All the Churches In and Around Jerusalem THE ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE The Orthodox patriarchate of Jerusalem was instituted at the

All the Churches In and Around Jerusalem

THE ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE

The Orthodox patriarchate of Jerusalem was instituted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, and took over the former territory of the patriarchate of Antioch. Like Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, Jerusalem increasingly distanced itself from Latin Christianity, until the schism of 1054 confirmed by reciprocal excommunications between Rome and Byzantium.

Since 1534, the patriarchs of Jerusalem have all been of Greek origin, a cause of rather serious tensions with the Arabic-speaking clergy. The patriarch is assisted by a Holy Synod made up of eighteen members named by the patriarch himself, and is chosen from among the members of a monastic fraternity, the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, instituted in the 16th century, which today counts about ninety religious of Greek origin, and four Palestinians.

The Greek Orthodox Church in the Holy Land counts about 65,000 faithful, of whom 45,000 live in Israel and 20,000 in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories. These figures do not include the Orthodox of Russian origin who immigrated to Israel as Jews.

THE MELKITE CHURCH

After the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the term “Melkite” (from the Syriac word meaning “king”) indicated those in the patriarchates of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria who aligned themselves with the decrees of the council on the theological level, and with Byzantium on the political level, while the majority of those in the three patriarchates displayed an intolerance for imperial centralization.

In the 18th century, as a result of the growing influence of the Roman Catholic West in the Middle East and the preaching of the Jesuits, Capuchins, and Carmelites, a pro-Catholic movement formed in the Orthodox patriarchate of Antioch, and took the ancient name “Melkite.” This meant that the "Melkite" became a "Uniate" under the control of the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church = Vatican = Pope. In 1729, the split was made official with the birth of the "Roman" Catholic patriarchate of the Greek Melkites, which quickly spread to Palestine and Egypt as well.

The Melkite Church counts approximately 50,000 faithful in Israel, concentrated above all in Galilee, and 3,000 in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

THE LATIN PATRIARCHATE

The Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem constitutes the hierarchical organization of the Roman rite Catholic (a Uniate patriarchate under the control of the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church = Vatica = Pope) community in Palestine. The first Latin patriarch was installed in Jerusalem by the crusaders in 1099. His successors carried out their functions in the holy city until its reconquest by Saladin, in 1187, and then found refuge in the crusade stronghold of St. Jean d’Acre. After this also fell, in 1291, the patriarchate continued with office holders who were regularly named by the popes but who lived in Europe. In 1847, changes in political conditions made possible the return of the patriarchal see to Ottoman Jerusalem. Since 2003, a bishop of the patriarchate has expressly dedicated himself to the “pastoral care of the Catholic faithful of Jewish expression” living in the Holy Land, who number a few hundred.

There are 15,000 Latin Catholics in Israel, and 10-15,000 in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

THE MARONITE CHURCH

Born in the 4th century with the preaching of Saint Maron, the Maronite Church assumed a distinct identity in the 8th century, constituting a Christian enclave in the mountains of Lebanon capable of resisting the progressive Islamization of the surrounding territories. A patriarch “of Antioch and all the East” was placed at the head of this Church. An ally of the crusaders, in 1182 the Maronite Church declared its union with Rome. The Maronites later found support in France for their opposition to Ottoman domination.

The 5,000 Maronites in the Holy Land are mostly concentrated in Galilee.

THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH

The Assyrian Church was born from the Christian communities that had been rooted in Mesopotamia since the 2nd century, which in the 3rd century found themselves subject to Iran’s Sassanid empire, and thus outside of the political, cultural, and theological universe of the Roman empire. In their relative isolation from the West, the Christians of Mesopotamia established for themselves an ecclesial organization headed by a patriarch “catholicos,” who resided in the capital of Persia. They were influenced by the theology of the Antioch school, and accepted the positions of Nestorius. In 431, the Council of Ephesus condemned these positions, and at the end of the century the Nestorians were expelled from Roman territory, and were welcomed by the Assyrian Church.

