LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A CHURCH IN BIRZEIT
On the evening of Sunday the 9th/22nd of September 2013, the foundation-stone was set of a church of the Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Community of the Patriarchate in the town of Birzeit, near Ramallah.
Birzeit is one of the most significant towns of the Palestinian Autonomy, which also hosts a University.
In this town, the Patriarchate has always maintained an Arab-speaking Greek Orthodox Community, comprising of approximately a hundred and fifty families. Only recently the town acquired a school, founded upon the suggestion of the Patriarchate and the subvention of the European Union.
Accompanied by the Elder Secretary General Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Patriarchal Commissioner in Irbet, Jordan, His Eminence Philoumenos, Archbishop of Pella, His Beatitude Theophilos was warmly received by the Head of the Community, Archimandrite f. Modestos, the Community Council and Orthodox faithful.
There, on a land owned by the Patriarchate, His Beatitude performed the holy-water rite and set the foundation-stone for a church to be dedicated to St George. The church is intended to accommodate more comfortably than the previous one the needs of the Community’s members.
On the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone, His Beatitude spoke these words in Arabic: http://www.jp-newsgate.net/ar/2013/09/22/2714
