His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem leads festive worship service at Trinity Cathedral of Russian Ecclesiastical Mission

On June 8, the Day of the Holy Spirit, His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, traditionally led the annual celebration at the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, the official representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Holy Land.

The festive day began with the Divine Liturgy led by the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem at the main Russian church in the Holy Land – the Trinity Cathedral in Jerusalem.

His Beatitude was assisted by Metropolitan Hesichios of Capitolio, Metropolitan Joachim of Helinople, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia; Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; Archimandrite Roman (Krasovksky), head of the Mission of the Russian Church Outside Russia, Archimandrite Ioann (Meiu), member of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s mission to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, members and clergy of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. The liturgy was celebrated in the Church Slavonic, Greek, Arabic and Romanian languages. The choir of the Gorneye Convent sang.

Among the worshippers were Russian Ambassador to Israel A. Viktorov, Belorussian ambassador to Israel Ye. Vorobyev, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

After the Dismissal, His Beatitude addressed Archimandrite Alexander, the assembly of hierarchs, clergy, parishioners and pilgrims to the Trinity Cathedral with words of festive greeting and presented the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission with an icon-painting image of Cubiculum of the Church of the Lord’s Sepulchre.

Speaking in response, Archimandrite Alexander wished His Beatitude the help of God in his not easy ministry aimed to preserve the truths of Orthodoxy in the Middle East. As a token of the festivity, he presented Patriarch Theophilos with an image of the Most Holy Mother of God.

After that the participants in the worship service had a festive reception at the main building of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission.

Press Service of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission

DECR Communication Service