Theophilus III. from Jerusalem

Patriarch Theophilus III. of Jerusalem during a visit to the Polish Senate on June 28, 2010

Theophilus III. (2005)

Theophilus III. of Jerusalem , real name Ηλίας Γιαννόπουλος (Ilias Giannopoulos), (born April 4, 1952 in Gargaliani , Messinia , Greece) is the incumbent Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem .

Life

He studied theology at the University of Athens and continued his studies in London. In 1984 he went to Jerusalem and was archdeacon under Patriarch Benedict I. From 1991 to 1996 he was a priest in Cana , Galilee. He founded a society called Nour al Masih (Light of Christ) to spread the Orthodox faith in the region. In 1996 he became the first Christian priest in centuries to come to the closed Islamic world of Qatar, where many Christian Palestinians work. He was Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher in Qatar. From 2000 to 2003 he was a church representative at the Patriarchate of Moscow . In February 2005 he became Archbishop of Tabor.

On August 22, 2005, the Jerusalem Holy Synod elected him unanimously to the 141st Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and successor to Irenaios I Theophilos III, who was ousted in spring 2005 because of the sale of real estate to a group of settlers . took over the office at a time of growing tensions in the region, especially between Palestine and Israel, but also within Palestine itself. In addition, some priests had problems getting their visas extended. Jordan had temporarily withdrawn his recognition, but on June 12, 2007, the Jordanian cabinet granted him this recognition again. A ministerial commission of the Israeli government also recommended recognition in October 2007, so that formal recognition by Israel took place on December 16, 2007.

According to newspaper reports, his deposed predecessor Irenaios was detained against his will.

Theophilus III. is known for its luxurious lifestyle. He is despised by the Palestinian Christians because he sells more and more patriarchal real estate in a non-transparent manner through middlemen and below market value. The sales of three houses in the old town carried out by his predecessor Irenaios were confirmed by a court after twelve years.

Surname

Theophilus III. Traditionally he has the title of Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all of Palestine and Syria, the areas beyond the Jordan as well as Cana in Galilee and Holy Zion .

Former Patriarchs of Jerusalem of the same name were Theophilos I , Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1012 to 1020, and Theophilos II , Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1417 to 1424.

Web links

Commons : Theophilus III. of Jerusalem  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ousted patriarch behind locked doors in Jerusalem . In: Jerusalem Post , January 1, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011. 
2. ↑ ^{a b} Jochen Stahnke: Fight for every square meter. One of the largest landowners in Israel is the Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. However, the church is selling more and more property - often under dubious circumstances. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of January 8, 2018, p. 3.
3. ↑ Court Approves Sale of Three Strategic E. J'lem Buildings to Right-wing Jewish group , Ha-Aretz on 1 August 2017

predecessor	Office	successor
Irenaios	Patriarch of Jerusalem since 2005	---