ADDRESS OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM ON THE OCCASION OF THE 1025 ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAPTISM OF RUS.

Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, Sunday 28 July 2013.

“Your Holiness, my dear Βrother in Christ and

Concelebrant, Kyril,

Patriarch of Moscow and All  Russia, Your Beatitudes,

Your Eminences,

Your Graces,

Venerable Fathers,

Beloved Monastics,

Esteemed Members of the Government and the Civil Service

Dear Sisters & Brothers, the precious children of the

Orthodox    Church,

 

Grace  to  you  and  peace  from  God our  Father  and  the

Lord Jesus  Christ!  (2 Cor.  1:2)

We greet  you with these words of Saint Paul as we celebrate with you all this great anniversary of the Baptism of “Rus”.We are  honoured to be here, and we thank you, Your Holiness, for the  invitation that you have extended to us to participate in this Patriarchal Divine Liturgy.

 We are reminded today of the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the Sermon on the Mount:

 You are  the  light  of the  world… let your light so shine before   others   that  they  may  see  your  good  works  and give  glory   to your  Father  in heaven,  (Mt.   5: 14, 1 6)

 The  light   of which  Our  Lord  speaks is nothing  less than the  uncreated  light   of  the  Father that   has  been  before the   beginning  of  time.       This   is  the   same   light   that shone   from    Mount  Sinai  when   God  gave  the   Law  to Moses.   This  is the  same  light   that  shone  from   Mount Tabor   at  the  Transfiguration   when   Our  Lord  appeared to  the  disciples  with   Moses and  Elijah  and  they  heard the  Father say, “This  is my  Son, the  Beloved; with   him  I am well  pleased;  listen  to  him!”   (Mt.  17:5).

 This  light   shone  also  from   Golgotha, when  the  King  of Glory  was  lifted   up  on  the  cross,  and  made  manifest to the   whole   world    the   true   meaning  and  cost   of   love. This   light   shone  from   Mount Zion  on  Pentecost, when mysterious  tongues  of  flame   rested  on  the   heads   of the   Apostles   and   Our   Lord   bestowed  on   them    the Father’s gift  of the  Holy  Spirit.

This    wonderful,    divine    light    is  the   same   light    of   hope that          continues   to  shine,   even   in  our   own   day,  from   the Holy  Tomb    of  Our   Lord  Jesus    Christ.       It  was  this   light that    inspired   the   first    missionaries   to  these   lands,   and this is  this   same   light    that   continues   to  bring    hope   to people  all over     the  world.

 The   Church    of Jerusalem,   as  the   Scriptures   remind    us, is  the   Mother    of  all  the  Churches  (Gal.  4:26),   and  has  a special  care for  all  the  Orthodox   faithful   around  the World.           We   rejoice    today    especially   in   the   close relationship    that    has   always    existed     between   the Church   in  Russia  and  the   Ukraine  and  the  Church   of Jerusalem.

 In   a   time     of    extreme   need    in   these    lands,    our predecessors   of  blessed      memory,     the       Patriarchs Theophanes  III,  Paisios, and  Dositheos  II of Jerusalem, were   significant   spiritual   and   pastoral  guides   to   the Church     here.          And    so   the    Church    of   “Rus”  was engrafted   into   the   ancient    apostolic  tradition   of   the Church    of  Jerusalem,  and   this   intimacy   our   faithful people   have always  felt.

 For  centuries  pilgrims  from   these  vast  lands  that   have been  sanctified  by the  blood   of  the  martyrs of  the  love of  Christ    have  come   to  the   Holy   Land,   touching   the very   ground    of  our   sacred   history.        We  in  our   turn have  been  strengthened  by your  pilgrimages  to  us, and we  are  all  encouraged  by  the  deep  unity   of  faith   that we  have  in  our  remarkable  diversity  of  culture, history, language, and  ethnicity.

Jerusalem       is  the   home    of   all   humanity,    regardless   of our   origins.    For,  as  the  Scriptures   remind   us,  there   “is no  longer   Jew   or  Greek,   there   is  no  longer   slave  or  free, there    is no  longer    male  or  female,  for  all  of  you  are  one in  Christ   Jesus”,    (Gal.  3:28).

