THE NATIVITY OF THE GLORIOUS FORERUNNER AT THE JERUSALEM PATRIARCHATE

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem –  July 2017

On Friday, 24th June/7th July 2017, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Nativity of the Glorious Forerunner at the Holy Monastery of the Patriarchate named after this Nativity in Oreini, west suburb of New Jerusalem, the place that is considered as his birthplace.

On this feast, the Church celebrates the fact that from Prophet Zachariah and barren Elizabeth came the birth of the greatest among the Prophets and all who have been born from a woman, predestined by God, to prepare as a Prophet the Presence of His Son into the world and to be deemed worthy to become His Baptist (Luke 1:1-25).

In the aforementioned Holy Monastery and Feast, Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the morning, led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with co-celebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and the participation in prayer of Arab-speaking local people and Greeks from the Community, monks and nuns and a group of pilgrims from Greece under the lead of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joel of Edessa, at the singing of Archimandrite Demetrios in Greek.

After the Divine Liturgy the Caretaker of the Monastery Monk Chariton offered the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation a reception at the courtyard of the Holy Monastery.

There was also a Feast at the nearby Orthodox Holy Monastery of the Meeting of the Theotokos by Elizabeth of the Moscow Patriarchate.

From Secretariat-General

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