Patriarch of Jerusalem received U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem received U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. During the visit, the Patriarch gave a tour of the shrines, conveyed greetings to President Donald Trump and expressed gratitude for the efforts of the U.S. administration to achieve a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

According to Orthodox Times, Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Vance were received by Patriarch Theophilos III along with the heads of churches of the Status Quo communities, the Custodian of the Holy Land and a representative of the Armenian Patriarchate. The Patriarch personally led the guests on a tour of the holy sites of the Temple, speaking about its deep significance for the entire Christian world as the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord.

During the meeting, Patriarch Theophilus conveyed his respectful greetings to President Donald Trump and expressed his sincere appreciation for the US administration’s efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the innocent. In his address, he referred to the words of the Lord, «Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God» (Matthew 5:9), affirming that the Church prays for the restoration of peace in the Holy Land through wisdom, compassion and divine grace.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Greek Church media criticized Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos. The reason was the disagreement between the head of the Jerusalem Church and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on a number of fundamental issues, including the recognition of the Ukrainian schism. Patriarch Theophilos was also reminded of the Amman Council, accusing him of excessive adherence to the Moscow Patriarchate.