The Nestorian missionaries extended the Assyrian Church into India, Tibet, China, and Mongolia. Their influence in the Sassanid empire was significant: in 614, when the Persians occupied Jerusalem, the relics kept in the basilica of Constantine were sent to the Sassanid capital as a gift to Empress Meryam, who was a Nestorian Christian. The influence of the Nestorian Church continued even after the Arab conquest. When the Abbasid caliphs moved the capital of their empire to Baghdad, this also became the see of the catholicos. The end of the Assyrian Church’s splendor was marked by the invasion by Tamerlane’s Mongols. In the 16th century, the Assyrian Church was reduced to a tiny contingent in eastern Anatolia, northern Mesopotamia, and India.

The Assyrian Church’s members in the Holy Land have dwindled to just a few dozen families.

THE CHALDEAN CHURCH

The Chaldean Church was born in the 16th century from a schism in the Assyrian Church. Already by the 15th century the office of the catholicos had become hereditary, being passed down within the same family. This raised the opposition of groups that felt that they were marginalized. In 1552, the election of yet another patriarch from within the dominant family met with explicit opposition from some bishops, who selected their own patriarch and sought protection from Rome. Pope Julius III granted their request and validated the nomination of the schismatic patriarch, conferring upon him the title of patriarch of the Chaldean Catholics.

The Chaldeans also have just a slight presence in the Holy Land: a few families in the area of Haifa.

THE APOSTOLIC ARMENIAN CHURCH

The Armenians were the first people to convert to Christianity as a group, at the beginning of the 4th century. They rejected the Council of Chalcedon in 451, and like the Coptic, Syrian, and Ethiopian Churches they embraced Monophysism, the Christological doctrine condemned by the council.

The institution of the Armenian patriarchate of Jerusalem followed the Arab conquest of the city, which deprived the Greek Orthodox Church of the support of the Byzantine empire. The first Armenian patriarch, Bishop Abraham, was recognized in 638 by Caliph Omar.

1,500 Armenians live in Jerusalem, and a few hundred others are dispersed throughout the Palestinian territories and Israel.

THE COPTIC CHURCH

The decrees of Chalcedon were rejected by the great majority of the Egyptian Church. So there were two Churches in Egypt: one faithful to Chalcedon, with a patriarch in Alexandria, and one that was Monophysite, whose patriarch lived in the monastery of Saint Makarios, in the desert. The Arab invasion of 641 signaled the beginning of the Copts’ decline.

The Coptic Church in the Holy Land numbers a few dozen monks in Jerusalem.

THE SYRIAN CHURCH

In Antioch, as in Alexandria, the Council of Chalcedon provoked a rupture in the Christian community. The city of Edessa was, for the Syrian Monophysites, what the monasteries of the desert were for the Copts. Also called Jacobites, from the name of the bishop of Edessa, Jacob Baradi, the Syrians took root far away from the coasts of the Mediterranean. They were predominantly influenced by Byzantium, and integrated themselves within the new Arab-Islamic structures, assuming administrative responsibilities and contributing to the translation of Greek and Persian writings, which the Abbasid caliphs had promoted. Like the Nestorians of the Assyrian Church, the Syrians pushed deeply into Asia. They declined between the 13th and 15th centuries, under the pressure of the Mongol invasions.

There are about three hundred Syrians in the Holy Land, two hundred of whom live in Jerusalem.

THE ETHIOPIAN CHURCH

Although its formal autonomy from the Coptic Church is of fairly recent date (dating to a 1948 accord that led to the election of the first Ethiopian metropolitan in 1951), the roots of the Ethiopian Church are very ancient: Christianity became the state religion in 330 at the decision of Emperor Ezana. According to their tradition, the “nine saints” arrived in Ethiopia at the end of the 5th century, fleeing the territory of the Byzantine empire because of their opposition to the decisions of Chalcedon. Their influence led to a rapid spread of Christianity in Ethiopia, superimposed upon pre-existing Jewish elements like circumcision and certain dietary customs.

The faithful of the Ethiopian Church in the Holy Land total about a hundred persons, who are concentrated in Jerusalem.

THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

An initial attempt to reunite the Armenian Church with Rome took place at the time of the crusades, when the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia was an important ally for the Christian armies. After this, the preaching of the Dominicans led to the formation of Armenian-Catholic communities, to which Pope Benedict XIV assigned a patriarch in 1742. The patriarchal see has been located in Istanbul since 1829.

