Today, 26 October 2014, the church of “Saint George” received the visit of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The event is so much the more important as almost over 300 years ago, a patriarch of Jerusalem, Hrisant Nottara, celebrated the consecration service of the place of worship. On this occasion, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch was also present at the Divine Liturgy.
“His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem brought the blessing of the Holy Sepulchre of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, to our faithful, as well as a holy relic, a particle of the cross on which Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, was crucified, which is exhibited now near the shrine of Saint Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest to be venerated by the many pilgrims who are at the Hill of the Romanian Patriarchate of Bucharest”, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste, Patriarchal Exarch said, according to Trinitas TV.
To end with the religious service, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos expressed his joy to have been in the princely church at 0 km of Bucharest.
“The Holy Spirit, namely the Spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord, gathered us together in this historical church dedicated to Saint George to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and to communicate ourselves with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord, manifesting in this way our unity with our Lord, the master of our faith and of the unity between our Churches, the Body of Christ. For us, this church has a special importance and deeper meaning, because it symbolises the brotherly concrete relationship between the Church of Jerusalem and the Church of Romania, having been consecrated by our predecessor, the great patriarch Hrisantos of Jerusalem, on 29 June 1707. Our presence here, together with you constitutes an affirmation of the relationship of continuous and uninterrupted love in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and in His saints, who make the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem and the Church of the first born in heaven”, the Patriarch of Jerusalem said.
To end with, the Patriarch of Jerusalem offered the church a traditional blessing cross of mother of pearl and an icon of the Mother of God named the “Jerusalemian”.
Then the parish priest spoke about the history of the church also remembering the events unfolded here this year, on the occasion of the Commemorative year of the Brancovean Saints Martyrs.
“Your Beatitude, we meet you with great spiritual joy in the name of the honourable Parochial Council and of the faithful of this old princely church situated at 0 km of Bucharest and welcome you from the bottom of our hearts. Now, after over 300 years, a patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem a Patriarch comes once again to this monumental spiritual church in the person of Your Beatitude”, parish priest Emil Nedelea Caramizaru of “Saint George” church the New of Bucharest said.
To end with, the Patriarch of Jerusalem received several presents on behalf of the church. The delegation who accompanied His Beatitude Theophilos of Jerusalem consisted of His Eminence Aristarhos, Archbishop of Konstantinis and His Eminence Nectarios, Archbishop of Antidonos. Rt Rev Archimandrite Timotei Aioanei, Assistant Bishop elect to the Archdiocese of Bucharest was also present at the Divine Liturgy.
