On the occasion of the Sunday of the Forefathers, an Episcopal Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the Russian-speaking Parish of South Israel, in Beer-Sheva, as a commemoration of the Righteous Patriarch Abraham, at the temporary House of Prayer dedicated to him, on Saturday 26 December 2020.
The city of Beer-Sheva is at the place of the well of the oath, which was created by Patriarch Abraham, and where he concluded a peace-treaty with Abimelech, the first peace treaty in the history of men.
The Divine Liturgy was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, with the co-celebration of the Hegumen of Haifa, Archimandrite Artemios, the Hegumen of Rafidia and Nablus of Samaria, Archimandrite Leontios, the Ministering Priest of the Russians living in Nazareth, Archimandrite Seraphim, the Ministering Priest of Rhene Community, Fr Simeon Bejali, the Ministering Priest of the Russians and Romanians living in northern Israel, Fr Mihail Bercovich and the Ministering Priest of Beer-Sheva, Fr Alexander Yasevich.
The chanting was delivered by the whole congregation in Russian, Greek and Arabic, under the lead of the Head of the Russian-speaking Communities and Hegoumen of Beer-Sheva, His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba. His Eminence also delivered a Sermon before the Holy Communion, and expressed his warmest thanks to His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, for His tireless care and support for the Russian-speaking flock. He concluded with the wish that our Lord, Who was born in a Cave, may open the way for the construction of a Holy Monastery in Beer-Sheva, dedicated to the Patriarch Abraham, through the intercessions of the Righteous Patriarch Abraham, of Saint Sophronios, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and of the Holy Martyrs Maccabees, for the spiritual strengthening of the Christian congregation in South Israel.
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence and Hegoumen, Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba hosted a meal for the officiating Metropolitan and the co-celebrant Priests and invited them to re-join the Community in Beer-Sheva in order to honour the commemoration of our Father among the Saints Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in March of the forthcoming year.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
