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INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON THE MUSICAL MANUSCRIPTS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE PATRIARCHAL LIBRARY OF JERUSALEM

On the afternoon of Friday the 20th of June/3rd of July 2015, the Interdisciplinary Conference on “The Musical Manuscripts in the Collection of the Holy Sepulcher of the Patriarchal Library of Jerusalem” began its deliberations at the Notre Dame Hotel, in the vicinity of the New Gate. The Conference took place at the initiative of researchers Demetrios Balageorgos and Flora Kritikou of the Department of Music Studies of the School of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The opening ceremony featured a choir performance under the direction of Mr Balageorgos, in the Byzantine style of Resurrection Hymns.

Then, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem blessed the workings of the Conference, addressing guests in Greek.

In English, His address may be reached here:  https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/07/03/15463

Scientific announcements were made on both days in the presence of the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, Hagiotaphite Fathers, Primates, Priests, monks, nuns and an audience from the Greek parish of Jerusalem as well as members of the Arabic and Israeli community.

From the Secretariat-General

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HIS BEATITUDE ADDRESS AT THE INTER-DISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON THE MUSICAL MANUSCRIPTS OF THE LIBRARY OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM.

3-7-2015

 

Distinguished Members of the Scholarly Team,

Respected Participants in this Conference,

Your Eminences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

We greet you at the beginning of this important conference with the words of the Psalmist:

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live,

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

For I rejoice in the Lord.

Psalm 103 (104): 34–35

We are delighted to welcome you to the Holy City of Jerusalem and to give our bressing to this significant inter-disciplinary conference that is dedicated to the manuscripts in the collection of the Patriarchal Library of Jerusalem. The Patriarchal Library houses one of the most important collections of manuscripts and printed books in the world.

In this collection is a significant group of musical manuscripts. These musical manuscripts are a double treasure. First of all, these manuscripts constitute

In this collection is a significant group of musical manuscripts. These musical manuscripts are a double treasure. First of all, these manuscripts constitute an inestimable heritage from our forebears in the Church of Jerusalem. We have received this heritage from generations of faithful clergy and people down the ages ,who have kept the Christian faith alive in our region, and these manuscripts are a part of the evidence of a flourishing Christian presence in the Holy Land.

In addition to this, these manuscripts are treasure-trove of primary witnesses to the tradition of church music, that was developped by and cultivated in the great ascetical center of the Holy Monastery of Saint Saba the Sanctified, one of the oldest monasteries in continuous use in the world. Here so many distinguished teachers of music and composers of church music lived and worked, among them Saint John of Damascus, Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer and Saint Andrew of Crete. The Holy Monastery of Saint Saba was the centre of the formation of the Typikon , a deep and abiding influence on the worship of the Orthodox Church that continues to this day.

The great tradition of Orthodox hymnody in its priestly and liturgical aspects lives still in the Holy Monastery of Saint Saba, as it does in Orthodox Monasteries and Churches around the world. But so much of this tradition began here in the Holy Land. It is worth mentioning that the signing of church music in the lavra remains strictly a capella, whith no instrumental support, as is the special character of Orthodox church music and worship.

It is said that “he who sings prays twice”. We know the special value and power of music in Christian worship, and Orthodoc worship places a special premium on singing. Music can convey a sense of the divine in a way that the spoken word alone cannot convey. All Orthodox worship is sung or chanted. While it is true that some prayers are read in a speaking voice, Orthodox worship is famous for the haunting beauty of its musical traditions, traditions that in most cases go back to the very emergence of the Byzantine tradition represented by the Typicon of Saint Saba.

The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, together with the hegoumenoi of our monasteries never abandoned their concern for protecting and preserving the great manuscript collection of the Patriarchate, that includes manuscripts of dogmatic, hermeneutical, historical and musical traditions and teaching. The Brotherhood exercised this stewardship and diakonia in the ace of untold sacrifices of blood and money over the centuries. And so this invaluable patrimony remains.

