Jericho, December 19, 2023
The Divine Liturgy on the anniversary was celebrated by Met. Timothy of Bostra of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. Photo: rusdm.ru
On Friday, December 15, the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the 150th anniversary of the founding of its Church of the Holy Apostle Zacchaeus in Jericho.
The church, located on the site where St. Zacchaeus’ house once stood, was acquired by former Mission director Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) on December 14, 1873, the Mission reports.
The festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Timothy of Bostra, the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s representative to the Church of Cyprus, and clergy of the Russian Church, ROCOR, and the Jerusalem Patriarchate. The service was celebrated in Slavonic, Greek, Arabic, and Romanian and included a prayer for peace.
Photo: rusdm.ru
The clergy and faithful then processed around the church singing festive troparia, and Met. Timothy blessed the territory with holy water.
The Jerusalem hierarch said in his word after the service:
On the eve of the saving feast of the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have raised our fervent prayers for the cessation of the fratricidal strife in Russia and Ukraine, as well as for the cessation of military actions in the Holy Land, which result in the tragedy of local residents, the pain and death of innocent children and ordinary civilians. We also continually pray for our inner peace, for peace here and throughout the world.
A festive reception was then offered for all parishioners and pilgrims.
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