrite Constantinos with the following address in Greek:

“Your Beatitude Father and Patriarch,

With Your Reverend Entourage,

The Saints and Founders of this Holy Lavra, Ioannis and Georgios the Chosebites, as the holy hymn writer mentions, came to the desert of Judea, “in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” having renounced the world. By their ascetic life and catharsis against the passions they gave a strong blow to the devil; and they especially managed this in his stronghold, in the desert!

Indeed, every newly founded Monastery is a trophy victory against the devil, while its annual feast constitutes an attribution of honour to the winners (!) its Saints, who defeated the enemy of our faith, just like the Saints Ioannis and Georgios did! The Saints, who, whilst walking on this earth in present life, became citizens of heaven.

Friend of Saints, Father and Patriarch,

We are convinced that being present at the Divine Liturgy, every single day You pray for all of us the Hagiotaphite Brothers. Spiritually we feel Your Fatherly affection and experience the care of your Beatitude for the Venerable Patriarchate. With unblemished ethos, Your Beatitute you thrive, by maintaining, renovating, beautifying the Holy Shrines in all places belonging to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Prime examples of which are the maintenance projects – with the appropriate reverence and caution – at the Holy Edicule and at the Basilica that hosts the Nativity Cave in Bethlehem! You decorate the Most Holy Shrines just like Saint Modestos did, as the hymn writer writes for him.

As your Sons, we honour Your Beatitude’s

Presence, exclaiming

You are most welcome!”

Thereupon His Beatitude led the All-Night Vigil of the Feast and the Divine Liturgy, with concelebrants, Geronda Secretary-General Most Reverend  Arcbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, and the Hegoumen Archimandrite Constantinos and other Hagiotaphite Fathers, at the singing in Greek on the right of the Chosebite Fathers, Archimandrite Seraphim of the H. Monastery of Geromerion, and Fr. Georgios of the H. Archdiocese of Elia, and on the left in Arabic, the choir of Archimandrite Philotheos, the Patriarchal Commissioner in Acre. Present were also the praying faithful pilgrims from the neighbouring to Jericho areas and other towns, as well as pilgrims from Greece, Russia and Romania.

To this congregation His Beatitude gave a Sermon in Greek as follows:

“The Lord magnified His saints on earth, in all His will in them. Their infirmities were multiplied, and thereafter they were quickened.

The Lord made His Saints in Palestine worthy of admiration, and all His good will and pleasure is found in them. Many were the sorrows of these saints, soon afterwards though they were vanished, the Prophet David chants.

Beloved Brothers in Christ,

Noble pilgrims of the relics of Choseba,

Our Lord Jesus Christ, surrounded by the waters of the river Jordan, did not need the purification for himself by them, but on the contrary he bestowed our own rebirth through his action, He gathered us all in this hagiographic and sanctified place, namely the Monastery of Choseba, in order to thankfully and festively honour the memory of our Father among the Saints Georgios the Chosebite.

Our Saint Georgios, having received the same name as the Great Martyr Saint Georgios the Triumphant, and of course having become an earnest imitator of Christ our God, who died in the flesh for our sakes, he strove to die and to be crucified together with Him, through apathy, and having reached the outmost apathy, he was granted the fullness of the Holy Spirit as the Synaxaristis writes for him.

In other words, our Saint Georgios was a featured martyr of his strict ascetic struggle, as St. Chrysostom teaches by saying: “The exercise of devoutness is martyrdom”. And according to Prophet David “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies (Psalm 25:10).

Our Father in Saints Georgios looked for a spiritual arena and found as the most suitable place the area surrounding the river Jordan, where John, Zacharias’ son was, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Lk 3:2-3), and Jesus, coming from Nazareth of Galilee was baptized by John in the river Jordan (Mark 1:9).

We say this, because the Monastery of Choseba, located within the borders of the Jordan area, became the baptismal site of Christ in the Holy Spirit, where a multitude of ascetics and monks were baptized in Christ and put on Christ, according to the words of St. Paul “Those of you who have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), and in another verse, “and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephes.4:24).

St. Paul, who believed in Christ when “suddenly there shined around him a light from heaven” (Acts 9:3), was clad in the Light of Christ as in a garment, meaning the very same Christ, Who is the light of the world “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12), says the Lord, and elsewhere, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46), and “he that doeth truth, cometh to the light” (John 3:21).

In this unapproachable light, that glowed in the form of a dove on Jesus baptized by John in the river Jordan, our Father among the Saints Georgios was clad, who has invited us together with his fellow ascetics Ioannis and Ioannis the New Chosebite in this Eucharistic gathering, in order to glorify and together with the hymn writer bless our Holy Trinitarian God saying: “ the illuminating and lighting the people, Jesus the self-generated light, being baptized in the river Jordan, Thou shone a light consubstantial to the Father, in which all creation enlightened cries to Thee, blessed is the God made manifest to us, glory to Thee”.

Our Holy Church preaches this self-generated light, the Holy Trinitarian God and evangelizes God Logos, our Saviour Jesus Christ to the world. This self-generated light is being witnessed in words and actions, in practise and theory, by the Saints of our Church, meaning the friends of Christ, who being made of clay put on the image of the Heavenly One (1^st Cor. 15:49) meaning the incorruptibility and resurrection of Christ. This fact is witnessed by the relics of the saints. This is also witnessed by the incorruptible and fragrant complete relic of the body of the Romanian St. Ioannis the New Chosebite, who was a spiritual student of our Father among the Saints Georgios. This is witnessed by the faith of us Christians, in the unspeakable mystery of the incarnation of God the Logos, our Saviour Christ, who was begotten by the pure blood of the ever Virgin Mary, born in the cave of Bethlehem, and baptized by John in the waters of the river Jordan.

Let us therefore my beloved brothers, purify perceptibly our senses and entreat our Holy Father Georgios by saying “to all those who honour you, grant enlightenment and communion with God”. Amen.

After the D. Liturgy, His Beatitude performed a Memorial Service at the graves of the three former Hegoumens of the Monastery, Archimandrites Amphilochios, Antonios and Germanos.

After the Dismissal, very early in the morning, the Hegoumen Arch. Constantinos offered a meal to His Beatitude and the congregation.

From Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Q_Z6D8zhIhk

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