“Veneration of the holy shrines is attributed to Christ, the Theotokos and the Saints,” explained Patriarch Theophilos on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem officiated the Great Vespers and celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He was joined in the divine services by Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops, Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebastia and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks.
The Liturgy was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, members of the Greek Consulate and many faithful, Greeks, Palestinians, Russians living locally, without pilgrims as there are still some covid-19 restrictions.
After the Divine Liturgy, there was a litany three times around the Sacred Edicule and around the shrines, which concluded in front of the Holy Sepulchre. There His Beatitude read the “Synodicon of Orthodoxy” as it is written in the Book of Triodion.
Bells tolling, the Patriarchal entourage returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters, where His Beatitude addressed all present.
The Patriarch affirmed that “the established doctrines by the Ecumenical Synods and the great Fathers of the Church about the precision of our Orthodox Faith has preserved and safeguarded the sacred consignment which we have received by the Disciples and Apostles of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ”.
“Our Holy Church of Jerusalem, being fortified and founded by the divine power of the All-holy and Life-giving Tomb of our Lord Jesus pays heed to the Lord’s words: “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28); it has been the safe harbour of the unity of our Orthodox Faith, not only on the doctrines’ side but also on the part of the bestowed grace, as Saint Cyril of Jerusalem teaches,” added the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
“Behold, therefore, why the Holy Church of Jerusalem calls upon all those who want to venerate the Holy Sepulchre and the other sacred shrines of our Saviour Jesus Christ and His Most Holy Mother, to receive their grace,” Patriarch Theophilos continued.
“the veneration of the holy shrines is attributed to Christ, the Theotokos and the Saints,” Patriarch Theophilos emphasized, quoting St John Damascene, who said we venerate not the material but the image depicted.
Just the same, we do not venerate the material of the Gospel, nor of the cross, but the image of the Lord, His Beatitude further explained.
“We, both clergy and the people, who are gathered here at the place of the passion on the Cross, of the burial and the resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, namely at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have celebrated the great sacrament of the Divine Liturgy, rendering thus thanksgiving praise and doxology to the Trinitarian God,” added the Patriarch.
“Let us say along with the hymnographer, celebrate, feast, the people of God bearing His name, seeing the Church again shining forth the beauty of the divine image, which God received as a man to save us,” His Beatitude concluded.
Photo credit: Jerusalem Patriarchate / Heba Hrimat
