On Thursday, the 19^th of June/2^nd of July 2015, a group of fifty Arabic-speaking Greek Orthodox faithful from the city of Fhes, Jordan, a suburb of Amman, visited the Patriarchate. They were headed by their vicar, Steward Jiriesh.

The members of the group were welcomed by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who went on to speak to them of our Orthodox faith.

On the conclusion of the visit, His Beatitude offered Jerusalemite eulogias to all.

Having received the Patriarch’s blessings, the pious pilgrims carried on their pilgrimage at the hallowed Cave of Bethlehem and the Lord’s Life-giving Sepulcher.

From the Secretariat-General 

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During the period between the 5^th/18^th of June and the 11^th/24^th of June 2015, Patriarch Theophilos welcomed the following visitors at the Patriarchate:

1. On the 5^th/18^th of June, the American Consul to Jerusalem, Mr Michael Ratney, who offered His Beatitude a photograph of the Holy Sepulchre during the Holy Light ceremony.
2. On the 7^th/20^th of June, f. Nikolaos Bassal, priest in Abu Snan and member of the town’s Community Council, on whom the Patriarch bestowed the rank of Steward.
3. On the 11^th/24^th of June, the Most Reverend Narcissus, Metropolitan of Nubia, accompanied by Archimandrite f. Narcissus, Hegoumen in Beit-Jalla.
4. Similarly, on the 11^th/24^th of June, the Most Reverend Peter, Metropolitan of Bessarabia and his attendants.

During the aforementioned meetings, His Beatitude referred to the educational work performed by the Patriarchate as well as to the various institutions operating in the Holy Land under its aegis.

On the conclusion of the meetings, the Patriarch offered his distinguished visitors presents of His love.

From the Secretariat-General

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On the afternoon of Saturday, the 7^th/20^th of June 2015, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the town of Kufr Yaseef in Northern Israel. The Arabic-speaking community there recently founded a school for 300 elementary and high school students, by the subvention of the Patriarchate. The Patriarch was accompanied by Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the President of the Patriarchate’s Arabic Schools in Israel, Archimandrite Ieronymos, the Arabic-speaking media liaison, Protopresbyter Issa Mousleh, and Archimandrite Paisios, visiting from Mount Sinai.

The purpose of this pastoral visit was the presentation of diplomas to the forty graduates of the ninth grade.

The graduation ceremony took place in a lavish green area of the adjacent town of Melia.

The Patriarch was warmly welcomed to this well-organized ceremony that began with a parade of the graduates and went on with addresses by the School Principal, Protopresbyter Theodosios Mahoul, the Music teacher, and representatives of students in Greek, Arabic, English and Polish. Father Issa Mousleh read the Patriarch’s address in Arabic, before He awarded diplomas to the students, with wishes for progress in their lyceum studies.

On the conclusion of the ceremony, the Community hosted the Patriarchal retinue to dinner.

From the Secretariat-General

During the period between 30 May and 3 June 2015 (12-16 June 2015), Patriarch Theophilos met at the Patriarchate with, among others:

1. Professors at the University of Bucharest, Ms Madeea Axincic, Director of the Religious Studies Program, and Mr Mihai Coman, from the Department of Icon-Painting, who offered the Patriarch an icon of Theotokos.
2. The Principal and students of the Patriarchal School of Zion, on the occasion of the conclusion of the 2014-2015 academic year.
3. Mr Constantinos Triantafyllou, Director of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), having its seat in Baltimore, USA.

All guests were cordially welcomed by the Patriarch, who went on to inform them on the recent activities of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Students received His blessings for their upcoming exams, as well as wishes for a return to the Holy City and inclusion in the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood. The Patriarch also extended wishes for the enrolment of more students at the Patriarchal School for the next academic year.

Jerusalemite eulogias were offered to all visitors.

From the Secretariat-General

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On Tuesday, the 3^rd/16^th of June 2015, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Pavlos of Drama, a descendant of parents from the martyric Pontus, visited the Patriarchate. He was leading a group of fifty priests and laymen from his congregation.

The guests were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In the context of this visit, the Metropolitan of Drama expressed his joy for returning to the Holy Shrines and in particular the Holy Monastery of Hojeva, now under renovation.

On His part, the Patriarch praised Metropolitan Pavlos as a distinguished Primate of the Church of Greece, considered by the Hagiotaphites as one of them, owing to his vivid and tangible interest in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, manifested through visits to the Holy Shrines, especially the Holy Sepulcher that had received the Crucified and Resurrected Lord.

