On Thursday morning, April 13/26, 2018, the Minister of Education of Serbia Mr. Miladen Sārcevic visited the Patriarchate, escorted by the Most Reverend Bishop John of Slavonia, the Embassador of Serbia in Tel-Aviv and his associates, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs. Anna Longinovic and the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Velijko Odalovic.

The Minister of Education and his associates were received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this visit, the Minster thanked His Beatitude for allowing their visit to the All-holy Shrines and to Himself.

In reply, His Beatitude said that the Patriarchate gladly receives Church leaders and countries’ representatives, as well as numerous pilgrims, and this is considered His duty, a blessing and ministry of the Holy Land, which has been sanctified by the incarnate presence of Jesus Christ; especially Jerusalem, which has been watered by His redeeming blood. Serbian Priests and monks also ministered here in the past. Members of the delegation expressed their joy, as the next year mark the completion of eight hundred years since the arrival of St. Savvas of Serbia in the Holy Land.

His Beatitude stressed especially the fact that the Patriarchate works painstakingly to preserve the Holy Land as a place of worship and not as a museum.

On this occasion, His Beatitude offered the members of the delegation gifts of His love, and wished them the blessing of the Holy Tomb to the Orthodox Serbian Church and asked them to convey His Brotherly love to His Beatitude the Patriarch of Serbia Eirinaios. The members of the delegation offered His Beatitude an artistic volume of the Serbian Church treasures as a souvenir.

From Secretariat-General

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On Tuesday of the Bright Week, March 28/April 2018, the non-Orthodox Christian Denominations visited the Patriarchate on the occasion of the Orthodox Feast of Easter, according to the Status Quo of worship, which enables the peaceful co-existence in the Holy Land.

This visits took place according to the following order:

1. The Fraternity of the Franciscans – Custody of the Holy Land. After the address of the Custos Fr. Francesco Patton, His Beatitude addressed him in return as per the link below:

http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2018/04/10/39269 

2. All other Denominations together; the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem , Reverend Pierre Battista Pizzabala, the Copts, the Syrians, the Ethiopians, the Lutherans and other minor Denominations.

His Beatitude addressed in return the representatives of the Denominations as per the link below:

http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2018/04/10/39271 

As the clergy from the Armenian Patriarchate did not participate in this visit, His Beatitude sent His addresses electronically to the Armenian Community as seen in the links below;

http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2018/04/10/39309 

http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2018/04/10/39311 

After these visits, on behalf of His Beatitude, the Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina visited the also celebrating the Feast of Easter Churches of the Syrians, the Copts and the Ethiopians.

From Secretariat-General

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httpv://youtu.be/BVklkuXKb_g

On Friday morning March 17/30, 2018, the Anglican Archbishop of U.S.A. Most Reverend Michael Curry visited the Holy Sepulchre and Patriarchate, escorted by a small team of his associates and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem Mr. Suheil Dawani.

The Most Reverend Archbishop was received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this meeting His Beatitude spoke about the Churches of the Holy Land, which are the visible witness of Christ’s revelation, continuing Christ’s mission through their pastoral care and thanked him for his support to these Churches.

On the occasion of this visit and the forthcoming Feast of Easter, His Beatitude offered the Archbishop Mr. Michael Curry engolpion and his escorts blessings from Jerusalem.

From Secretariat-General

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On Thursday afternoon of the Great Canon, March 9/22, 2018, His Excellency the President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev visited the Patriarchate, escorted by his wife, a delegation and the Ambassador of Bulgaria in Tel Aviv Dr. Dimitar Mihaylov.

His Excellency the President of Bulgaria was warmly received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this visit His Beatitude addressed the President, explaining that the Patriarchate is the oldest religious institution of the Holy Land, with a very important pastoral, cultural and peace-making mission and safeguards the sacred character and the Status Quo of the Holy City of Jerusalem.

His Beatitude underlined the role of the Patriarchate regarding the reception and hospitality of pilgrims, among whom quite often are pilgrims from Bulgaria.

With these words, His Beatitude honoured the President with the distinction of the Grand Cross bearer of the Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, and offered him also an icon of the renovated Sacred Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre.

Emotional, the President thanked His Beatitude for this honourary distinction on his visit, which has a beneficiary reflection upon the Bulgarian people.

Consequently there was the descend to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, bells tolling, while His Excellency the President of Bulgaria was escorted by His Beatitude and Hagiotaphite Fathers. The visit included the All-holy Tomb, the Horrendous Golgotha and the Office of Geronda Sacristan, where the Sacred Wood and Saints’ relics are kept.

There, the President of Bulgaria asked the blessing of the Holy Sepulchre and of His Beatitude for the success of his mission and the prosperity of the Bulgarian people.

From Secretariat-General

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httpv://youtu.be/KNEnb4njuWE
 

On the Thursday of the Great Canon March 9/22, Mr. Theodoros Theodorou, Manager of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece with competence on Middle East and Arabic countries’ affairs, visited the Patriarchate escorted by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos.

Mr. Theodorou was received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this visit, His Beatitude informed Mr. Theodorou on the peace-making mission of the Patriarchate based on love and forgiveness, which are found only in the Christian religion, according to the manner our Lord Jesus Christ prayed from the cross.

The Patriarchate works its religious mission in cooperation with the local Governments, which have the political sovereignty on its ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The relationship of the Patriarchate with Islam is based on Ahtiname, an agreement between St. Sophrony and Khalif Omar Khattab. Through this agreement, the Patriarch Sophrony is established as the Ruler of the Roman Orthodox faithful. This role has being carried out from each Patriarch of Jerusalem ever since.   

