Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem called on us to pray collectively for Christians in the Middle Easttranslated

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, called for collective prayer for Christians in the Middle East and, in general, for the presence of Christianity in this region.

“These are truly difficult times, our Church is in a difficult region, and it is important to collectively offer prayers for the continued presence of Christianity in the Middle East,” the Primate said on November 5, 2026, at a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, reports the DECR website.

Photo: Vyacheslav Prokofiev, press service of the President of Russia/kremlin.ru

According to Patriarch Theophilus III, the presence of Christianity in the Holy Land “is a guarantee that Jerusalem remains a multi-confessional city, a mosaic of many religions that are represented there, so that they exist in peace and understanding with each other.”

– By doing so, we demonstrate a model of mutual respect to the whole world - as the Scripture says, a city standing on a mountain cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). Just as the Holy Fire descends every year on Holy Saturday, so we bring this light to the world,” added His Holiness.

– We are truly experiencing the period of the most...