On Monday, 13 January 2025, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of Saint Melania the Roman at her Sacred Chapel, located at the Holy Monastery of Megali Panagia, which is attached to the Central Monastery of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Church preserves the memory of Saint Melania, who lived in the 4th century AD and was born into a wealthy family in Rome. In the early years of her life, she lost her husband, her two children, and her parents. She distributed her wealth, provided for thousands of Christians and monks in Egypt, and later came to the Holy Land, where she lived in holiness, asceticism, and philanthropy in a hermitage. Many souls were drawn to her, and she led them into monastic life, living in the Holy Monastery of Megali Panagia.
In her honour, Vespers was held at her Chapel in the evening, followed by the Divine Liturgy in the morning, officiated by Archimandrite Ignatios, with the co-celebration of Archimandrite Hieronymos, Exarch of Athens, Fr Farah Bandour, and others. The choir was led by the chief cantor, Deacon Eustathios Tsoumanis.
The feast was honoured by the presence of Holy Sepulchre Fathers, monks, and nuns from various monasteries of Jerusalem, particularly nuns from this Monastery.
The celebrants, priests, and congregation were graciously received by the renovator and preserver of the Holy Monastery and its iconography, the reverend Abbess nun Melania, who was celebrating the feast.