 Today    we   mark    one    of   the    great    events     in   human history   –  an  event   that   continues   to   have   the   deepest significance          for   the    Orthodox     Church      as   a  whole,     and for  the  peoples of  these  lands  in  particular.    For  here,  in   the    year    988,     Prince    Saint    Vladimir    accepted baptism, and  directed  that   the  entire   population   also be  baptized   in  the   waters    of   the   River  Dnieper  just below   this   square,  where   we  are  concelebrating   this Divine  Liturgy   this  morning.

 All   anniversaries  remind  us  both   of  our  origin   and  of our    purpose,   and   this   anniversary  is   no   exception. The   commemoration   of  the   Baptism  of  “Rus”  ties   the present-day  Church of  these  lands  directly  to  the  Rum Orthodox   civilization   of  Byzantium  and  to  the  Church of   New   Rome,   that   is,  the  Church  of  Constantinople, which   has  always been  privileged  with   the  seniority  of love  and  honour among us.

 Tradition   attests    that    it  was   the   Holy   Apostle  Saint Andrew,  a  witness  of  the   light   of  the   resurrection   in Jerusalem,  the   patron    saint   of   the   Great   Church  of Constanlinople,  who first brought the Christian faith to this part of the World. The seed of the Gospel were shown and grew up here and there for the next several centuries.

But   it  is  to   the   sons   of  Thessaloniki    in  the   Byzantine Empire,   Saint   Cyril    and   Saint   Methodios,    Equal-to-the­ Apostles,    that    the   enduring    work    of   enlightening   the Slavic  lands   is credited.

With       the   conversion   of  the   Empress  Saint   Olga,   Equal­ to-the-Apostles,     history    took   a decisive  turn.    She  was the  attentive    grandmother     and   mentor    to   Prince   Saint Vladimir,  also    called     Equal-to-the-Apostles,  who  was the  Constantine     the    Great    of   the    peoples   of    Rus. Saint    Vladimir      eventually      threw       off      his     former paganism     to  embrace  the  Triune    God,   and  the  story   of the   visit    of   his   emissaries   to   Constantinople     is  justly famous.

There,    in  the   celebration    of   the   Divine    Liturgy     in  the Church     of   Hagia    Sophia,   the   emissaries   encountered heaven    on   earth,    and   so   not   just    the   faith,     but   the bright    culture    and  the  mind   of  Byzantium   came  to  Rus’.   This   faith,    culture  and  mind    have   profoundly    shaped and   formed     the   Christian   civilization    of   these      Slavic lands,    even   to   our   own   time,    and   have   given    you    a unity   that   transcends   the   many   ethnic    differences   that the     Orthodox      Church      in   this     part     of    the     world embraces.

Central     to   the    Byzantine   culture     and   mind    that    you have   inherited    is  the   attitude     that   we  find    in  many   of  the   Church   Fathers,   and   especially   in   Saint  Basil   the Great,   that    as  the   missionaries    brought   the   Gospel    to   new   lands,    instead    of   eradicating    the   culture    and   the practices     they    found,    they    Christianised      them.       Thus they  enfolded  the  soul  of the  people  of  Rus’  whom  they converted  into  the  life  of the  Church.

This was the God given genius of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodios, as well as of Saint Olga and Saint Vladimir, and it lies at the heart of the enduring witness of the Orthodox faith in these lands.

 As    we   re-count  the   extraordinary   blessings  that   this noble  Byzantine tradition  has given  to  the  Church here, on  this   anniversary we  also  remember the  many  trials that  the  Church  and  the   peoples of  these   lands   have  endured over   the   centuries.      The   memory  of  these trials,    some   of  them   still   fresh   for   many   of  us,  must not  make  us  forget   or  abandon our  original  inheritance of faith  and  culture.

Quite    the   contrary:     such   trials    must   send   us  back always  to   our   roots,    to   the   life-giving   wells    of   the spiritual  riches  of  the  Gospel and Tradition  that  sustain the   life   of   the   Church  in  all   its  vigour,    and   to  God himself.     As  Saint  Paul  says,  we  know   “that   suffering produces   endurance,     and      endurance  produces character,   and   character   produces   hope,    and   hope does   not   disappoint     us,  because    God’s   love  has   been-­ poured  into  our  hearts  through  the  Holy  Spirit  that  has been  given  to  us”,  (Rom.  5:3-5).

In  this   way ,  we   shall   live   and   present  to   others  an Orthodoxy  that   is  not  simply   a gift  to  us,  but  a gift  for  the  life  of the  world.

Let  us  remember  the  words   of  Our   Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  which  we  began:

You are  the  light  of the  world.