As we open this conference, we celebrate the new co-operation that now exists between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Faculty of Music of the National and Kapodistrian Univercity of Athens to facilitate the scholarly study of the musical manuscripts of the Patriarchal Library. We believe firmly that this work will contribute on the one hand to making this great heritage better known to the wider world and on the other will advance our understanding of the choral tradition of Orthodox music and hymnody. At its heart, Orthodox music is communal activity: the entire congregation is meant to join in the signing of the liturgical music. In the Orthodox tradition, in spite of much contemporary practice, the music of the liturgy is to be sung by all, and not by a small choir of trained cantors or singer. In the Orthodox tradition, music coheres the worshipping community and helps to create a sense of the unity of the congregation. Your work will help us understand more completely all the dynamics of the traditions of Orthodox music.

As we open this conference , we pray for divine enlightenment on the work of all the scholars and the organisers of the conference. We wish to express our gratitude particularly to Mr. Demetrios Balageorgos and Miss Flora Kritikou, Assistant Proffessor. May God bless you all, and may the grace of the Holy and Life –giving Tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you in your work and research.

Thank you.

 

His Beatitude

Theophilos lll

Patriarch of Jerusalem

  




THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, MR N. ANASTASIADES, VISITS THE PATRIARCHATE

On Sunday, the 1st/14th of June 2015, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Anastasiades, visited the Patriarchate. He was accompanied by his esteemed wife and associates of his. Ms Andri Anastasiadou had participated in the Divine Liturgy at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, led by His Eminence Methodios, Archbishop of Tabor.

His Excellency the President was welcomed by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers and Patriarchal School students.

In His address, the Patriarch talked of the contribution of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem towards the preservation of the existing multinational, multi-religious and inter-communal political status quo of the Holy City of Jerusalem, recognized by all interested parties. He also pointed out that the historic course of the troubled island of Cyprus is interwoven with the course of the Middle East in general and the Holy Land in particular, adding “We say this because your visit to the state of Israel takes place at a time when in our neighbouring countries, Christians are being displaced from their homelands and persecuted mercilessly, but also at a time of inhuman killing and fratricide”. His Beatitude assured the Cypriot President of the Patriarchate’s prayers for the prevalence of peace and the harmonious coexistence of peoples in our region and the world in general, especially for the liberation and unification of Cyprus.

President Anastasiades was decorated with the Peace Medal, bestowed on distinguished personalities, in recognition of his support of the Holy Sepulcher and the Patriarchate.

Mr Anastasiades thanked the Patriarch for this honour and pledged, from a position requiring first and foremost the promotion and resolution of the Cyprus question, to always support the interests of the Patriarchate, especially within the Cyprus Exarchate and other property owned by the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/yFZMJhX0OlM




HIS BEATITUDE ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING A POLICE STATION ON MOUNT ZION

May 19, 2015

 

We greet you this morning to express our appreciation for the police authority’s initiative to open a station in such a religiously essential location of our beloved Holy City

We in the Holy Land, who share Abrahamic heritage and tradition, know that Jerusalem shines to the world as an example of authentic symbiosis and peace amid diversity. But we also know from experience that in our mission to maintain accessibility of holy places to all people, there will always be a need for order and security.

Bearing this in mind, We hope that this thoughtful move on behalf of the police authority will be a starting point for Our mission to further bear fruits in this outstanding, yet sensitive, holy place.

As one of the most important destinations in the Holy Land for all religious communities, especially Jews, Muslims and Christians, it should be said that Mount Zion is a place that is indeed powerfully connected with the descent of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is within these very days that the Church celebrates Holy Pentecost, a religious observance that has roots in the Old Testament and continues to be observed by both Jews and Christians.

Mount Zion, “the holy habitation of the- Almighty (Psalms 46-4),” i.e., the Holy Spirit is a beacon, like the burning bush of the Old Testament, enlightening those who venerate this holy place, and consuming those who desecrate it. For, on this very Mount is the Tomb of David and the Upper Room, where the disciples of Jesus Christ were gathered and awaited the descent of the Holy Spirit.

We wish you success in your mission to safeguard the holy places and all the inhabitants of our beloved Holy City of Jerusalem.

Thank you.

 

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem




HIS BEATITUDE THEOPHILOS III SERMON AT SAINT GEORGE’S ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH.

May 6, 2015

“The one who saved the children from the furnace became man and suffered like a mortal. And through His passion, He dresses mortality with the grace of incorruption. The one who is the blessed and most glorified God of our fathers,” says Saint John of Damascus.

