The Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, one of the oldest and most revered monastic communities in the Holy Land, hosted a solemn celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the return of the saint’s relics from Venice. The festive liturgy was led by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, joined by hierarchs and clergy of the Patriarchate.

Saint Sabbas, one of the great fathers of early Christian monasticism, founded the Lavra that bears his name in the 6th century. His relics were taken to Italy by Crusaders in the 11th century, where they remained in the Church of Saint Anthony in Venice for nearly 900 years. In 1965, through the efforts of Patriarch Benedict of Jerusalem and following the historic meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI, the relics were solemnly returned to the Holy Land.

At that time, the relics were first received at the Gate of David, then brought to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for veneration by the faithful, before being transferred to Mar Saba Monastery, where they remain today as a revered holy treasure and a source of spiritual healing.

This year’s jubilee service gathered Metropolitans Makarios of Ptolemais, Joachim of Helenopolis, and Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, as well as the monastery’s spiritual father Archimandrite Eudokimos and many priests. The liturgy was celebrated in Greek, Arabic, and Church Slavonic, reflecting the international and multicultural character of the Orthodox presence in the Holy Land. Pilgrims from Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala attended the event.

In his sermon, Patriarch Theophilos III emphasized the enduring spiritual significance of the saint’s return:

“The return of Saint Sabbas’s relics to the Holy Land testifies to the wondrous works of God and to the living grace that unites generations of believers,” he said.

He reminded the faithful that Saint Sabbas stands as an example of true asceticism and unwavering devotion to Christ, having renounced worldly attachments for a life of prayer and service. The Patriarch urged Christians to preserve that same faith and steadfastness in an era when “artificial knowledge often seeks to replace truth.”