The Jerusalem Patriarchate solemnly celebrated the feast day of St. James the Apostle, the Brother of the Lord and the first Bishop of Jerusalem. The festivities took place in the cathedral church dedicated to the saint, located between the buildings of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Resurrection, the Patriarchate’s official website reported.

The Feast of St. James holds a special place in the liturgical life of the Jerusalem Church as a commemoration of the first hierarch of Zion and a witness of the Risen Christ.

On the day of the celebration, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III presided over the Divine Liturgy, concelebrating with Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, and other members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. The liturgical hymns were chanted in Greek and Arabic, reflecting the multilingual tradition of the Patriarchate. Among those in attendance were clergy, monastics, numerous pilgrims and faithful, as well as the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem.

In his homily, Patriarch Theophilos emphasized the spiritual significance of the apostolic ministry of St. James, recalling that he was the first primate of the Jerusalem Church, the author of one of the seven Catholic Epistles of the New Testament, and the composer of the most ancient Christian liturgy that bears his name. The Patriarch cited the words of the Apostle:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2–3).

Following the Divine Liturgy, a traditional procession of clergy and members of the Brotherhood was held to the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen. Later, a reception took place at the Patriarchate, during which His Beatitude extended his congratulations to all present and delivered a pastoral address. He noted that St. James is the “first in rank and the pillar of the Jerusalem Church, founded upon the blood of Christ and established by the Holy Spirit.”

The Feast of St. James remains one of the most cherished celebrations in the liturgical calendar of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, uniting the faithful in prayer at the very heart of Christianity.