On the evening of Sunday, the 12^th/25^th of May 2014, at 7:00 pm, His Holiness Pope Francis I met with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Holy Sepulcher, in commemoration of the meeting held fifty years ago between their predecessors, Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI.

The meeting was hosted by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem jointly with the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and the Brotherhood of the Franciscans Monks, according to the schedule drafted by both.

As per this schedule, Pope Francis, accompanied by the Custodian of the Holy Land, f. Pierrebatista Pizzaballa and the Armenian Patriarch Nourhan, proceeded to the Court of the Church of the Resurrection from the Muristan quarter, through the Gate of the Gethsemane Dependency, whereas His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accompanied by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Primates accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, walked from the Patriarchate along Christian Street through St Helen’s Gate.

From these two Gates, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch proceeded to the beginning and the center of the Courtyard of the Church of the Resurrection, and exchanged embraces as a testament of love and the will to continue the theological dialogue initiated fifty years ago.

From there, the two Primates proceeded to the Gate of the Church of the Resurrection, where they were received by the three Abbots of the Church, namely Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, the Franciscan and the Armenian Abbots.

Subsequently, the Primates venerated the Stone of the Holy Apokathelosis. The Greek choir of the Church of the Resurrection, under the direction of the head cantor, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, chanted, as the two Patriarchs walked to the Holy Sepulcher.

In front of the Holy Aedicula, the two Primates took their places whereas a crowd of 400 faithful had already been seated.

As the crowd observed in silence, His Beatitude Theophilos delivered an address in English, on behalf of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Franciscans and the Armenians, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/05/25/7064

The address was followed by hymns and the Evangelical pericopes of the Resurrection, and speeches delivered by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis.

“Our father” was then recited in Italian by Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch, whereas guests recited the same prayer in their native tongues.

Of note is the fact that the hymns were sang and the Evangelical pericopes recited in the absence of sacerdotal vestments, because of the lack of full communion between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

At the end of this ceremony, the Primates and a small retinue venerated the Golgotha.

From there, the Primates and their guests were hosted to a reception at the Latin Patriarchate.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/TU4aj2BUdeY

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER, 25 May 2014

An Address on the Occasion of the Visit of His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I and His Holiness Pope Francis I to the Church of the Anastasis in Commemoration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Meeting of the late Patriarch Athenagoras I and the late Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem in 1964

Your Holiness Pope Francis and Your All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew,

Christ is risen!

As we gather here in this sacred place before the Most Holy and Life-Giving Tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ in commemoration of the historic meeting 50 years ago of the late Patriarch Athenagoras I and the late Pope Paul VI, we recall the words that we pray with great intention at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom:

For the peace of the whole world,

for the stability of the holy Churches of God,

and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

We to whom divine providence has entrusted the guardianship and diakonia of the Holy Places, and to whom the pastoral ministry to the Christian communities of the Holy Land has been committed, welcome Your Holiness Pope Francis and Your All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew to this gathering in the bright and glorious light of the resurrection. Our gathering here is a confirmation and a celebration of the common path towards reconciliation and full communion that began 50 years ago in this very place.

In the course of the last half-century, we have enjoyed the fruits of deepening theological dialogue between our Churches. This dialogue has fostered encounters between our faithful, removed all sorts of obstacles between us, encouraged reconciliation, prompted the healing of unfortunate memories, and been an example to Christians of other communities to seek a more profound and enduring unity in Christ.

According to Saint Makarios of Egypt, “the Lord came on this earth to suffer on behalf of all and to buy them back with his blood and to put the heavenly leaven of goodness into faithful souls.” He also said that the Lord continues to perfect in faithful souls “all virtues until they are leaven into one in the good and they can become with the Lord One Spirit'” (Hom. 24:3).

Our commitment to the pilgrimage of unity is precisely this: to grow in the perfection of the virtues so that the heavenly leaven that makes us one Spirit with the Lord may rise in us, and be a sign of hope for a world in despair and confusion. For, as Saint Makarios wrote, “without this heavenly leaven which is the power of the divine Spirit it is impossible” for us to “be leavened with the goodness of the Lord and so reach life.”

We pray today not only for the union of our Churches and for the union of all, but also for the peace of the world, and particularly for the peace of this region, which is the cradle of peace. We remember our sisters and brothers and all innocent victims in blood-soaked Syria.

The Holy Places in this Holy Land are the eloquent martyria of our faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, “who is now crowned with glory and honour” (Heb. 2:9). The Holy Places are the common refuge of humanity, and they shine with the brightness of the true Light, a beacon of peace and spiritual refreshment for all.

