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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On Sunday, October 17^th/30^th 2011, His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos decorated in Paris His Eminence Archbishop of Komana Gabriel Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the knighthood Cross decoration of the Holy Sepulcher.

This honorary distinction took place in the Patriarchate and in the frame of a pilgrimage visit of the Archbishop of Komana Gabriel to the Holy Land together with a group of clergy and laity fromFrance under his pastoral guidance and care.

During this visit, His Eminence celebrated in the Holy Sepulcher and concelebrated with His Beatitude at the Holy Pilgrimage of the Annunciation of the Theotokos inNazareth.

Decorating His Holy of Komana, His Beatitude stated to Him that the honorary distinction that is attributed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem only in very special occasions,  is attributed to him due to his contribution as a clergyman and Primate to the Church in general, especially to the Zion Church Mother of Churches.

Touched with emotion His Eminence of Komana thanked his Beatitude stating that in the name of his Archdiocese, he commits himself to helping the Patriarchate actively by providing a Father of the Holy Sepulcher with a scholarship to study at the Theological School of Saint Sergius inParis or in any other way, he will be advised to.

Thanking him His Beatitude stated that in due time the Patriarchate will positively use this contribution.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Saturday, October 16^th / 29^th 2011, Delegation of The Hellenic Retail Business Association under Mr. Antonios Zaimis, General Manager with his small Escort and with the escort of the Representative of the Greek Embassy in Tel-Aviv Mr. Panagiotis Sinanoglou visited the Patriarchate.

The above-mentioned delegation was accepted cordially by His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

In the frame of this meeting, there was discussion concerning the progressive and under terms treated economic crisis in Greece and a wish for its effective and total treatment was expressed. In addition, discussion was conducted on the ongoing political crisis in the Middle East and on the role that Greece plays with its stance and interventions as well as the peacekeeping tactic of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem supporting the amelioration of the peace-keeping procedure and its completion.

There was also discussion regarding the creation of improving conditions in the business environment and commerce in the frame of improving relations between Greece and Israel as well as Cyprus and Israel.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

On Saturday, 9^th/22^nd October 2011, the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy and Glorious Great Martyr George the Triumphant  in Lydda and the Commission of the Arabic speaking Greek Orthodox Community of this city visited the Patriarchate.

The purpose of this visit was to invite His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, so as to preside over the feast of the Inauguration of the Holy Church of  Saint George in Lydda and the transporting of this venerable body on the 3^rd/17^th of the following November.

His Beatitude asked them about the activities and the progress of the Community in general and about the progress of the Youth and the Sunday school, gave them His blessings and promised that with God’s help he will respond positively, to preside over the all-embracing feast of Saint George.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Monday, October 4^th / 17^th 2011, a twenty-member group of nuns from the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologist under their Mother Superior nun Episteme, being on a pilgrimage visit to the Holy Land visited the Patriarchate.

The nuns paid their respects to His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos who accepted them warmly and chanted to Him “God grant You many years”/ “Eis Polla Eti Despota” and “Preserve, O Lord, our Master and Hierarch…” / “Ton Despotin kai Arhierea…”

His Beatitude welcomed them stating that they are sanctified by their visit to the Holy Calvary and the Most Holy Sepulcher and the other Holy Lands which received the blood of Jesus and were given life by the blood of the crucifixion, the life-giving and saving blood of Christ, becoming witnesses of Christ’s Salvation Act in the lands where It was conducted and stronger in their spiritual and ascetic strive.

His Beatitude wished them a successful and effectual continuation of their ascetic strives with the power of the Most Precious Cross and the Most Holy and Life-giving Sepulcher and gave them blessings from Jerusalem.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Wednesday, September 29^th /October 12^th 2011, a group of 40 Orthodox young people and artists from Ukraine, being on a pilgrimage visit to the Holy Land, with the blessing and order of His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev Vladimir and in cooperation with the Palestinian Autonomy escorted by Mrs. Anna Kabanova from Ukraine, President of the Society of the Ukraine-Palestinian friendship and Mrs. Violet Araz, secretary of  Mr. Hanna Issa, in charge of the department of help of the Churches next to the President of the Palestinian Autonomy Mr. Mahmud Abbas Abu Mazen, visited the Patriarchate.

His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos accepted these individuals cordially, gave His blessings and congratulated them on their musical and artistic performances. These young people, who constitute a choir, sang to His Beatitude church hymns and traditional moving songs from Ukraine.

Having all received the blessing of His Beatitude and the presents from Jerusalem He gave, they continued in order to venerate the Most Holy Sepulcher.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Sunday, September 26^th /October 9^th 2011, a small group of pilgrims from Georgia visited the Patriarchate as a delegation on behalf of the Patriarchate of Georgia. The delegation was led by the secretary of the Patriarchate of Georgia Mrs. S. Tinatin and members of the Embassy of Georgia in Tel-Aviv.

The above mentioned delegation was accepted at the Patriarchate by His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos who, welcoming them, spoke about the duty of the sister Orthodox Churches to cooperate based on mutual respect, love and peace in Christ for the benefit and interests of the souls of their congregation.