This   Patriarchal  concelebration    with   the  representatives of  all    the     Local    Orthodox     Churches    is   a   blessed challenge  to  us  all.     We do  not  simply   look  to  the  past; we  must   look   to  the  future,   for   Our  God  is  the  One “who  is  and  who was  and who  is  to  come”,   (Rev. 1:8).

 In  the   face   of  all  the   challenges  of  the   present  age,  from    poverty,  to   war,   to   violence,  to   discrimination, and  all  forms   of  division  and  inhumanity,  the  Orthodox Church has  a God-given apostolic  mission and  a moral obligation    to   witness   to   love,  reconciliation,    peace, unity, and  communion.     We are  called  to  be  the  light of  the   world    in  a  time   when   advancing  globalization makes   new   demands  on   us  all.  We  must,   as  the  Scriptures  say,  keep  alert   and  stand   firm   in  our  faith, be courageous, be strong,  doing  all things   in love, (cf.  1 Cor.  16: 13).

We cannot   shrink   from   being  alert  to this  mission to  be the  light   of  the  world.   We must  make  our  united   voice as   a   Church,   as   it   will    be   expressed  in   the   Pan­ Orthodox   Synod   for   which    we   all   fervently   pray,   a reality   not  for  our  own  sake  only,   but  for  the  integrity of the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.    We must   learn  to  live afresh   the  glory   of  Christianity  in  all  its  expressions  as they  are embodied  in the  divinely-inspired   Canons of the  Church.

In  our   own  day   many   Saint   Olgas   and   many   Saint  Vladimirs    come    to    us   looking    for    the    life-giving message of  the  Gospel,  but  they  go  away  disappointed. They  come   searching  for  the  Incarnate Light,   but  they find  only  shadows.   They  come  to  drink  from  the  water of  life,  but  they  cannot   get  near to the  fountain.

We  must    be  honest    with    ourselves   that   this   is  all  too often  true,  and we   must  be   careful  not  to   be   like  the Pharisees   against     whom     Our    Lord    gave    a   stern warning:    “Woe to   you …  for   you lock  people  out  of   the kingdom  of  heaven.    For  you  do  not  go  in yourselves,  and  when  others  are  going  in,  you  stop  them” ,  (Mt. 23:13).

 The  Church   is given  by God for  the  salvation  of  all,  and it   is   our   responsibility    to   ensure   that   the   gates   of salvation  are  held  open  to  all who  seek  “the  true  light, which   enlightens  everyone.”  (ln.  1:9).

Today     we    re-commit    ourselves   to    this    God-given mission. We  gather   here  in  the  shadow  of  this   holy  place, which   has  given   to   the   Church    and   to   these lands    saints,     martyrs,    startsy,   holy    bishops,    and  humble   monks,    who   were   in  their    generations,   and continue  to- be today,  the  edification  and consolation of  the  faithful,    and  lights  to the world.

They     pass   this   joyful    burden    on  to   us,   so  that   the saving Gospel    of    Our    Lord   Jesus    Christ     may    be  preached  to   the   ends   of  the   earth.   We  remember,  as Saint  John     Chrysostom     tells     us,    that     we   venerate    the  martyrs     most   genuinely,  when  we  imitate   their   virtues. May we never  shrink   from  this  vocation.

May   God   strengthen    us  in  this    mission  to   respond  with boldness   to   the commandment    of   Our   Lord  Jesus Christ  to   be  “the   light    of   the   world.”      And   may   the  Most   Holy   Mother   of   God,  the    Ever-Blessed Virgin Mary, Salnt  Cyril  and   Saint Methodios,  Saint Olga  and Saint  Vladimir,   and  the  many  saints  who  rest  here  in this holy Lavra, pray for  us, that we may walk in their footsteps   as the faithful   heirs  of  the  true  prom ises of Our  Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen”.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III,

Patriarch of Jerusalem.



PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM DECORATES ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

On Monday the 2nd/15th 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



WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF RENE VISITS PATRIARCHATE

On Monday, the 2nd/15th 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



TOURISM MINISTER OF PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY VISITED PATRIARCHATE

On Monday the 2nd/15th 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

 



THE FEAST OF THE GATHERING OF THE APOSTLES IN TIBERIAS

On Saturday, the 30th of June/13rd of July 2013, the feast of the Gathering of the Twelve Holy Apostles was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to them, near the western shore of the Tiberian sea, at the centre of the present-day city of Tiberias. This Monastery was discovered on the ruins of an older Monastery, dated to the years of St Helena. At the Church of this Monastery, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem officiated the divine Liturgy with the Very Reverend Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth, the Most Reverend Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, Hegoumens of Monasteries in the vicinity of Tiberias, e.g. the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Archimandrite f. Ilarion, the Holy Monastery of Cana in Galilee, Archimandrite f. Chrysostomos, presbyters of parishes in the region of Galilee and priest-deacons, with the pious participation of Russian-speaking and Arab-speaking faithful, hailing from Galilee and Accra, and amidst chants from the Choir of Accra-Ptolemais under Hegoumen Archimandrite f. Philotheos.  

To the pious congregation, His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek. An excerpt of his speech is cited here below:

“…As is well known, this day’s feast is an extension of the great feast in memory of Peter and Paul, the Heads of the Apostles. And this because just as the Prophets in the Old Testament, so too the Holy Apostles in the New Testament make up the foundation stone of the Church of Christ, indeed the cornerstone mentioned in the teachings of the wise Paul: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2, 20-21).

In Arab, the speech may be read here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/07/13/2552

After the Divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery, Archimandrite f. Timotheos received the guests at the Hegoumen’s quarters. The reception was followed by lunch serving fish from the Tiberian sea.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/a3N6cv1Hrww

ngg_shortcode_2_placeholder



THE FEAST OF STS PETER AND PAUL, GLORIOUS HEADS OF THE APOSTLES, IN CAPERNAUM

On Friday the 29th of June/12th of July 2013, the feast of the glorious saints, Apostles Peter and Paul, was celebrated at the Church dedicated to them in Capernaum. The church, which invites admiration both outside and inside, was built by the late Damianos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in 1935, on an archeological site with ruins of ancient Capernaum on the west bank of the Tiberian sea.

As is well known, the Lord taught in Capernaum and there performed many of His miracles, after he had left His birthplace of Nazareth. Of them he said: “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee…” (Matthew 11, 21-24).

In this holy Church, His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem led the Diving Liturgy. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Kyriacos, Metropolitan of Nazareth, the Elder Chancellor Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, the Elder Sacristan Isidoros, Archbishop of Ierapolis, and priest-monks of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as the Hegoumen of the Monastery of the Apostles in Tiberias f. Timotheos, of the Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, f. Ilarion, the Hegoumen in Fhes, Archimandrite f. Ieronymos, presbyters from the Patriarchal Community in the region of Galilee and Accra and many faithful from the Patriarchate’s Arab-speaking, Greek-speaking and English-speaking flock, mainly from its northern jurisdiction, participating in piousness and devoutness.

During the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude preached the word of God to the pious congregation, an excerpt of which is cited here:

A joyful feast shone today over this holy biblical land of Capernaum, the most sacred memory of Sts Peter and Paul, carriers of the spirit and heads of the apostles. They are the sources of pride the benevolent God, the Father, offered to His Church. And this, as Peter became the stone of faith, and Paul the orator of Christ’s Ecumenical Church. The apostolic preaching of these two leading luminaries of the Church had as its source and point of reference the cornerstone of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, God and Saviour of the World, as attested in their epistles. Peter says: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him”, come closer and closer to the Lord, who is a stone of life and gives life, and though he was rejected of men who crucified him, before God he is special and honoured (1, Peter: 2-4). And Paul avows that: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3: 10-11) for none other may place a different cornerstone over the one now lying immovable and unshakable on the foundation of the construction, and this cornerstone is Jesus Christ.  

In Arab, the speech may be read here: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/ar/2013/07/13/2555

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and the procession, the diligent renovator of the Monastery, Hegoumen f. Eirinarchos invited everyone to a fish lunch.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/a3N6cv1Hrww

ngg_shortcode_3_placeholder



COMMISSIONERS OF BIRZET COMMUNITY VISIT PATRIARCHATE

On Wednesday the 27th of June/10th 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_4_placeholder



WIFE OF JORDAN PRIME MINISTER VISITS PATRIARCHATE

On Wednesday, the 27th of June/10th 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_5_placeholder



THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM CONFERS GRADUATION TITLES AT THE SCHOOL OF REMLI

On the evening of Saturday the 23rd of June/5th 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_6_placeholder



PASTORAL VISIT OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM TO JORDAN

On Monday, the 18th of June, the beginning of the fast of the holy Apostles/1st 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_7_placeholder