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Apostolic Pilgrimage: Day One

Much has already been said about the impact that the Apostolic Pilgrimage, the meeting between Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will have on the dialogue between Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Without a doubt, all people of good will are hopeful that this meeting between the Pope of Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople will enhance the relationship between the two Churches, but more importantly, inspire Catholics and Orthodox Christians to search for greater opportunities to express the humility, forgiveness, and love of Jesus Christ.

Rather than contributing another theological piece to Faith Matters, I thought it would be appropriate to share my personal journal and reflect on the Apostolic Pilgrimage, offering a pilgrim’s perspective. In so doing it is my hope to offer readers another point of contact to the events that have already begun to shape the world and the course of Christian history.

Like many Christians, Jews and Muslims, visiting Jerusalem has been one of my dreams. As a young boy I recall family members sharing their experiences after returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and as student of theology, preparing for the priesthood, I would often read about Jerusalem and its numerous holy sites. I therefore considered it a great blessing when I joined one of the teams preparing the Apostolic Pilgrimage. Of course, I knew the significant impact that such a meeting would have on the world stage, however, from a personal perspective, I was overwhelmed with joy because I finally had the chance to visit the Holy Land!

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, along with the official delegation from the Church of Constantinople, arrived in Israel on May 23, 2014. Following Church protocol and tradition, the Ecumenical Patriarch began his journey—his fourth pilgrimage to Jerusalem as the Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome—with a Doxology in the Church of the Resurrection. His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem formally received His All-Holiness at the Church of the Resurrection, and along with hierarchs and priests of both the Church of Constantinople and the Church of Jerusalem, and countless local Orthodox Christian faithful and pilgrims from around the world, we offered thanksgiving to God for His presence in our lives.

The highlight of the first day, I am sure for everyone, was the opportunity to venerate the many holy sites that lie within the Church of the Resurrection, including Golgotha (the spot where our Lord was crucified), the location of the Apokathelosis (the descent from the Cross), and of course, the Holy Sepulcher (the Empty Tomb of Jesus Christ). Words fail to capture the awe that others and I felt as we venerated the Lord’s Crucifixion and Holy Three-day Resurrection.

As it happens, May 23rd is my birthday. I don’t know if I will ever think of this day in the same way again. My prayer and hope is that each year, as I celebrate another year of life, the Lord Jesus Christ will grant unto me the same great joy that I felt on the first day of the Apostolic Pilgrimage. Jerusalem has changed my life forever, and I know that I am not alone in feeling this way. 

"Apostolic Pilgrimage, Day 2" will be posted tomorrow and it will feature the my experience in Bethlehem, the place of our Lord's birth. For now, however, I hope you enjoy some photos that were taken during Day 1.

The Very Reverend Archimandrite Dr. Nathanael Symeonides is the Director of the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.