His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III Speaks at the Annual International Religious Freedom Summit In Washington DC

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, attended on the morning of Monday 30 January 2023, the opening session for the annual International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF) held in Washington DC, United States. 

After greeting the attendance with the peace of Jerusalem, His Beatitude took the opportunity to relay the current circumstances of Christians of the Holy Land and Jerusalem to the audience. Pointing out that the “peaceful mosaic that we have known for hundreds of years is under threat” explaining that for years now “the Christian community has faced hate crimes and acts of vandalism” that are no longer targeting properties alone but carrying subtle messages with every attack, that being “that Christians are not welcome in Jerusalem”. In addition, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III underlined that those attacks are intensifying and targeting the Christian pilgrim route at Jaffa Gate, New Gate, as well as the Mountain of Olives, which will impact the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Being a main speaker at this summit, representing his fellow Church leaders as well as the faithful communities of the Holy Land, His Beatitude utilized the joint statement published yesterday by the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem regarding the increasing cycle of violence in the Holy Land, “we have been constantly warning of an exploding, senseless cycle of violence that will only cause hurt and suffering to everyone. Such a state of affairs will almost certainly bring further atrocities and anguish, driving us away from the much sought-after peace and stability that we all seek”… 

This news was originally published on the website of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.