On Sunday, September 29, 2024, the Sunday following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the feast was commemorated at the Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross in West Jerusalem, near the Jewish Parliament.
This historic monastery, once home to the Patriarchate’s Theological School from 1845 to 1909, holds significance as the site where the three-composite wood of pine, cypress, and cedar – planted by Patriarch Abraham – is believed to have been used for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The Divine Liturgy was conducted in the morning by Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, along with Archimandrites Meletios, Stephanos, Klaudios, Seraphim, visiting Archimandrite Stephanos from Greece, and Hierodeacon Simeon. Chants were led by Eustathios Tsoumanis from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, accompanied by students from the Patriarchal School of Sion. The Consul General of Greece, Mr. Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, and local believers from Jerusalem and surrounding areas also attended.
Following the Liturgy, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos and other Holy Sepulchre Fathers visited the Monastery to offer blessings. Afterwards, Hegoumen Archimandrite Christodoulos hosted a meal for the Patriarch, his entourage, congregation members, the Consul General, and Mr. Stavros Andreou, the conservator of icons and books preparing for the Institute of Biblical and Theological Studies of the Patriarchate.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem