HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Τετάρτη 11 Μαρτίου 2020

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE CHURCHES OF JERUSALEM REGARDING VIRUS COVID_19

 Jerusalem Patriarchate
 Greek-English
ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΙΕΡΟΣΟΛΥΜΩΝ ΔΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΙΟΝ COVID_19
Τήν Δευτέραν, 25ην Φεβρουαρίου/ 9ην Μαρτίου 2020, αἱ τρεῖς Μείζονες Κοινότητες ἐπί προσκυνηματικῶν θεμάτων, ἤτοι τό Ἑλληνορθόδοξον Πατριαρχεῖον Ἱροσολύμων, ἡ Κουστωδία τῆς Ἁγίας Γῆς τῶν Φραγκισκανῶν καί τό Πατριαρχεῖον τῶν Ἀρμενίων εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐξέδωσαν Ἀνακοίνωσιν, προτρέπουσαν τήν συμμόρφωσιν πρός τάς προφυλάξεις καί τάς ὁδηγίας, περιλαμβανομένας εἰς τάς ἀποφάσεις τῶν Πολιτικῶν Ἀρχῶν καί ἀφορώσας εἰς τήν Βασιλικήν τῆς Γεννήσεως εἰς Βηθλεέμ, ἡ ὁποία ἔχει ὡς ἕπεται:

On Monday, February 25/March 9, 2020, the Three Major Communities related to religious matters, the Rum-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Custody of the Holy Land of the Franciscans and the Patriarchate of the Armenians in Jerusalem, published an Announcement, urging people to conform to the precautions and instructions of the Governmental Authorities’ decisions, regarding the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The announcement follows below;
Dear Brothers,
also in the Holy Land, we are experiencing a time of trial and emergency because of the virus COVID-19 that is now spreading all over the world. We are called to live this time continuing to trust in our Heavenly Father who takes care of all His creatures.
However, the ongoing emergency also makes us attentive to accomplish the provisions that the competent civil authorities enact to protect public health and the common good.
Therefore, in conformity with the recent decree of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, issued on Μάρτιος 5th 2020, with the present we the Heads of Churches in charge of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem urge everyone to adhere by the provisions and instruction of the civil authorities as they are detailed in the decree.

 THEOPHILOS III              FRANCESCO PATTON              ARCH. NOURHAN MANOUGIAN                                                                                 
Greek Orthodox               Custos of the Holy Land                        Armenian Patriarch 
Patriarch                                                                                                                  of Jerusalem
of Jerusalem