On Tuesday, December 20, 2023 / January 2, 2024, a meeting of the three Committees of the Status Quo, Orthodox, Franciscan and Armenian, took place in the Patriarchate to study and agree on the continuation of conservative works around the Holy Deposition in s the Gate of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
It was agreed to continue with respect for the prevailing Status Quo.
From Secretariat-General
On the 13th/26th of December 2023, in the chapel of the Holy Pentecost in the hall of the Patriarchate, H.H.B our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos held a monk’s tonsure for novice Andreas Hatzistabulidis, giving him the name Alexander. The new monk has ministered successfully in Praetorium, Gethsemane and Bethlehem. At the same time, His Beatitude blessed the monastic cassocks for novices Alexander and Christos who have been serving at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
His Beatitude addressed the new monk and the cassock-clad novices with words of encouragement, underlining the honour and the responsibility of a monk’s membership in the Order of the “Spoudaioi” (Studious) of the Holy Sepulchre.
In the spirit of these words and in view of the Christmas Feast, His Beatitude wished the monk and the novices for strength from above for a worthy Holy Sepulchre witness to this thirsty world, inspired by the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ.
From Secretariat-General
On Sunday, December 11/24, 2023, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Holy Forefathers.
On this feast before Christmas, the Church commemorates the Forefathers of Christ in the flesh before and during the Law of Moses, especially the Patriarch Abraham, to whom God gave the good tidings that “all nations of the earth shall be blessed in Thee”.
This feast was celebrated at the marvellous Church of the Holy Forefathers in Beit Sahour, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with the co-celebration of the Hegoumen of the shrine Archimandrite Ignatios, and the Priests of the parish, Sabbas Her, Issa Mousleh, Ioannis Rishmawi and George Banoura. The parish Byzantine choir delivered the chanting, as the service was attended by a large congregation and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos.
H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos sent the following Sermon to this congregation:
“He that is full is emptied out in the flesh for our sakes, and a beginning doth He receive Who from before eternity is without beginning; He that is rich becometh poor, and though He is the Word of God, he reclineth in a manger of dumb beasts as an infant, working the refashioning of all men from the beginning of time” (Matins Dec. 11, Canon of the Forefathers, Ode 5, Theotokion).
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
Dear Christians,
The grace of the Holy Spirit brought us all together today in the so-called holy Church of the Holy Forefathers, in the blessed place of the “shepherds who kept watch at night praising God”, to celebrate their holy memory by singing and changing the angelic hymn and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men” (Luke 2:14).
The loud-voiced Isaiah, prophesying the incarnation of the Word of God, says: ” And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). The root of Jesse referred to here, is the root of the abandoned trunk of the tree, of the Jewish people. And this is because Jesse was the father of David, from whom the Davidic dynasty sprang, from which Christ was born.
And Christ is the fulfilment of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, of the sacred history, of the beginning from the Patriarch Abraham as it is written: “Bible of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”, (Matthew 1,1). This second Bible of the birth of Jesus Christ, since Jesus Christ is the story of the holy revelation, through which God “made known his ways to Moses, His will to the children of Israel” (Ps. 103, 7); on the other hand, ” The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen” (Ps. 98,2).
In other words, the Holy Forefathers are those to whom God revealed His will and through them revealed His justice to the nations, i.e. to the pagans: He showed this to the nations”, says the interpreter Theodoritos Kyrou. According to the Evangelist Luke, the prophets are those who foretold the coming of the righteous (Acts 7, 52) as well as the passion of Christ (Acts 3,18). Let us listen to the testimony of the Apostle Peter preaching: ” For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3, 22-26).
These words of Saint Peter demonstrate that the prophets, as well as many other personalities of the Old Testament, spoke and announced the child of God, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Behold, the Virgin has given birth and is giving birth to a son, and you shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), the Prophet Isaiah exclaims. The prophet David says: ” The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110,1).
The above prophecies refer to the Messiah Christ, God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all the ages and incarnated by the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin. The hymnographer of the Church also proclaims this fact, saying: “Abraham’s descendants became divine and most wise Prophets, fervently heralding in the Spirit Him that was to be born of Abraham and of Judah, event eh Word of God” (Matins, Ode 9, Troparion 3). “O ye who love the Father’s choirs, let us all leap for joy today, with songs and hymns let us honour Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…from whom came Christ the Lord…in His exceeding compassion” (Exaposteilarion 1).