The above-mentioned delegation expressed the wish of His Beatitude Patriarch of Georgia Helias to visit the Holy Land and the Patriarchate in private since he had already paid his visit for peace to the patriarchate some years ago.

His Holy Beatitude accepted this request to be realized in due time and all the necessary for that visit preparation.

Wishing them farewell, His Beatitude provided them with the medal of the 2000 years of Christianity and the book of the History of the Church of Jerusalem by the Father of the Holy Sepulcher Archbishop of Athens Chrisostomos Papadopoulos with pictures of the Most Holy Sepulcher and a CD with Its History.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Tuesday September 28^th /October 11^th 2011, the secretary of the American Council in Jerusalem Mrs. Cheryl Igiri visited His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos

In this meeting His Beatitude and Mrs. Igiri discussed issues concerning the Holy Land as a sacred land for the three monotheistic religions and the Holy City of Jerusalem as “the center of the world” meaning a religious, cultural and educational center in the Middle East as well as worldwide. They also discussed the role of the Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem through the centuries in the Middle East and the importance of Its peacekeeping role nowadays.

They sealed this meeting thanking each other and offering presents. His Beatitude offered Mrs.Igiri a golden pectoral cross and the copen medal on the two-thousand- year anniversary of Christianity.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Tuesday,  September 28^th / October 11^th 2011, the Bishop of Gioencu Arsenios of the Orthodox Church of Finland together with a small escort visited the Patriarchate and was accepted by His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

In this meeting, His Beatitude welcomed them at the Zion Church, mother of Churches where the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles during the day of Pentecoste. From this Church originated all the established Orthodox Churches worldwide by the work of the Apostles the Disciples of Christ. Historical records of the Incarnation of the Word of God, His Act of Salvation and the Acts of His Disciples are the Holy and Sacred Pilgrimages of the Holy Land, which the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was called to protect and keep through the centuries.

His Beatitude also sent his greetings to his Eminence Bishop of Finland Leonta and referred to his visit to the Orthodox Church of Finland, where he enjoyed the warm hospitality of his Eminence and all the members of the Church.

Afterwards His Beatitude gave as presents pectoral crosses to the visitors, icons of the Most Holy Sepulcher and the book of History of the Church of Jerusalem by the Father of the Holy Sepulcher Archbishop of Athens Chrisostomos Papadopoulos.

The Bishop of Gioensu Arsenios and his escort thanked his Beatitude cordially and asked for his blessing to celebrate the coming Saturday night at the Most Holy and Life-giving Sepulcher.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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On Saturday September 25th /October 9th 2011 the Orthodox Theological School of Munich consisting of its students and several accompanying pilgrims led by His Grace Bishop Remezianis Andreas of the Serbian Patriarchate and the Bishop of Stuttgart Agapitos of the Russian church of Dispersion as well as the Professor of the Faculty Mr. Athanasios Vletsis, visited the Patriarchate.

The above mentioned had already been on an educational pilgrimage trip to the Holy Land since the feast of the Elevation of the Most Precious Cross on Tuesday September 14th/27th 2011 and sealed their pilgrimage tour and theory with their visit to His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

During this visit through the words of Bishop of Remezianis Andreas, they expressed their joy for their pilgrimage visit to the Holy Land and their sincere thanks to His Beatitude for His warm welcome.

In response His Beatitude spoke to them about the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as the local Church of the Holy Land which having Jerusalem as its center embodies the Holy History and the Divine Economy of our Salvation by means of the Incarnation of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ at a time and place, His birth in flesh, Crucifixion and Resurrection.

“The Zion Mother of Churches” His Beatitude stated, “together with the Fathers of the Holy Sepulcher kept and protected the Holy Land through the centuries as sacred, as concrete evidence, as tangible testimonial of the Acts of God that took place in the Holy Land for our salvation as well as the existence and the identity of the Christians who have been living in it until today. The Church kept and protected the Holy Land as a liturgical place for the spiritual cultivation and holiness of Its Christian residents and pilgrims.

“You” continued His Beatitude “have been blessed to visit the Holy Land not only as pilgrims but students of Theology as well and to ascertain the existence of Christian congregation leaving in it whose guard and guarantor is the Patriarchate.

This mission and role of the Patriarchate acknowledge and ask for the local political, authorities of Israel, Jordan and Palestinian Autonomy. As you give testimony in Europe on Orthodoxy so do we in the Middle East.”

All the Orthodox nations with their different cultural traditions experience here the event of Pentecost. They visit the Holy Land and concelebrate with us at the Most Holy Sepulcher and the Holy Shrine of Calvary.

“We congratulate you all on participating in the organization of this interorthodox trip and we convey the message that all Orthodox Churches are nowadays obliged more than ever to abandon competitiveness and protest for their unity that is in fact the substance of their mission, namely the salvation of man.”

During these, His Beatitude gave encolpia to the Head priests, ivory pectoral crosses to the priests and for the Faculty the book of History of the Church of Jerusalem by the Father of the Holy Sepulcher Archbishop of Athens Chrisostomos Papadopoulos, and other blessings from Jerusalem.

Chief Secretary’s Office

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

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