The Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the feast of Saint Antony the Great on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
On this feast, the Church recalls that Saint Antony the Great (251–356) lived in the desert in complete solitude and asceticism, being a wrestler against all the temptations of the evil devil, “emulating the zeal of Elijah in his ways and following the footsteps of the Baptist”.
Becoming wise through his ascetic life, he became a great pillar and leader of the monastic life in Egypt, helping Christians greatly during their persecution by the Arians during the time of the First Ecumenical Council and beyond. His life was written in detail by Saint Athanasius the Great, who had a close spiritual relationship with him.
In honour of Saint Antony, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated at his chapel, located in the southeastern wing of the Church of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas, near the Patriarchate, by Archimandrite Claudius, with the co-celebration of Archimandrite Christodoulos and Hierodeacon Dositheos.
After the Divine Liturgy, refreshments were offered to the clergy and the faithful, under the care of Sister Amphilochia, who serves at this Monastery, as instructed by the Hegumen, Archdeacon Mark, who was absent as he accompanied Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem to the funeral service of the blessed Archbishop of Tirana, His Eminence Anastasios, in Albania.