Today’s celebrated memory of the Holy Forefathers is due precisely to this fact that “Christ the Lord seen in the flesh”. Jesus Christ, my beloved brothers, is without genealogy according to the divinity. The generation of Christ according to the divinity is unexplained, Saint Gregory Palamas teaches, saying: “Unexplained, then, is the generation of Christ according to the divinity; it is genealogical according to man, the offspring of man and the son of man suffers to be born as man to save man”.
How is it possible to beget the incomprehensible God, Who is without beginning and eternal? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God and God was the Word” (John 1:1), Saint John the Theologian says. The Word of God did not have predecessors, and together with His Father, He has the name “above every name and every word”, (Cf. Philippians 2:9), Saint Gregory says again when asked: “How is He genealogized?” the one in the beginning “I am”, and existing to God and being God, and being God’s Word and Son? and having not a Father before Himself, and a name after the Father, who is above every name and every word?”
It is noteworthy that the Holy Forefathers, those enlightened by the Holy Spirit, testify and preach that Christ, as Saint Chrysostom also says, is the fulfilment of the Law and the prophets, the one who fulfils all the Patristic Providence. In this fullness of God’s Fatherly Providence, we the faithful participate as members of the body of Christ and His Church. For even Saint Paul commands, saying: ” Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2, 8-10).
Interpreting this word of Paul, Saint Theophilaktos says: “There our (human) nature was united to God and we in Him received communion by nature.” Therefore, let us beseech the Holy Forefathers, so that their prayers and the intercessions of the most blessed Theotokos may be honoured to celebrate the metropolis of holidays, the divine nativity of the God of the Word and our Savior Christ in the cave of Bethlehem. Amen. Many happy returns and blessed Christmas.”
At noon, a meal was offered.
From Secretariat-General
Jerusalem, The Holy Land
21-12-2023
In a powerful demonstration of unity and Christian values, His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, delivered a compelling speech on behalf of all the Patriarchs and Heads of churches in the Holy Land, during the annual holiday meeting with President Isaac Herzog of Israel, demanding an immediate cessation of military activity in Gaza.
Addressing the critical issues facing the Holy Land, the Patriarch of Jerusalem emphasized the common moral values inherent in the great monotheistic faiths. He underscored the sanctity of every human life, the imperative for dignity, and the pursuit of freedom, safety, and security for all residents of the diverse Holy Land.
At the heart of the Patriarch’s address was a poignant call to action – an urgent plea for an immediate permanent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The leaders of the Holy Land Churches, united in their commitment to peace, recognize the deepening humanitarian crisis and the suffering of innocent civilians caught in the midst of conflict. Their appeal resonates as a compassionate response to the ongoing violence that plagues the region.
Rejecting the notion of a military solution, the Heads of Churches advocated for dialogue and reconciliation as the only sustainable paths to peace. The call for a permanent ceasefire is not only an expression of moral values but a collective rejection of cycles of violence that have proven ineffective in bringing lasting peace.
Amidst the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict, the leaders of the churches of the Holy Land stress the importance of acting swiftly, urging that no more innocent lives be lost. His Beatitude’s speech embraces the season of light and hope, expressing a collective aspiration for a better future where shared moral and spiritual values foster prosperity for all.
As the Holy Land enters the holiday season, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem extend warm wishes for peace and goodwill. Their collective hope is for a workable and lasting peace to be realized in the coming New Year, bringing solace to the Holy Land.
From Secretariat-General
His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, along with His Excellency Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib the Head of the Muslim Waqf, led a delegation of Jerusalem and Jordan religious leaders in a meeting with His Majesty King Abdulla II of Jordan at the Al-Husseiniya Palace, yesterday, Wednesday.
In the meeting, His Majesty affirmed the position of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan expressing their firm and clear stance towards the Palestinian issue and the aggression against the people of the Gaza Strip as well as stressing that “there is no retreat from the Kingdom’s positions on the necessity of standing united” in defending the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
In this context, His Majesty expressed his rejection and condemnation of the military targeting of places of worship, including mosques and churches in Gaza, noting that there are vast numbers of civilians who have sought refuge there for protection, and they need assistance that Jordan seeks to deliver in every way possible. He also warned of the seriousness of the repercussions of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip because of the Israeli military assault.