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

 

The Great Martyr Saint George was dressed in the grace of our risen Lord Jesus Christ, and we gather together on this joyful paschal day of mesopentikosti (i.e. the middle of Pentecost), in this sacred church of the delegation of our sister church of Romania in Jerusalem so that we, in the framework of the Divine Liturgy and Holy Eucharest, may confess with the Psalmist, “the Lord reigned through his resurrection and He dressed us with grace” (Psalm 92:1).

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who saved creation from the furnace, indeed suffered as a mortal who became man for us. Through His passion on the cross and through His resurrection, He resurrects our human nature in Him, which had been corrupted and delivered to the power of death. This means that the resurrection of Christ opened the way and the horizon for the real existence of man. For as Saint Basil says, “He rose on the third day and opened for every man the way to resurrection from death.” In the words of the hymnographer, “Lord, you tasted death according to the flesh, and you cut the bitterness of death by your resurrection and strengthened us, restoring victory over the old curse” (book of Pentecost, Sunday of the Paralytic, Kathisma of Matins).

The great martyr George, who is honoured today, became a participant in the passion of the Cross of Christ and His resurrection because he was a zealot for the eternal kingdom, i.e. for the grace of incorruption.

The martyrdom by either blood or by consciousness of all friends of Christ, including the Great Martyr Saint George, serves as a strong and undeniable witness throughout the ages of the history of humankind. On one side, His resurrection gives an answer to the existential death of man. From another side, it determines the fullness and purpose of the life of the man who lives in Christ because man was created by God “according to His image and likeness” (Gen 1:26). On this point, the distinguished father of the Church Saint Gregory the Theologian says, “Christ becomes poor by receiving my flesh so that I become rich in his divinity. The complete becomes empty. He humbles himself of His glory so that I become full in Him. What richness of mercy is this! What is this kind of mystery which happens to me? I received the image and I did not preserve it; He receives my flesh so that he saves the image and makes the flesh eternal.”

The Great Martyr Saint George, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, i.e. the Spirit of Christ, and looking toward heavenly realities, brought himself in front of the idolater persecutor, the Roman emperor Diocletian, and said courageously, according to the witness of his servant Pasicrates, “Be ashamed, all of you who foolishly deny the son of God and Creator of all. You who make into gods the filthy demons and idols which are empty of life and spirit and speech. If you are convinced by me and if you abandon darkness, come to the holy light, and abandon the false religion. Come to the truth, which is the knowledge of our real God, the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom you will reach blessed glory, which is eternity. Your glory is vain like the grass that dries up. I am not quiet and I cannot tolerate when God is defamed. For me, the first and most honoured name is to be called Christian and a servant of Christ, through whom we pass this current life and land at the port of eternal life – the kingdom of Christ.

 

This confession of Saint George shows that he became the faithful friend of Christ until even martyrdom. He became an imitator of the passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave his soul for the life of the world. In addition to this, the confession of Saint George is a living witness of the real Light, which dissolves the darkness. For as Saint John the Evangelist says “In Him there was life, and this life was the light of men, and the light shines through darkness and the darkness cannot prevail over it” (John 1:4-5). The light of Christ shined over even those darkened by the sin and deceit of men, enlightening them. But there were men living in darkness who did not understand and did not embrace it. However, they could not destroy it and have victory over it. This happens exactly today in our time, in our Christian reality.

Today, my dear brothers and sisters, on this occasion of the memory of the Great Martyr Saint George, we are joyful. The Church of Holy Zion is glad, as is the pure Theotokos and Mother of God, in light of the unity of the one holy catholic and apostolic Orthodox Church in this gathering of the Eucharist and of communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His son, cleanses us from all sin”

(1 John 1:7).

Let us beseech the Great Martyr of the love of Christ, Saint George, and let us say with the hymnographer, “You blessed martyr, you are indeed shined upon by the light of the holy trinity, as an undefeated martyr and as a defender of piety, a victor, crowned by God. You who are in heaven, save those who honour you and grant peace in the world and in our region, through your intercessions. Christ is Risen!

 

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem




SUNDAY OF THE MYRRHBEARERS AT THE PATRIARCHATE

The third Sunday after Easter, on the 13th/26th of April 2015, also known as Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, the Patriarchate celebrated the deposition of the Lord from the cross by his secret disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, as well as the anointment of His body with aloes, its wrapping in a winding sheet and burial in a new tomb “where no one had ever been laid” (John 19, 41).

