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Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem (b. 1952) is the current patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem.

Theophilus (also spelled Theofilos and Theophilos) was elected the 141st primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem on August 22, 2005. Formerly the Archbishop of Tabor, Theophilus was elected unanimously by Jerusalem's Holy Synod to succeed the deposed, Irenaios I. He is styled "Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion."

Theophilus is regarded as having been more favorable to his deposed predecessor, which may assist him in bringing stability to the troubled patriarchate as Irenaios's supporters may thus unite around him and make peace with the synod. Upon his election, Theophilus said, "In the last few months we have had a lot of problems but with the help of God we will overcome them."[1]

Theophilos is originally from Messinia, Greece. In 1964, he went to Jerusalem, and served as archdeacon for then-patriarch Benediktos (Benedict I). From 1991 to 1996, he was a priest in Cana in Galilee, which had a predominantly Israeli Arab flock, there he also formed a society called "Nour al Masih" ("Light of Christ"), which spreads the Orthodox Christian faith throughout the region.

In 1996, he was one of the first Christian clergymen in centuries to make an opening into the closed Wahhabi Islamic society of Qatar, a historically under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. He subsequently served as Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Qatar. From 2000 to 2003, he was church envoy to the Patriarchate of Moscow.

Theophilos's critics claims that he was favoured by Israel owing to his ties with key US officials, such as former CIA chief George Tenet, whom he reportedly met through the Greek lobby in the USA. They note that, remarkably, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held a meeting with Theophilus at her request during a recent trip to Israel. It is also reported that he, as then Superior of the Holy Sepulcher, merely showed Secretary Rice the holy sites, as he did for President Vladimir Putin of Russia and other dignitaries visiting the Holy Land.

Before becoming patriarch, Theophilus served for a short time as the Archbishop of Tabor, consecrated to the episcopacy by Irenaios in February of 2005.

Theophilus studied theology at the University of Athens and went on to complete a master's degree in London. Besides his native Greek, he also speaks English and Arabic.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III was officially enthroned as Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine on November 22, 2005. Delegates from all of the Orthodox Churches as well as high secular dignitaries were in attendance,including the President of Greece as well as diplomats and military officials.

Other Patriarchs of Jerusalem bearing the same name are Theofilos I, Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1012 to 1020, and Theofilos II, Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1417 to 1424.

Patriarch Theophilos takes the leadership of the Church of Jerusalem at a very difficult time in her history. The politics of the Middle East and the delicacy of the relations with the Palastinian Authority, the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan make the role and place of the Patriarch and the Patriarchate very challenging. Recently the State of Israel has declined to renew the visas of many of the Greek clergy, which could lead to a serious crisis within the Brotherhood, as most of the monks are Greek citizens.

Links

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Athens News profile representatives and a great number of faithful.

The Current Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs

Ancient Patriarchates

Bartholomew I | Theodoros II | Ignatius IV (Hazim) | Theophilus III

Autocephalous Churches

Alexius II | Pavle | Ilia II | Teoctist | Maxim

Preceded by: Irenaios I

Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem 2005–present

Incumbent

Ancient Greece