1

OPENING OF A NEW KINDERGARTEN AND PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE PATRIARCHATE IN KARAK, JORDAN

With the blessing of His Beatitude Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, the Most Reverend Archbishop Christophoros of Kyriakoupolis, inaugurated on Wednesday, August 18/31, 2022 the new Kindergarten and Primary School of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Karak, Jordan, in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Mr Haifa Al-Najjar, the Regional of Karak Mr Muhammad Al-Fayez, the regional deputies Mr Ayman Madanat and Mr Salem Al-Damour, the Hegoumen Archimandrite Saba Hourani, and some important officials of the city and priests.

After the recitation of the Royal Anthem, the ceremony began with a prayer by Father Youhanna Hamati and was followed by a video about the achievements of the Patriarchate’s schools in Jordan, and a group of students sang the school anthem.

The Most Reverend Archbishop Christoforos of Kyriakoupolis, welcomed those present, saying: “Today, a dream has come true for the residents of the region, to establish a model school, in which they will incorporate virtue together with learning and science, and to work for to create a competent and effective educational team, which will reflect the integrated vision of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the rebirth of our schools”.

The Most Reverend Archbishop of Kyriakoupolis also thanked the contributors for all the efforts that made this work possible and which are many, noting the collaboration with the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation, and in particular, he thanked the former Minister Mr Samikos Halasa and his family for their generous donation to the project of establishing the new school and the supervision of the project.

At the end of the speech, a 50% discount was announced on the tuition fees of the registered students of the new school for the current year, with the cooperation of the Church, under the conditions of the difficult financial situation.

Mrs Lynn Madanat, General Director of the Patriarchate Schools in Jordan, said that: “you are in the place, which has its roots in the land which is ancient in its originality and special in its mission; and why not; it is the very land which parents have given to their children for education”, emphasizing how right thinking, right planning and hard work have led you to the present and blessed day.

And she added: All of us, the school administrators, together with the parents, are partners in this great trust and responsibility towards the children of our homeland, Jordan.

Mr Sami Halasa said in his address:

“I am in a happy position to be among you today and in this place, in the Al-Rawda area, from which I have fond childhood memories with my grandfather, Salama Al-Halasa, who created the first agricultural project in his northern district in Karak province in 1957, and he was one of the first to plant the blessed olive tree here. Twenty years ago, my blessed Father together with my uncle, to whom I wish many years, donated a five-acre plot of land, the plot containing the graves of my grandfather and great-grandmother, to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem for educational purposes, believing in the importance of education for society and future generations, in order to create a competent society, which will be based on respect and education”.

It should be noted that in the new school, the first three classes of the primary school were opened, apart from the kindergarten, and the project continues to implement the remaining classes up to secondary education.

From Secretariat-General




INSPECTION OF THE MAINTENANCE WORKS OF THE FLOOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

On the evening of Tuesday, August 17/30, 2022, there was an inspection of the conservation works of the floor of the Rotunda and the Seven Arches of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, completed by the Sapientia University of Rome.

This inspection took place with the participation of the representatives of the three Major Communities, namely the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Franciscan Brotherhood and the Patriarchate of the Armenians in Jerusalem.

On behalf of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with the Patriarchal Commissioner and Chairman of the Finance Committee, His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Geronda Chief Secretary His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Elder Sacristan His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, the Master of the Ceremonies of the Patriarchate, Archimandrite Bartholomew, the Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod Hierodeacon Simeon and other Fathers.

On behalf of the Franciscan Fraternity, the Custos of the Holy Land, His Grace Francesco Patton with Fr Dobromiro, on behalf of the Armenian Brotherhood, His Eminence Sevan with Archimandrite Samuel, the Armenians’ Abbot of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Archimandrite Gurion. Present was also the Architect of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Mr Theodosios Mitropoulos.

During this visit, the representatives of experts, scientists of the Sapientia University of Rome and Mr Mitropoulos explained their work methods and the representatives were shown on the floor samples of old preserved and new slabs, which will be installed to replace the damaged slabs, taking into account the thickness of the slabs, their colour, assembly, etc., consistent with the sanctity and architecture of the Church of the Resurrection.

The representatives of the three Major Communities and the technical experts of the works were hosted by the Elder Sacristan, His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, in the Office of the Church of the Resurrection.