Α. In Remle – Ancient Arimathea

This event was commemorated by the Patriarchate in present-day Remle, the ancient Arimathea where Joseph hailed from.

In this big town, the Greek Orthodox Arab-speaking community numbers approximately 3.000 faithful.

On the morning of the feast, His Beatitude Theophilos was welcomed to the town by Archimandrite Nephon, Hegoumen of St Joseph Monastery, the Community President Ms Frida Manase and members of the Community Council.

Patriarch Theophilos led the Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating were the Archbishops of Joppe, Constantina and Lydda, Archimandrite Nephon, Hieromonks, priests from Joppe, Archdeacon Evlogios and deacon Dionysios. In attendance was the representative of the Greek Embassy in Tel Aviv, Mr Gennimatas, as well as a big crowd of Community members.

To this pious congregation the Patriarch preached the Word of God in Greek.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a reception at the Hegoumen’s quarters whilst Archimandrite Nephon and the Community Council hosted guests to lunch at noon.

During lunch, His Beatitude praised Archimandrite Nephon and made a donation towards the continuation of restoration works at the school, the Monastery and the Church.

B. At St James Cathedral

The feast of the Myrrhbearers was also observed in St James Cathedral, at the chapel of the Myrrhbearers.

The Divine Liturgy was led by Archbishop Theodosios of Sebaste, as Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang in Greek and St James Choir sang in Arabic in the presence of the Greek Consul-General, Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis. In attendance was the Arab-speaking congregation of the Church but also members of the Greek Parish, nuns and pilgrims.

During Communion, Archbishop Theodosios underlined the dedication and bravery of the Myrrhbearing women, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the Lord’s disciple by night.

After His Eminence’s speech, Mr Ibrahim Salphiti presented the charitable activities of the Cathedral and of the “Myrrhbearers Association” on behalf of the Church Board.

On the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence and the congregation were hosted to a reception in a hall recently renovated at the expenses of Mr Noura Korte, where addresses were made on the occasion of the feast.

From the Secretariat-General

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THE PATRIARCHATE PARTICIPATES IN CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

At 4:00 pm of Friday the 11th/24th of April 2015, the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem held a ceremony on the Holy Sepulcher to commemorate the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide committed by Turkey. The ceremony took place with the agreement of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Monks in accordance with the pilgrimage status.

The ceremony was led by the Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem, Mr Nurhan Manoukian. In attendance were Armenian Primates and clerics and other guests, as the Heads of Local Churches in Jerusalem, the Diplomatic Corps, the representative of the Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs, Mr Cezar Margiye and others.

Before the conclusion of the ceremony, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, addressed attendants in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/24/13868

From the Secretariat-General




HIS BEATITUDE SPEECH ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIA GENOCIDE.

24 April 2015

 

Your Beatitude Patriarch Nourhan,

Your Eminences,

Your Graces,

Beloved Members of our Respective Brotherhoods,

Dear Members of the Armenian Community of the Holy Land,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

We gather on this solemn occasion to remember one of the great atrocities of the 20th century – a century that was marked by many horrendous acts of man’s inhumanity to man. What the world calls the Armenian Genocide, you call in your own language the “Great Crime,” and the memory of this crime has marked the soul of the Armenian people around the world.

Today we pray first for the victims of this terrible policy of extermination. May their memories be eternal, and may their witness be an inspiration. The Armenian community lost many of its greatest intellectuals and leaders, as well as other innocent men, women and children in this action, and indeed many of those who today call Jerusalem and the Holy Land their home are here because of being displaced from their former homes.

But this is a commemoration in which the Rum Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem also shares in a special way. For during the Ottoman persecution that was so devastating to the Armenian community, thousands of Pontos Greeks and Assyrians in the former Ottoman Empire also suffered death and exile. We therefore partake in your grief and remember a time that was so devastating to so many of our respective communities and in our region. For as Saint Paul says, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).

This commemoration reminds us once again that the age of prejudice and persecution has not ended. In our own day, and in our own region, people are still persecuted, terrorized, exiled, and martyred for their ethnic identity and religious affiliation. Our sadness on this occasion must be tempered by vigilance and resolve. Today’s commemoration is a stark reminder to us that we must always condemn persecution, violence, and terrorism in any form, and to promote respect for all human life, especially as we all share a common human nature and a common destiny.

We assure you and your community, Your Beatitude, of our special prayers today for the victims of this atrocity, and we pray for a deepening of the spirit of mutual respect among peoples of different ethnicities and religious traditions, both in our region and around the world. Our common work and witness to the Light that shines from the Holy Tomb during this Holy Season of Pascha is our most powerful weapon against the forces of darkness and evil in our world. For as Saint Paul says, “Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).

May God bless you, Your Beatitude, the Brotherhood of Saint James, and all the people of the Armenian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

Christ is Risen!

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS  III

Patriarch of Jerusalem




HIS BEATITUDE ADDRESS AT THE YOM HASHOAH CEREMONY AT THE B’NAI B’RITH MARTYRS’ FOREST JERUSALEM.

16 April 2015-10 am

 

Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Schneider,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Rabbi Negrin,

Mr. Constantinis,

Mr. Batis,

Leaders of the B’nai B’rith Organization,

Esteemed Guests from Greece,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

We are honoured to address this distinguished gathering on this important and moving occasion, We remember today Rabbi Moshe Pesaeh of Volos, as well as other extraordinary citizens of Voles, Jew and Christian alike, ‘who helped to ensure the survival of most of the Jewish community there during the gruesome Second World War, When so many Jewish communities in Europe were wiped from the face of the earth, the Jews of Volos were able to endure.

Among Rabbi Moshe Pesach’s most visible collaborators was Metropolitan Joachim of Demetrias, as well as other Greek Orthodox clergy from Volos and the surrounding region. During the German occupation, Metropolitan Joachim encouraged the residents of Mount Pelion to hide Jews from the Nazis. When he was interrogated for information about Jews in the area, he once famously replied, “I am a Jew”. Metropolitan Joachim was instrumental in saving the lives of more than 700 people, and for this he is memorialized among the Righteous of the Nations.

We are all too aware in our own day, least of all in this region, of the threat of persecution, terrorism, and genocide. For, “Indeed the hour is coming, when those who kill you think, they are offering service to God” (John 16:2). Sadly, there is a growing need for vigilance in our world, where people suffer every day on account of their religious affiliations, their ethnic origins, or their convictions of conscience. While there will always be a need for courage like that of Rabbi Moshe Pesach and Metropolitan Joachim, we also need a new and urgent commitment to end the inhumanity that we see on a global scale.

May Rabbi Pesach and Metropolitan Joachim be an inspiration to all of us, not only to defy those who use violence to deprive the human family of our dignity and diversity, but to see the reflection of God in every human soul. By their examples, may we be firmly resolved to live lives of hope, commitment, and love.

And may their memory be eternal!   Thank you.

 

His Beatitude

Theophilos III

Patriarch of Jerusalem




THE PATRIARCHATE PARTICIPATES IN EVENT IN COMMEMORATION OF JEWISH VICTIMS OF NAZISM

On the morning of Easter Thursday, the 3rd/16th of April 2015, the B’nai B’rith Organisation and Keren Kayemet Le – Israel hosted an event in the memory of World War II Jewish victims of Nazism in Greece, mainly Volos. The event was also held in honour of rabbi Pesah of Volos who, in collaboration with the then Metropolitan of Demetrias, Joachim Alexopoulos, the Mayor of Volos, and Greek rebels, helped approximately 1,000 Jewish citizens flee the town and find refuge in Greek families in the countryside. Of the Jewish residents in Volos, 85% survived the war to return to their hometown. 

The event took place in a vast forest where 6.000.000 trees have been planted, as many the Jewish victims of Nazism. It was attended by representatives of the B’nai B’rith, Mr Haim Katz of Keren Kayemet, Mr Efi Stenzler, grandson of rabbi Pesah, the President of Jewish Communities in Greece, Mr Moses Constantinis, and the Greek Ambassador to Israel, Mr Spyridon Lamprides.

In the addresses heard at the event, special reference was made to the harmonious coexistence of Greek Jews with the rest of the Greeks in Greece, especially Volos, and the contribution of the Greek nation to the rescue of Greek Jews from Nazi mania.

Patriarch Theophilos was the first to speak at the ceremony, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2015/04/16/13879

The event ended with the reading of the names of children victims from Volos, and a performance of the Israeli National Anthem.

From the Secretariat-General