Greek consul general in Jerusalem: For Greece defense of Patriarchate of Jerusalem, its rights, customary status quo, a top priority
A private observance was held last Wednesday on the occasion of the name day of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III.
The commemoration coincided with the feast day of the Forty Martyrs of Lake Sebasteia, with the Matins, Vespers and the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts performed at the Holy Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen.
The Greek state was represented by its consul general in the Holy Land, Evangelos Vlioras, who made the following statement:
“…we express to you, the respect, love and gratitude of our country both for your varied pastoral work and for the important national work of preserving and highlighting the Holy Places in the Holy Land…At the same time, I would like to express the like-minded support of our Motherland to our respective Patriarchate, especially in the current climate of growing intolerance – condemning, unequivocally, the recent attack on the Holy Shrine of the Mother of God in Gethsemane, as well as the, unfortunately, growing wave of violence against Christian places of worship in Jerusalem. For Greece, the defense of the institution of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, its rights, as well as the customary status quo, is a top priority.”
His Beatitude later officiated at a Trisagion prayer service for the repose of the souls of the heroes and fallen of the Greek War of Independence, who fought and often died for faith and homeland, as he emotionally told assembled hierarchs, clergy, congregants and pilgrims.
H αναδημοσίευση του παραπάνω άρθρου ή μέρους του επιτρέπεται μόνο αν αναφέρεται ως πηγή το ORTHODOXIANEWSAGENCY.GR με ενεργό σύνδεσμο στην εν λόγω καταχώρηση.