Holy City of Jerusalem, 27 of June 2012

 Granting of the National Decoration of the Order of “Manuel Amador Guerrero” in the grade of “Great Cross” to

His Most Godly Beatitude, the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, Arabia, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy

Zion, THEOPHILUS III

“Good Morning, His Most Godly Beatitude, the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, Arabia, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion, Theophilus III,

Eminences and Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem,

 Distinguished Guests and Friends,

 Ladies and Gentlemen,

 It is with great joy that I extend a fraternal greeting to all gathered here today, in representation of His Excellency Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, President of the Republic of Panama, His Excellency Roberto Henriquez, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic, and in the name of the people of my country, in order to award the Republic of Panama’s National Decoration of the Order of “Manuel Amador Guerrero” in the grade of “Great Cross” to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilus III.

As Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, and particularly as a devout member of the Orthodox Faith, allow me humbly express the profound sentiment of honor that it is to be in this sacred city and before your Holy

Beatitude, as an envoy of the people of Panama in the justified granting of our Nation’s most distinguished decoration.

The Order of “Manuel Amador Guerrero”, named after the first president of our Republic, was created by the Government of Panama on 29 October 1953, marking the fiftieth anniversary of our Independence, to award exceptional civil, scientific, artistic and humanitarian services and merits.

This National Decoration represents the Government of Panama’s recognition of His Holy Beatitude’s relevant merits, exemplary personal integrity and His outstanding contribution to the Orthodox Church around the world, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem’s custodianship of the Holy Land and its historic, cultural and natural heritage, which are a patrimony of all mankind.

The Government of Panama welcomes His Holy Beatitude’s religious leadership, and His advocacy for peace and interfaith dialogue is duly recognized as an extension of God’s work on Earth and a dissemination of the Lord Jesus Christ’s message of unconditional love and reconciliation. In these times of international tension, sociopolitical upheaval and economic hardship, the agency and goodwill of the Orthodox Church is of critical significance. Panama duly acknowledges His Holy Beatitude, Theophilus Ill’s vital role in inculcating this Word of Faith that leads the way to moral rectitude, redemption and salvation, across all borders and social barriers. For that, our people will be forever grateful.

Panama harbors a growing community of around one thousand strong-and-growing members of the Orthodox Church. This community, tracing its roots to the construction of the Panama Canal and one of many convivial Panamanian ethnicities, is known by the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs as one of Central America’s largest and most organized. Our first Greek Orthodox

Church, in honor of Saint Anthony, was built in my hometown of Colon in 1937.

It is for these and many more reasons that it pleases His Excellency Ricardo Martinelli, President of the Republic of Panama, to bestow upon His Holy Beatitude, Theophilus III, the Order of “Manuel Amador Guerrero” in the grade of “Great Cross”, and it is my profound honor and pleasure to present it to Your Holiness in the name of my Government and our people. It is the hope of the Government and peoples of our Republic, that the bonds of friendship and cooperation we share with the Orthodox Church continue to grow, develop and strengthen, now and forevermore”.

Words by His Excellency Pablo Antonio Thalassinos, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of The Republic of Panama to the United Nations.

Holy City of Jerusalem, 27 of June 2012.

[UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION]

 DECREE NUMBER 194 of 1 June 2012

by which is granted the National Decoration of the Order of “MANUEL AMADOR GUERRERO”, created by Law 22 of 29 October 1953.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC using his legal powers,

CONSIDERING:

 FIRST: His Most Godly Beatitude, the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, Arabia, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion, THEOPHILUS III, one hundred forty-first (141) descendent of James and elected primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem on 22 August 2005, and under whose responsibility lies the protection and preservation of the Holy Sepulcher and the Holy Shrines:

SECOND: His Most Godly Beatitude Patriarch THEOPHILUS III of Jerusalem, born in Gargalianes, city of Triflya of Messinia, in 1952. Studied Theology in the University of Athens, completed a Masters in Durham, England, and also studied in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Along with his Greek native language, dominates English, Arab and Hebrew;

