On Friday, June 8/21, 2024, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received:

1-The Managing Director of the Patriarchal School of Holy Zion Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos with the teachers and the students who graduated in the current year.

His Beatitude spoke to them, analyzing the centuries-old religious, cultural and ecclesiastical work of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in which they are also called, if they have such a vocation and inclination, to assist in their timely entry into the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood.

2-The Director of the Red Cross Office in Ramallah, Mr Arnaud Meffre, who analyzed the humanitarian work carried out by this organization in Israel, Palestinian Authority and Gaza and the difficulties it encounters in its practice of this work after October 7, 2024.

From the General Secretariat

On Thursday, the 7th / 20th of June 2024, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received:

1 – Father Mark of the Austrian Hospice Foundation with ten volunteers from Austria.

In this group, His Beatitude analyzed the pastoral and cultural activity of the Patriarchate from the beginning of the first Church until AD 638, the time of Patriarch Sophronius of Jerusalem, until the present time in the context of the states of Israel, Jordan, Palestinian Authority and Qatar under each Patriarch of Jerusalem with his ecclesiastical jurisdiction recognized and all the privileges of the Patriarchate recognized over the ages.

2 – Then His Beatitude received the General Diplomatic Representative of the American Embassy in Israel for Palestinian Affairs, Mr George Noll with his colleague.

His Beatitude spoke about the work of our Patriarchate in the Palestinian Authority and in Gaza and about the inseparable relationship of the Old Testament with the New, completing and sealing the Old in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 – Then His Beatitude received Mr Ode Kawas, head of the Arabic-speaking Schools of the Patriarchate, for a discussion on the issues of these schools.

4 – The teacher Mrs Panayiotan Kafetji, and discussed directions for the teaching of the Greek language in the Arabic-speaking Community of the Patriarchate and in the Patriarchal School of Saint Dimitrios.

5 – Mr Dib Youssef with his wife, who translated into Arabic the work of the blessed professor Fr. Georgios Kapsanis, Hegoumen of the Monastery of Gregoriou in Mount Athos.

6 – The Head of the Community of Yaffo Fr Konstanti.

7 – The Abbot of the Monastery of Prophet Elisha in Jericho Archimandrite Parthenios, to invite Him to the Monastery’s celebration on the 14th of June.

8 – On the evening of this day, His Beatitude blessed, through His presence, the gathering of Orthodox Scouts in the ceremony hall of the Notre Dame Hotel in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, the Ambassador of Cyprus to the Palestinian Authority Mr Assos and the former Director of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Committee of the Palestinian Authority Mr Hana Amire.

This gathering was characterized as a “Leaders Inauguration Ceremony”, i.e. as a leader installation ceremony. In this, His Beatitude announced the establishment of the Local Council of Jerusalem and encouraged the activity of the Scouts, who strengthen the Christian presence in the Holy Land through their participation in the ceremonies of the Church, especially on Holy Saturday.

At this meeting, awards of excellence were awarded to distinguished Scouts for their participation in various humanitarian activities.

From the General Secretariat

On Friday, June 1/14, 2024, the following people visited His Beatitude:

1. The Cardinal Archbishop Matteo Maria Cardinal Zuppi, accompanied by a group of Roman Catholic believers, to ask for the blessing of the Holy Places and the Mother of the Churches in these difficult times of the war situation in the Holy Land.

His Beatitude received them and emphasized the difficult conditions under which the Churches of Jerusalem protect the Status Quo of the Holy Land and support the Christian entity in the Holy Land, which the European Union cannot support as it does not project the value of the Bible.

2. His Beatitude received the Priests of the Rame Community of Northern Israel, Fr George and Fr Elias.
3. The Priest of the Ambelin Community Fr Savva with a member of his Community.
4. In the afternoon, His Beatitude led the Funeral Service of the blessed attendant of Saint James Cathedral, Ibrahim Salfiti, who served this Holy Church for over fifty years.

From the General Secretariat

On Monday, May 28 / June 10, 2024, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the conservator of icons and books Mr Stavros Andreou and his collaborators from Russia, visited the area of ​​the house of blessed Patriarch Diodoros, which is being prepared for the creation of an Ecclesiastical Museum.

From the General Secretariat

On Wednesday, May 23 / June 5, 2024, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, and the Holy Sepulchre Fathers, received the diplomatic representative of Hungary in Ramallah, Mrs Rita Herencsár, upon her service there.

