DELEGATION FROM THE PATRIARCHATE OF ROMANIA VISITS THE PATRIARCHATE
On Saturday, the 17th/30th of January 2016, a 50-member delegation of the Patriarchate of Romania, consisting of priests, monks and nuns, led by the former representative of the Patriarchate of Romania to Jerusalem, the Very Reverend Bishop Timotheos, visited the Patriarchate. The purpose of their visit was to participate in the ceremony of sanctification of hosios John of Romania, the new Chosebite, held on Sunday the 18th/31st of January 2016.
The distinguished guests were welcomed by H.B. Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.
On the occasion of their visit, the Patriarch talked to the members of the delegation of the martyrical blood of Christ, that has redeemed mankind from the attrition of death, and of the martyrdom of Christ’s disciples such as Stephen the Protomartyr and James the Brother of God, but also of the Hagiotaphite Hieromartyr St Philoumenos, sanctified by the Church of Jerusalem in 2009.
There is, beyond the martyrdom of the blood, the martyrdom of a holy life as the life led by St John the Chozebite, who came to the Holy Land from Romania in order to join the Church of Jerusalem as a monk and a priest. St John has been officially ranked as a saint by the Orthodox Church.
Upon the exchange of gifts, His Beatitude gave blessings for the participation of the delegation members in the sanctification ceremony of St John the Chozebite at the Monastery of the Chozebites.
From the Secretariat-General