THIRD: His Most Godly Beatitude Patriarch THEOPHILUS III of Jerusalem has undertaken important positions such as Archdeacon for then Patriarch Benedict I, priest of Cana of Galilee, Archbishop of Tabor, Secretary of Holy and Sacred Synod, responsible for the Press and Information Office of the Patriarchate, among others. He was also part of the Nour al Masih society, empowered to spread the Orthodox Christian faith. Has participated as exhibitor in diverse seminars and scientific conferences in Jerusalem and Greece;

FOURTH: That it constitutes a great honor for the National Government by means of this decoration to recognize His Most Godly Beatitude Patriarch THEOPHILUS III of Jerusalem, a man of proven personal integrity and loyal belief in the Orthodox Church, whom in his laudable labor and permanent watchfulness, continues guiding his work with the only end of serving God with devotion and further inculcate among us faith in Him.

DECREES:

SOLE ARTICLE: To grant the National Decoration of the Order of” MANUEL AMADOR GUERRERO”, in the Grade of “Great Cross”, to His Most Godly Beatitude Patriarch THEOPHILUS III of Jerusalem, for his relevant merits.

FOR COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICATION.

Given in the city of Panama, on day 1 of the month of June of the year two-thousand twelve (2012).

[SIGNATURE] RiCARDO MARTINELLI B. President of the Republic

[SIGNATURE] ROBERTO C. HENRIQUEZ Minister for Foreign Affairs

On Wendsday the 5^th / 18^th of March 2012, His Highness Prince Ghazi of Jordan escorted by Sheikh Ali Gomaa the Grand Mufti of Egypt and by other religious and political personalities of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and of the Palestinian Authority, in the presence of the Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Mr. Cesar Marzie visited the Patriarchate.

His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III received His Highness Prince Ghazi of Jordan along with Fathers members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. Welcoming the Prince His Beatitude said that Jerusalem is an example of religious symbiosis of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

On occasion of this visit His Beatitude presented to the Emir a replica of the Nativity Church made from mother of pearl and a book of the Koran also decorated with mother of pearl. His Beatitude presented to the Grand Mufti of Egypt a plaque with inscripted passages from the Koran.

After this visit to the Patriarchate, the Prince with His Beatitude escorted by Fathers -members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre descended from the Central Monastery via the Cathedral of St. James to the Church of Resurrection and the Holy Shrines therein.

Chief Secretary’s Office.

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On Holy Tuesday, the 28^th of March / 10^th of April 2012, the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre – whose superior is His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III visited on occasion of their  Easter the Fransciscan Brotherhood  and the Latin Patriarchate, following the years-long established order of exchanging visits during the feasts.

After these first two visits, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III escorted by the Chief Secretary His Eminence Aristarchos Archbishop of Constantina visited the Apostolic Delegate who is the Representative of the Pope to Jerusalem and the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani while His Eminence Timotheos Metropolitan of Vostra visited the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem Mounib Yiounan and the Propts of the German-speaking Community in the Holy Land Rev Uew.

His Beatitude reciprocated properly according to the circumstance all the addressees and below is the address of His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Custo, in the English language (please see the link https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2012/04/10/1960/)

Chief Secretary’s Office.

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On Tuesday, the 17^th / 4^th of April 2012, the visits of the Western and Eastern Churches to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem took place on occasion of our Easter. This is followed by the years-long established order of exchanging visits during the feasts.

Firstly the Brotherhood of the Franciscans visited the Patriarchate followed by the Churches namely the Latin, Lutheran, Anglican, Coptic Syrian, Ethiopian, Maronite and finally the Armenian.

His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III addressed the representatives of the Latin, Lutheran, Anglican, Syrian, Maronite and Ethiopian Churches at 10:00 o’clock at the Throne Hall as follows, in the English Language, (please see the following link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2012/04/17/1972/)

Chief Secretary’s Office.