On behalf of our brothers, the Custos of the Holy Land and the Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem, and the other Heads of Churches and Christian communities gathered here, we call upon God our Father that the light of resurrection that shines from the Most Holy Tomb of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ may enlighten our minds and warm our hearts, so that the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of unity and the Spirit of the bond of love, may guide our steps towards the fullness of that unity for which Christ prayed.

Ο Christ the true Light, you enlighten and sanctify every person who comes into the world: may the light of your countenance shine upon us, that in your light we may see the unapproachable Light. And direct our steps to the keeping of your commandments; through the intercession of your Most Holy Mother and all the Saints.

 (From The First Hour)

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

Jerusalem, 20 of May 2014

Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister Plamen Οresharski,

It is with great joy that we welcome you and the distinguished members of your delegation today, during the Paschal period, here in Jerusalem and to our Patriarchate. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is considered to be the Mother of all Churches, for Jerusalem has been the wellspring of our Christian faith and our common Orthodox traditions, i.e. the values that we share together with the Orthodox Church and the people of Bulgaria.

You are here on a state visit to Israel; however, for us your visit is considered a pilgrimage to the holy places, more specifically to the Church of the Anastasis, which encompasses the crucifixion and burial site, i.e. the tomb, of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, together with the order of the Brotherhood of the Holy Tomb, has been entrusted by Our Lord the guardianship and service of those holy places, which attract thousands of pilgrims every day of the year. Needless to say, the majority of these pilgrims come from Orthodox countries, including of course, your own beloved country of Bulgaria.

In saying this, we would like to emphasize the fact that our common Orthodox Christian faith and heritage serves as a point of unity between our Orthodox people and nations, and as a bridge of reconciliation. We are saying this because first of all, we here do not represent ourselves – we represent the Orthodox Church as a whole and Christendom. Secondly, the mission of the Patriarchate is and has remained throughout the ages, a purely religious and spiritual one_, which promotes peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and understanding between the various religious communities.

Furthermore, the mission of the Patriarchate has been to protect the existing political and diplomatic Status Quo of Jerusalem, in which Jerusalem is equally sacred and holy to the three monotheistic religions, i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Mr. Prime Minister, your pilgrimage here is not only a blessing for you and your countrymen, it is a blessing for the Holy Land; for every pilgrim is regarded as a messenger of good will and a messenger of peace and reconciliation, which is so greatly needed in this region and for the broader area of the blood-soaked Middle East.

Allow us to take this opportunity to confer upon you the honor of the Cross of the Order of the Holy Tomb of Christ in appreciation of your commitment to the wellbeing of your country and for the peace of the world. Let this be a sign of communion between the Bulgarian people and the Church of Jerusalem. You are welcome and God bless you.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem.

On Monday the 29^th of April/12^th of May 2014, Greece’s former Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Constantinos Tsiaras, visited the Patriarchate accompanied by the Greek ambassador to Israel, Mr Lamprides, and the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis and a number of his associates.

The former undersecretary was received by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of the Patriarchal Commissioner, His Eminence Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and other Hagiotaphite Fathers.

An interesting discussion took place in the context of this visit, on the recent inauguration of the Holy Sepulcher Exarchy in Cyprus, and the scheduled visits of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew; also, on the work anticipated by the Patriarchate in the framework of these events.

On the occasion of this visit, His Beatitude presented Mr Tsiaras with the medal of the Supreme Taxiarch of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher, for his support in the resolution of issues concerning the Patriarchate.

On his part, Mr Tsiaras expressed his thanks for the honour bestowed upon him and pledged to carry on supporting the Patriarchate that is so prudently shepherded by His Beatitude.

From the Secretariat-General

In the early hours of Sunday, the 21^st of April/4^th of May 2014, the Sunday of the Myrophorae, a Joint Patriarchal and Multi-Primatial Liturgy was conducted at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection and the Holy Sepulcher, on the occasion of the official visit to the Patriarchate of His Eminence Archbishop Leo of Finland.

The progression began, amidst bells ringing, from the gates of the Central Monastery to the Church of the Resurrection.

Upon entering the katholikon, the officiating Primate, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, put on a mantle and rose to the Throne.

Following hymns of the Ninth Ode, His Beatitude stepped into the Holy Bema, where he embraced the Archbishop of Finland and the other Prelates, whereupon they all put on their liturgical garments.

