The Sunday of Thomas in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Sunday, April 29 / May 12, 2024, the Sunday of Thomas was celebrated in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

On this Feast, the event of the appearance of the Lord on the 8th day since the Resurrection was celebrated when Thomas was also with the other Disciples and he recognized the Lord and confessed the Lord and said: “My Lord and my God” (John, 20,28).

This Feast was celebrated in the Catholicon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with Vespers on Saturday afternoon and the Liturgy on Sunday morning which were officiated by the Patriarchal Commissioner, His Eminence Metropolitan Isychiosof Capitolias. Co-celebrants to His Eminence on Sunday morning at the Holy Sepulchre were their Eminences, the Archbishops Theodosios of Sebasteia and Dimitrios of Lydda, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks with the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew first in rand and Hierodeacon Simeon. The chanting was delivered by Priest Ioannis Antoniou and the Patriarchal School of Zion students as the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos and pilgrims from various Orthodox countries.

After the Liturgy, the Episcopal Entourage returned to the Patriarchate Reception Hall where His Eminence addressed those present as follows:

“The Apostle Thomas was absent when Christ, after His Resurrection, visited His Disciples in the Upper Room, where they were confined. When he was informed about the visit of Christ, he asked to see Him and feel the wounds of the Cross in His hands and side. When Christ visited His Disciples again after eight days, invited the Apostle Thomas to feel the marks of the wounds on His Body. Then the Apostle Thomas recognized Him and confessed Him as his Lord and God. He recognized Him from the wounds of the Cross, which are a sign of His love, but also of His power. The Holy Fathers call the confession of Thomas ‘redeeming’. And truly, it leads to salvation for all those who address it to Christ, humbly seeking His mercy…

Click Here to Check the Full Photo Album

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