For his part, Patriarch Theophilos praised the Hashemite Custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as His Majesty’s continued efforts to preserve the existing historical and legal Status Quo in the Holy City. His Beatitude further stressed the importance of protecting the historical coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the Holy Land, pointing out the great progress in the second phase of the comprehensive restoration project for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, within the Hashemite reconstruction of Christian sanctities.
Regarding the humanitarian crisis that continues to deepen on a daily basis in Gaza, His Beatitude stressed that the Heads of Churches in the Holy Land are calling for an immediate ceasefire to mitigate the effects of the deteriorating humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip and ensure the delivery of vital aid to innocent people who today lack the most basic necessities of life.
Patriarch Theophilos also called for ending the cycle of violence and building on the common values and aspirations among peoples, to reach a future in which the Palestinian people live in dignity like other peoples of the world.
With the advent of the glorious Christmas season, His Majesty warned against restrictions on Christians in the Holy Land during the Christmas services in Bethlehem, stressing that Jordan will make efforts with the international community to enable them to carry out their prayers with the freedom and dignity that the community deserves.
The meeting was attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, and His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, Chief Advisor to His Majesty the King for Religious and Cultural Affairs and His Majesty’s Personal Envoy. The delegation also included His Beatitude’s Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who in his address to His Majesty said that: we, with you, seek by all means to encourage the world and society. The international community calls for an immediate halt to the war. It is certain that the intervention of the international community will be necessary to help create a new and realistic perspective for the future of Gaza and the Palestinians. This perspective cannot be achieved without the central role of Jordan and His Majesty. For his part, the Director General of the Endowments, Sheikh Muhammad Azzam Al-Khatib, addressed His Majesty, saying, “You are the custodians of the Islamic and Christian sanctities, and you have proven to all that you are protectors of the nation. Your positions are characterized by clarity, firmness, and consistency in your concern for its interests and Islamic and Christian sanctities, and you considered that to be red lines that cannot be crossed.”
In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Al-Safadi, said that Jordan submitted a comprehensive plea to the International Court of Justice that dealt with what is happening in Jerusalem, including attempts to violate the historical and legal Status Quo in Islamic and Christian holy sites, and attempts to displace Palestinian Jerusalemites from their homes.
From Secretariat-General
On Tuesday, December 6/19, 2023, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of Saint Nikolaos, Bishop of Mira of Lycia the wonderworker.
On this feast, the Church commemorates Saint Nikolaos as the Father of the Church in the 4th century, “a rule of faith and an image of piety”, who participated in the First Ecumenical Council of Nice and defended the one essence of the Son with the Father.
This feast was celebrated:
Before the Holy Communion His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon:
“For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Ps. 48,14) the psalmist proclaims.
Beloved Brethren in Christ,
Reverend Christians
Christ’s Hierarch, Nikolaos the Bishop of Mira in Lycea has gathered us all in his Church, at the biblical town of Beit Jala to celebrate his sacred commemoration.
The Holy Church of Christ rejoices and is glad on the commemoration of its Saint Nikolaos, because he was a great shepherd who imitated the Arch-shepherd Christ, not only around his spiritual jurisdiction but for all the Catholic and Apostolic Church as Saint John of Damascus says. Thou the great shepherd and imitator of Arch-shepherd Christ in all things we implore thee O Nikolaos, from the sacred heights shepherd thine servants, saving all from the hardships of life.
Indeed, our Father Nikolaos became a great shepherd of the whole Church because he had our Lord Jesus Christ as a prototype; “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10,11,14-15).
In interpreting the Lord’s words, Saint Cyril of Alexandria says: “Man distanced himself from God’s love and was inclined toward sin. For this reason, he was cast out of the holy and divine courtyard, I mean the courtyard of paradise. And because he fell ill from this attitude of the devil, who cunningly cheated man and led him into sin, from which death sprouted, man became a victim of wolves who were indeed bitter and ruthless. But because Christ is the good shepherd for all men, He lay His life for us…and suffered in the Cross for us, so that by death He may abolish death, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Col. 2,14) as it is written”.
The holy and divine courtyard is no other than the Church, the earthly paradise, which God granted to us men so that we may have freedom, “which we have in Christ” (Gal. 2,4). “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5,1) Saint Paul urges us. The Son and Word of God became the First Shepherd “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Ps. 95,7) the psalmist proclaims. God appointed Apostles and teachers to the Church (c.f. 1 Cor. 12,28), the successors of whom are the Bishops, sustained by the Holy Spirit, and they pastor the Church of Christ (c.f. Acts 20,28).
