On Saturday, the 30^th of August/12^th of September 2015, a group of twenty youths from Ukraine, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Palestinian Autonomy to Ukraine, Mr Muhammad Asad, visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers. Patriarch Theophios congratulated the youths for their initiative to visit the Holy Land and assured them that the Church of Jerusalem, linked to the Church of Ukraine through firm spiritual and historical ties, ardently prays at the Holy Sepulcher for peace in Ukraine and for the prosperity of the Ukrainian people.

The youths went on to perform popular songs and dances of Ukraine.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t7KV8c3SDQ

On Thursday, the 28^th of August/10^th of September 2015, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Mr Alexander Zenon, visited the Patriarchate. He was accompanied by associates of his from Cyprus and by the representatives of the Cypriot Embassy to Israel, Ambassador Thessalia Siamvou and Embassy officials, Michael Firillas and Louisa Varaklas.

The Permanent Secretary and his attendants were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

An interesting discussion took place in the context of the visit, on the position of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and on the stability and peace it creates and cultivates within an as yet unresolved and fluid political situation.

The position of Christians in the Middle East was also discussed, their persecution in specific countries, their expatriation and the need to have refugees absorbed in countries of the European Union, including Cyprus, based on such criteria as land, origin, and country of departure, in the framework of a just and dignified solution for their survival.

Finally, Mr Zenon assured His Beatitude of the permanent support of the Republic of Cyprus towards the Patriarchate by means of every route of communication available and went on to offer Him the icon of St George. The Patriarch reciprocated with an icon of Theotokos Jerusalemite.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1vEGF5LKb0

On the evening of Monday the 11^th/24^th of August 2015, a group of fifty pilgrims from Romania visited the Patriarchate. They were headed by Presbyter Cezar-Gabriel Dimitrescu.

The pilgrims were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, who talked to them about the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, hallowed through the blood of the Crucified Lord. After receiving the Patriarch’s blessing, guests left to visit the rest of the Holy Land, thus be sanctified by the grace of the body and the blood of the incarnate, crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ.

Finally, the pilgrims offered His Beatitude an icon of St Constantine, painted by the daughter of fr. Dimitrescu.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ciBFlK0VkU

On Monday, the 11^th/24^th of August 2015, representatives of the Al-Quds University in the Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis, namely its President, Imad Abu Kishek, and Archaeology professor, Salah Al-Houdalieh, visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers.

The aim of the visit was to personally inform the Patriarch on the recent archaeological excavation in the city of Ramallah, specifically on land owned by the Patriarchate, which brought to light remarkable remains of a 4^th c. AD Church and Monastery on the burial site of St Stephen the Protomartyr.

His Beatitude thanked the President and the Archaeology Professor of the University for the significant archaeological work they have performed, that led to the discovery of the remnants of a Church dating from the dawn of Christianity on the Holy Land. He also praised Archimandrite Galaktion, Hegoumen at the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ramallah, for cooperating with the University. The cooperation, the Patriarch noted, greatly contributes to the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims on the Holy Land. He went on to bestow on His guests the Patriarchate’s medal, minted on its 1500 anniversary, also offering financial aid for the continuation of the archaeological excavation.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BcBhTI14vY

On Thursday, the 8^th/20^th of August, a delegation of ten officials of the Bulgarian Government and esteemed members of the Bulgarian society, performing humanitarian work under Mr Ragev Menasche from Israel, visited the Patriarchate.

The distinguished guests were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Hagiotaphite Fathers, as citizens of a country with which the Patriarchate has always maintained harmonious relations, hence why the visit of government officials.

Guests extended their thanks to His Beatitude and received the so called “Grammata” in Slavic, namely a certificate of pilgrimage and the Patriarch’s blessing, before proceeding to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher.

From the Secretariat-General

On the day after the feast of the Transfiguration, namely the 7^th/20^th of August 2015, His Eminence Methodios, Archbishop of Tabor, offered a valuable and elaborately made Primatial Staff to the Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, to be kept there as a relic.

The Staff was delivered to the Patriarch at the Patriarchate in the presence of Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and other Hagiotaphite Fathers.

His Beatitude praised the Archbishop of Tabor and expressed the wish that his example be emulated by other Hagiotaphites.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4oM1eLhLo

On Thursday, the 31^st of July/13^th of August 2015, a group of thirty young men and women from the Patriarchate’s Greek Orthodox Community in Nazareth, led by their Presbyter, f. Lazaros, visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

On behalf of the group, father Lazaros thanked the Patriarch for the Patriarchate’s assistance in securing accommodation for the youth in the summer camps of the Holy Metropolis of Serres, with the kind consent of Metropolitan Theologos of Serres.

The Patriarch blessed the youth and paternally advised them to frequently and devotedly participate in the life of the Orthodox Church, in which they have become members through the sacrament of Baptism.

The group then went on to continue their pilgrimage at the All-holy and Life-giving Sepulcher of the Lord.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHZC0noFBzo

On Wednesday the 30^th of July/12^th of August 2015, H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers, met with Ms Maha Darawsha, hailing from Nazareth, now a professor of Archaeology at Hartford University, Connecticut. The meeting took place at the Patriarchate.

On a computer screen, the professor presented to His Beatitude and the Fathers the finds of excavations she had recently conducted, namely the numerous surviving parts of a Byzantine church dating from the 4^th and the 11^th c. AD, over and south to the Patriarchate’s Shrine of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

His Beatitude praised Ms Darawsha for her significant archaeological work, which reveals the roots of the Byzantine Church in the Holy Land, and expressed wishes that this work be continued over the next year. Lastly, the Patriarch offered Ms Darawsha and her son, Adam, a memento of Jerusalem.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKFziU1A–I

On Tuesday, the 29^th of July/11^th of August 2015, Mr Hejab Al-Jabra and Mr Kifah Barakat, heads of the relations between the Palestinians of the occupied areas and the Israeli Army, accompanied by the Patriarchal Commissioner in Bethlehem, Archbishop Theophylaktos of Jordan, visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In the context of this meeting, an interesting discussion took place on the good relations between the Patriarchate and the Islamic State since the days of Umar Khattab and Patriarch Sophronios of Jerusalem, when the Christians were offered the freedom to perform their religious obligations.

These harmonious relations are preserved to this day in Bethlehem and other areas of the Palestinian state.

His Beatitude offered guests a simulacrum of Jerusalem and wished that the harmonious collaboration be preserved to the benefit of Palestinian citizens, Christians and Muslims alike.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-tkRD2c6RE

On Friday, the 25^th of July/7^th of August 2015, H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, met with the thirty five members of the recently elected Executive Committee representing all Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Communities of the Patriarchate in Israel. Heading the Committee was its reelected Chairman, former judge Raed Jarjura from Nazareth, and Vice-Chairman Basem from Kafr Yasif Community. Present at the meeting was the President of the Community of Nazareth, Ms Afaf.

The Executive Committee asked for His Beatitude’s blessing on its reelection and expressed its will to collaborate with the Patriarchate with trust and dedication for the promotion of matters of interest to the Communities, i.e. the education of the clergy, the Catechizing schools, the preservation of the Christians’ identity within the State of Israel, the defrocking of former priest Romanos, and the prosperity of Christians within the Arabic-speaking Muslim and Jewish society of Israel.

The Patriarch congratulated the Executive Committee on its reelection, offered His blessings and assured them that He will support its activities to the benefit of Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Christian Communities in Israel.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWk2S0rhbSs