On Thursday, 18th / 31st of August 2023, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos awarded the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Evangelos Vlioras, who served successfully and now retired, a special medal cut for the renovation of the Sacred Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre in 2017, thanking him for his support of our Patriarchate and wishing him success in the representation of the motherland Greece in the European Union in Brussels.

From Secretariat-General

On the afternoon of Thursday, August 3/17, 2023, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr Irakli Garibashvili visited the Patriarchate, accompanied by a group of his associates and the Ambassador of Georgia to Israel Mr Lasha Zhvania.

His Excellency the Prime Minister and his delegation were warmly received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, addressing him with the word “you are most welcome” and referring to the diverse work of the Patriarchate, pilgrimage, pastoral, unification of the Orthodox Churches and to its good relations with the Patriarchate of Georgia. His Beatitude wished the Prime Minister success in his visit to Israel and offered him an icon of the Sacred Edicule and the Theotokos.

His Excellency the Prime Minister referred to the peaceful work carried out by the Country of Georgia and to its promotion of human values and thanked His Beatitude for his support to the Georgians who come each time on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and asked for the blessing to worship the Holy Sepulchre.

On the visit to the Holy Sepulchre, he was accompanied by the Elder Dragouman Archimandrite Mattheos and the Holy Sepulchre monks welcomed him, wishing him success in his visit.

From Secretariat–General

On Thursday, July 21/August 3, 2023,

1. His Beatitude received a representation from the football team of P.A.O.K. and spoke to them about the role and name of the Patriarchate as “Roman Orthodox Patriarchate” and appealed to them to continue the championship and to remain in the roots, principles and values of Romiosyni.

The representatives of P.A.O.K. offered to His Beatitude a double-headed eagle, a symbol of their group, and holy myrrh from the pilgrimage of Saint Demetrius in Thessaloniki.

His Beatitude offered them a silver painting of the city of Jerusalem and wished them good success in their team’s football match this evening after the Israeli Beitar football team.

1. In the end, His Beatitude received a group of two hundred Russian pilgrims under Metropolitan Mark and two Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church of the former Diaspora. He spoke to and blessed them and wished them a blessed feast of Saint Mary Magdalene the equal to the apostles at the Holy Monastery in Gethsemani of this Russian Church, in view of His visit the next day.

From Secretariat-General

On the morning of Thursday, July 14/27, 2023, a Divine Liturgy was held in the Holy Church of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Beit Jala Community under the leadership of its priests, presided over by the Hegoumen Archimandrite Ignatios, with the participation in prayer of the Priests and the Ladies, (approximately 300), from eleven Communities of the Patriarchate of the West Bank of the Palestinian Authority. His Beatitude blessed this liturgical event with the following address:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”(Ps. 133,1), the psalmist proclaims. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”(Matt. 18,20) the Lord says.

Beloved children in Christ, brothers and sisters.

Our gathering in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in this historic and biblical town of Beit Jala is indeed excellent and pleasant. And this is because, in his Hierarchal prayer, Jesus Christ prays to His God and Father for Himself, His Disciples the Apostles, and all those who will believe in Him, saying: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so, have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17,17-21).

Interpreting these words of the Lord, Saint Cyril of Alexandria says: “Christ seeks the bond of love, unity and peace, to gather those who believe in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit”. And Zigavinos says: “Having as a starting point of reference love and unity, Christ concludes in this again, showing that love is God-pleasing and most significant”.

It is noteworthy that this is not referring to a unity of essence, as in the case of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, but of love. It is about the unity of the Spirit that will result from the fact that they will be “one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling”, having “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Cf. Eph. 4,4-6), as Saint Paul preaches. And according to Saint John the Theologian, Jesus died “that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (John 11,52).

 During Christ’s Passion on the Cross, this love, the mother’s love, was primarily shown by His Mother, the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and secondly by the myrrh-bearing women. This love was expressed by Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary when they received Christ in their house in Bethany, where Jesus took the opportunity to reprimand Martha with the words, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10,41-42).

Interpreting these words of the Lord, Theophylactos notes: “Great is the benefit of hospitality, which Martha showed, and it cannot be disregarded; however, it is of greater good to pay heed to the spiritual words”. And Zigavinos says: “Jesus said ‘the good part’, not meaning that the other part was evil, but He called ‘good’ the one which was superior. There are two good parts, but the one is better than the other”.

In other words, my beloved children in Christ, the serving of the two sisters Martha and Mary is distinguished in two parts; the care of the body, the daily needs, and the care of the soul, the care of the spiritual needs. Both types of serving by those who love the Church, the vineyard of the Lord, should aim at the glory of the Lord, according to each person’s calling. “Every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that” (1 Cor. 7,7).

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences in administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all” (1 Cor. 12,4-6), the wise Paul preaches.

