Saint Great Martyr George is celebrated Friday, 6 May 2016, in the Jerusalem calendar. On this day, the church of the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate in Jerusalem celebrated its saint patron, Saint Great Martyr George, the Trophy-bearer – as the Very Rev. Archimandrite Teofil Anastasoaie informs.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine. The celebrating group also included His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantini, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Very Rev. Archimandrite Porfirios, Representative of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the United States of America, Very Rev. Archimandrite Teofil Anastasoaie, Representative of the Romanian Patriarchate to the Holy Places, and Superior of the Romanian Settlements in Jerusalem, Jericho and Jordan, priests and deacons.
Several groups of Romanian pilgrims coming from Romania to the Holy Land – who travelled with Basilica Travel Pilgrimage Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate – were also present: from “Saint Gregory Palama” church in Bucharest, headed by Rev. Prof. Mihai Marian; from “Eroii Revoluţiei” church in Bucharest, headed by Rev. Fr. Marius Lăcătuşu; from Bacau, Suceava and Transylvania too. Her Excellency, Mrs Andreea Pastarnac, Romanian Ambassador in Israel attended the Divine Liturgy as well.
At the end of the religious service, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos mentioned in the sermon delivered that Saint Great Martyr George was a son of the Holy Places, native of Palestine, and this is why he blesses all the pilgrims who call him in faith to help them. His Beatitude has also transmitted best wishes of good health and brotherly embraces to His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine offered a Holy Gospel bound in silver to the church of the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate and to its employees, as a sign of blessing. The Very Rev. Archimandrite Teofil Anastasoaie offered to His Beatitude Theophilos an icon of the Mother of God, painted in Romania, on behalf of the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate.
