On November 22, the Jerusalem Orthodox Church solemnly celebrated the 19th anniversary of the enthronement of its Primate — Blessed Patriarch Theophilos III of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine.
Theophilos III
On this day in the Katholikon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Patriarch Theophilos presided over a festive thanksgiving service (doxology) with a host of hierarchs of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, clerics of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood and Arabic-speaking clergy of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The Patriarch led a festive thanksgiving praise (doxology) in the Katholikon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
From the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, the head of the RSM archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), deputy head of the RSM, hegumen Nikon (Golovko), and the RSM residents Hieromonk Philotheus (Artyushin) and Deacon Makarii Petukhov took part in the celebrations, the RSM website reports.
Hieromonk Philotheus (Artyushin) and Deacon Makarii Petukhov, the RSM website.
Metropolitan Timothy of Vostre (Jerusalem Orthodox Church), Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timothy of Vostre (Jerusalem Orthodox Church), Bishop John of Pakratsa and Slavonia (Bishop John of Slavonia) arrived to honor the anniversary of the enthronement of the Primate of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. href="http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/134493.html">Serbian Orthodox Church), the representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem Archimandrite Theophilus (Anastasiou), the representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Archimandrite Stephen (Dispirakis)and many others.
At the end of the prayer service in the Great Throne Hall of the Patriarchate, a festive reception was held, attended by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Archimandrite Stephen (Dispirakis) and many others.
After the prayer service, a festive reception was held in the Great Throne Room of the Patriarchate, attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the State of Israel A.D. Viktorov, Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem D. Angelosopoulos and the hierarchy of the Patriarchate. Angelosopoulos, hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, heads of representative offices of the Orthodox Local Churches in Jerusalem and public figures, clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, Abbess of the Gorno Nunnery in Ein Karem, Abbess Catherine (Chernysheva) and numerous representatives of the Orthodox community in Jerusalem.
At the beginning of the solemn part of the ceremony, the Secretary General of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop Aristarchus of Constantine, read the official congratulatory address of the Holy Synod and the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. Further welcoming words were delivered by Metropolitan Venedict of Philadelphia, Patriarchal Epitrope in Bethlehem; Archbishop Joppa Damascene, D. Angelosopoulos and A. D. Viktorov.
The Russian Ambassador to Israel thanked Patriarch Theophilus for his contribution to the preservation of the status quo and inter-religious balance in Jerusalem, the strengthening of the Christian presence in the Middle East, and the preservation of religious sites and shrines. «We strongly support your efforts to preserve the authentic Christian heritage and presence in the Holy Land. As Ambassador of Russia, the country with the largest territory, where for centuries people of different nationalities and faiths have lived in peace and harmony, I would like to note your efforts to maintain interfaith dialog, which truly forms the basis of mutually respectful and harmonious relations in society, is the key to ensuring the security and stability of the development of the state. On this festive day, let me express to you our most sincere and heartfelt wishes for your health and longevity!
Afterward, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev) read the congratulatory address of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The head of the RDM also delivered to His Beatitude a congratulatory message from the chairman of the Department for External Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church. Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk.
The representatives of the RDM presented Patriarch Theophilos with flowers and gifts.
The RDM representatives presented Patriarch Theophilus with flowers and festive gifts, asking for his High Patriarchal blessing.
The Primate of the Church of Jerusalem addressed the audience with a speech of thanksgiving.
«In His great mercy, our Lord and God, having made us successors of the apostolic ministry of St. James, the Brother of God ("they delivered to the faithful to observe the determinations decreed by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem” (Acts 16:4)), has made us also the successors of the care for the unity of the brethren and co-religionists of the holy faith, the Orthodox Churches, who listen to the voice of the holy martyr Ignatius: "Love unity, flee divisions, be imitators of Jesus Christ, as He is — of His Father."
… Let us therefore pray to our Lord to direct our hearts, "rooted and established in Him" (Col. 2:7), to His love and patience with Christ (cf. 2 Thess. 3:5) through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Most Holy Virgin Mary and the prayers of our holy father Nectarius, Bishop of Pentapolis» — said, in particular, Patriarch Theophilos.
EVCS Communication Service/Patriarchy.ru
