RETURN OF THE ICON OF THE DORMITION OF THEOTOKOS TO THE TOMB OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
The Jerusalem Patriarchate – August 2016
Early in the morning of Thursday, the 12th/25th of August 2016, in continuation of the holy Vigil, Matins and Divine Liturgy, led by Archimandrite Matthew, the icon of Theotokos was carried in a procession from the Dependency in Gethsemane, where it is kept opposite the Church of the Resurrection, to the Tomb of the Mother of God in Gethsemane.
The sacred icon was carried by the hegumen in Gethsemane, Archbishop Dorotheos of Avila, surrounded by Primates, i.e. Metropolitan Benedict of Philadelphia, Archbishops Damascene of Joppa and Demetrios of Lydda, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veroia, visiting from the Church of Greece, and Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia. Walking ahead were several priests, monks and nuns forming a long, well-ordered queue.
The procession was flanked by men, women and children, young and old, nuns, monks and laymen.
It moved through the Via Dolorosa, stopping for supplication at the Russian Church of St Alexander Nesfky, the Monastery of the Praetorium, the Monastery of Joachim and Anna, and the Monastery of the Stoning of Protomartyr Stephen, before terminating at the Tomb of the Mother of God. There, the icon was placed on the Epitaph installed before the icon of Panagia Jerusalemite in the Platytera area.
Matins and the Divine Liturgy followed, with Archimandrite Christophoros officiating, and Archimandrite Aristovoulos singing for several pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Romania, Ukraine and Cyprus, praising God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
From the Secretariat-General
