Church of Jerusalem
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem | |
Founder(s) | The Apostles |
Autocephaly/Autonomy declared | Traditional |
Autocephaly/Autonomy recognized | 692 by Quinisext Council |
Current primate | Patr. Theophilus |
Headquarters | Jerusalem, Israel |
Primary territory | Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States (except Kuwait) |
Possessions abroad | United States, South America |
Liturgical language(s) | Greek, English, Arabic |
Musical tradition | Byzantine Chant |
Calendar | Julian |
Population estimate | 130,000 |
Official website | Church of Jerusalem |
The Church of Jerusalem is the mother church of all of Christendom, because it was in Jerusalem that the Church was established on the day of Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus Christ. From Jerusalem the gospel of Christ was spread to the world.
As Christianity spread, and the persecutions of the Jews by Roman authorities in their homeland increased, causing the dispersion of many of the Christians from Jerusalem, the import of this church and its impact on the ongoing life of the whole Church diminished. As other churches gained ascendency, namely the Churches of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, the Church of Jerusalem was accorded a place of honor with them among the five original Christian patriarchates of the Christian world, called the Pentarchy.
The Church of Jerusalem remains the custodian of many of the holy sites in Jerusalem and environs, sometimes jointly with Roman Catholic or Coptic or Armenian Christians, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Lately there has been criticism of the church leadership by Palestinian faithful, who accuse the Greek-speaking and largely Greek-born leadership of squandering their money and treating their Arabic-speaking members as second-class faithful.
Following the recent deposition of Patriarch Irenaios I amidst scandals regarding the transfer of land to Jewish control, the Holy Synod of the church named as their temporary primate His Eminence Metropolitan Cornelius (Rodousakis) of Petra. On August 22, 2005, the Holy Synod unanimously elected the former Archbishop of Tabor, Theophilus, as the 141st Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Holy places of worship
Only those places that have an OrthodoxWiki article will be listed
- The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)
- The Holy Monastery of St. Catherine (Mt. Sinai)
Monasteries
- The Lavra of St. Savvas the Hegiasmenos.
- The Monastery of St. George the Hozevitou (location).
- The Monastery of St. Martha and Mary (Bethany)
- The Monastery of The Holy Archangels (Andromedos)
- The Monastery of St. Eythymios the Great (Khan-Ahmar)
There are a total of 25 monasteries within the city of Jerusalem:
- The Holy Monastery of Abraam, a dependency of the Holy Sepulchre.
- The Holy Monastery of St. Haralampus
- The Holy Monastery of the Forerunner
- The Holy Monastery of the Archangels
- The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas
- The Holy Monastery of Ss. Theodore
- The Holy Monastery of St. George the Jew
- The Holy Monastery of St. George of the hospital
- The Holy Monastery of St. Basil
- The Holy Monastery of St. Katherine
- The Holy Monastery of St. Spyridon
- The Holy Monastery of St. Nikodemus
- The Holy Monastery of the Praetorium
- The Holy Monastery of St. Anne, the Mother of the Theotokos
- The Holy Monastery of St. Symeon of Katamonas
- The Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross
- The Holy Monastery of St. Onouphrious
- The Holy Monastery of St. Sion, this is also the Patriarch Theological college.
- The Holy Monastery of St. Stephanos
- The Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimonos
- The Holy Monastery of the Ressurection
- The Holy Monastery of St. Modestos
- The Holy Monastery of the Great Panagia (female)
- The Holy Monastery of St. Euthymios (female)
- The Holy Monastery of Panagia "Seidanagias"
There are two churches in Jerusalem, the Church of St. Demetrios and the Church of St. Theklas. There is also the cathedric Church of St. Iakovos the "Adelfotheou" which also has two chapels dedicated to the Myrofores and the Holy 40 Martyrs of Jerusalem. The chapel of the Holy 40 martyrs holds the relics of all the Patriarchs of Jerusalem.
Related articles
External links
Structure
- Official Website of the Church of Jerusalem (Main page)
- - Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, Taybeh (Palestine)
Metochia of the the Holy Sepulcher in America
- Monastery of the Holy Cross (Long Island, New York)
- Monastery of the Glorious Ascension (Resaca, Georgia)
- Link to directory of the Jerusalem Orthodox Communities in America
- Interviews with Christians in the Holy Land (Ancient Faith Radio)
- Eastern Christian Churches: The Patriarchate of Jerusalem by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
- Rum Orthodox Ivri: The Website of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Community within Israeli Society, served by Fr. Alexander Winogradsky, a priest of Jewish ethnicity serving mainly in Hebrew
- Epitropia of the Holy Sepulchre in America
- The Greek Orthodox Community of Jerusalem / Greek Colony, Jerusalem, Israel
Jaffa Gate Deal and Recognition Issues 2004-2007
- Moran, Dominic. The Battle for Jerusalem. ISN Security Watch. 18 May, 2005.
- Morenatti, Emilio. An Unorthodox Deal?. TIME, 29 May, 2005.
- Rapoport, Meron. Burnt Offerings. Haaretz.com, 9 February, 2007.
- The Associated Press. Embattled Jerusalem Patriarch says he is still supported by Jordan's King. International Herald Tribune. 14 May, 2007.
- Solution looming in Jerusalem Orthodox Church row. Earthtimes.org, 12 June, 2007.
- Jordan reverses decision over Jerusalem Patriarch. Athens News Agency. 14 June, 2007.
- Lefkovits, Etgar. Greece's Government urges Israelis to recognize Greek Orthodox Patriarch. The Jerusalem Post. 2 July, 2007.
- Mackenzie, Nick. Athens appeals to Israelis over Patriarch. Religious Intelligence, 3 July, 2007.
- Theros, Patrick Nickolas (US Ambassador). Jerusalem and Greece: Dora’s Staunch Defense of Religious Freedom Gives Church in Holy Land Respite.The National Herald, 20 July, 2007.
- Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Briefing of Greek government regarding the Israeli Cabinet’s recognition of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch.16 December, 2007.
- European Jewish Press. Israel takes two years to recognise Greek Patriarch. 18 December, 2007.
- Israel National News. Pro-PLO Greek Orthodox Church Leader Ousted. 19 December, 2007.
Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches of Orthodoxy |
Autocephalous Churches |
Four Ancient Patriarchates: Constantinople · Alexandria · Antioch · Jerusalem Russia · Serbia · Romania · Bulgaria · Georgia · Cyprus · Greece · Poland · Albania · Czech Lands and Slovakia · OCA* · Ukraine* |
Autonomous Churches |
Sinai · Finland · Estonia* · Japan* · China* · Ukraine* |
The * designates a church whose autocephaly or autonomy is not universally recognized. |