On Sunday, October 20, 2019, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem officiated the Divine Liturgy at the old Church of St. Moses the Ethiopian, at the Community of Rafidia in Nablus of Samaria, not far from Jacob’s well, where the Lord spoke with the Samaritan woman.
St. Moses the Ethiopian is witnessed by the Synaxarion of the Church as having lived in Ethiopia in the 4th century A.D., a former chief robber, who became contrite by an unknown event, repented and was baptized, and received the monastic schema. He founded a Monastery and led many – some of whom used to be former fellow robbers of his – to life in Christ and in salvation. St. Moses died at the age of seventy.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the renovation of this Church, by the funding of the Palestinian Autonomy, that is why representatives of the State were present, among whom Ramzi Chury, President of the Palestinian Church Committee of Christian Affairs, his Secretary, Hananiye Amire, representatives of the Mayor of the district, the Ambassador of the Palestinina Autonomy in the Vatican, Issa Kassiye, and other Municipal and Governmental officials.
Co-celebrants to the Patriarch of Jerusalem were Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Geronda Secretary-General Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Hegoumen of Rafidia, Archimandrite Leontios, the Hegoumen of Jacob’s well, Archimandrite Ioustinos, Archimandrite Porfyrios, the representative of the Patriarchate in the Arab M.M. Fr. Issa Mousleh, other Priests and Archdeacon Mark.
The chanting was delivered by the Byzantine singer of the left choir of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Vasilios Gotsopoulos in Greek, and the Rafidia Community choir in Arabic, while the Community members participated in the service. The Patriarch offered an icon of the Theotokos for the Church and a Cross to Archimandrite Leontios.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