Saint Nikolaos was such a Bishop and shepherd, a successor of the Apostles and shone in the Church. His active participation in the First Ecumenical Council of Nice in AD 325 against the heretic teachings of Areus made Saint Nikolaos a “rule of faith” and “protector of the Church” as his hymnographer says: “A fervent protector art thou of the whole Church of Christ, most boldly destroying the ungodly teachings of all the impious heresies; and a rule of Orthodoxy wast thou to all men, interceding for all them that follow thy teachings and godly admonitions, O most merciful Nikolaos” (Matins, Kathisma 5).
The blessed Nikolaos, as the hymnographer says, “was sanctified as a great initiate of the divine Grace of God” (Kontakion), because he kept the divine commandments and worked righteousness at all times, just like the psalmist says: “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times” (Ps. 106,3). Behold, therefore, why Saint Nikolaos was called a wonderworker.
Our Father Nikolaos did not write any writings because the Gospel of Christ was written in his heart, and he kept a clear consciousness of the mystery of faith (c.f. 1 Tim. 3,9). God shone in Nikolaos’ heart the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in Jesus Christ (c.f. 2 Cor. 4,6) as Saint Paul preaches. Moved by the enlightening power of God’s glory, Saint Nikolaos became a shepherd of the Ecumenical Church and a teacher of Orthodoxy, that is, of the doctrines of truth, as the hymnographer says: “Going about amidst the beauties that eye hath never seen, thou didst perceive that glory which is awesome and fearful; wherefore, thou, O holy of holies, dost tell us the heavenly oracles of those eternal and true visions seen on high, O most sacred Hierarch Nikolaos” (Praises, Troparion 3).
In other words, my dear brethren, the Shepherds of the Church are the instruments of the Holy Spirit and they have been appointed with the care of the Churches, while Christ is the First Shepherd, that is why Saint Peter says: “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: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5,7-9).
The God-bearing Nikolaos, who had visited the holy land of Palestine, calls us to this cause, to remain steadfast in the faith that we have received from our God and Saviour Jesus Christ through His holy
Apostles and their successors, the holy God-bearing Fathers of our Church. This faith is no other than the great mystery of the Divine Providence, the Incarnation of God the Word, and His condescension toward the humble and feeble humanity, which took place at the Grotto of Bethlehem.
This means that God is close, near us, as the psalmist says, “Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth” (Ps.119,151). And elsewhere, according to the prophet Jeremiah, “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?” (Jeremiah 23,23). This God, Who is near, is the Sun of Righteousness and the God of peace, born of the Father without seed and became incarnate from the Virgin at the end of times.
Yes, my dear brethren, our neighbouring Bethlehem is preparing to receive in its cave the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, from the pure flesh of the Ever-Virgin Mary and Most Blessed Theotokos. Let us also prepare the “cave” of our hearts to receive the God of love and peace in the Holy Spirit. And along with Saint John of Damascus let us say: “To thy servants’ hymns incline O Benefactor, bring low the haughty pride of the adversary; O Blessed One, that lookest down and seest all; Keep us above sin, whoever sing Thy praises, steadfast and unmoved on the foundation of faith” (Christmas Matins, Ode 3, 2nd Rule, Heirmos). [In other words, Lord, the benefactor Who sees everything in our lives and are truly blessed, consent to Your servants’ hymns. Humble our pride enemy the devil and lead us who praise You to rise above sin, keeping us steadfastly on the foundation of faith]. Amen. Many happy returns and a blessed Christmas!”
The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession inside and around the Church.
A meal was offered at noon, which the Priests and carers of the Church attended.
Great Vespers on Monday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday Morning were officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Capitolias, with the co-celebration of the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, Archimandrite Claudius and Priest Nectarios. The chanting was delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Dimitrios of Lydda, Archimandrite Christodoulos and the Patriarchal School of Zion students. The Services were attended by many faithful Christians and representatives of the Greek Consulate General in Jerusalem.
After the Divine Liturgy, the renovator and good keeper of the Church Archdeacon Mark hosted a reception for all at the Hegoumeneion and the courtyard of the Holy Church.
From Secretariat-General
In a gathering at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches along with Ambassadors, Consul-Generals and Representatives of diplomatic missions assembled to address the challenges faced in the Holy Land, especially in light of the approaching Christmas season. His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, opened the session with a message of hope and spiritual significance, invoking the words from the Gospel of Saint John. Amid the cordial atmosphere, the Patriarch urged for a ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing the need to protect community service institutions.
Expressing concerns about the challenges faced by Christians in the Holy Land, including systematic attacks by radical Israeli groups, the Patriarch of Jerusalem called for preserving the multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious fabric of Jerusalem. He emphasized the importance of stability and secure Christian Quarters for the thriving coexistence of all residents. The Patriarch conveyed his wishes for a swift return of peace and a Christmas season marked by hope.
The gathering included discussions on the challenging situations in Gaza and Bethlehem. The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, shared the dire circumstances in Gaza, emphasizing the importance of supporting those who choose to stay in the besieged Strip. The Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, stressed the effects of Israel’s military closures and the subsequent economic challenges in Bethlehem, underlining the significance of connectivity between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Various Christian spiritual leaders conveyed messages of peace and discussed pressing issues, such as the pressure on Christian schools to change their curriculum into an Israeli one, which was expressively articulated by the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Husam Naom. The issue of the illegitimate Israeli municipal taxes over Church property was also highlighted, and the need for international support to navigate challenges faced by the Holy Land Christians.
In response, diplomatic representatives expressed support, with Jordan, the EU, Egypt, and France affirming their commitment to engagement and assistance. The meeting highlighted the urgent call for a ceasefire to ensure a peaceful Christmas celebration and reiterated the importance of diplomatic collaboration to address ongoing challenges in the Holy Land.
From Secretariat-General
December 18, 2023
Jerusalem, The Holy Land
In a momentous gathering at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem earlier today, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem convened to address pressing matters relating to the war in Gaza and the holiday season. The meeting commenced with a heartfelt prayer, underscoring the spiritual significance of the assembly. His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, extended gratitude for the esteemed participants, acknowledging the importance of collective wisdom.
One of the focal points of discussion was the crafting and endorsement of a unified Christmas message. The Heads of Churches dedicated time to formulate a message that embodies hope, peace, and spiritual unity, intending to convey a shared voice during the forthcoming Christmas season.
A pivotal decision emerged as the leaders resolved to meet collectively with the President of Israel. Their objective is to earnestly reiterate their plea for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and advocate for the restoration of peace amid the tumultuous situation.
Acknowledging the sombre reality of the escalating civilian casualties in Gaza, the Heads of Churches reached a consensus to maintain the tradition of seasonal visits in a more subdued manner. This adjustment reflects the churches’ stance to temper celebratory activities while mourning the profound losses endured during these challenging times.
The celebration of Christmas in Bethlehem and the revered procession of the Heads of Churches, along with the faithful, to the Church of the Nativity were discussed with great reverence. A notable point raised was the request to the Israeli government to permit the entrance of Heads of Churches, Priests, and laity through the checkpoint at Rachel’s Tomb. The leaders reiterated their commitment to celebrating the festive occasion with modesty, demonstrating solidarity with those affected by the ravages of war.
This gathering of spiritual leaders not only emphasized the spiritual significance of the season but also showcased a profound commitment to advocating for peace, underscoring the gravity of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
From Secretariat-General
From Sunday, December 4th / 17th 2023 to Tuesday, December 6th / 19th 2023, the celebrations of the Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified took place. The Lavra is located on the right bank of the Brook Cedron, which leads to the Dead Sea.
This Lavra was founded by Saint Sabba as a Monastery for the hesychast monks. The Saint came to the Holy Land from Mutalaski in Cappadocia in AD 456 and apprenticed for twenty years to the saints Theoktistos and Euthymius the Great.
In this Lavra, the Saint directed thousands of monks to the life and salvation in Christ. He was distinguished as a fosterer of the monastic life, and after his compatriot Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch, they steadfastly supported the doctrine of the two natures of Christ at the Fourth Ecumenical Synod of Chalcedon in AD 451. In the Monastery, his holy relic, returned from Venice in 1965, is preserved incorruptible. His Lavra was the beginning and prototype of hesychastic ecclesiastical life and the typicon of its Liturgical texts is used in all Orthodox Churches to this day.
