On Sunday, 27 August 2023, the service of the Lamentations of the Theotokos was held at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The service began with the departure of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood under their Hegoumen, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos in procession from the Patriarchate Gate through Via Dolorosa and concluded at the rectory of Gethsemane. The procession was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and many pilgrims who were chanting the hymns of the Dormition.
After a reception at the rectory, the service of the Lamentations began before the Theotokos Tomb and around the sacred icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
At the end of the Lamentations, His Eminence Metropolitan Theologos of Serres from the Church of Greece delivered a Sermon.
This was followed by the rest of the Matins and the Doxology, concluding with the procession of the epitaph of the Theotokos at the entrance of the Church for a supplication and then the sacred icon of the Dormition was placed behind the Tomb for veneration until the apodosis of the feast.
After the service, the Hegoumen, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis hosted a reception at the rectory.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
