Representatives of the Russian Spiritual Mission congratulate Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem on the anniversary of his enthronement.

DECR Communication service, 22.11.2023.

On 22^nd November the Greek Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly marked the eighteenth anniversary of the enthronement of her Primate His Beatitude the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine Theophilos III.

On this day in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre His Beatitude headed a thanksgiving service and then in the Great Throne Hall of the Patriarchate a festive reception was held on the occasion of the festivities, which were attended by the Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov accompanied by the first secretary of the Russian embassy F. Georgi, the Georgian ambassador to Israel Lasha Zhvania, the consul general of Greece in Jerusalem Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, bishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the heads of the representations of the Local Orthodox Churches in Jerusalem and various public figures.

On behalf of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem attending the reception were the head of the mission archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), its secretary abbot Nikon (Golovko), deacon Makary Petukhov, the mother superior of the Gornay convent in Ain Karem abbess Yekaterina (Chernysheva) and the convent’s sisters. Among those present also were the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad archimandrite Roman (Krasovsky).

At the beginning of the festivities the general secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem the archbishop of Constanta Aristarchos read aloud a message of congratulations from the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood. The consul general of Greece in Jerusalem Dimitrios Angelosopoulos also delivered a speech of congratulations.

Then the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission archimandrite Vassian read aloud a message of congratulations from His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and conveyed to His Beatitude congratulations from the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony. The mission representatives presented to the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos flowers and gifts, asking for his blessing and prayers, while the sisters of the Gornai convent sang Many Years to the Most Blessed bishop. A group photograph was then taken, reports the press service of the Russian Spiritual Mission.

During the reception congratulations were heard from the metropolitan of Nazareth Kiriakos, the representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem archimandrite Theophilos, the archbishop of Joppa Damascinos, the Russian ambassador Anatoly Viktorov, the Georgian ambassador Lasha Zhvania and the Russian-speaking clergy of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

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Representatives of the Russian Spiritual Mission congratulate Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem on the anniversary of his enthronement.

Patriarch

Department Chairman

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Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons