The feast of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well
On Sunday, the 26th of April/9th of May 2015, Sunday of the Samaritan Woman according to the Pentecostarion, the Patriarchate celebrated the memory of the Samaritan Woman, St Photini, who had met the Lord by Jacob’s Well and believed in him as the Messiah and went on to preach His name in Samaria and beyond.
On the aforementioned day, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived at Jacob’s Well, which lies in Neapolis/Nablus, and at the magnificent church of St Photini. The church, as well as the chapel of St Philoumen the Neo-martyr and St Ioustinos the Philosopher, were successfully completed by the Hegoumen of the Shrine, Archimandrite Ioustinos.
The Patriarch was welcomed by Archimandrite Ioustinos and the Boy Scouts, and went on to lead Matins and the Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating were Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks, Archimandrite Ignatius, Hegoumen at the Monastery of the Shepherds, Archimandrite Chrysostomos, Hegoumen at Abba Gerasimus Monastery, Hierodeacon Martyrios, Archimandrite Leontios, Hegoumen at the Community of Raffidia, Arab-speaking presbyters, and visiting Priests from the Church of Greece. Archimandrite Leontios sang on the right, with Arab-speaking hieropsaltes singing on the left, in the presence of a pious congregation, including Mr Vasileios Koinis, representing the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem.
Communion was followed by procession thrice around the Church.
During a reception at the Hegoumen’s quarters, the Patriarch had had the opportunity to talk with members of the Community.
Source: OCP
