On Monday, October 7, 2024, the Patriarchate celebrated the memory of the Holy First Martyr and Apostle Thecla.
On this feast, the Church commemorates Saint Thecla who came from the Iconion of Asia Minor and was taught the Christian faith by the Apostle Paul, whom she later followed in his tour. Because of her faith in Christ, she was subjected to many tortures, which she endured as an athlete of Christ and survived. She lived in her homeland, working miracles and evangelizing Christ until the age of ninety when a stone burst open and received her.
Saint John of Damascus composed a canon in her honor in the book of Minaion.
Her memory was celebrated in her chapel in the Central Monastery with Vespers on Sunday afternoon, officiated by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, along with the Archimandrites Dionysios, Stefanos, Claudios, Christodoulos and Dimitrios, Archdeacon Mark, and Hierodeacon Dositheos. After the feast in the courtyard, a treat with sweet wine and dried bread was served according to the custom.
On Monday morning the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Typikon Keeper of the Central Monastery Archimandrite Alexios, along with Archdeacon Mark, in the presence of Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and Mr Eustathios Tsoumanis, as the service was attended by monks, nuns, and Orthodox Christians from the Church of Jerusalem.
After the Divine Liturgy, a treat was offered at the courtyard, in which Patriarch Theophilos wished the Holy Fathers the intercessions of Saint Thecla to fulfill their Mission.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