The Armenian (Uniate = under the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church) counts a few dozen families in the Holy Land – in Jerusalem, Beit Jala, Haifa, Nazareth, and Ramallah.

THE COPTIC CATHOLIC CHURCH

In the wake of the Franciscan presence in Egypt, the Capuchins founded a mission in Cairo in 1630, followed in 1675 by the Jesuits. The fruit of this preaching was the formation of "Roman" Catholic Coptic communities which have had their own patriarchate since 1824.

There are only a few religious left in the Holy Land to witness to the presence of the Coptic Catholic Church.

THE SYRIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Roman Catholic preaching in Syria during the 17th century led to the formation of communities in favor of union with Rome. The patriarchate was initially established in Aleppo, but after persecutions and massacres the Syrian (Roman Uniate) Catholic Church finally found refuge in Lebanon.

There are between two hundred and three hundred Syrian (Roman) Catholics in the Holy Land, dispersed in Jerusalem, Jaffa, Lod, Haifa, and Bethlehem.

THE ETHIOPIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

In 1622, Ethiopian emperor Susenyos, after allying himself with Portugal against the Turks, proclaimed Catholicism the state religion. But in 1636, a new sovereign expelled the Catholics and closed Ethiopia to missionary activity. Roman Catholic preaching was begun again at the end of the 19th century, and more substantially during the Italian occupation from 1935 to 1941. The Ethiopian (Roman Uniate) Catholic Church was established in 1961.

The Ethiopian (Roman) Catholics in the Holy Land are limited to a meager group of monks and religious.

(Apostle1.com's Editorial Commentary: When the above was sent to us we thought "Oh, Boy, we finally get a picture of the real appearance. But, after extensive research and examination, we find that the above article reflects primarily only those who are under the control of the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. This means they are "Uniates" which means that they give allegiance to the Roman Pope and do not in spirit follow and practice that which has been historically Orthodox in spirit and truth. This is the danger that has, for centuries enveloped the world as a result of the "Push" to overtake and dominate other, more true, Orthodox Catholic jurisdictions or churches by the Roman jurisdiction's continual political and forcible zeal that has caused many crusades, murders, lies and other things against the commandments of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles and the ancient Seven Oecumenical Councils. But, in this 21st Century, we have found that the material world holds more of a grasp on "people" which includes "clergy" who are supposed to be "Servants" to the people and to God without bending a knee or altering their faith as Orthodox Catholic Christians. But history continually repeats itself and Rome amasses dominance and control at the expense of the ancient faith with its own innovations and interpretations.)

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"Prejudice Makes Prisoners of the Hated and the Hater"

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While the answer and question above is not sufficient for some to understand, we take the view (which we believe is ORTHODOX) that all things pertinent to life and living affects, and has an effect, upon not just our belief (Orthodox), but (for many) the way in which we act in accordance with our belief, our very faith.

Because this is a highly Protestant Country in which we live, having an effect upon the laws of the land, we should know something of what is on-going and where efforts by those denominations may affect and have a intrinsic effect on our very laws, for such does have an effect upon our daily lives as Orthodox Catholic Christians.

If one is not cognizant of the real events happening both locally and in the world, although many are removed from the world... one will not know what to expect or what to do, or how one can or cannot act which might betray one's faith and accrue the wrath of civil authorities as laws change. Yet, we are also reminded that these things must happen and it was for that which there exists many early Christian Martyrs and Saints.

While we can remove ourselves from the world, we still live in it. And for the faithful, theirs is a struggle for knowledge and understanding. All things are pertinent to the Orthodox Catholic Christian Faith which is the very foundation of Christianity. As such, we can not abandon them and leave them blind to events and happenings.

What we post as related to those things similar to various articles which might have a political theme or non-Orthodox Catholic Christian content, of sorts, does not mean or imply that we are supportive of, or against something articulated in an article, so much as it is NEWS and our faithful should be made aware, for such may be the very thing that will impact their day-to-day life.

Remember, not all Protestants, especially hard core cultic groups such as "Charismatic" - "Evangelical" and other people are not so generous in their viciousness toward anyone and anything that appears "Catholic" whether of the Roman or Orthodox jurisdictions, for they do not know or want to learn that which makes them "different" in their walk and talk as being far from the roots of Christianity.

Remember, it is the Roman jurisdiction which has more outwardly shown that it can be one of the most vicious toward those who are not Roman but are very much "Catholic" - for the sun and moon does not rise and set on the Vatican (Latin or Roman) jurisdiction as to who is or is not "Catholic" for the Roman jurisdiction split (schismed) from the roots of "Catholicism" which is founded in what is termed and called today as "Orthodoxy".

Any good article or piece of information will be considered so long as it is not defamatory or slanderous toward an individual when not based on TRUTH or FACT, or which is altered out of context from its original publishing by recognized sources.

+Joseph Thaddeus (Stanford), OSB, SSJt., Ph.D.

“I prefer a defeat accompanied by humility to a victory accompanied by pride.”

--An Elder

A Curse or a Blessing? Depending on to whom it may...

There are unscrupulous people on the internet these days. Some of them are not who they claim to be and in order to disrupt honest spiritual pursuits, they are known to send out e-mail under someone else's name or the name of another church or jurisdiction with attachments. Anyone can do this, if they want. Some of them exist in Toledo, Ohio... Some in Texas... Others in Michigan, California and many other places... Some are "haters of truth" who follow (whether they are willing to admit it) those who have sway over less educated or ignorant people... as their are also those who do not even know what they are doing because they seek glory to satisfy their own vanity and selfish pride to take over a church or jurisdiction of another, or to wreck havoc over those whom they hate without considering the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ.

If you should ever receive an e-mail with an attachment purporting to be from anyone at "apostle1.com" - "apostle1.org" or even "apostle1.net" - - - know that our policy is to not send out e-mail from any of our domain names with an attachment. Therefore, don't open it! If you receive any e-mail from apostle1.com, apostle1.org or apostle1.net and have never before communicated with us... even if you have communicated with us... verify, verify and again, verify.

Unless we know exactly from whom an e-mail comes... nothing is clicked on or opened, not even attachments! You would be surprised from whom 'hate' e-mail arrives and what attempts and extremes they go to make their e-mails "look" official when it is a lone person or persons who hate TRUTH and love lies, hate anything from being posted that involves TRUTH because they may be affected with exposure to the LIVING TRUTH of Jesus Christ's Love.

Also: Hang Up Telephone Calls constantly get to you?

We get them all the time. But one thing we do that many are unaware of... We keep an automatic telephone log and then we turn them over to the same group who monitors and interacts with the hackers, etc.

It no longer matters if the caller calls once in a day, every other day or every day or several times a week, once a week for several months... All get logged, even those who think they have escaped notice by using the actual I.D. Caller number of "000-000-0000" which is being used of late.

It is known that a telephone number showing up may actually be a telephone service provider phone number, yet... they too keep logs and information as to each individual cellular or local (their locale) phone usage...

In the not-to-distant future, we intend to post some of those telephone numbers which constantly show up as "harassing hang-up" callers. May be, you too have the same? If so, may be we can assist in interacting to go further in bringing them to justice...

Contact us by E-Mail... provide us with your telephone number (U.S. residents only)... so that we may telephone you and assess the information.

Keep Watch!

Those who do such unscrupulous things, HATE some of the news, quotes, and such as to inform the general public. Some of them pose as clergy, while a few are actually clergy from various "other" offshoot AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH or other jurisdiction(s) of the same or similar name of which we are, in some instances, their former MOTHER CHURCH (as is the same named Toledo, Ohio based, an offshoot, who had once been a part of us and unknowingly to our unworthy selves, were once a part of the clergy but they did not obtain permission to leave the jurisdiction they were under, according to Canon, and thus obtained for themselves re-ordination and consecrations, several times... and then using a variety of church names, including our own after they were defrocked and excommunicated, having more than three (3) times being excommunicated by other legitimate apostles/bishops); having joined in and with "Independent" churches who have nothing to do with us or even true Orthodoxy.

