MONDAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE JERUSALEM PATRIARCHATE

June 2014

Monday the 27^th of May/9^th of June 2014 saw the celebrations for the descent of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, on the holy disciples and apostles gathered in the Cenacle on the Hill of the Holy Sion, as attested by the Church.
Vespers was first held in the chapel within the cemetery of Sion, built on the ruins of a Byzantine Church, led by His Eminence, Archbishop Dorotheos of Avila, with concelebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Hierodeacons. Also in attendance were several pilgrims.

On the morning of the Monday of the Holy Spirit, the Divine Liturgy was held in the Church of the Holy Trinity within the Patriarchal School in Sion. Officiating at the service was again Archbishop Dorotheos of Avila. The choir of the Patriarchal School sang under the direction of the Head Cantor of the Church of Sts Constantine and Helen, f. Eusebius, in the presence of a crowd of pious pilgrims.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a procession began from the church as the kneeling wishes were being recited, walking once within the church, once around the underground chapel/catacomb and once around the Cenacle.

After reciting the wish at the Cenacle, the procession returned to the Church where a supplication was made for the repose of the souls of the departed.

At the conclusion of the procession, the Prelatic retinue was graciously hosted to a reception at the School’s Events Hall.

The descent of the Holy Spirit was also celebrated at the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission (MISSIA), led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with Archimandrite Theophanes of MISSIA co-officiating. In attendance were many Russian-speaking, Arab-speaking and Greek-speaking faithful.

During Communion, Metropolitan Isychios read out the address of His Beatitude, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and presented an icon of Our Lady of Jerusalem for His Holiness Cyril, Patriarch of Moscow.

At the conclusion of the service, Archimandrite Theophanes of MISSIA hosted the Prelatic retinue to lunch.

The Monday of the Holy Spirit was also celebrated at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Samaria. The feast was led by His Eminence, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina. Co-officiating with him were the Hegoumen at Jacob’s Well, Archimandrite Ioustinos, and the town priest, f. Tuma Daoud. The fifty members of the parish participated in piety – “Fear not, little flock”.

From the Secretariat-General

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