On Tuesday the 31^st of July/13^th of August 2013, Mr Ryan Purnell, head of the Committee on Christian Affairs of the American Consulate in Jerusalem visited the Patriarchate upon assuming office.

The American Consular officer was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. At the meeting, Mr Purnell was congratulated on his new duties and informed on pilgrimage and asset affairs of the Patriarchate as well as on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, with an eye to a collaboration which promotes and safeguards the rights of each Community in Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land.

Mr Ryan Purnell thanked His Beatitude and pledged himself to a very good and fruitful cooperation.

From the Secretariat-General

On Tuesday the 31^st of July/13^th of August 2013, the new Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, visited the Patriarchate upon assuming office.

The Greek Consul General was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Brothers of the Holy Sepulcher.

In the context of this meeting, His Beatitude wished the Consul General strength in his new duties and informed him on principal matters of the Patriarchate, whilst requesting his cooperation and support in his capacity as a representative of Greece, successor to the Byzantine Empire and protector of the Holy Lands.

To such cooperation the Consul General pledged himself unreservedly.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/QtnqxIsPZh0

On Thursday the 26^th of July/8^th of August 2013, a group of thirty members of the Arab-speaking (Rum Orthodox) congregation of the Patriarchate from various regions of Jordan visited the Patriarchate. The group was headed by Hieromonk f. Athanasios Kakis.

This pious group was received by His Holiness Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Brothers of the Holy Sepulcher. At the meeting, the Patriarch offered fatherly advice and blessed the group’s tour around the All-Holy Pilgrimage Sites.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/T88oFdhBKBQ

On Monday the 2^nd/15^th of July 2013, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem decorated the Ambassador of Israel to the Dominican Republic and Caribbean Islands, Mr Bahij Mansour with the medal of the Small Crusader of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher for his interreligious contribution and for cultivating a spirit of religious tolerance among followers of different religions.

Mr Mansour thanked His Beatitude and pledged to bear favourable witness to the Churches of Jerusalem in his new mission.

 Mr Mansour was accompanied by Mr Cesar Margi, Head of Christian Affairs at the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs, and by his family.

From the Secretariat-General

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder

On Monday, the 2^nd/15^th of July 2013, the 50-member Women’s Association of the Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Community of the town of Rene near Nazareth, accompanied by priest f. Vasilios visited the Patriarchate.

The Women’s Association was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, who listened to the problems of their Community and pledged to maintain the aid provided to them, for which the Association extended their gratitude.

Having received blessings and gifts from His Beatitude, the pious women proceeded for veneration to the All-Holy Church of the Resurrection.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/9DniHAqwXdk

ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder

On Monday the 2^nd/15^th of July 2013, the Minister of Tourism of the Palestinian Authority Ms Rula Ma’ay’a visited the Patriarchate.

The Honourable Minister was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. The two discussed issues pertaining to the Churches, the Monasteries, and the present-day archeological sites, in particular their conservation and fine operation for the faithful, pilgrims and tourists.

From the Secretariat General

httpv://youtu.be/3u071JS3b3I

On Wednesday the 27^th of June/10^th of July 2013, the Commissioners of the Rum Orthodox Community of Birzet, a city adjacent to Ramallah, paid a visit to His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Matters which concern the community were discussed during the visit, the first of which is the construction of a new church, due to the small capacity of the existing church of St George the Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer.

For the purpose of the construction of a new church, His Beatitude provided the Commission with a reference letter required for the collection of the necessary donations.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/qu-zkBVIhds

ngg_shortcode_2_placeholder

On Wednesday, the 27^th of June/10^th of July 2013, the wife of the Jordan Prime-Minister, Ms Im-Husam-Ensour visited the Patriarchate.

The Prime-Minister’s wife was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Guardians of the Holy Sepulcher.

During her visit, the Prime-Minister’s wife expressed her high regard over the prevailing order and decency at the Holy Sites of Pilgrimage and the Holy Monasteries she had toured in the context of her visit to Jerusalem and the Patriarchate.

Ms Ensour was accompanied by the Archimandrite of Fhes, f. Ieronymos, and Ms Im-Omar Gerasat, wife of serviceman Mr Abu Omar Gerasat, of an Orthodox Family with friendly ties to the Patriarchate.

