The Patriarchate of Jerusalem was once again targeted by extremists, as on Monday morning, a group of about 50 Israeli extremists broke through the gate and the railing and forced their way into the chapel of the Patriarchate, on the hill of Saint Zion.
As stated in a statement of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the extremists desecrated the interior of the church and even threatened the guard appointed by the Patriarchate, with the phrase “we know where you live and we will kill you”.
The guard managed to escape and call the police who arrived at the place for the restoration of order.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly protests against this unacceptable behavior and stresses that it will control “will check all the possibilities to attain justice for its rights and personnel”.
It notes that the complaint to the police was filed by Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and by the eyewitness of the incident, Archimandrite Fr. Matthew, who demanded that the police must do all they can to find the vandals and bring about justice, especially as we approach the celebration of the Holy Pentecost next Sunday and the Feast of the Holy Spirit on Monday.
It is recalled that this is not the first time that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has been the target of an attack.
Patriarch Theophilos himself has referred to the occupation of the Little Petra Hotel by the radical extremist organization Ateret Cohanim, which poses a threat to the continued existence of a Christian district in Jerusalem.
Read below the announcement of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Early on Monday morning, June 6, 2022, a group of approximately fifty Israeli radicals of unknown origin, broke into the gate and barriers and trespassed on the chapel of the Patriarchate on the hill of Zion.
These radicals entered the chapel and defiled its interior and also threatened the guard at the premises who is appointed by the Patriarchate, saying “we know where you live and we will kill you”.
This type of trespass, intimidation, and threatening have repeatedly taken place in this chapel, violating its holiness and continued witness of the Christian presence there since the time of the Last Supper and the day of Pentecost.
Escaping the harsh intimidation and fury of the radicals, the guard managed to call the police who came and intervened to restore order.
The Patriarchate strongly protests against this unacceptable behavior and will check all the possibilities to attain justice for its rights and personnel.
The complaint to the police was filed by the President of the Finance Committee and Patriarchal Commissioner, His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, who demanded that the police must do all they can to find the vandals and bring about justice, for the sake of the peace of the Christians, especially as we approach the celebration of the Holy Pentecost next Sunday and the Feast of the Holy Spirit on Monday.