From there, they proceeded to the Holy Sepulcher, where the Joint Patriarchal and Multi-Primatial Liturgy began, led by His Beatitude Theophilos. Co-officiating were His Eminence Leo, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland; the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; their Eminences, Archbishops Dorotheos of Avila, Aristarchos of Constantina and Demetrios of Lydda; and Bishops visiting from the Church of Russia. Concelebrants were the Very Reverend Innocent, Bishop of Vladivostok; a crowd of hieromonks and priests, Archdeacon f. Evlogios and hierodeacon f. Agapios. The head-cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, sang with students at the Patriarchal School in Greek, Russian and Romanian, in the presence of the faithful, who also received Communion.

Before the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Theophilos addressed Archbishop Leo in Greek.

The service was followed by a brief reception hosted by the Elder Sacristan, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/baeeg4_xC_k

May 4, 2014

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland,

beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ,

The official visit of Your most beloved and profound Eminence and your honorable delegation to Our Church of Jerusalem and its holy shrines personally granted to Us great joy and deep exultation, as well as to Our Holy and Sacred Synod, to the venerable Brotherhood of the All-Holy Tomb, and to the clergy and people.

Your Eminence, during these days of Your official visit while being accompanied by Our Representation, You visited almost all of the All-Holy Shrines and received the grace residing within them of our incarnated, crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, and you blessed the Hagiotafites Fathers who are serving there, as well as the clergy and people. Just the other day, we completed our Christian communion and we sealed Your pilgrimage theoria (i.e. contemplation) with our concelebration at the All-Holy Tomb, and where we received the holy Body and Blood of Christ.

Thanking God for all the gifts He has given to Us, we now thank, according to Our communion at this common meal, offered by our Brotherhood of the All-Holy Tomb in honor of the entire Orthodox Church of Finland, in honor of Your Eminence and your honorable delegation, which under the wise pastoral guidance exercises considerable good pastoral, social, inter-Christian and interreligious work in the advanced country of Finland.

We raise our glass for the health, firmness and strength of Your Eminence, and that you may continue to execute this most honorable ecclesiastic diakonia for the progress and salvation of the flock entrusted to Your Eminence and for the prosperity and progress of the entire Finnish people. Amen.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

At noon of the Sunday of the Myrophorae, namely the 21^st/4^th of May 2014, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, hosted His Eminence Leo, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, and His retinue, to lunch at the David Citadel Hotel.

The Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, and representatives of the Russian and Romanian Churches in Jerusalem, were among guests invited by His Beatitude.

During lunch, the Patriarch of Jerusalem addressed the Archbishop of Finland in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/05/04/6727 to which His Eminence Leo, Archbishop of Finland replied with words of thanks.

The speeches concluded the event at the David Citadel Hotel.

In the afternoon of the same day, at 18:00 pm, a reception was held at the Patriarchate in honour of Archbishop Leo.

Attending the reception were Hagiotaphite Fathers, representatives of other Christian Churches in the Holy Land, the Diplomatic Corps, representatives of our flock, Chairmen of Communal Committees, priests, members of the Jerusalem parish and other high ranking government officials as well as members of the congregation.

Everyone invited paid their respects to the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Archbishop of Finland, expressing their joy over this occasion for interaction.

From the Secretariat-General

May 3, 2014

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland, beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ,

At this holy place, Fearful Golgotha, i.e. the place of the skull, the people led the incarnated Son and Word of God Jesus Christ the Nazarene to be crucified under Pontius Pilate, according to the Gospel narratives.

At this All-Holy and life-giving Tomb, God in His infinite wisdom and ineffable love for His creation, erased their transgressions, by raising His Only-Begotten Son from the dead after three days and in doing so also raised and saved His creation from their ancestral curse of sin, disobedience and exile.

The message of the resurrection of the crucified Jesus Christ the Nazarene was received by His Apostles and disciples and was spread to Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, until the ends of the earth.

This message, along with the divine teachings of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, concerning reconciliation, forgiveness and love for our enemies, resonates and is applied in the Church, which is the body of Christ. He, as the crucified and risen Lord through His Holy Spirit, who ascended into the heavens, was sent from God the Father to His holy disciples and apostles.

This changed people’s manner of life, ethics and customs, their history and their culture. This change brought upon a new ratified and sealed creation, beginning from the great Emperor St. Constantine, who built this most venerable Church of the Anastasis, as an unfeigned witness to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

This Church, and the life-emanating all-holy shrines of the Holy Land, have safe-guarded the ancient Patriarchate of Jerusalem, like the daughter of their eye, throughout the centuries, especially by its established Brotherhood of the All-Holy Tomb through struggles, sacrifice, war, financial expenses, offerings of blood and lives.

