The feast of the nativity of Theotokos at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Saturday, September 21, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Nativity of Theotokos at the monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.

On this feast the Church commemorates the fast that Mary was given by God to her parents Joachim and Anna, who were childless but pious, and kept entreating God to give them a child.

Hearkening to their prayer, God released Anna’s bareness and gave her Mary, to their joy, as well as that of the whole world, for She was predestined by God to become the Mother of God, and bear without seed Christ, the Saviour of the world, by the Holy Spirit.

For this feast Vespers was held in the evening and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the morning at the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, by the ministering Priest Archimandrite Kallistos, with the participation in prayer of Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, the Hagiotaphite Archbishops and Hieromonks at the chanting of the Choir Leader of the Church Archimandrite Eusevios and of the Typikon Keeper Archimandrite Alexios, with the attendance of praying nuns and pilgrims.

After the Divine Liturgy a reception was offered at the Epitropikon. This joyful Feast of the Mother of God was more festively celebrated at Theotokos’ Tomb.

Therein, according to the Status Quo, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with the co-celebration of Archimandites Meletios, Dionysios and Demetrios, Priest Farah and visiting Priests from other Orthodox Churches, and Archdeacon Mark.

The chanting was delivered by the Choir Leader of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Gotsopoulos Vasilios, Fr. Euphrosynos and the Patriarchal School of Zion students, under the care and hospitality of the Hegoumen, Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela.

Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem