May 4, 2014

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland,

beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ,

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

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

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

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

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

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

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

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

The speeches concluded the event at the David Citadel Hotel.

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

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

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

From the Secretariat-General

May 3, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HIS BEATITUDE

THEOPHILOS III

PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/UIzrodV6UZI

JERUSALEM, APRIL 29, 2014

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland,

beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ,

Our joy and emotion has increased and culminates in the recent veneration of Fearful Golgotha and of the All-Holy and Life-Giving Tomb of the Lord and on the occasion of the visit of your most beloved Eminence to this historic hall of our ancient Patriarchate.

We are especially joyful that we are receiving Your Eminence, our beloved brother in Christ, as the chosen Primate and distinguished shepherd of the autonomous Orthodox Church of Finland, which is distinguished and praised for its Orthodox spirit, for its pastoral and social support of its members, for its organization, for its cultivation of peaceful dialogue, which furthers its peaceful coexistence with the other Christian confessions of faith in Finland, as well as its residents, who are lovers of peace, peaceful and meek.

Our predecessor, the ever-memorable Patriarch Dositheos of Jerusalem, named our venerable Brotherhood of the All-Holy Tomb a “holy house.” In our “home,” We rejoice at the opportunity to welcome Your most beloved Eminence today with great joy, and We share this with you, viewing Your Eminence not as a simple pilgrim who has received hospitality, but as a member of Our “home.”

Thus, it is with brotherly and hospitable disposition of soul that We welcome Your Eminence and your honorable delegation, intending to accompany Your Eminence in your entrances and exits during these days of pilgrimage theoria (i.e. contemplation), so that we may all together experience in the Holy Land the revealed mystery of our salvation in the divine face and the salvific work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that we may also be strengthened to faithfully serve the flocks entrusted to Us and to serve all people for the praise of Orthodoxy and glory of our Triune God. Amen.

 His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, APRIL 29 2014.

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland,

beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ,

Our most good Lord granted the Church of Jerusalem, the Mother of all Churches, worthy to complete its official visit to the autonomous sister of Church of Finland, piously shepherded by Your most beloved and profound Eminence. In His wise providence, He has now made the Church of Finland worthy to reciprocate its official visit, receiving the proper honors within the framework of this ecclesiastical institution.

On the occasion of this historical and ecclesiastical event, the official reception of Your Eminence at the Tower of David with the honorable full participation of our Orthodox flock, the local authorities and the representatives of the Christian Churches in the Holy Land. Now we are venerating in the glory of our Christian faith, i.e. the Most Venerable the Church of the Anastasis, the Holy Apokathelosis, Fearful Golgotha, the place of redemption due to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, and the All-Holy Tomb, in which death was trampled upon by death and we, His creation, with the Risen Christ are raised.

We thank and glorify Christ our God from the depths of our soul, who made Us worthy to realize this meeting and We ask of Him, as He sends Us His heavenly strength for the completion of the pastoral work of Our Churches and His peace, a peace only given by Him and not by the world. We ask that His peace be given to the entire world, to those plagued by phenomena of violence and of the economic crisis and to each non-peaceful region of the Middle East, especially the blood-trodden country of Syria and Our neighboring sister Orthodox Church of Antioch.

Having within us the knowledge concerning the various gifts of God in our life and bringing with us now the strength of the Holy Cross after venerating at Fearful Golgotha, and the joy and exultation of the joyous Resurrection after venerating the All-Holy and Life-Giving Tomb, come let us ascend to the Patriarchate so that we can further enjoy the company of Your most beloved Eminence, and so that we can spiritually rejoice together and collaborate toward the progress and good care of the flocks entrusted to Us and glory to our Triune God.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

On Sunday, the 14^th/27^th of April 2014, the World Interfaith Harmony Day was observed in Amman, Jordan. The day was proposed by the Royal Hashemite family and adopted by a UN resolution in 2010.

The event has been established by the Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as an encounter between religious agents, both Christians and Muslims, laymen and clerics alike, for the fight against religious fanaticism, religious unrest, violence and terrorism, and the cultivation of potentials for religious coexistence within modesty, peace, concord and harmony.

The event, which took place in Amman, at the Royal Hashemite Court, was attended by H.M. King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi. Sheik Ali Gomaa of Egypt, Munib Younan, the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem, and Princess Areej Ghazi, all gave speeches.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem was represented by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Most Reverend Archimandrite Ieronymos, hegoumen at Fhes.

His Beatitude spoke in English after Sheik Ali Gumaa of Egypt: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/27/6600

Following the speeches, His Majesty the King presented the King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Prizes for the World Interfaith Harmony Week, to the following:

The first prize went to the Silsilah dialogue movement in Zamboanga City, the Philippines. The second prize went to Mr Saeed Khan Falahi, and the third prize was shared between the Jamal Farghaly Secondary School for Boys in Egypt and Mr. Michael Boyondo and Mrs. Irene Bulindi of Uganda for “Faiths Together”.

The Panel of Judges for the Awards consisted of: Princess Areej Ghazi, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem; Sheik Dr Ai Gomaa; Bishop Munib Younan; Father Nabil Haddad; Dr Minwer Al Mheid and Mr Aftab Ahmed.

From the Secretariat-General

Amman, 27 April 2014

Your Majesty,

Your Royal Highnesses,

Our Fellow Judges,

Distinguished Honorees,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the year 2010, at the initiative and encouragement of Your Majesty, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Resolution A/65, establishing the first week of February each year as World Interfaith Harmony Week. This action crowned over a decade of commitment by the General Assembly to focus the attention of the world in the creation of a culture of peace-building, non-violence, and mutual understanding among the faithful of different religious traditions, and it also highlighted the commitment of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to this crucial endeavor.

The first Interfaith harmony Week took place in 2011, and the first awards ceremony occurred last year. Each year commitment to the goals and ideals of this week has increased around the world and has contributed to the transformation of the life of local communities, especially communities under pressure. This is the great gift of both the Resolution of the General Assembly and of the Royal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, which established the prizes we are awarding today. For however lofty ourgoals, however articulate our commitment, we recognize that nothing is real unless it is local.

Changes in human society happen at many levels, from leaders and governments all the way to the grassroots. We know that unless there is willingness and an openness to change in our local communities, any hope for genuine and lasting change in society will not bear fruit. The love of God and the love of neighbour are not simply nice ideas; they are commandments at the heart of the wood’s great religious traditions, and they must find a secure place in each human heart.

The great gift of World Interfaith Harmony Week is the emphasis that we place on the work of organizations and groups at the local level, where the lives of so many are touched and transformed directly, and where the love of God and the love of neighbour find tangible, practical application. This annual prize-giving ceremony not only awards those who have done outstanding work in this arena; it also highlights the many ventures around the world – a growing number each year – which seek to promote those values and virtues that are vital to the common human future that we must build together.

We congratulate this year’s prize winners, and we encourage all those others who have shared with us the work that you are doing around the world. We bring to all of you the spiritual blessings of Jerusalem, the city that is holy and dear to us all. All people of peace and good will are the children of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem stands, as it has stood for millennia as a beacon of hope in a troubled and anxious world.

May God bless us all as we seek to live more completely the commandment to love God and our neighbor, and May God give us all the strength and courage to advance the spirit of World Interfaith Harmony Week wherever we live and work.

Thank you.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

Jerusalem, 23 April 2014

Your Beatitude, Patriarch Nourhan,

Your Eminences,

Beloved Members of our Respective Brotherhoods,

Dear Fathers,

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

This blessed Paschal celebration gives us the opportunity to visit you, Your Beatitude, and to be among the Armenian Brotherhood in this spirit of fellowship and Easter joy. We are glad that we are reaping the good fruits of the cooperation and mutual understanding that exist between our communities. This proves so well that dialogue in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is the most powerful and effective way in which to solve family challenges.

We wish to commend you, Your Beatitude, for the leadership that you have exercised since your election. We to whom the leaders of the Christian communities of the Holy Land have been entrusted to bear a special burden that can only be shouldered with the help of the grace and mercy of God.

As we bring our Easter greetings to you, we are fully aware of the terrible plight of the suffering of our fellow Christians in many countries, and especially in our neighboring region. We know of your own personal connection to the Armenian community in Syria, and we assure you of our prayers for the Armenian people in Syria, in Armenia itself, and around the world.

May the Light that shines from the Tomb of Christ on this Feast of Feasts be a beacon of hope and a source of strength to us all as we seek to be faithful in the spiritual mission that has been entrusted to us in our beloved Holy Land.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Thank you.

His Beatitude

THEOPHILOS III,

Patriarch of Jerusalem

On Bright Tuesday, the 9^th/22^nd of April 2014, the long since established Paschal visits of Christian Churches to the Patriarchate took place.

In the context of this institution, Franciscan monks visited our Patriarchate under their Abbot and Custodian of the Holy Land, f. Pierrebatista Pizzaballa.

The monks were received by Hagiotaphite Fathers, under Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem.

Through the address of the Franciscan custodian and the reply speech of His Beatitude, this year’s common celebration of Easter was underlined, together with the current collaboration between Christian Churches in the Holy Sepulcher. A wish was made that this collaboration shall continue for the benefit of Christians in the Holy Land.

The Franciscans were followed by other Churches, the Latin Patriarchate, the Lutherans, the Copts, the Syrians, the Anglicans and persons linked to them.

The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem made an address on behalf of all, whereas His Beatitude replied in English, see: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/22/5969

Subsequently, the Patriarchate was visited by Mr Azam Hadib, President of the Waqf of Solomon’s Temple. Mr Hadib is in charge of the area of the Temple of Solomon – Haram-al-Sharif as well as shrines connected to it, in the name of Jordan and the Palestinian Autonomy.

In his address, Mr Hadib talked of respect for the rights of every Community in Jerusalem, and the significance of a peaceful religious coexistence.

Around noon, the Patriarchate was visited by the Armenians, under His Eminence Archbishop Ari Savrenian. During the meeting, wishes were exchanged for a harmonious Christian coexistence in the Holy Land, devoid of altercations.

His Beatitude Theophilos replied in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/22/5972

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/CW770BKamEY