In this Church and indeed in the empty and life-giving Tomb of the Lord, we are made worthy tonight to concelebrate and arrive at the pinnacle of Your most beloved and profound Eminence’s official visit to the Mother of all Churches, the Church of Jerusalem, i.e., our full, undisputed and unbreakable Christian communion and our unity in the blood and common Eucharistic chalice.

This experience of the completion of the Divine Liturgy at the All-Holy Tomb, with the food of the Body and the drink of the Blood of Christ will become the strong motive and life-giving power of cooperation between our Churches, so that we may give a testimony to our pious flocks and to the entire world that the problems of the entire world: war, terrorism, violence, exploitation, injustice, hunger, poverty, economic crisis, as well as other problems have solutions that are found in the face and teachings of the founder of our Church, our Savior Jesus Christ, who accepted poverty as He had nowhere to lay His head. For the Lord said, “He who has two cloaks, let him share with him who has none” (Luke 3:11). The Lord even taught love for our enemies, and as a living being without cause He gave Himself as a ransom for us by His salvific sacrifice on the Cross. Therefore, in His name with the Father and the Holy Spirit, come and let us again continue our current blessed mission so that the Lord, through His unfeigned promise, will always be with us through His word, “And lo, I am with you always, even until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20). Amen.

HIS BEATITUDE

THEOPHILOS III

PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

On Wednesday the 17^th/30^th of April 2014, Princess Margareta of Romania, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, and HRH Prince Radu, visited the Patriarchate.

These highly esteemed visitors were warmly received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

The prince couple reported how happy and touched they were for being received by the Patriarch of the Mother of Churches during the period of the resurrection, and that they had already been received by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Patriarchate of Serbia and the Patriarchate of Georgia.

The prince and princess were accompanied by the Romanian Ambassador to Israel, Mrs Andrea Păstârnac, in the framework of their visit to the state of Israel, between 30 April and 1 May, in their official capacity as prince and princess, recognized by the state of Romania.

In the context of this visit, His Beatitude talked about the Patriarchate’s pastoral and peace-making work, from its beginning to this day, in the multi-religious, multinational and inflammable political setting of the Middle East.

During the visit, His Beatitude offered the prince couple pectoral crosses and the book on the History of the Church of Jerusalem by Chrysostomos Papadopoulos.

Extending thanks for the gifts, the prince and princess went on to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher, where they were received by the Elder Sacristan, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Hierapolis.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/lmplAfrggDE

On Tuesday the 16^th/29^th of April 2014, His Eminence, Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland visited the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, accompanied by three clerics, a nun and a subdeacon.

Earlier on the same day, the Archbishop of Finland was welcomed at Ben Gurion Airport by the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; His Eminence Theophylaktos, Archbishop of Jordan, and the Director of the Christian Affairs Department at the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs, Mr Cesar Margie.

At 6:00 pm of the same day, the Archbishop of Finland was officially welcomed at David’s Gate by the representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Patriarchal Commissioner Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, and Hagiotaphite Fathers. Also present were representatives of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem, Mr Cesar Margie, the Finnish Ambassador to Israel, Mrs Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, and a crowd of Orthodox people.

From there, they walked to the Patriarchate to meet His Beatitude Theophilos and, amidst bells ringing, they proceeded to the All-holy Church of the Resurrection.

There, the two Prelates venerated at the Holy Apokathelosis whereas the Archbishop of Finland blessed the burned incense.

They went on to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher, where the Gospel of the Resurrection was read out in Finnish by the Archbishop of Finland.

From there they entered the Katholikon, where Doxology was performed.

After Doxology, His Beatitude made an address in Greek, reached here in English: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/29/6588

The addresses were followed by veneration at the Holy Golgotha and return to the Patriarchates.

At the Patriarchates, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem addressed the Archbishop of Finland in Greek, reached here in English: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/29/6584

His Beatitude went on to decorate the Archbishop of Finland with the Grand Cross of the Knights Order of the Holy Sepulcher for His contribution to ecclesiastical life and the prevalence of justice and peace. He also offered Him a set of prelatic engolpiya, an icon of Theotokos and the book of Chrysostomos Papadopoulos on the Church of Jerusalem. Also offered were Jerusalemite icons to the members of His retinue.

Extending thanks for the decoration and reception, His Eminence the Archbishop of Finland offered His Beatitude a miraculous icon of Theotokos from the Monastery of Valamo of the Orthodox Church of Finland, bearing the name “Jerusalemite”.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/UIzrodV6UZI