 From SecretariatGeneral

 




MEETING ABOUT THE ONGOING PROJECT AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

On the afternoon of Thursday, July 22/August 4, 2022, a meeting took place in the Franciscan monastery in Jerusalem to inform about the ongoing maintenance work on the floor of the Rotunda and the space below the Seven Arches in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In this meeting, the Patriarchate was represented by His Beatitude, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theofilos, accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Elder Sacristan, His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis and Archdeacon Mark. The Fraternity of the Franciscans was represented by the Custodian, Fr. Francis Paton, Fr. Dobromiro, Fr. Athanasios Makora and others, and the Patriarchate of Armenians under Archbishop Sivan and Archimandrite Gurion and the abbot of the Church of the Resurrection of the Armenians Archimandrite Fr. Samuel.

In this meeting, the technicians of the Sapientia University of Rome presented on screen the ongoing work of the maintenance of the damaged slabs and/or the replacement with others, which will be in harmony with the whole structural environment of the Church.

His Beatitude raised the issue of dealing with the problem of the drainage system of the Church of the Resurrection before any other work. For this reason, it was decided to conduct a study by expert technicians, which will be presented at another special meeting.

From Secretariat-General




THE INSPECTION OF THE WORKS IN THE ROTUNDA AND THE SEVEN ARCHES IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

On Thursday evening, June 3/16, 2022, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, venerated the Holy Tomb and inspected the ongoing project of renovation and maintenance of the floor of the Rotunda around the Sacred Edicule and the area under the seven arches, which is supervised by the team of the University Sapientia of Rome, after the agreement of the Three Major Communities, the Rum Orthodox, the Latins and the Armenians, according to the Status Quo.

 His Beatitude was accompanied by Geronda Secretary-General His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Geronda Sacristan His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the Patriarchal Representative in Constantinople His Eminence Archbishop Nectarios of Anthedona, the Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod Hierodeacon Simeon and others, the Franciscan brothers of the Custody in the Holy Land, the Custos His Grace Fr Francesco Patton, Fr Dobromiro and other representatives of the Armenians, His Eminence Sevan, Archimandrite Samuel, Hegoumen of the Armenians at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Father Gurion and other members of their brotherhood, the Architect of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr Theodosios Mitropoulos.

The members of this Delegation from the three Communities entered the project area and saw the excavation site, and received archaeological explanations from the specialists of the University Sapientia regarding the wall layers and the structure dating back to the Roman period, before the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Constantine’s era. They were informed about the various maintenance and renovation periods at the times of the Byzantine Emperors and saw the rock of the north-east side of the Rotunda which supports the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre and is carved to form the “new and empty” Life-giving Tomb of our Lord. It has been decided that this project will have a duration of 26 months with a cost of €11.000.000, funded by pious donors and sponsors.

After the archaeological research with the collection of the necessary artefacts, the excavated site will be covered anew, placing the intact slates back to their original position, while the damaged ones will be replaced by others, responding to the sanctity of the site and to the conclusions of this multifaceted work, but also through glass constructions that will facilitate the view.

We remind our readers that this is the second phase of the work carried out according to the aforementioned scientific methods and Status Quo agreement, after the successful completion of the first phase of maintenance and renovation of the Sacred Edicule, which was carried out by a scientific team from the National University of Athens under the supervision of Professor Antonia Moropoulou. The first phase was inspired and initiated by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Communities of the Greeks, Latins and Armenians cooperated for its completion.

Nevertheless, we should also mention that all this work is a continuation of the prototype set by the renovation project in the ’60s, funded by the Greek Government, after the initiative of the memorable Patriarch of Jerusalem Benedictus, with the cooperation of the Sacristan Archimandrite Germanos, the blessed Vice-Sacristan Archimandrite Daniel, the Architect Leonidas Kollas and Mr Athanasios Economopoulos, who founded a technical office.

From Secretariat-General




THE INAUGURATION OF THE RESTORATION WORK BENEATH THE ROTUNDA OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

The inauguration of the restoration work beneath the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre took place on Monday morning, 1/14 March 2022.

The project is a continuation of the restoration of the Sacred Edicule which was completed four years ago. The current work shares the agreement of the Three Major Communities, the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Custody of the Holy Land of the Franciscans and the Patriarchate of the Armenians in Jerusalem, who have the responsibility of the Status Quo, and has been undertaken by the University Sapienza of Rome.

The project includes restoration or replacement works of the damaged floor tiles on the north part of the rotunda and excavations of its underground area, beneath the Seven Arches and in front of the Sacred Edicule. It is scheduled for completion within twenty six months and will be funded by sponsors and donors.

