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PASCHAL VISITS OF RUM ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES

Since Bright Wednesday, the 10th/23rd of April 2014 onwards, Pascal visits were made to the Patriarchate by members of Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Communities hailing from Jerusalem and other cities and towns within the Patriarchate’s jurisdiction, namely Bethlehem, Beit-Jala, Shepherds Village, Jifna, Birzet, Ramla and Aboud. Visits were also made by pilgrims from Russia, Romania and Serbia.

These visitors, clerics and laymen alike, were received with Pascal wishes by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. The visitors chanted “Christ Has Risen” and “The Day of Resurrection” in Greek and in their own language. His Beatitude extended His wishes for the feast of Easter and offered them Paschal eggs and Jerusalemite eulogias.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/83tYRQpO830




PASCHAL VISITS OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES TO THE PATRIARCHATE

On Bright Tuesday, the 9th/22nd of April 2014, the long since established Paschal visits of Christian Churches to the Patriarchate took place.

In the context of this institution, Franciscan monks visited our Patriarchate under their Abbot and Custodian of the Holy Land, f. Pierrebatista Pizzaballa.

The monks were received by Hagiotaphite Fathers, under Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem.

Through the address of the Franciscan custodian and the reply speech of His Beatitude, this year’s common celebration of Easter was underlined, together with the current collaboration between Christian Churches in the Holy Sepulcher. A wish was made that this collaboration shall continue for the benefit of Christians in the Holy Land.

The Franciscans were followed by other Churches, the Latin Patriarchate, the Lutherans, the Copts, the Syrians, the Anglicans and persons linked to them.

The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem made an address on behalf of all, whereas His Beatitude replied in English, see: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/22/5969

Subsequently, the Patriarchate was visited by Mr Azam Hadib, President of the Waqf of Solomon’s Temple. Mr Hadib is in charge of the area of the Temple of Solomon – Haram-al-Sharif as well as shrines connected to it, in the name of Jordan and the Palestinian Autonomy.

In his address, Mr Hadib talked of respect for the rights of every Community in Jerusalem, and the significance of a peaceful religious coexistence.

Around noon, the Patriarchate was visited by the Armenians, under His Eminence Archbishop Ari Savrenian. During the meeting, wishes were exchanged for a harmonious Christian coexistence in the Holy Land, devoid of altercations.

His Beatitude Theophilos replied in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/22/5972

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/CW770BKamEY

 




HELLENIC NAVY REPRESENTATIVES VISIT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Saturday, the 23rd of March/5th of April 2014, thirty representatives including the Captain and crew members of the Hellenic Navy “Salamis” frigate, accompanied by Mr Panayiotou, Military Attaché of the Greek Embassy to Tel Aviv, visited the Patriarchate in the context of a naval exercise involving the vessel in collaboration with the Israeli Navy.

His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, warmly received the delegation and went on to explain how the Hellenic tradition has been maintained in the Holy Land through the centuries. Before leaving the Patriarchate, guests were offered Jerusalemite eulogias.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/X4dhYFXFu94




THE CHOIR OF ALIMOS MUSIC SCHOOL VISITS PATRIARCHATE

On the morning of Friday the 22nd of March/4th of April 2014, the choir of Alimos Music School, headed by Principal Mr Constantinos Pouis and under the musical guidance of Music Teacher Mrs Ioanna Angelou, visited the Patriarchate.

The delegation from Alimos School was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers. His Beatitude welcomed students to the Holy Land as angels of peace, since through music man is reconciled with God and his fellow men. He went on to explain the religious, peacemaking and cultural work of the Patriarchate in the Holy Land, before praising their initiative for veneration and music performance. His Beatitude also expressed interest in carrying on this initiative, by means of a collaboration between the choir and Patriarchal choirs, and also through students at the Alimos School wishing to study at the Patriarchate’s Hieratical School. Following His Beatitude’s address, the choir chanted the hymns “Christ Has Risen”, “Hail, Holy Sion” and the Patriarchal Polychronism.

His Beatitude offered teachers and students alike Hagiotaphite Jerusalemite eulogias and wished that they enjoy their pilgrimage tour and succeed in their school courses.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/eUxcenjr2OU




ABU-SNAN COMMUNITY VISITS PATRIARCHATE

On Thursday the 21st of March/3rd of April 2014, 100 members of the Patriarchate’s Community in Abu-Snan, in the region of Accra, Northern Israel, visited His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, to thank Him for His visit to their Community and parish and for the nocturnal Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the Church of St George, at which His Beatitude officiated on Wednesday the 13th/26th of March.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/O4AroUGPWl0




R. CARBORANI VISITS THE PATRIARCHATE

On Thursday the 21st of March/3rd of April 2014, Mr Ramzi Carborani, Director of the Office of Palestinian Prime Minister Mr Rami Hamdallah, accompanied by Archimandrite Galaktion, Hegoumen at the Church of the Transfiguration in Ramallah, visited the Patriarchate.

Mr Carborani was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. The meeting included a constructive discussion on the position of the Christians in the Holy Land as well as on protection and facilitation measures secured on their behalf by the Patriarchate.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/f3vgf7AlNNk




CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF SWEDEN VISITS PATRIARCHATE

In the morning of Saturday the 16th/29th of March 2014, a delegation of thirty representatives of Sweden’s Christian Churches visited the Patriarchate.

The delegation, numbering approximately thirty pilgrims, represents Christian Churches in Sweden, namely Orthodox, Roman-Catholics, Lutherans, Ante-Chalcidonians etc.

The group, which is representative of the Christian entity in Sweden, living in liberty, was received by H.B. Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

To the members of this group, clerics and laymen alike, His Beatitude spoke about the Patriarchate as the Church of the Holy Land, assigned since the early days of Christianity with the spiritual guidance of Christians in the Holy Land, the safekeeping of the Holy Pilgrimage Sites, and management of the property which allows the preservation of Christians in the Holy Land.

The work of the Patriarchate also extends to philanthropy, as demonstrated in the case of the displaced from Syria, and to education, by maintaining its Schools.

At the end of the discussion, His Beatitude offered all members of the group Jerusalemite Hagiotaphite eulogias, after which they went on to visit the Christian Communities in Jerusalem and the occupied areas.

From the Secretariat-General




ISRAEL’S CIVIL ADMINISTRATION VISITS PATRIARCHATE

On Thursday the 14th/27th of March 2014, the General Military Commander of Israel’s Civil Administration in the occupied territories of Bethlehem, Jericho and Samaria, Mr David Menachem, visited the Patriarchate accompanied by the Military Commander of Bethlehem, Mr Yael, his assistant Mr Yazeed and the Director of the Christian Affairs Department, Mr Sesar Margie.

Mr Menachem inquired His Beatitude about the needs of the Patriarchate as regards the impending feast of Easter and facilitations for the faithful in terms of crossing the checkpoints from the occupied territories to Jerusalem.

His Beatitude thanked the Military Commander for his cooperation and asked that the significance of Easter to Christians residing in Jerusalem be taken into account in terms of facilitating the participation in the feast of Christians from the occupied territories as well as of pilgrims.

In the context of the visit, His Beatitude offered Mr Menachem a silver representation of the transfer of the cluster of grapes by Israeli spies having visited the city of Jericho.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/u810bD_npII




JORDANIAN MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS VISITS PATRIARCHATE

In the afternoon of Thursday, 14th/27th of March 2014, the Minister of Public Works of Jordan, Mr Sami Halasa, a Christian Rum Orthodox from Karak, South Jordan, visited the Patriarchate in the company of his family.

The Honourable Minister was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of the Patriarchal Commissioner and the Elder Secretary-General.

An interesting discussion took place in the context of this meeting, on the close ties between our Patriarchate and the birthplace of Mr Halasa, namely the city of Karak; also, on the harmonious relations between the Patriarchate and the Hashemite family and the country of Jordan.

Having received His Beatitude’s blessings, namely an icon of the Resurrection made of “madre perla” in Bethlehem, and pectoral crosses for the wife and children, the Minister’s family went on to visit the Church of the Resurrection for veneration. The following day, a visit was scheduled to the Cavern and the Basilica of the Nativity.

From the Secretariat-General




PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM DECORATES CYPRIOT CHRISTOS PANTELIS

On Saturday the 9th/22nd of March 2014, H.B. Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, conferred upon Cypriot pilgrim Mr Christos Pantelis, the title of Crusader of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

For more than twenty years now, Mr Christos Pantelis has been the Director of the Byzantine Choir and President of the Association of Cypriot Pilgrims to the Holy Sepulcher. Mr Pantelis and his choir chant during the feasts of the Holy Monastery of Hojeva and on His Beatitude’s name-day. They visit in the company of pilgrims who have greatly contributed to the conservation of the All-holy Pilgrimage Sites, and financed the painting of icons, for instance the iconostasis of the town of Pkea Community in Northern Israel. They have also contributed towards the purchase of church vessels and the baptismal of infants from our congregation.

For his contribution to the choir and the Church as a whole, especially the Church of Jerusalem, His Beatitude conferred upon Mr Christos Pantelis this Hagiotaphite honorary title, inviting him to devote himself to similar activities for Northern Jordan too, where His Eminence Philoumenos, Archbishop of Pella, has been serving as Commissioner for the past year.

Touched and extending his thanks to His Beatitude, Mr Pantelis pledged to carry on supporting the work of the Church of Sion with the same zeal.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/9WnbFIK75nk