On Thursday, the 22^nd of August/4^th of September 2014, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem convened under the presidency of His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The Holy and Sacred Synod delved into various issues of the Patriarch of Jerusalem and reached the following decisions: 

1. To appoint Archimandrite Nicodemus as Abbot at the shrine of St George the Great Martyr in Lydda.
2. To appoint Archimandrite Bartholomew, Abbot at the Monastery of John the Baptist in the Old City of Jerusalem, as Assistant Dragoman and professor at the Sion Patriarchal Hieratic School.
3. To appoint Archimandrite Stephanos as Abbot at St Catherine Monastery, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and Head of the Pilgrim Service Office.
4. Appointed Hierodeacon Dionysios as Principal of the Boarding House at the Sion Patriarchal Hieratic School.
5. To welcome father Simon of Simonopetra Monastery to the ranks of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.
6. That Hierodeacon Martyrios be ordained as Priest.
7. That novice Antonios be tonsured as monk and join the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.

From the Secretariat-General

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem convened under the Presidency of H.B. Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the 10^th/23^rd of June 2014. The Synod addressed issues of the Patriarchate and took the following decisions:

1. To appoint the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, as President of the Committee of Finances, whilst he maintains his position as Patriarchal Commissioner.
2. To appoint His Eminence Methodios, Archbishop of Tabor, as President of the Elections Committee.
3. To appoint Archimandrite f. Ieronymos as President of the Committee of the Patriarchate’s Arab-speaking Schools in the West Bank.
4. To appoint Archimandrite Christophoros as spiritual guide and pedagogue of St Demetrios Patriarchal School and the rest of the Arabic Schools; and to promote Hieromonk Athanasios Kakis to the rank of Protosyncellus, henceforth appointed as vicar in Gerash and at the Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring in Dibin, under the pastoral jurisdiction of the Patriarchal Commissioner in Northern Jordan, His Eminence Philoumenos, Archbishop of Pella.
5. To appoint Archimandrite f. Stephanos Candlesh as vicar in the Patriarchal Community of Qatar.
6. To ordain as priest Hierodeacon f. Thaddaeus, now serving in the All-holy Church of the Resurrection.

From the Secretariat-General

On Monday the 22^nd of April/5^th of May 2014, concluding His official visit to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Archbishop of Finland visited local political Authorities as Head of Church.

Accompanied by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias who had accompanied Him throughout all His visits, and the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Archbishop of Finland saw Mr Avi Granot, Director of the Foreign Ministry and former Ambassador of Israel to Finland.

During the visit, a discussion was held on the collaboration between the state of Israel and Finland, and the contribution of Finland’s Orthodox Church to a peaceful religious coexistence, the fight against terrorism and the attraction of more pilgrims to shrines within Israel.

Subsequently, His Eminence Leo, Archbishop of Finland, and His honourable retinue, accompanied by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited Mr Hanna Amira, Chairman of the Christian Affairs Committee in Ramallah.

Mr Amira courteously received the Archbishop on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas and informed Him on the collaboration between his Committee and the Palestinian Autonomy, with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

From the Secretariat-General

The Holy and Sacred Synod, having recently convened under the presidency of His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, discussed a number of significant issues of the Patriarchate, whereupon it has decided:

Firstly, to promote Timotheos, Metropolitan of Bostroi, from his position as head of the reformation of the Exarchy of the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus, to the position of Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus, following the recent ceremony of the Opening of the Doors, and in view of the anticipated Inauguration ceremony of the Exarchy Church.

Secondly, to ordain Assistant Dragoman and until recently Archdeacon, f. Athanasios, as priest, and subsequently promote him to the rank of Archimandrite.

Thirdly, to promote deacon f. Eulogios to the position of Archdeacon of His Beatitude.

Fourthly, to ordain monk f. Antonios in Bethlehem to the rank of deacon.

Fifthly, to ordain novice Panayiotis, serving at the All-Holy Church of the Resurrection, as monk, include him in the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and subsequently ordain him as deacon.

From the Secretariat-General

On Thursday, the 3^rd/16^th of May 2013, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem held a regular meeting to discuss a number of topics. 

Among such topics was the long ongoing captivity of kidnapped churchmen, their Eminences Paul, Metropolitan of Aleppo and Alexandretta, brother of his Beatitude John, the Patriarch of Antioch, and Gregorios, the Bishop of Aleppo, a Prelate of the Syrian Church.

The Holy and Sacred Synod, having once more strongly condemned this unacceptable and illegal action, calls for the immediate and unconditional liberation of the two aforementioned clerics on the basis of the inalienable right to human freedom and for the prevalence of peace and conciliation in the country of Syria and the wider Middle East region.