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On Friday, November 5th / 18th 2011, a ten-member delegation of the city council of the city of Jerusalem from the party of Meretz, headed by the Deputy Mayor Mr. Jose (Pepe) Alala and the Board member dr. Meir Margalit visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos. They on behalf of their parties, of Meretz, expressed to the Patriarchate their sorrow for the fact that several times fanatic religious Jewish spit the priests they meet.

His Beatitude appreciating their intention of standing by the Patriarchate, said that we as Christians have been called to love our enemies and to him who strikes we offer our right side and that by this stance of love and education, eliminating this bad habit is possible. The role of the Patriarchate said, is conciliatory and peacekeeping.

The above mentioned visitors conversing added that their party looks at Jerusalem as the capital of two states and three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as a model city from which “light will emerge to the world”.

Answering His Beatitude said that the Patriarchate as well looks at Jerusalem as Its base and on a daily basis accepts numerous pilgrims Orthodox and non Orthodox as well as visitors Christians and non Christians, sending them a message of love, peace, conciliation and justice.

Moreover, His Beatitude drew their attention to the avoidance of actions on behalf of the City Hall or other Authority, aiming at the modernization of the Old City of Jerusalem and the distortion of its religious character.

They expressed their gratitude for the visit and their intention of all possible assistance.

His Beatitude offered them medals made for the 2000year history of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Chief Secretary’s Office

(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)

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On Thursday, November 4th / 17th 2011, a 50member team of the Hellenic Air Force (H.A.F) visited the Patriarchate.

This visit at the Patriarchate took place in the frame of the visit of the above team to the state of Israel for the cooperation of the military air forces of the two countries specifically for the air operation exercise in the area of Ovda in southern Israel by the name of “burning and unburnt bush”.

This visit to the Patriarchate took place with the cooperation of the Hellenic Embassy in Tel-Aviv. Spokesman of the Embassy, Colonel Nikolaos Kouroumanis accompanied the above-mentioned team. The above-mentioned team was accepted by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

The head of this team thanked His Beatitude for the time he devoted for the visit to the Holy Land and to the Patriarchate and explained to His Beatitude that the success of the Mission of the team is attributable to the readiness of the armed air forces at any given moment to protect our homeland.

His Beatitude commended the members of the team on their devotion to the duty of protecting our country, on their success of their Mission and underlined the importance of their visit to the Holy Land and the Patriarchate.

The Holy Land stated His Beatitude, sanctified by the blood of the cross of our Savior Jesus Christ, safeguarded in centuries since the establishment of the first Christian foundation of the Holy Land, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, the Order of the Great. The Patriarchate and the Brotherhood perform in the Holy Land ecclesiastical, sanctifying deed through the Divine Worship, the sacraments, the education of the Orthodox congregation as well as peacekeeping and conciliatory among the conflicting ethnic and religious factors in the Holy Land.

Stating these, His Beatitude wished them to have with the grace of the Holy Sepulcher the power to protect the principles and values contested and shaken nowadays as the country, the Church and the family.

His Beatitude gave every member of the team icons of the Holy Sepulcher, the History of the Church of Jerusalem by Chrysostomos Papadopoulos and other blessings from Jerusalem and medals of the two-thousand year anniversary of Christianity.

Chief Secretary’s Office

(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)

On Saturday, October 30th / November 12th 2011, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Autonomous Republic of Srpska, in the frame of the wider Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Miroslav Milovanović, accompanied by one of his counsels, under the Manager of the Office of Srpska in Israel Mr. Ariel Livne and by the Special Advisor of the Delegation of this country to Israel Mr. Aleksandar Nikolić, visited the Patriarchate.

His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos cordially accepted him. The attendants of the Minister presented him to His Beatitude as the newly elected Minister with a broad and hopeful vision for work regarding the development of the environment of the Republic of Srpska in the sectors of agriculture, forestry and water management in cooperation with international organizations and with factors of the State of Israel where and for this purpose their visit takes place mainly emphasizing the cooperation with the Minister of Agriculture of Israel.

