Русская Версия

November 24, 2010
Jerusalem: Bishop George met with His Beatitude Theophilus, Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine

On Sunday, November 14, with the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, His Grace George, Bishop of Mayfield, performed a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as part of a group of pilgrims from the Middle American Diocese.

On November 17, His Grace visited the Patriarchal residence and met with His Beatitude Theophilus III, Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine. Bishop George was accompanied by Priest Ilia Marzev (dean of St. Sergius Cathedral in Cleveland, OH), Deacon Nickolay Pravitsky (cleric of St. Sergius Cathedral), and the pilgrimage group. During the meeting, Bishop George passed along greetings from Metropolitan Hilarion to Patriarch Theophilus, thanking His Beatitude for his hospitality and the opportunity to perform the divine services in the Holy City. His Grace also told His Beatitude about life in Holy Cross Monastery and presented him with commemorative gifts from the monastery. In his reply, Patriarch Theophilus thanked Bishop George and asked that he pass along the Patriarch’s greetings to Metropolitan Hilarion. His Beatitude wished Bishop George and the pilgrims well on their journey to the holy sites and a safe return to America. The Patriarch then presented Bishop George with a mother-of-pearl panagia and Fr. Ilia with a mother-of-pearl cross, while the pilgrims were given other commemorative gifts.

On Sunday, November 21, Bishop George concelebrated with His Eminence, Archbishop Dorotheus of Avila, at the Midnight Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The bishops were co-served by 50 priests, while almost 2,000 pilgrims filled the church. On November 22, Bishop George returned to America.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese