Patriarch of the Jerusalem Theofilos III Enthroned

[Priest Siluan]

Patriarch of the Jerusalem Theofilos III Enthroned

Enthronement of the Patriarch of Jerusalem

Greek President Karolos Papoulias, right, looks a cross held by the newly appointed Greek Patriarch Theofilos III as part of enthronement rite for the new Patriarch at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, Tuesday Nov. 22, 2005. The Greek Orthodox Church in the Holy Land enthroned Theofilos III as its new patriarch on Tuesday, in spite of the Israeli government's delay in approving the appointment. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Orthodox priests wait to join a procession, part of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theofilos' enthronement rite, from the Greek Orthodox patriarchate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old city Tuesday Nov. 22, 2005. The Greek Orthodox Church in the Holy Land enthroned Theofilos III as its new patriarch on Tuesday, in spite of the Israeli government's delay in approving the appointment. Theofilos succeeds Irineos, who was ousted in May amid allegations he leased church land in east Jerusalem to Jewish groups interested in expanding the Jewish presence there. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/ne ... le_id=6303

[Priest Siluan]

New Jerusalem Patriarch Enthroned

The BBC reports Theophilos III has been enthroned the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

The BBC reports

Israel objected to the enthronement of Theophilos III
Theophilos III has been enthroned the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, in a ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The patriarch is the religious leader of 100,000 Christians in the Holy Land.

According to the BBC,
thehe ceremony was held despite the fact that the Israeli government has not yet recognised him as patriarch, and is actively supporting his predecessor.

Irineos I was demoted to a monk after being accused of selling church land in East Jerusalem to Jewish investors.

The sale sparked outrage among Palestinians who opposed any strengthening of a Jewish presence in East Jerusalem, which they hope will become the future capital of a Palestinian state.

Irineos has refused to recognize his dismissal by the Orthodox Church in June.

Israel delays approval

The Palestinian Authority and Jordan have backed the church's decision, but Israel has delayed giving its approval.

Israel's minister in charge of Jerusalem affairs in the prime minister's office, Tzachi Hanegbi, earlier this month warned the patriarchate not to inaugurate Theophilos III.

Irineos refused to recognise his dismissal

"The state objects to holding this ceremony, which is intended to validate the removal of Patriarch Irineos, a move that has not been recognised by the State of Israel, as is required by law," he said in a letter obtained by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Mr Hanegbi said that his government planned to appoint a committee to deal with the matter and that Theophilos would only be able to claim the patriarchate after it had made its decision.

The patriarchate replied angrily to Mr Hanegbi's demand.

"With all due respect, the Patriarch, the Synod and the Patriarchate find your letter surprising and unacceptable since it constitutes an outright and inappropriate interference in their autonomy as a religious sect and in the religious freedom of members of the Greek Orthodox congregation," it said.

"There is no need and no place for a 'ministerial committee', whether ordinary or special, and it is fitting for the government to hurry up and recognize the patriarch, unless it is indeed extraneous and improper considerations that are guiding you."

Theophilos III, originally from Messini in Greece, was elected the 140th Patriarch of Jerusalem and all Palestine on 22 August.

He served previously as Archbishop of Tabor in the Czech Republic.

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[Priest Siluan]

New Orthodox Jerusalem patriarch enthroned

Theophilos III, the new Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, was enthroned at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, formally replacing the ousted, scandal-clad Irineos I. (AFP)

Theophilos III, the new Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, was enthroned at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, formally replacing the ousted, scandal-clad Irineos I.

The lavish ceremony at the holiest site in Christendom, built over where Christians believe Jesus Christ was buried before he ascended into Heaven, was attended by foreign officials, including Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

Theophilos was elected patriarch last August to replace Irineos, dismissed by the church over an alleged multi-million-dollar sale of church land in a mainly Palestinian area of Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem to Jewish investors.

The new patriarch was archbishop of Tabor since February, after serving as the church's top clergman at the Holy Sepulchre.

Born in southern Greece in 1952, he arrived in the Holy Land in 1964 to study theology and was ordained a priest in 1970. In 1986, he became secretary general of the holy synod in charge of foreign relations.

Greece is keen to maintain a long-standing influence in the Holy Land that stems from its strong historical and cultural ties to the Jerusalem patriarchy.

A woman looks at Greek Orthodox priests marching in a procession, part of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theofilo's swearing in ceremony, from the Greek Orthodox patriarchate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old city Tuesday Nov. 22, 2005. The Greek Orthodox Church in the Holy Land swore in Theofilos III as its new patriarch on Tuesday, in spite of the Israeli government's delay in approving the appointment. Theofilos succeeds Irineos, who was ousted in May amid allegations he leased church land in east Jerusalem to Jewish groups interested in expanding the Jewish presence there. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

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