For the beginning of this project, present at the Holy Sepulchre were the Heads of the Three Communities: H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, along with their Eminences, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops, Aristarchos of Constantina and Isidoros of Hierapolis, the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew and other Hagiotaphite Fathers, as well as the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and the architect of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Mr Theodosios Mitropoulos. On the part of the Franciscans in the Holy Land there were the Custos Fr Francesco Patton, Fr Dobromiro, Fr Athanasios Makora and others, and from the Patriarchate of the Armenians, His Eminence Sevan, the Hegoumen of the Armenians Fr Samuel, Fr Gourion and others.

On the occasion of the inauguration of this project, H.H.B. addressed those present as follows:

 

“Come bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord

who stand…in the house of the Lord.

Lift up your hands to the holy place,

and bless the Lord.

(Psalm 133[134]:1-2).

Your Beatitudes,

Your Eminences,

Your Graces,

Beloved Members of our Respective Brotherhoods,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are gathered in the holiest of places in this historic moment to continue the work that has been so well begun in the restoration of the Sacred Edicule. On this occasion we remember the words of the Psalms:

How very good and pleasant it is when brethren live together in unity!

(Psalm 132 [133]:1).

Five years ago this month, we gathered here to celebrate the completion of the restoration of the Sacred Edicule. That restoration was the fruit not only of the labour of experts but of our common purpose and unity in placing the restoration of the Sacred Edicule above all other concerns and distractions. As those to whom the Divine Providence has entrusted the Diakonia of the Holy Places, we must always deepen our commitment to this common purpose.

The restoration of the Sacred Edicule, the first in two centuries, stands as a true achievement of our Communities acting together and is a sign of hope for the world.

And now we stand at the beginning of a new phase of this work, to restore the area beneath the floor of the rotunda as well as the pavement, to ensure that the foundations of this holy place are secure for generations to come. We are deeply grateful to all those sponsors whose generosity and expertise are making this project possible, and we fully expect that his work will bring the present renovation of the sacred Edicule and the rotunda to successful completion.

We are meeting here at a difficult time for humanity. The pandemic is not yet over, there is grave conflict in Ukraine and in the world generally, there is a great deal of political, economic and social instability.

But here, in this holiest of places, that is, the Holy Tomb, there is hope. In the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, the new and eternal life of God has shone forth like a light in our dark and confused world. As we care for and restore this holy place, we participate in the message of hope that emanates from the Holy Tomb not just for the Christians, but also for people of goodwill around the world.

As we gather here, we recall the words of Saint John Chrysostom which are recited here every day:

O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance;

protect the fullness of your Church;

and sanctify those who love the beauty of your house…

For every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above,

coming down from you, the Father of lights.

May the Almighty God, the Father of lights, whose uncreated Light shines from the Holy Tomb, bless our new work that begins today in His name.

His Beatitude Theophilos III

Patriarch of Jerusalem




H.H.B. THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM THEOPHILOS VISITS THE GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY OF SHAHNIN

 

On Saturday 20 February /5 March 2022, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos visited the Arab-speaking Greek Orthodox Community of Shahnin town, in the Acre Ptolemais district of Northern Israel. His Beatitude was accompanied by their Eminences, Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth and Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archimandrite Philotheos, Dean Priest Issa Mousleh and Archdeacon Mark.

On this visit, His Beatitude offered His condolences to the family of the blessed Michel Gantus, former President of the Community Council.

Then, at the warm welcoming reception by Archimandrite Andrew Aleme, the Community Priest Fr Saleh Chouri, the Stewards and many faithful Christians, His Beatitude visited the construction site of the Holy Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, which is being built with funds from the Patriarchate and donations by pious Christians. The Church is massive with Byzantine murals, a boast and ornament of the Community. His Beatitude gave the appropriate instructions and blessings to reach the consecration day.

The Community thanked His Beatitude for the Patriarchate’s support in this God-pleasing project, which unites the Community in the One Body of Christ.

From Secretariat-General




HIS BEATITUDE THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM VISITS THE LIBRARY OF THE H. MONASTERY OF THE SACRED CROSS

On Tuesday afternoon, 15/28 December 2021, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, accompanied by Geronda Secretary-General His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and the Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod Hierodeacon Simeon, visited the library of the Monastery of the Holy Cross.

This library belonged to the famous Theological School of the Cross which existed in the Patriarchate from 1845 to 1909 and many scientists of various expertise both laity and clergy graduated from it.

