Ecumenical Ceremony for the Completion of the Restoration of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher

A sign of unity among the various Christian communities: the ecumenical ceremony of completion of the restoration of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher was held on Wednesday, March 22. A special day for Christians, not only in the Holy Land, but in the entire world. In Jerusalem, the ecumenical ceremony of completion of the restoration and rehabilitation of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher was held on Wednesday, March 22, at 10 in the morning. The historic agreement was reached exactly one year ago on March 22, 2016. The representatives of the three religious communities which are the primary custodians of the Basilica, as determined by the status quo, proceeded with the signing of the document: the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theofilus III, the Apostolic Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manoughian and the then Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa. In the front row at the ceremony, apart from the three signatories: the current Custos of the Holy Land Francesco Patton, the Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Lazzarotto, who represented the Holy See, and Archbishop of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Among those present were also the representatives of the other Churches of the Holy Sepulcher: the Coptic, the Syriac and the Ethiopian communities as well as those of other Christian denominations in the Holy Land, and various religious and civil authorities, including the greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The many faithful who packed the basilica clearly proved that it was a historic moment. Visit the Holy Land Custody’s website for the complete story and the video. [gallery link="none" size="medium" type="rectangular" ids="15161,15162,15163,15166,15167,15169,15170,15171,15172,15164,15165,15168"]