The Holy Synod of the Jerusalem Patriarchate convened on Thursday, 12 March 2026, presided over by His Beatitude Theophilos III, The Patriarch of Jerusalem, and was attended by Their Eminences, members of the Synod.
During the session, His Beatitude, together with the members of the Holy Synod, deliberated on a number of matters pertaining to the administrative, ecclesiastical, and pastoral life of the Patriarchate, both in the Holy Land and in the surrounding regions. These discussions took place amid the ongoing war and the tense circumstances prevailing throughout the region.
His Beatitude and Their Eminences offered prayers to the Lord, to grant peace to our Holy Land and to the Middle East, which continues to suffer under the weight of wars and the many upheavals they bring, threatening the security of nations and the safety and stability of their peoples. They also implored Divine providence that this difficult period may pass with the least possible harm on every level.
His Beatitude further called upon all our faithful children to remain steadfast in faith and hope, and to hold fast to their land and identity, an identity nourished by the patient struggle and steadfast endurance of those who came before them and lived upon the soil of this Holy Land, which has bestowed upon the world grace, blessing, and salvation.
His Beatitude and Their Eminences the Metropolitans also examined matters concerning the strengthening of the Christian indigenous presence in the Holy Land and the ways in which it may be supported and preserved. They further addressed the fraternal relations between Churches in the Orthodox world and the wider Christian family, considering ways to deepen and reinforce these bonds. In addition, they reviewed issues related to the properties of the Patriarchate and the importance of their careful stewardship and sound administration.
At the conclusion of the Synod’s deliberations, His Beatitude and Their Eminences once again raised fervent prayers to God, asking that He may bestow upon our vulnerable Middle East, our Holy Land, and the whole world the blessings of peace, stability, and security. They prayed that the Lord may comfort the hearts of peoples with His divine consolation amid the sufferings and tragedies brought about by war.
They also expressed their prayerful wishes that the faithful people of the Church of Jerusalem, both in our Holy Land and throughout the world, may be granted peace and reassurance during this sacred season, in which we prepare through repentance, fasting, and prayer to partake in the joy of Holy Easter and the life-giving Resurrection.