This means that woman is nowhere less in the struggles of faith, as Saint Chrysostom teaches: “There is no male nor female sex for Christ, neither the nature of man, neither the infirmity of the body, neither age nor anything else of the like which would prevent those who walk in the path of reverence if there is a brave willingness and vigilant mindset and fervent and rooted fear of God in our souls”.

These words of Saint Chrysostom are confirmed by the multitude of the holy women, prophetesses, equal-to-the-apostles, righteous great martyrs and confessors, who are commemorated in the Old and New Testament of the Bible, as well as in the historical course of life of the earthly Church devoted to God. And again, Saint Chrysostom stresses the fact that as far as the struggle for God and the toils for the Church are concerned, it is the woman who engages in good efforts and labours more boldly than man.

It is made clear that the mission of the Christian woman today, “just like that of the holy women of old” (1 Peter 3,5), in the world of confusion, apostasy, lawlessness and “in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (cf. Hebrews 3,8), is more necessary than ever. Therefore, we are called to listen to the Apostle Peter saying: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5, 6-8).

Our Holy Church of Jerusalem, founded upon the Resurrected Christ’s Blood on the Cross, continues its redeeming mission, according to the Apostolic tradition and that of the Holy Fathers, fortified and encouraged by the Lord’s word: “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16,18).

Finally, we would like to thank all those who contributed to organizing this God-pleasing gathering of the Rum-Orthodox women’s unions, especially the Reverend Father Elias who took this initiative, as well as our dearest Fathers Boutros and Yusef.

May the Grace of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

From Secretariat-General

On Wednesday, July 6 / 19, 2023, the Community Council of Haifa visited H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos for issues related to this Community.

From Secretariat–General

On the morning of Tuesday, July 5 / 18, 2023, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos accepted the assumed service as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Israel, Mr Cornelios Corneliou, accompanied by Mrs Irene Trigidou.

His Beatitude informed the Ambassador about the Mission of the Patriarchate to the Holy Land and wished him the blessing of his high mission for the good of his beloved homeland Cyprus in its liberation from the Turkish occupation.

His Beatitude then received the Arabic-speaking Greek Orthodox cardiologist Mr Hisham Nasser with his recently married son Mr Amer Nasser, the former Bishop of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem Mr Suhel Dawani and the former Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem Mr Munib Yunan.

Finally, His Beatitude received the President of the Community Council of Acre, Mr Fouad Brek, and the Representative of the Kufr Smea Community, Mr Abu Hanna, and discussed with them issues of their Community.

  From Secretariat-General

On Thursday, June 23rd / July 6th 2023, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, accepted:

1. The Elder Treasurer Fr Daoud, Head of the parish of the county of Taibe near Ramallah for matters concerning this Community.
2. The Elder Treasurer, Fr Nikolaos, Head of the Acre-Ptolemais region of Northern Israel Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Community in Abu Snan with a group of fifty young people of the Catechetical School of this Community.3. The Elder Father Savvas, Head of the Greek-Orthodox Arabic-speaking Community of Northern Israel in Abelin for issues concerning this Community.From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, June 21/July 4, 2023, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos accepted:

1. 1. The former Mayor of Bejalla, Mr Nikolaos Hamis, followed by members of his family and the Priest of Bejalla, Father Youssef Hodali.
   2. A group of Israelis from Northern Israel near the border with Lebanon under Mr Sidi Zidkiyahu Simenhaus.

1. A twenty-member team of Police officers from various countries as shown in the attached list of the International Police Association, here: https://jerusalem-patriarchate.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023_07_04_13_44_33.pdf

Receiving them, His Beatitude referred to the complexity of the work of the Police in Jerusalem, which is overcome through the Grace of Jesus Christ, whose redemptive Blood watered Jerusalem and the entire Holy Land.

From Secretariat-General

On Tuesday, June 7/20, 2023, His Beatitude Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos received a group of female conservators from Russia under the icon and book conservator Mr Stavros Andreou and Mr Igor, who will maintain the icons of the Patriarchate working in the Holy Cross Monastery.

From Secretariat-General

On the evening of Tuesday, June 7th/20th, 2023, the awarding ceremony of the Remla School certificates took place in the ceremony hall of the cultural center of the city. This ceremony is the 28th since the Community founded the School with the practical support of the Patriarchate.

This ceremony, begun by the “Our Father”, included notable performances by the fifty graduates of the School, male and female students, patriotic music, dances, and other performances, attended by parents and other relatives of the graduates, the Hegoumen of Remla Archimandrite Nifon, the President of the Community, Mr Faez Mansour, and members of the Community Council, the Mayor of the city, representatives of other Municipalities and denominations.

From Jerusalem, the ceremony was honoured by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Capitolias, the Elder Chief Secretary His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Hierodeacon Dositheos and Fr Issa Mousleh.

The importance and value of Education for the graduates’ lives and the Patriarchate’s continuous support was particularly emphasized by His Beatitude in his speech by Fr Issa, after which He handed over the certificates to each of the graduates, wishing them success and a good career.

From Secretariat-General