In the context of this meeting, an interesting discussion took place about the good relations between the Patriarchate and Hungary, about His Beatitude’s visits to Hungary and about Hungary’s practical support to the Christians of the Holy Land by providing scholarships to female students, as well as of the financial grants for the renovation of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the renovation of the Sacred Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre.

On the known practical interest in this matter, His Beatitude thanked Mrs Rita Herencsár and wished her good success in the continuation of the high diplomatic mission of the representation of her country.

From the General Secretariat

On Thursday the 17th / 30th of May 2024 H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received MrAlexander Gormatguk, an expert of the Foundation of Archangel Michael’s Institute in Russia, who, under the care of His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, preserved an icon of the Shrine of the Theotokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane.

On Friday the 18th / 31st of May 2024, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received:

1. The Metropolitan Epiphanios of Lydra, Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of Machaira in Cyprus, withr two of his priests and one layman. His Beatitude thanked His Eminence for his support to the Patriarchate.
2. The Archimandrite Father Artemios, Hegoumen of the Community of Haifa with the two Priests of the flock.
3. The Priest and the Commissioners of town Zdeide of Northern Israel.
4. The Archimandrite Parthenios, Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of Prophet Elisha in Jericho.

From Secretariat-General

On Monday, May 14 / 27, 2024, His Beatitude received a group of Russian-speaking believers under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate, under the Supervisor of the Holy Monastery of the First Apostles Peter and Paul of Capernaum, monk Irinarchos.

The Russian-speaking believers of Northern Israel are served for their religious needs in this Holy Monastery of the Patriarchate.

In this meeting, His Beatitude explained to the members of this group that they have the precious blessing of belonging to the Church of Jerusalem, which is the Mother of the Churches, as it was watered under the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ “it first received the remission of sins through the Resurrection”.

“In the Church of Jerusalem”, His Beatitude continued, “the saying of the Apostle Paul applies that ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, but you are all one in Christ Jesus'”( Col. 3:11).

The members of the Russian-speaking Community in Israel are spiritual children of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and at the same time politically belong to the State of Israel, owners of the Jewish Identity.

The State of Israel knows and recognizes their situation and helps them in their daily living conditions.

His Beatitude praised the work being done by Rev. Metropolitan of Nazareth Kyriakos, Rev. Archbishop of Madaba  Aristovoulos and the monk Irinarchos and blessed this group which left to venerate the Holy Sepulchre.

From Secretariat-General

On Thursday, May 10 / 23, 2024, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received:

1. Mr Ode Kawas, inspector of the Arabic Schools of the Patriarchate.
2. The ministering Priest of the Community of Yaffo Fr Konstanti.
3. A group of representatives of the Middle East Churches for Peace organization.
4. The director of the Schmidt German School in Jerusalem Mr Dietrich Bäumer with a group of teachers and students of the School. This meeting was held under the supervision of the German archaeologist Professor Dieter Vieweger, who carried out archaeological work on the hill of Holy Zion.

  From Secretariat-General

On Wednesday, May 9/22, 2024, His Beatitude received the Ambassador of Moldavia to Israel Mr Alexander Roitman.

From Secretariat-General

On Saturday, May 5/18, 2024, His Beatitude accepted:

1. A twenty-seven-member group of believers from the city of Pkea, (Biblical Pkeen) in Northern Israel under their priest Father Elias, who paid their respects and their festive Easter greetings.
2. A group of forty members from the nearby Nazareth parish of René under their priest Fr Samaan, so that they too could pay their respects and invite His Beatitude for their feast on the Sunday of the Paralytic man.
3. A thirty-member group of the Russian-speaking Community of the Patriarchate in the city of Beer Sheba in South Israel under the head of the Russian-speaking faithful of the Patriarchate His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos and the priest of the parish of Beer Sheva Father Alexander, who paid their respects and their festive greetings on the feast of Easter. They also sang paschal hymns in different languages ​​to the joy of His Beatitude and all the listeners.
4. Mrs Maria Zozonaki, who represents the European Public Law Organization, with Mr. Francesco Totaro, European Investment Bank Representative for the West Bank and Gaza, and Mr. Giorgio Pasqualucchi, Head of Finances, Contracts and Audit Section at EU Delegation, visited the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
5. A thirty-member group of believers from the city of Turan in Northern Israel under their priest Fr Nektarios Raja, to pay their respects on the Easter holiday.

From Secretariat-General