At the visit, His Beatitude presented Ms Ensour with a painting in relief, made in Bethlehem, with a representation of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and a book on the History of Jerusalem by the late Chrysostomos Papadopoulos. Jerusalemite blessings were offered to the rest of the guests.  

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Fs9X6GKfmSk

ngg_shortcode_3_placeholder

On the evening of Saturday the 23^rd of June/5^th of July 2013, the graduation ceremony was held at the School of Remli of the Rum Orthodox Community.

The School was founded twenty five years ago by the Greek Orthodox Community of Remli in the days of the late Diodoros, Patriarch of Jerusalem, with the Patriarchate’s moral and financial support.

Gradually, the School evolved into a Nursery School, an Elementary, a Gymnasium and a Lyceum numbering today 714 students and 60 teachers. Indeed, it is considered today one of the best in the city, with its students performing very well and succeeding at the exams for the University.

At the ceremony, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Right Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the Most Reverend Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, the Hegoumen at the Holy Monastery of Myrophorae in Remli, Guardian of the Holy Sepulcher, Archimandrite f. Nephon, conferred the titles upon 61 graduates and went on to address them in Arab, see: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/07/06/2530/

Also attending the ceremony was the Mayor of Remli, Mr Yoel Levy and the President of the Community and one of the school’s founders, Mr Michel Ksur.

From the Secretariat-General

ngg_shortcode_4_placeholder

On Monday, the 18^th of June, the beginning of the fast of the holy Apostles/1^st July 2013, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, left Jerusalem accompanied by the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the Elder Sacristan Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Hegoumen of Fhes, Archimandrite Ieronymos.

Crossing the Allenby Bridge over the river Jordan, located on its outfall into the Dead Sea, His Beatitude proceeded to Southern Jordan, in the region of Karak city.

In the city of Anter, bordering Karak, and particularly at its refugee housing, His Beatitude distributed humanitarian aid to children and youth, displaced from Syria, but also to impoverished people from Jordan. The aid was offered by the “Refugee Aid” NGO and collected by the Patriarchal Office in Amman, headed by Mrs Wafa Ksous. The aid came in the form of sanitary ware, food, clothes, toys and stationery.

Attending this humanitarian event was the Greek Ambassador to Jordan, Mrs Louiza Marinaki, Mrs Wafa Ksous, father Ioannis, head of the Karak parish, father Antonios, the vicar of Anter, the priest of the town of Hmoud, f. Constantinos, and the Prefect of Karak region Mr Ahmed-il-Asaf, who welcomed His Beatitude to the area of Karak and thanked him for the distribution of gifts.

From the town of Anter His Beatitude left for the city of Karak, where he visited the Holy Church of the Patriarchate dedicated to St George. The church preserves remarkable elements of antiquity, e.g. a very great monolith baptistery, an inscription with the name of the Metropolitan of Petra, Meletios, the Metropolitan of the Holy Light, evidently because at the time, circa 1853, he imparted the Holy Light in place of the ailing Patriarch. This holy Church will soon be renovated in accordance with its age.

From the Church His Beatitude entered the adjacent hall of events, where he distributed presents to the children of the Karak parish School of Catechism. The children chanted hymns and religious songs to everyone’s contentment.

Subsequently, His Beatitude briefly visited Ms Maisou, the well-known Arab teacher of the Guardians of the Holy Sepulcher in Karak and blessed her house.

At noon, His Beatitude, His retinue and the Ambassador to Jordan, Mrs Louiza Marinaki, attended a luncheon held in their honour by MP Mr Fares Ksous at his residence.

After this, His Beatitude extended His condolences to the Shaouareb family on the death of the father, the late Akram-Abu-Moursin.

Arriving from Kara to Amman, Jordan, His Beatitude visited the family of Senator Dr Ziyad Saraiha and extended his condolences over the death of his mother, Euphrosyne.

Later, His Beatitude extended his condolences to the Hmoud family, a member of which died in a car accident. The deceased was a high-ranking employee of the UNRWA NGO managing the humanitarian aid of the Zaatar refugee housing.

Subsequently, His Beatitude arrived at the Metropolis in Amman, where he was received by the Most Reverend Benedict, Metropolitan of Philadelphia.

From the Metropolis His Beatitude left for Jerusalem.

From the Secretariat-General

ngg_shortcode_5_placeholder