Русский
Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has been visiting Moscow at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, where Russian President Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship for his significant contribution to strengthening friendship, cooperation, and spiritual ties with Russia. The president personally presented the award to the Patriarch at the Kremlin.
The two men also spoke about their religious ties and had this to say:
Vladimir Putin: “The Russian Orthodox Church and the Jerusalem Orthodox Church enjoy very warm and positive relations. I must say that whenever I meet with the Patriarch of Moscow-and we meet frequently-he very often speaks of our relations with Jerusalem.
We value your commitment to maintaining and deepening ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. We are aware that you face considerable challenges, given the rather complex situation in the region. Nevertheless, with the support of the local authorities, the Jerusalem Church continues its work steadily, and we for our part will do everything possible to further advance our relations.
Russia has traditionally placed a special emphasis on the situation of the Christian population-in the Middle East. The Holy Land is home to the majority of the Middle East’s Orthodox holy sites, and we understand that our collective efforts-yours and ours alike-are directed towards preserving the historic Christian presence in the Middle East. In this regard, our cooperation is especially vital today. We are most pleased to see you. Welcome!”
Patriarch Theophilos III: “Thank you very much, Mr. President, for what you said. It is a tremendous honor to be with you today, together with our brother, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.
As a strong defender of the Orthodox faith, your steadfast commitment to the Church makes the bond between Jerusalem and Moscow, between the Church of Jerusalem and the Church of Moscow, all the more precious and revered.
The connection between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Russian people is very special and very deep. Every Russian pilgrim that has visited us in the Holy Land joins in the 2,000-year mission of our Patriarchate, giving witness to our sacred mission as guardians of Christianity’s birthplace.
The pilgrims see the peace, reconciliation, and hope that our church embodies in a troubled region, as you said. As you know from your visit to the Holy City, Jerusalem is a multi-faith, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious mosaic and must be protected. Our Church’s embodiment of coexistence and mutual understanding across the Abrahamic faiths, rooted in the worship of the Almighty, provides a model of respect for the whole world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, says the Lord. We pray that our ministries of peace and service reverberate around the world as the holy fire does every year.
There are challenges that we face. Due to the political situation, the number of indigenous Christians in our land is falling, and our faithful are experiencing strenuous and difficult realities. We thank you for your ongoing support for the status quo arrangement for the Holy Land, which is essential to stability and peace in Jerusalem and the wider region of the Middle East.
We are aware that there are proposals for talks regarding the ongoing situation along your western border. As a spiritual leader and as Patriarch of Jerusalem, we have a sacred obligation to listen to those around us, to those who suffer, to their hopes for their children, and to their desire to live in peace. We offer our help and, of course, our humble encouragement to facilitate and support a sacred act of listening between brothers sharing our common faith.
Thank you for the decoration of friendship that you bestowed upon me, which is a decoration bestowed upon the Church of Jerusalem and the Brotherhood of the Holy Tomb. Please be assured that you are kept in our prayers at the Tomb of Christ on a daily basis. I honestly admire you, and I myself pray for your health. I pray to God to give you enlightenment and warm your heart to continue your precious and important leadership.”
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with the other Eastern Orthodox churches. Established in the mid-fifth century as one of the oldest patriarchates in Christendom, it is headquartered in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and led by the patriarch of Jerusalem, currently Theophilos III. The patriarchate’s ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes roughly 200,000 to 500,000 Orthodox Christians across the Holy Land in Palestine, Jordan, and Israel.
The church traces its foundation in Jerusalem to the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit, according to Christian beliefs, descended on the disciples of Jesus Christ and ushered the spread of the Gospel. The church celebrates its liturgy in the ancient Byzantine Rite-whose sacred language, Koine Greek, is the original language of the New Testament-and follows its own liturgical year under the Julian calendar.
The majority of Orthodox Christians under the patriarchate are Palestinians and Jordanians, alongside smaller numbers of Russians, Romanians, and Georgians. However, the church’s hierarchy has been dominated by Greek clergy since its creation. The church serves as custodian of several holy places in Christianity, including the Church of the Nativity, in Bethlehem, where Jesus is said to have been born, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which includes the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and the empty tomb from which he is believed to have resurrected.