Through the Holiness of Jerusalem and the sanctifying work of the Church, the city’s inhabitants and visitors are also blessed.

For his contribution to the Patriarchate, His Beatitude bestowed the medal of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher upon Metropolitan Pavlos of Drama.

The Metropolitan thanked the Patriarch for this significant honor and wished for God to enable all pilgrims and visitors to the Holy Land to experience His glory through the martyria bearing witness to the Orthodox faith and History of the Holy Shrines.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/xaBRAfuxDlU

During the period between May 20^th/June 2^nd and May 27^th/June 9^th, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, met at the Patriarchate with, among others:

1. Ms Photini Tomai, Director of the Historical Archive of the Hellenic Foreign Ministry.
2. The new Director of the Swedish Center of Jerusalem, Ms Ann-Sofie Lasel, and Mr Lars Lingius, on the occasion of his retirement.
3. His Excellency the Ukrainian Ambassador, Mr Nadolenko Gennadi.
4. Representatives of the Palestinian Society with the Acting Head of the Russian Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Theophanes.

These esteemed guests were welcomed by the Patriarch, who informed them on the critical situation in the Middle East and the Patriarchate’s stabilizing and peacemaking role towards the maintenance of the pilgrimage status quo and the protection of Christians in the Holy Land.

In the context of the visits, guests were offered presents of His Beatitude’s love as well as Jerusalemite eulogias before carrying on their pilgrimage in the Holy Land.

From the Secretariat-General

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On Thursday, the 24^th of April/7 May 2015, a Royal Jordanian Delegation visited the Patriarchate.

The members of the Royal Governmental Delegation were accompanied by Jordan’s Ambassador to Israel, Mr Walid Obeidat, and Jordan’s representative for Islamic and Christian Holy Sites and WAQF President, Mr Azam Hadib.

The distinguished guests were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in the presence of Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Hierodeacon f. Markos.

Discussed in the context of the visit were the harmonious relations between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Royal Hashemite Family of Jordan, as well as the protection offered to Christian citizens in the state of Jordan.

From the Secretariat-General

On Saturday the 12^th/24^th of April 2015, a group of fifty pilgrims, most of them Cretans, but also Greeks of the American diaspora and “Archons” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, visited the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Metropolitan Eugenios of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos.

The esteemed pilgrims were welcomed by Patriarch Theophilos in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers.

Both Metropolitan Eugenios of Rethymnon and the Head of the Archons, Archon Eutaxias, Mr John Manos, addressed the Patriarch and expressed joy over having fulfilled their wish to visit the Holy Land, especially the Lord’s Life-Giving Holy Sepulcher, and receive blessings. As tokens of their love, appreciation and respect, they offered His Beatitude gifts of Cretan art and a painting of the historical Monastery of Arkadion.

Thanking them, His Beatitude pointed out that pilgrims visiting the Holy Lands are blessed as they receive sanctification through the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Whose blood had drenched this land.

Patriarch Theophilos expressed His own joy for the words of the Most Reverend Eugenios, Metropolitan of Rethymnon, and of the “Archons” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, a point of reference for the Greek genus.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/R3zpoaxW1so

At 4:00 pm of Friday the 11^th/24^th of April 2015, the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem held a ceremony on the Holy Sepulcher to commemorate the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide committed by Turkey. The ceremony took place with the agreement of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Monks in accordance with the pilgrimage status.

The ceremony was led by the Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem, Mr Nurhan Manoukian. In attendance were Armenian Primates and clerics and other guests, as the Heads of Local Churches in Jerusalem, the Diplomatic Corps, the representative of the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs, Mr Cezar Margiye and others.

Before the conclusion of the ceremony, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, addressed attendants in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/24/13868

From the Secretariat-General

On Thursday, the 10^th/23^rd of April 2015, a group of 22 students from the Alimos Music School, participants in the “In search of sounds on the Holy Land and beyond the Jordan” programme, led by their Music Teacher Ms Ioanna Angelou, visited Patriarch Theophilos, accompanied by their teachers.

In the context of their visit, the Students Choir sang ecclesiastical hymns and His Beatitude’s Polycrhonism. On His part, the Patriarch wished the students every success with their performance at the Prophet Elias Holy Monastery scheduled for Friday the 9th/24th of April, at 6:00 pm.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Nq7-w4HE6l4