On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the commemoration of the Holy glorious God-crowned sovereigns and equal to the Apostles, Constantine and Helen.
The celebration took place as a feast of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, since St. Constantine accepted the request of the Archbishop of Jerusalem Makarios at the First Ecumenical Synod in 325 A.D., sent his mother St. Helen to the Holy Land and especially in Jerusalem, and revealed under the idolatrous monuments the places of the Horrendous Golgotha and the Life-giving Tomb of the Lord. St. Helen built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre around them and the worship of the true God started immediately in that place. The Order of the Studious ones, namely of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, was settled at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and its mission is being continued throughout the ages, which is no other than the witness of the Orthodox faith and the preservation-safeguarding of the Holy Places.
This feast was celebrated in the afternoon with Vespers led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, with the participation in the prayer of all the Hagiotaphite Fathers.
After Vespers, everybody was offered boiled wheat and dry bread with wine at the courtyard of the Holy Church.
On the Feast Day, the Divine Liturgy was officiated by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem with the co-celebration of Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, the ministering Priests of the Church , the Typikon keeper of the Church Archimandrite Alexios and others, at the chanting of the Choir Leader of the Church Archimandrite Eusevios and Hierodeacon Simeon, as the service was attended by Archbishops and other Hagiotaphite Fathers, and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos.
After Dismissal, a procession to the Patriarchate followed, while Abbess Seraphima distributed the small loaves of bread as a blessing at the main gate of the Central Monastery.
At the Patriarchate Reception Hall, the Primate of Jerusalem made an address to those present.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
