His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III Celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Sunday, June 24/July 7, 2024, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Forerunner and Baptist John in the Holy Monastery named after him, located in today’s suburb of Ein Karem, which is also his birthplace.

During this Feast, the whole Church, especially the one in Jerusalem, remembers that the Holy Forerunner is the fruit of childless parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, according to the testimony of the Evangelist Luke. Elizabeth hid her pregnancy for five months until Mariam visited her in the hill country, having gone in haste from Nazareth. Zacharias’ speechlessness was resolved when he wrote John’s name on a tablet (Luk. 1, 5-25).

In honour of the “greatest man born of a woman” (Matthew 11:11) Vespers was celebrated in the above-mentioned Holy Monastery in the evening by the Typikon Keeper of the Patriarchal and Monastic Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen Archimandrite Alexios, Fr Stephanos and Hierodeacon Dositheos. In the morning the Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Tephopanes of Gerash, with co-celebrants the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross Archimandrite Christodoulos, Priest Nikolai Koulinsky, and Hierodeacon Eulogios. The chanting was delivered by the nun Danielia and Mr Iakovos Betzali, as nuns, local believers and pilgrims, and members of the Greek Consulate General in Jerusalem attended the service.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Holy Monastery for veneration, accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Priest Stephanos.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal entourages and the pious congregation were offered a treat by monk  Chariton, who diligently maintains the Monastery…

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

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