For the celebrations, the High Priest of this year, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis went to the Lavra to officiate the Feast of Saint John of Damascus and Saint Barabara the Great Martyr at the chapel dedicated to Saint John of Damascus on Sunday, December 4/7, 2023.
The main feast of Saint Sabba the Sanctified: On Monday December 5/18, 2023, the All-night Vigil was presided over by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks and Priests from the Bethlehem and Galilee districts. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and the Monastery Fathers on the right in Greek and by a Byzantine choir from Bethlehem on the left in Arabic, as the Vigil was attended by local faithful Christians.
His Beatitude delivered the following Sermon before the Holy Communion:
“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Ps. 16,8-10), the psalmist proclaims.
Beloved Brethren in Christ,
Reverend Fathers and Brothers,
Having become a vessel of the Holy Spirit, our Holy Father Sabbas has gathered us all in his blessed Lavra to celebrate his holy commemoration.
The God-minded Sabbas became a peer of the angels and dweller with the saints in the heights by the power of the Holy Spirit that was given to him. And this is so because like David he would say: “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Ps. 16, 8). According to Saint Cyril of Skythopolis, our Holy Father Sabbas was predestined by God since the time he was in his mother’s womb, and had been foreknown before his body parts were formed, just like the Prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1,5).
In his holy calling, Saint Sabbas went through all the steps of the ladder of virtues, joining the holy and the righteous saints of God of the monastic life, the citizens of the desert and great teachers of Palestine, Theodosius, Euthymius, Theoktistos and others. The striving Sabbas among the distinguished citizens of the desert would always pay heed to the words of the psalmist: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” (Ps. 103, 17-18).
Through the keeping of God’s commandments, both in words and actions, Saint Sabbas “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5,24) and gained the virtues through which God received him in the divine heavenly courts according to the saying: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Ps. 65,4). And the soul of the righteous man of God was not left in hell; neither did he see corruption (c.f. Ps. 16,10).
Behold, therefore, why Saint Sabbas was counted among the holy and the righteous men of God and was called “sanctified”. He strove in every kind of ascesis, worked miracles, and surpassed everybody in perseverance. The true witness of this is his incorrupt and fragrant relic before our eyes.
In this relic, of Saint Sabbas the sanctified, we see the new man, who has put on Christ and has become a new creation according to God’s will, so that we may live among people in righteousness, devotion, and holiness toward God. These virtues are the fruit of the truth of the Gospel, as Saint Paul urges: “Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4,24).
Interpreting these words of Paul, Zigavinos says: “The corrupt life is built in the devil…while the good and virtuous life is built in God, as God has created and made it legitimate”. In other words, losing the image of God in us had as a result the sin and misery of the fallen man. When we put on the new man, then the divine image which we have lost is restored in us, and this restoration is the Godly beauty of the soul, the glory and the holiness of the new man.
It is noteworthy that the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, which enlightened our Holy Father Sabbas, has been extended to the ends of the world, therefore, he is recognized as an Apostle and preacher of the Gospel of truth: “Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Romans 10,18), Saint Paul preaches, referring to the psalmist.
This is also confirmed by his biographer, Cyril of Skythopolis, who writes: “An angel on earth and a heavenly man, the wise Sabbas became a great teacher, defender of Orthodoxy and accuser of false doctrines, he became a faithful and prudent steward, multiplying the divine gifts, clad in power from on high by the goodwill of God the Father with the help of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he inhabited the desert with a multitude of monks and founded seven monasteries in it”.
The Holy Church of the Orthodox Christians, especially the Church of Jerusalem, honours today the God-bearing Father Sabbas the Sanctified, who has boldness before Christ God. We honour him not only as a citizen of the desert but also as a fighter for the mystery of Providence. Let us entreat him, along with the intercessions of the Most Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, to grant us peace for our souls, our tested region and the whole world. May we also celebrate the blessed Nativity of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ in the holy city of Bethlehem. Many happy returns!”
The Vigil was followed by a monastic meal.
Blessing the Fathers and accepting the thanks from them and their Spiritual Father Archimandrite Eudokimos, His Beatitude returned to Jerusalem.
The feast of Saint Sabbas was also celebrated at the chapel dedicated to him inside the Holy Monastery of the Archangels in Jerusalem. The Divine Liturgy was officiated by Archimandrite Claudius and Priest Nectarios, in the presence of nuns and faithful Christians.