The Secretariat- General

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem convened on Monday the 19^th of February/ 4^th of March 2013, under the chairmanship of HB Theophilos, Our Father and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to promote members of the Holy Sepulcher Fraternity to higher rankings, following a proposal by His Beatitude and a unanimous decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod.

The Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, Archimandrite father Demetrios, was elected Archbishop of Lydda; Archimandrite father Makarios, the Patriarchal Vicar in Qatar, was elected Archbishop of Qatar; Archimandrite father Isidoros, Sacristan of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, was promoted to the office of Grand Sacristan and elected Archbishop of Hierapolis; the head of the Community in the city of Birzet, Archimandrite father Philoumenos, was elected Archbishop of Pella and appointed to the position of Patriarchal Vicar in North Jordan; and Archimandrite father Nektarios, the Patriarchal Vicar in Constantinople, was elected Archbishop of Anthedon.

The ordinations of their Eminences the elected Archbishops will take place in the katholikon of the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, following their Messages on the day before at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen, in this order:

On Souls Saturday, the 24^th of February/9^th of March 2013, the ordination of Demetrios, elected Archbishop of Lydda, will take place.

On Apokreo (Meatfare) Sunday, the 27^th of February/10^th of March 2013, the ordination of Makarios, elected Archbishop of Qatar, will take place.

On the Saturday of the Tyrofagos week, the 3^rd/16^th March 2013, the ordination of Isidoros, elected Archbishop of Hierapolis, will take place.

On TyrinēSunday, the 4^th/17^th March 2013, the ordination of Philoumenos, voted Archbishop of Pella, will take place.

On a day to be announced shortly, the ordination of Nektarios, elected Archbishop of Anthedon, will be held in Constantinople.

The Holy and Sacred Synod has equally decided that hierodiakonos father Kyriakos of the Holy Monastery of Abba Gerasimus of Jordan be ordained as Presbyter; that hierodiakonos father Chrysogonos of the Holy Monastery of Hojeva also be ordained as Presbyter; that the Abbot of Kana, Galilee, Archimandrite father Dositheos be transferred to the Holy Monastery of St Charalambos in Jerusalem; that the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St Charalambos, Archimandrite father Kallistos, be transferred to the Abbot’s Quarters in Kana; and that novice Evryviades of Cyprus be ordained as a monk and then a deacon.

From the Secretariat-General

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During the Holy and Sacred Synod of Thursday, 21 September 2012, His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, appointed Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias to the position of Patriarchal Commissioner, in replacement of the late Commissioner, Bishop Vasileios of Caesarea.

His Beatitude wished the newly appointed Patriarchal Commissioner that he be strengthened from above in the fulfillment of his duties, in order to alleviate the labour of the Patriarchal Office and the Secretariat-General.

The newly appointed Patriarchal Commissioner, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, thanked His Beatitude for placing His trust upon him and promised to meet his duties with might and diligence in the benefit of our Holy Community.

From the Secretariat-General

The Holy Church of Christ in Jerusalem, founded on the divine-flowing blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, poured on Golgotha for the remission of sins and for the salvation of human kind, bore martyrs in its bosom, whose blood was shed as an offering and reciprocation of gratitude and love to Christ, who was willingly Crucified for them, and Resurrected from the dead.

First of these martyrs is the ‘proto martyr’ and archdeacon Stephanos who, like his Saviour, had his life taken while praying for those who stoned him (Acts 7, 60). Following him was Saint Jacob, the son of Zevedeos and brother of Evangelist Ioannis, whom “Herod the King killed with a sword” (Act. 12, 1-2). After him was Saint Jacob, the Lord’s brother and first Archbishop of the Church of Jerusalem, who was thrown from the ledge of the Temple, by the deniers of the Lord, and died as a martyr, praying for his persecutors. In his footsteps, his relative and heir to the Throne, Bishop of Jerusalem Simeon, in the days of Emperor Traianos, was tortured and crucified in Pella of Jordan, at the age of a hundred and twenty.

The apostolic period of the Church of Jerusalem is dignified by these four glorious spiritual jewels, but not less than the post-apostolic period of the Church, which is dignified by the beheaded Jerusalemite martyr Prokopios, by the Gaza martyrs Timotheos, Agapios and Thekla, by the beheaded martyr Pamfilos the founder of the Library of Caesarea, by the beheaded Promos and Elias in Askalon, Paul of Imneia, and by others true and admirable who were mercilessly tortured and died in martyrdom under the ruthless persecution of Diocletianos, in almost every city in the Holy Land of which ” time would fail us to tell”(Heb. 11, 32).

In this august chorus of martyrs of the first centuries in the life of the Church, who refused to denounce Christ, are also those who were persecuted during the following centuries in the name of Christ, for the truth and integrity of our Orthodox faith, such as the Patriarch of Jerusalem Zacharias who was abducted to Persia with the Holy Cross, and the Fathers of Saint Sabas monastery, who were slaughtered by the Persians.

