THE FEAST OF ST EFTHYMIOS THE GREAT OBSERVED AT THE JERUSALEM PATRIARCHATE
On Tuesday, the 20th of January/2nd of February 2016, the Patriarchate observed the memory of St Efthymios the Great at the Monastery dedicated to his name, adjacent to the Monasteries of Panagia Seida Naya and St Catherine to the northwest of the Patriarchate, at a short distance from the Christian quarter.
Hosios Efthymios came to the Holy Land from his homeland, Armenia, circa 420 AD. Having led an ascetic’s life in the desert of Judea, he founded a Lavra with St Thepktistos, where he would receive numerous monks at an advanced stage of asceticism, and several Christians adhering to life in Christ, proclaiming the doctrine of the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon, namely of the two natures and wills in Christ, the divine and the human. He also reclaimed several faithful who had been deceived by the heresy of Monophysitism, empress Eudoxia amongst them.
Vespers and the divine Liturgy were led by Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda. Co-officiating were Archimandrite Claudius, hegoumen at the Holy Cross Monastery; f. Ignatios, hegoumen at the Monastery of the Village of the Shepherds; and f. Makarios, hegoumen at St Nicodemus Monastery. Archimandrite Aristovoulos sang for a pious congregation of nuns and members of the Jerusalemite flock and the Greek Parish.
On the conclusion of the divine Liturgy, Abbess Christonymphe hosted the Prelatic Entourage to a reception at the hegoumeneion.
From the Secretariat-General
