Employees of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem attended the New Year's reception with the President of Israel

Employees of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem attended the New Year's reception with the President of Israel Сотрудники Русской духовной миссии в Иерусалиме посетили новогодний прием у Президента Израиля print version December 27, 2018 19:03 On December 27, 2018, the Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Alexander (Elisov) , Mission Secretary Igumen Nikon (Golovko), and the Deputy Head of the RDM, Hieromonk Dometian (Markaryan), attended the traditional reception given by the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin in his residence in honor of the heads and representatives of the Christian Churches and communities of the Holy Land on the eve of the New Year and Christmas. In his welcoming speech, the head of Israel congratulated everyone on the upcoming New Year and Merry Christmas. He stressed his concern for the persecution faced by Christians in neighboring countries of the Middle East. R. Rivlin assured the heads and representatives of the Christian communities of the Holy Land that the state authorities would continue to provide all possible support to the Christians in Israel and never encroach on the property of the Christian communities, enshrined in the status quo. Then, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Israel, Arie Mahluf Dheri, addressed the audience in Hebrew. On behalf of the heads and representatives of the Christian Churches and Communities of the Holy Land, His Beatitude Theophilus III of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, spoke in reply. He stressed the importance of Jerusalem as a multinational, multicultural and multi-religious center, and noted the need for additional efforts by the President of Israel to preserve the existing status quo, property rights of the Churches and interfaith peace in Jerusalem.