The Minister thanked His Beatitude for the time devoted by Him to accept him at the Patriarchate. He considers as he said the event of his visit to the Holy Land, the State of Israel and the Patriarchate, to be of outmost importance to his life and his political service.

His Beatitude expressed joy on this visit at the Patriarchate, the very ancient religious Christian institution in the Holy Land which has always kept relations of good cooperation with the country and the Church of Serbia promoting the unity in Christ and Church of all the Sub-Orthodox Christian nations to preserve the diverse cultural, linguistic and other particularities and traditions. The Patriarchate said His Beatitude encompasses in itself the Revelation of the Old and the New Testament and practices in the Holy Land deed of sanctification for Its believers as well as peacekeeping and conciliatory for the multinational and interreligious environment where it lives. The Patriarchate has as its tactic to act in a conciliatory way for the healing of schisms within the Orthodox Church.

The escort of the Minister President of the Office of Srpsca in Israel Mr. Ariel Livne, who has recently celebrated his 90th birthday, greeted His Beatitude on behalf of the President of the Republic of Srpska and thanked him for the work that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem practices locally and internationally and for Its fine relations with the Republic of Serbska.

On this visit, the Minister gave His Beatitude an album with the cultural and forest treasures of Srpska and asked for His Blessing for the veneration at the Most Holy Sepulcher and the Holy Calvary.

Blessing them, His Beatitude gave the medal of the Patriarchate on the 2000-year anniversary of Christianity and the newly edited book of History of the Church of Jerusalem by Chrysostomos Papadopoulos.

Chief Secretary’s Office

(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)

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On Monday, October 25th / November 7th a group of seventy young people from the Republic of SERBSKA, accompanied by the Minister of Family Youth and Sport of the above mentioned country Mrs. Nada Tesanovic and by the advisor of the Delegation of this country in Israel Mr. Alexander Nicolic visited the Patriarchate.

They were cordially welcomed by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

They, through their representatives, expressed their gratitude to His Beatitude for the reception at the Patriarchate and offered him symbolic presents of the monasteries and the art of their country.

His Beatitude speaking, commended them as young people on taking on their pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land that our Lord Jesus Christ sanctified by His presence in flesh and His work.

His Beatitude wished them to have the grace and the blessing of the incarnated, crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ saying “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me”, (Matthew 19, 14) and “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. (Matthew 11, 28)

“The Patriarchate and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher”, said His Beatitude, “are guardians of these Holy Lands and witnesses of the merciful and saving work of Christ. The Patriarchate undertakes peaceful and conciliatory work among the religions, and their followers with whom the Church associates in the region of Serbia, Srpska, and the broader region of the Balkans”.

Having received the blessings and the presents of His Beatitude these young people left for their visit to the Holy Sepulcher.

Chief Secretary’s Office

(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)

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On Tuesday, October 19th/ November 1st 2011, 77 pilgrims, directors of tourist agencies in Russia led by the former General Director of the Ministry of Tourism of Israel Mr. Rafi Ben Hur, visited the Patriarchate.

Mr. Ben Hur explained to His Beatitude his personally taken initiative to organize pilgrimage tours from Russia to the Holy Lands located in Israel, which with God’s help and the blessing of His Beatitude has met with success and this visit is one of its fruits.

His Beatitude cordially welcomed this pilgrimage group that organized the pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land and underlined the importance of their work that is the coming of pilgrims to the Holy Land and the deriving edification and spiritual enhancement of the souls of the pilgrims because of the theory (seeing in theology) of the holy Land and their connection with the Holy Revelation of the Old and New Testament.

He also heightened the contribution of the pilgrims to the peaceful, social and political life in the Holy Land and the peaceful interfaith co-existence.

In this way, he underlined the contribution of the pilgrims to the centuries-lasting work of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem namely safeguarding the Most Holy Shrines and conducting services and liturgies in them for the help and salvation of its believers and the pilgrims.

During the above His Beatitude blessed them and wished the successful progress of their pilgrimage work giving everyone blessings from Jerusalem.

Chief Secretary’s Office

(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)

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