The feast of Saint Barbara the Great Martyr was also celebrated at the chapel dedicated to her inside the Holy Monastery of Saint Nikolaos in Jerusalem, with Vespers on Saturday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, led by Archimandrite Claudius and co-celebrated by Archdeacon Mark, who continues the renovation of the Church. The services were attended by faithful Christians from Jerusalem.
For the feast of Saint Nikolaos, at the Church dedicated to him, the first of the Lavra which is “built by God” according to Cyril of Skythopolis, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Tuesday, December 6/19, 2023, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, at the presence of faithful Christians. After the Divine Liturgy, there was a memorial service for the repose of the Lavra’s departed Fathers, before Saint Sabba’s Tomb and above the cemetery.
From Secretariat-General
“A strange and marvellous mystery do I behold;
the cave is a heaven; the Virgin a cherubic throne;
the manger a space wherein Christ God the
Uncontainable One hath reclined.
Him do we praise and magnify”
(Christmas Canon, Heirmos of Ode 9)
Mankind beheld “a strange and marvellous mystery” indeed, as the hymnographer of the Church writes, at the end of times, during the reign of Caesar Octavianus Augustus. We saw God’s condescension manifested in Bethlehem of Judea. Fulfilling His promises to the prophets, God “sent redemption to His people”. This redemption is the Only Begotten Son and His Word, “of the same essence” as the Father. Through God the Father, He was blessed to be incarnated, to take on human soul, flesh and body from the Holy Spirit and the Ever-Virgin Mary. “As He willed and as He pleased” and as the Evangelist John says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. (John 1, 14). For our sake, He “emptied himself” (Phil. 2, 7), and was “secretly born in a cave”. He accepted the ultimate poverty; He was born in a cave and wrapped in swaddling clothes; He lay in a manger. In this poverty “the wealth of His Divinity shone”. Because of this, “the heaven through the star brought over to Him the Magi as the beginning of the nations” and “precursors of the Church” according to Saint Chrysostom. An angel revealed Him to the shepherds who kept the night watch and a multitude of angels proclaimed Him from heaven through the hymn, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men”, announcing that God’s goodwill for men is peace. This all-pervading Divine peace is brought to the world by God’s Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ; He is “the Angel of great counsel, the Prince of peace and the Sun of righteousness”.
Based on this Divine revelation, as it was witnessed by eye and ear witnesses in the Holy Scriptures, the Church believes and preaches to its members and the whole world, that Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of the human race, not as deified man but as God Incarnate, for the salvation, that is, the deification of man. God came down to earth, to raise man to heaven, because “our conversation remains” (Phil, 3, 20) according to Saint Paul. The Fathers of the Church say incessantly, “God became man and man became divine”. And Saint Gregory Palamas proclaims that “the flesh is glorified along with the reception and the glory of the body, which becomes the glory of the Godhead”. Through the Incarnation, the Cross, the Resurrection from the dead and His Ascension, Christ as God and man, God-man, sat down at the right hand of the Father after assuming His human nature and paved the deification for those believing in him.
Having ascended into heaven, the Incarnate One, the crucified in the flesh and risen from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ, left the Church on earth, that is, the holy disciples and apostles, their successors, the hierarchs, priests and the Christ-named congregation, so that it may fulfil His mission unto the ages; the mission of the teaching, the conciliation and the sanctification of people, so that what was heard on the first night of His Nativity, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill among men” prevails on earth.
The Church worldwide, especially the blessed Church of Jerusalem, proclaims this word and performs this work, obedient to its founder, as it ministers in the places of His manifestation in the flesh, the first of which was the city of Bethlehem. In the magnificent Constantinian Basilica of the Nativity and the humble Grotto, the Mother of the Churches will celebrate again this year, starting from Jerusalem, keeping its ancient tradition since the days of the pilgrim Aetheria and our late predecessor Patriarch Sophronios.
Filled with the joy of the Nativity of Christ, we address Our Patriarchal and Fatherly wishes and blessings to “every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” (Jn.1, 4, 2), to the pious pilgrims, especially to Our reverend flock in Gaza, along with Our prayers, that Saint Porphyrios remains its protector and of all those suffering there under the raging war.
In the Holy City of Bethlehem CHRISTMAS 2023
THEOPHILOS III
PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM