On the third Sunday of Lent, the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, 23rd March 2025, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the veneration of the Precious Cross, so that through its power, we may continue our struggle in the fast in preparation for the reception of the Holy Pascha.
This feast, being located in the middle of the Holy and Great Lenten period, was celebrated at the place where the immaculate feet of the Lord stood, and where His Precious Blood was shed for the salvation of the world. The celebration was led by Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in accordance with the Status Quo and the formal arrangements of the Patriarchate, in a service of “parrhesia” with the Great Vespers in the evening at the Katholikon and the Divine Liturgy in the morning at the Holy Sepulchre.
Co-celebrants to Patriarch Theophilos at the Liturgy were their Eminences, Metropolitan Hesychios of Capitolias, the Archbishops, Theophanes of Gerash, Methodios of Tabor, and Dimitrios of Lydda, along with Hieromonks from the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, with Archimandrite Nektarios, the Elder Kamarasis, leading the group. Also present were priests from the Patriarchates of Russia and Romania, Archdeacon Mark, and Hierodeacons Dositheos and Eulogios, while the chanting was led by Hierodeacon Father Simeon and the Chief Cantor and Deacon Eustathios.
The General Consul of Greece attended the service in Jerusalem, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, his collaborators, and many local faithful and pilgrims.
After the Divine Liturgy, a procession took place with the Precious Cross being carried three times around the Holy Sepulchre and the surrounding Shrines.
This was followed by the ascent to the Patriarchate, where a reception was held and the pilgrims received the blessings and prayers of Patriarch Theophilos.
