On Monday 2/15 February 2022 the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple.
On this feast, the Church commemorates that our Lord Jesus Christ, who became incarnate through the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary and was born in the flesh, after the completion of the forty days since His Nativity, following the Law, He was brought to the Temple of Solomon by His parents with a pair of turtledoves and two young pigeons for His sanctification. Then the righteous elder and prophet Simeon the God-receiver took Him in his arms and cried out “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes
have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”. This event is handed over to the Church by Luke the Evangelist (Luke 2:22-38).
This feast was celebrated at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen with H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos preceding in the Service.
It was also celebrated at the Nunnery of Panagia Sayda Naya in the Old City of Jerusalem near the Patriarchate, with Vespers on Monday afternoon and the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday morning. The Services were officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba with the co-celebration of the Archimandrites Nectarios and Klaudios, Priest Farah and Hierodeacons Eulogios and Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon, Mr Gotsopoulos and a young boy of a Russian family from Beer Sheba in Greek, and Saint James Cathedral choir under the lead of Mr Rimon Kamar in Arabic. The service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and faithful Christians from Jerusalem and Beer Sheba.
Before the Holy Communion, His Eminence spoke to the congregation on the Despotic feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple.
During the Divine Liturgy H.H.B., our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos came for veneration, accompanied by Hagiotaphite Fathers.
The Patriarchal and Episcopal Entourages along with the congregation were offered a rich reception by the Abbess of the Monastery, Nun Seraphima, who has recently renovated the Church of the Monastery.
SOURCE: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