Mr. Theodorou thanked His Beatitude for this visit and that of the Holy Sepulchre and asked His blessing for the success of his mission.

From Secretariat-General

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On Thursday afternoon, March 9/22, 2018, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis visited the Patriarchate, escorted by associates of his, and by the Ambassador of the Democracy of Cyprus in Tel Aviv Mrs. Thessalia Siambou.

The Minister was warmly received by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this visit there was an interesting conversation on the religious, political and peace-making role of the Patriarchate in the Holy Land and its good relations with the Church and Government of Cyprus.

On this occasion, His Beatitude offered Mr. Christodoulidis the medal of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre for his support on Church matters in general and especially for the Patriarchate, as well as for his support to the President of the Democracy of Cyprus on his work for the solution of the issue of Cyprus.

His Beatitude wished Mr. Christodoulidis the power of the Resurrected Christ in the hard mission of the President of the Democracy of Cyprus and of him personally, and of the Cypriot people, for the solution of the Cypriot issue, while Mr. Christodoulidis thanked His Beatitude for the honourary distinction and wished Him the overcoming of the difficulties of the Patriarchate and success on His multi-task mission.
From Secretariat-General

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httpv://youtu.be/P-8Hk6iJ4sI

On Wednesday morning, March 8/21, 2018, the President of the Opposition Party of Ukraine Mrs. Yulia Tymoshenko and her escorts visited the Patriarchate.

Mrs. Tymoshenko was warmly received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At this visit Mrs. Tymoshenko thanked His Beatitude for His support towards herself, her daughter and her family during the hard times of her imprisonment.

In reply, His Beatitude told Mrs. Tymoshenko He follows the news and is aware of the sad events of division and fratricide in Ukraine, as well as the ecclesiastical schism, and He prays for the solution of these issues through dialogue. The visit of members of the Ukrainian political parties in the Holy Sepulchre, as this of Mrs. Tymoshenko, would provide them with faith, power, love and peace from the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He shed for all of us.   

Mrs. Tymoshenko thanked His Beatitude for His comforting words and asked His prayers for the solution in the Ukrainian crisis. His Beatitude offered her and her escorts a cross and other blessings from Jerusalem and blessed her visit to the Holy Sepulchre.

Mrs. Tymoshenko offered His Beatitude Ukrainian art handicrafts made of Ukrainian stone.

From Secretariat-General

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On Wednesday morning, March 8/21, 2018, the Minister of Justice Transparency and Human Rights of Greece Mr. Stavros Kontonis visited the Patriarchate, escorted by associates of his and the Consul of the Greek Consulate Mrs. Katherine Tzima.

Mr. Kontonis was warmly received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos. His Beatitude referred to the Patriarchate being an ecclesiastical body which encompasses the Sacred History, to Jerusalem as a Sacred City of the three monotheistic religions and to the respect of the free-will of man by the Orthodox Church.

His Beatitude also referred to the mission of the Patriarchate in Arab-speaking and Russian-speaking districts under its jurisdiction, and to the participation of Greece in the Patriarchate’s mission, as it was shown on the case of the restoration of the Sacred Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre one year ago, when the Prime Minister of Greece himself attended the ceremony of the completion of the project, alongside other members of politics from other Orthodox countries.

After the exchange of gifts, the Minister of Justice Mr. Kontonis thanked His Beatitude for His informative words, for the guidance he received in order to visit the Holy Sepulchre and for the excellent cooperation between the Patriarchate and Greece.

From Secretariat-General

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The Consul General of Great Britain in Jerusalem Mr. Philip Hall, visited the Patriarchate on Friday February 17/ March 2, 2018.

His Excellency was received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, Hagiotaphite Fathers, the Custos of the Holy Land Father Francesco Patton with some of his associates and the Armenian Patriarchate representatives, Most Reverend Barret and Archimandrite Samuel.

On this visit the Consul General of Britain was informed on the recent crisis, leading to the closure and re-opening of the Holy Sepulchre, due to the illegitimate tax measures by the Mayor of  Jerusalem Municipality as well as the “Bill of Church lands” proposed to the Knesset by member of Knesset Rachel Azaria.

During the meeting emphasis was concretely placed on and on the need to preserve the Status Quo in Jerusalem.

From Secretariat-General

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Lieutenant-general Elias Leontaris, the National Guard Commander of Cyprus visited the Patriarchate on Thursday afternoon February 2/15, 2018, escorted by his wife, the Ambassador of the Democracy of Cyprus in Israel Mrs. Thessalia Siambou and some other associates of his.

Mr. Leontaris was received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In this meeting, the Lieutenant-general explained to His Beatitude the reason of his visit is related to the cooperation with the State of Israel, nevertheless, it would not be possible to exclude from it a visit to the Holy Sepulchre and the Patriarchate

His Beatitude explained Mr. Leontaris that the Patriarchate as a Church represents the Sacred History and therefore its role is peace-making, reconciliatory and cultural in the region of the Holy Land and the Middle East.

His Beatitude also referred to the issue the Patriarchate faces regarding the extreme settler group “Ateret Kohanim”, who have illegally rented two hotels of the Patriarchate in Jaffa Gate.

For this meeting, His Beatitude offered Mr. Leontaris an icon of the renovated Sacred Edicule and an icon of the Theotokos to his wife and associates.

Mr. Leontaris offered His Beatitude the emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus.  
From Secretariat-General

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httpv://youtu.be/PHSqURLlO9I