This library is rich in old-print and newer scientific books, many of which need special preservation and protection, due to the closure of the School since 1909. By the initiative of H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos the special conservator from Cyprus, Professor Stavros Andreou was invited to undertake this project.

His Beatitude supervised and praised this project and gave instructions for its continuation and the possibility of various organizations for its funding.

From Secretariat-General




RESTORATION WORK OF THE CISTERN OF THE HEGOUMENEION OF BEIT JALA AND THE BROADENING OF THE MAIN STREET

In October 2021, under the technical supervision of the Patriarchate’s Architect Mr Theodosios Mitropoulos and the Mayor Mr Nicola Hamis, that is the co-operation of the Patriarchate with the Municipality of Beit Jala, the cistern of the Hegoumeneion of Beit Jala was restored and carved a little. This was necessary due to the broadening of the main street to facilitate the traffic for the Beit Jala inhabitants. Details on the restoration work are in Mr Mitropoulos’ article below:

“The historic cistern (Well) of the Abbeys residence of Beitzala

By Architect  Dr Theo Mitropoulos

This cistern is located northeast of the Abbeys residence of Beitzala 1 * where it is adjacent to it, occupying the entire subterranean area of the garden while its mouth is located inside the garden. This cistern has a rectangular plan of dimensions (5X8X6M ) and is carved in the rocky subsoil of the area while its vaulted roof is made of limestone and hydraulic mortar. This technique is also found in the cisterns of David located in Bethlehem, which are also made in the same style.2 * Internally, the cistern is lined with a thick layer of kurasani 10cm thick. to prevent water leakage. This cistern is very ancient, and historically, it must be related to the cisterns (wells) of David located in Bethlehem. The Abbeys residence of Beitzala will be built after 1862 (year of construction of the  Church of Panagia in Beitzala) in this historic site of this cistern. With the current configuration of the road around Abbeys residence ( Igoumenio ), a large rocky mass of the cistern will be excavated (removed) and in its place, a stone wall over 4 m high will be constructed in order to hold the hydraulic pressures coming from its waters. Because the overflow port of the cistern was covered by the outer perimeter wall, this resulted in the water level rising very high inside the cistern resulting in increased pressures on the stone walls and the creation of vertical alarming faults. stone dome of the cistern. Today, the City Hall of Beitzala, which is carrying out reinforcement work in collaboration with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in this cistern, is proceeding with the partial removal of the existing cracked stone structure and its reconstruction from reinforced concrete with concrete and stone. With this intervention of the restoration of the cistern, its water supply should be stopped and this area should be utilized by the Patriarchate both archaeologically and for tourism (religious tourism) due to its great historical value.

1*. The construction of the Igoumenion dates back to 1862 during the patriarchate of Cyril II (1845-1872) and the abbot Christoforos, a monk of Cyprian. The 19th century. The 19th century is the period when there is a great upsurge in the construction and decoration of Orthodox churches in the Ottoman Empire where the conditions for Orthodoxy change and become more favourable after the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829 and especially after the Hati Serif of 1839 and the Hati Humayoun of 1856, where the change in the internal policy of the Ottoman state with the establishment of the equality of all its subjects can be seen. The construction of magnificent temples in Asia Minor, Smyrna, Constantinople, Cyprus and the Middle East began more systematically. 2* The cisterns in Bethlehem will stop being used for drinking water after 1200 when a Saracen woman fell into the well and drowned, since then the water has only been used for drinking, according to the travelogues of the time.”

From Secretariat-General




THE LAUNCH OF JERUSALEM “LANA” NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT, THE LARGEST HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE CITY

This morning, October 11, a press conference was held in St. George Hotel in Jerusalem to announce the launch of the largest housing development project in East Jerusalem named ‘Lana’ neighbourhood (meaning: ‘ours’ in Arabic) in Beit Hanina, as a result of a partnership between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Massar International Company, headquartered in Rawabi.

The speakers at the press conference were His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Palestine, Honorable Sheikh Azzam Khateeb, Head of the Islamic Waqf, His Excellency Evangelos Vlioras, the Greek Consul General in Jerusalem, Mr Hanna Ameireh and Mr Issa Qassiessieh, representatives of the Presidential Committee on Churches’ Affairs, Palestinian Businessman Jalal Nassr-Eddin, along with a number of Bishops and Jerusalem’s community leaders.

Engineer Enas Musa Al-Waari, the project manager, welcomed the press and followed with a description of the “Lana” neighbourhood, its 400 residential apartments, its commercial centre that includes stores of world-famous brands, cinemas, restaurants, cafes, and offices, in addition to a modern school, a kindergarten, and green spaces for entertainment. Al-Waari also shed light on the aspect of developing the infrastructure of the project and its surroundings, so that there will be 3 to 4 floors of parking under the buildings, and a comprehensive expansion of the road network surrounding the project, which is located 15 minutes from the Old City of Jerusalem.

The first speaker was His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who blessed the meeting and the project launch, adding that “the journey that took a decade, which brought us here today,” referring to the journey of obtaining the necessary licenses to start the project “has been both challenging and exhilarating.” Stressing the need to focus on what is positive in order to obtain the desired results and that’s how “our community will be blessed and grow in strength.” His Beatitude also expressed his deep gratitude to everyone who participated in this project.

His Beatitude, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, clarified that the “Lana” housing development project is a symbol of cooperation between the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the wider local community to improve people’s living standards, provide housing, and job opportunities for thousands of citizens in the city, especially in light of the immense challenges that our Holy City and its community are witnessing. He added, “The vision of our esteemed friend and partner, Mr Bashar Masri, to create a comprehensive communal living experience makes the “Lana” neighbourhood housing development a model of progressive thinking in the field of community living.”

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III also commended the local Orthodox community in Jerusalem, which has always aspired to realize this dream and to move forward with such a huge project, declaring that the Orthodox Church members will continue to participate in this project through a nine-member committee responsible for independent screening and selection of grant candidates for the purchase of housing units. This committee is chaired by Mr Hanna Ameireh.

His Beatitude also spoke about the merit of coexistence between the Christian and Muslim communities, which culminated in the Omari Covenant since the era of Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, all the way to the Hashemite guardianship under His Majesty King Abdullah bin Al Hussein, the guardian of Islamic and Christian holy places.

His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the Mufti of Palestine, praised “Lana” development project, and praised God for “making us the guardians of Christian and Islamic sanctities.” His Eminence added that “we have life and aspirations in Jerusalem” and housing is an important part of our continuous presence and future. His Eminence thanked His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III for his contribution to strengthening the steadfastness of Jerusalemites. He also thanked the developer of the project, Mr Bashar Masri, for bringing this project to light, calling on Palestinian and Arab businessmen to follow suit and invest in Jerusalem.

His Eminence the Grand Mufti of Palestine concluded his speech by saying, “Blessed are these efforts, and we ask God more of them so that we attain our political, religious and social rights towards a secure life as it was during the days of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, and the days of the journey of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, from Mecca to Jerusalem, and the days of the Omari covenant that is considered the basis of the common life between Muslims and Christians in this land.

As for the developer of the project, Mr Bashar Masri, the head of the board of directors of Massar International, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s partner in this huge project, said that the “Lana” project is a one billion shekel development. He said that he went on to seek the necessary licenses for ten years, which was crowned with success thanks to the effort, commitment and full cooperation of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. 

Masri added that the “Lana” neighborhood is an integrated modern neighborhood, and its success paves the way for more housing projects that serve the various economic classes in the city of Jerusalem, stressing that the decision to invest in Jerusalem is a strategic decision for Massar International to deepen economic empowerment in Jerusalem and strengthen the steadfastness of Jerusalemites. Masri explained that the “Lana” development project, which was designed by more than 40 engineers, will provide thousands of job opportunities for Jerusalemites, and will contribute to strengthening the local economy.

As for the financial arrangements for the purchase of apartments, Masri said that the management of “Lana” development has completed negotiations stage with a number of Palestinian banks to provide mortgages for the apartments, so that the citizen would pay 20% – 25% of the value of the apartment and the rest is to be paid in installments for 15 years, adding that The Palestinian Monetary Authority has provided incentives to Palestinian banks to encourage them to provide the necessary mortgages at acceptable rates. Masri confirmed that this project is a purely Palestinian, with 100% Palestinian capital, and that the project did not receive any assistance or grants.

 

News and Photos by: Heba Hrimat.

 




VISIT OF THE ARCHAEOLOGIST DR. DIETER VIEWEGER FROM GERMANY AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Thursday 3/16 September 2021, the Archaeologist Professor Dr Dieter Vieweger, Director General of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology, accompanied by his wife, Mr Katja Soennecken, who is also an archaeologist, visited His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, to discuss the continuation of the excavations at the property of the Patriarchate on the hill of Sion.

From Secretariat-General