Jerusalem Patriarchate Questions Canonicity of New Hostel in Jordan

The Jerusalemite Orthodox Church has issued a public reminder to the Moscow Patriarchate's Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem that it needs the blessing of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to open a dependency church at its new pilgrimage center in Jordan as Jordan remains part of the canonical territory of the Church of Jerusalem. The Mission is currently in the process of building a hostel for pilgrims on the east banks of the Jordan River near what is believed by many to be the historic site of the Baptism of the Lord by St. John the Baptist. The Jerusalem Patriarchate's statement not withstanding, the Mission's website does not mention the building of a church as part of the overall construction at the site. More (in Greek) here.

Jerusalem Patriarch Interviewed on Issues in the Holy Land

In an interview Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem has said that his largely Arabic-speaking Palestinian Orthodox flock should "refer back to [its] roots" in side-stepping a question about ethnic Greeks' dominance of the Orthodox hierarchy in the Holy Land (which consists of seventeen ethnic Greeks and one ethnic Arab despite the largely Arab and Russian composition of the laity), also saying that one "cannot disregard the Byzantine presence that was here [in the Holy Land]."

In the same interview the patriarch strongly reaffirmed the Church of Jerusalem's involvement in the World Council of Churches and answered questions about the political and religious tensions in the Holy Land. The full interview can be found here.

Palestinian Orthodox Metropolitan Backs Calls for Preservation of Jerusalem Cemetery

Metropolitan Theodosius (Hanna) of Sebaste of the Jerusalemite Orthodox Church has added his voice to calls from Palestinian and Israeli Arabs that the destruction of the Holy City's historic Mamilla Cemetery be halted. The cemetery, which is the burial place of many Palestinian Arab residents of Jerusalem, is being razed to make way for the 'Museum of Tolerance.' More here.

Jordanian Orthodox Protest Greek-Dominated, Pro-Israeli Hierarchy

In a protest Sunday evening faithful of Jordan's Metropolis of Philadelphia based in Amman called for the Arabization of the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and the resignation of Patriarch Theofilos III (Giannopoulos) in favor of a Palestinian or Jordanian Arab native to the Holy Land. The protests were organized after Patriarch Theofilos renewed land use agreements with the Israeli government that he had indicated he would cancel when he replaced deposed Patriarch Irenaios (Skopelitis) in 2005. More here.

Jerusalem Patriarchate Refutes Romanian Claims of Dialogue, Confirms Defrocking of Jericho Priest

The Church of Jerusalem has rejected the Romanian Orthodox Church's claims to have sincerely engaged in dialogue with the Jerusalem Patriarchate over its parish and institutions in Jericho, noting that throughout its dialogues the Church of Romania had remained firm in its intention to establish the Jericho parish under its direct jurisdiction and not as a representation as is normally done in keeping with the canons. The Jerusalem Patriarchate also confirmed its defrocking of Archimandrite Ieronim (Creţu), the priest at the Jericho parish, on the grounds that he had been illicitly serving in the Holy Land without the blessing of the Church of Jerusalem and had continued to do so despite repeated warnings. More (in Greek) here.

Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod Appoints Delegation for Talks with Jerusalem

At its recent session the Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod the Holy Synod refused to sever communion with the Church of Jerusalem, instead appointing a delegation consisting of Archbishop Nifon of Targoviste, Bishops Ioan of Covasna and Vincentiu of Slobozia, and patriarchal auxiliary Bishop Ciprian of Campineanca to dialogue with the Church of Jerusalem towards the resolution of the schism caused by the establishment of a Romanian Orthodox parish in the Holy Land. More (in Romanian) here.

Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod Meets to Discuss Jerusalem

The Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod began meeting today in Bucharest to discuss the Church of Jerusalem's excommunication of the Church of Romania over its schismatic activities in the Holy Land and other internal issues in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church. More (in Romanian) here.

Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod to Elect New Archbishop of Alba Iulia, Discuss Excommunication

In addition to its excommunication by the Church of Jerusalem the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church will be considering other recent developments in world Orthodoxy and the election of the next Archbishop of Alba Iulia. More (in Romanian) on the latter here.

Romanian Orthodox Church Defends Jericho Parish

The Romanian Orthodox Church has released an article outlining the "necessity" of its establishment of a Romanian Orthodox parish and institutions in the Holy Land. Among other things the article attacks the exclusive control of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem by Greeks (an already widely recognized problem) and claims a verbal assurance from Patriarch Diodoros (Karivalis) of Jerusalem for the Jericho parish. (Why in the past 10 years the Romanian Orthodox Church has pursued the change of this verbal assurance into an actual approval of the parish by the Church of Jerusalem is not stated.) More (in Romanian) here.

Bucharest Responds to Jerusalem

The Bucharest Patriarchate claims that the decision of the Church of Jerusalem to severe communion with it is a surprise, saying that in April of this year the two had discussed establishing a formal dialogue over the status of the schismatic Romanian Orthodox parish in Jericho. The interruption of communion between the two Churches will be discussed at the upcoming meeting of the Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod at the end of this month. More (in Romanian) here.

Jerusalem Breaks Communion with Bucharest

At its session yesterday the Holy Synod of the Church of Jerusalem decided to break all communion with the Romanian Orthodox Church because of its schismatic activities in the Palestinian city of Jericho. While Patriarch Daniel (Ciobotea) of Bucharest is no longer listed in the diptychs of the Church of Jerusalem, pilgrims coming to the Holy Land from Romania will still be welcome in the parishes, monasteries, and holy places under the care of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. More here.

Patriarchs of Jerusalem Meet After Pascha

Patriarch Theofilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem and the head of the autonomous Armenian Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Patriarch Torkom II (Manoogian), have met together following the celebration of the Lord's Pascha in the Holy City.

In his address to the Armenian Orthodox delegation Patriarch Theofilos asked God to "renew in us faith, hope, and love, so that our mission here in the Holy Land...may be a beacon of the hope of resurrection." Speaking for the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nourhan (Manougian) expressed the Armenian Orthodox Church's gladness that the previous "unhealthy atmosphere of distrust" in Jerusalem is being replaced by a spirit of collaboration, revealing the Jerusalemite and Armenian Orthodox in the Holy Land as "one Body and one entity."

More on the meeting of the two Patriarchs of Jerusalem and their delegations can be found here and here.

Heads of Middle Eastern Churches to Meet this Summer

It has been announced that Patriarch Bartholomew I (Arhondonis) of Constantinople, Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria, Patriarchs Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch and Theofilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem, and Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Dimitriou) of Nea Justiniana will meet this summer to discuss the ongoing political upheaval in the Middle East, the state of the region's Orthodox Churches, and how the ancient churches can work together to strengthen their position and that of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. More (in Greek) here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Concludes Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has returned from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During the course of his pilgrimage he met with Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem in the Holy City, concelebrated the festal services for the Annunciation in Nazareth, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the Tomb of the Lord in Jerusalem's Church of the Resurrection.

Metropolitan Volodymyr was accompanied on his pilgrimage by Archbishops Filipp (Osadchenko) of Poltava and Alexander (Drabinko) of Pereslavl and Bishop Feodor (Mamasuyev) of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod, all hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. More on his travels can be found here.

Patriarch Theophilos Celebrates Annunciation in Nazareth

On yesterday's feast of the Annunciation Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem celebrated the festal Divine Liturgy in Nazareth's Church of the Archangel Gabriel. Reflecting the mixture of peoples present, the services were celebrated in a mixture of Arabic, Greek, Romanian, and Slavonic. More here.

Update (10/4/2011): Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev was present in Nazareth on the Annunciation as part of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land and concelebrated the festal services with Patriarch Theophilos. More on his visit can be found here.

Romanian Orthodox Church in Jericho

In addition to its intrusions into the canonical territories of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches the Romanian Orthodox Church has also violated the territory of the mother of Christianity, the Church of Jerusalem, by unilaterally building a Romanian Orthodox church in Jericho functioning as a regular parish of the Church of Romania and not as a representation to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Church of Jerusalem is considering breaking communion with the Church of Romania should the latter refuse to resolve the issue of the Jericho parish. More here.

Palestinians Demand Access to Jerusalem During Holy Week, Pascha

Palestinian Arabs from the West Bank are demanding greater access to Jerusalem during Holy Week and Pascha. This year Israel's Passover holidays fall over part of Holy Week and Pascha and as Israel has enforced a military closing off of the West Bank during the Passover holidays for the past several years the West Bank's Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics will be unable to attend the services in the Holy City if the blockade is not lifted. More here.

Patriarch Theophilos Visiting Ukraine

Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem is on a visit to the Ukraine. Over the weekend he met with hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church and then on Sunday visited the Kiev Caves Lavra.

Former Jerusalem Patriarch Not Imprisoned, Refuses to Leave Patriarchate

Claims that the deposed Patriarch Irinaios I (Skopelitis) of Jerusalem is imprisoned at the Patriarchate have proved to be untrue. He instead remains at the Patriarchate because he believes that once he leaves he will not be permitted to return. Irinaios continues to believe that he is the legitimate Patriarch of Jerusalem despite his deposition and defrocking and the universal recognition of his successor, Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos). More here.

Alba Iulia Archbishop Leads Holy Land Pilgrimage

Archbishop Andrei of Alba Iulia is leading a pilgrimage from Transylvania to the Holy Land, visiting the establishments of the Romanian Orthodox Church's representation to the Church of Jerusalem and serving at the Church of the Holy Resurrection. More here.