The Feast of The Holy First Martyr and Equal to the Apostles Thecla At the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
On Friday, September 24/October 7, 2022, the commemoration of the Holy First Martyr and Apostle Thecla was celebrated by the Patriarchate in her chapel, located within the Central Monastery of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, west of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.
During this holiday, the Church remembers that the Saint came from the city of Iconium in Asia Minor and fleeing from her fiancé Thamyrid followed the Apostle Paul in his sermons and preached Christ in Antioch of Pisidia.
She confessed Christ and surrendered herself to torture for Him, from which she escaped and lived to a long age until she slept in the Lord in her birthplace.
In honour of her, Vespers was celebrated in the evening in her chapel, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, under the priest of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen Archimandrite Nicodemus, with the participation in prayer of the Hagiotaphite Archbishops. Participants at the Entrance and the blessing of bread were the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios and the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos.
After Vespers, according to the custom, wine was served in the courtyard after dry bread.
In the morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated again in the presence of the His Beatitude Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, with the participation in prayer of the Hagiotaphite Fathers, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras…
This news was originally published on the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem official website. Please click here to read the full text.
