Patriarch Theophilus declared the role of Jerusalem as the guarantor of the unity of Orthodoxy

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem issued a policy statement in which he proclaimed the Jerusalem Church “the natural guarantor of the unity of Orthodoxy.” The statement was made during celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Russian monastery of the Holy Trinity in Hebron in the presence of high-ranking representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian diplomats, which gives his words special significance in the context of current inter-Orthodox relations.

According to Greek publication Orthodoxia.info, the event was attended by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, and the Russian ambassador to Israel. In his speech, Patriarch Theophilus emphasized that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as the custodian of the All-Sacred Places of Pilgrimage, has a key role to play in preserving unity. “We must … keep the deposit of the All-Sacred Places of Pilgrimage, which are the point of reference for all Christians around the world, as well as the guarantee of the unity of the Holy Orthodox sister Churches,” he said, effectively claiming the role historically played by the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem backed up his statement with profound biblical symbolism. The place for the statement – Hebron, located near the Oak of Mamvri and the burial place of the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – was not chosen by chance. Patriarch Theophilus quoted the Epistle to the Galatians, recalling God’s promise to Abraham: “in you all nations will be blessed.” Thus, he drew a parallel between the land of Abraham and the Jerusalem Patriarchate as the source of salvation and spiritual center for the entire Christian world.

Developing the concept of the “Mother of Churches,” the Patriarch of Jerusalem offered a new argumentation based on the primacy of ministry. Concluding his speech with the words from the Gospel of Mark, “whoever wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35), he labeled Jerusalem’s claims not as a desire for power, but as a readiness for special service for the sake of unity. Analysts regard this statement as an official bid for a new, more weighty role of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in world Orthodoxy against the background of existing divisions.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Greek church media criticized the 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.