In this holy charter are included the monks of the Order of Spoudeai who strove and gave their souls in defending the Holy Shrines, the tangible testimonies and proof of the earthly presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ. These included the notable by virtue and holiness, Patriarch of Jerusalem Leondios and the ever memorable member of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre Archimandrite Filoumenos, Superior of the Holy Monastery of Jacob’s Well, who lived in our times.

He originated from Orounta, of the saint-giving island of Cyprus and arrived in Jerusalem at a young age, having from his devout parents an education and admonition of the Lord. He was also a novice monk at the Holy Monastery of Stavrovouni. He studied at the Patriarchal School, where he was distinguished and praised for his diligence and good ethos. Graduating from the school, he was ordained a schema monk and was integrated into the Order of Spoudeai, the guardians of the Holy and Vivifying Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus Christ.    As a monk, he showed righteous imitation of the Saints and of the God-bearing Fathers of the Church.  He was punctual in the everyday reading of the prayers and Church services, demonstrated temperance, fasting and frugality. When called upon to the axiom of priesthood by the Mother of Churches and he accepting,  he proved to be a true steward of the mysteries of Christ to his commissioning to various holy shrines and in serving the flock as a Superior of: the Holy Monastery of the Saint Apostles of Tiberias, Superior of the Holy Monastery of Archangel Michael in Jaffa, Superior of the Holy Monastery of the Archangels in Jerusalem, director of the dormitory of the Patriarchal School, Superior of the Holy Convent of Saint Theodosios the superior of the cenobic life, Superior of the Monastery of the Prophet Elias and responsible for rite of the church ceremonies at the Monastic Church of the Brotherhood of Saints Constantine and Helen, Superior of the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ramallah, and lastly as Superior of the Holy Monastery of Jacob’s Well in Nablus of Samaria.

He served at this “Jacob’s well” (John 4, 6) “In spirit and truth” (John 4, 23), fulfilling the verses of the Lord’s spoken commandment, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4, 24) and although often threatened by a heterodox fanatic visitor to abandon the shrine, he never did.

He was at the Chapel of Jacob’s Well performing the regular Vesper service, on the afternoon of 16^th/29^th November of 1979, when due to the hatred of the devil who hates good, he was deviously and violently attacked by a vile man who, with an axe, opened a deep cut across his forehead, cut off the fingers of his right hand and upon escaping threw a grenade which ended the Father’s life.

The fragments of the grenade and drops of his blood left traces and stigmata that are still visible to this day on the walls of the Chapel, as an eternal memory of his martyrdom, crowning his sacred life.  His life and his death is a confession of faith, a confession of blood, at the place where the Lord revealed to the Samaritan woman who said to Him “I know that Messiah is coming, He who is called Christ” (John 4, 25) by telling her “I who speak to you am he” (John 4, 26).  Through his martyrdom he became a co-martyr with Saint Fotini the Samaritan, her sons and sisters. The central church is named in honour of her while the southern chapel within the church is dedicated and named after Saint Filoumenos, wherein his sacred relics are present and are a source of strength and healing to the faithful devotees who honour him.  He is also a co-martyr with Saint Ioustinos the Philosopher and Martyr, who originates from Nablus, and is honoured in the northern chapel within the church.

Since Saint Filoumenos’ death and martyrdom and from signs of God testified by people, he was already established as a martyred saint in the conscience of many honourable members of the church. Today, after the completion of thirty years since the day of his martyrdom, based on the Synodic decision of Our Holy and Sacred Synod, we officially place in the Synaxarion, the celebration of this new hieromartyr on this day of his martyrdom, 16^th/29^th of November each year, to the benefit of the souls and to the glory of Our Holy Triune God.

Today we announce this sacred ecclesiastical event to the congregation of the Church of Zion, and the sister Orthodox Churches so that from now onwards, they eternally celebrate the memory of the new hieromartyr Filoumenos with the intercessions of whom we may find grace and mercy so that with one voice and one heart we offer glory and praise to the glorified Holy Triune, our God who is glorified in His Saints.

Holy City of Jerusalem, September 11^th 2009.

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

Metropolitan of Caesarea Vasilios

Metropolitan of Ptolemais Palladios

Metropolitan of Capitolias Issychios

Metropolitan of Eleftheroupolis Christodoulos, Elder Dragouman

Metropolitan of Philadelphia Venedictos

Metropolitan of Avila Dorotheos

Archbishop of Mt. Tabor Methodios

Archimandrite Kelladion, Elder Kamarasis

Archimandrite Ioustinos

Archimandrite Theodoritos

Archimandrite Hilarion

Archimandrite Timotheos

Archimandrite Evdokimos

Archimandrite Demetrios, Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod

Archimandrite Galaktion

Archbishop of Constantina Aristarchos, Elder Chief Secretary