On Thursday, 20th March 2025, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in the Patriarchate’s hall, awarded the Ambassador of Russia to Israel, Mr Anatoly Victorov, the honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, in recognition of his support for the rights of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem at the Holy Shrines and of the Christian Communities of the Holy Land.
In his address, Patriarch Theophilos expressed his concern for the situation of the Christian populations in this troubled region of the Middle East and the decisive role that Church representatives must play in the efforts to maintain the spirit of peace through negotiations.
After the appropriate speeches for the ceremony were exchanged, Mr Victorov reassured Patriarch Theophilos of his commitment to protecting the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