They seek to go out of their way to character assassinate and disparage religious web sites who do not meet their own brand of standardization which is evidence of their being not "Orthodox" "Christian" or even "Catholic" no matter what their nomenclature corporate name may be. The Toldeo, Ohio based same name group under their so-called leader has been deposed, defrocked and excommunicated more than three different times by various bishops/apostles. He, and several others, have become just as bad as the modern day Ecumenists of the National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, the World Council of Bishops and more. Their ultimate aim and goal is destruction to those from whom they had either originated from or gone through to obtain the same named "church" they claim to hold to by the state's civil law in which they reside alone. They are not a "Schema-monk" or even a true "monk" for they were deposed and excommunicated for violations of the Holy Rule they claim to subscribe to, giving and openly providing false misleading and inaccurate information about other more honorable clergy. These 'wolves in sheep's clothing attract other nefarious and questionable persons whose aims are similar: for fame, image, power and glory.

Remember, anything that is a HALF TRUTH is not truth but a lie! Many there are that you may know who fit those descriptions... pray for them. Pray that God will send his Spirit of Truth upon them and lead them to Salvation through tears of Repentance, conversion of their cold and calculating hearts toward seeking forgiveness from God and those whom they attempt to harm.

Those who receive e-mail from us, know who we are and from where we send mail. There are also many who know that they can send e-mail under another group or person's e-mail address, which has been happening. If you receive e-mail that purports itself to be from us, verify first by hitting your "reply" button and ask, "I received this e-mail but would like verification if it is from you."

If you are of another jurisdiction, you too could find that your parishioners, clergy and faithful might become subject to the same as we have recently found.

Let this be a warning to visitors so as to be safeguarded against unscrupulous e-mails which contain viruses, worms and unsavory material from person(s) organizations or institutions that are more self-serving than uplifting and informatively news worthy.

For ourselves, we have, as in the past, so once again, acquired the assistance of those who are able and capable of tracing e-mails back to their source and taking appropriate action in North America.

We have learned that the organization we subscribe to, whose members come from various legal and law enforcement backgrounds amongst other areas of society, are committed to the faith even though they may hold different theologies. Yet, in their monitoring of electronic communications of various persons or people, they do not always make haste to bring perpetrators to justice until after enough evidence has been gained in order to build a solid case. We do not always know what information they have gained, but we do know the organization, whom we've been asked not to name, has had a 97% success rate in bringing to justice and obtaining a conviction against individuals, people, and sometimes even religious organizations of a persona that gives the appearance of both secular and religious bearing but who abuse and misuse technology. The organization views those who abuse and misuse the internet and other technologies as nothing more than a form of "domestic terrorism" - - - - and, it would seem to appear that the courts are in agreement!

Those kinds of people, organizations, etc. who misuse and abuse communication technologies are no different than those who attempt to use coercive measures, and in some instance, even blackmail for the same idea is involved... to cause havoc and wreckage, to destroy the spirit and activity of those who struggle in the faith out of pain of heart for the Orthodox Church which is TRUTH. The degree that some have been known to go to, as seen by other jurisdictions, is to take advantage of questionably mentally challenged or those who have a lack of education and understanding to get them to make statements, even outright lies, in writing, in order to destroy. Such persons or groups are spiritual terrorists for unholy and un-Orthodox causes, aims and goals.

Yes, our Metropolitan Archbishop, +Joseph Thaddeus, SSJt., Ph.D. strongly defends the Seals of the Confessional for such leads to true Repentance in thought, word and deed whereby the penitent is required to make amends, where possible, to seek forgiveness of those harmed by his actions whether real or imagined, and to give his forgiveness to those who have harmed him before taking the Holy Body and Blood in the Eucharist, Jesus the Christ. The reality of this understanding is bound up in and with the findings for which cause he, himself, had been character assassinated by his detractors who claim the courts prevented him from breaking the Seals of the Confessional which is not the truth at all.... Click here to see what another bishop's findings are...

The workings of Holy Spirit will not be daunted by those who attempt to cause disruption! It is for these and other reasons that you are urged to read what true repentance and forgiveness means for real "Christians".

"It would be better to have ten (10) true repentant X-felons who ask for and give true forgiveness than it would be to have one (1) non-x-felon or common person whose self-righteousness exceeds even the Pharisees, Sadducees, the gossip mongers, slanderers and un-repentant; for the repentant x-felon understands the true meaning of the Church's purpose as being the spiritual hospital." (siq) +Joseph Thaddeus, OSB, SSJt., Ph.D., Metropolitan Archbishop, Archabbot, Primate

Yes... "Prejudice Makes Prisoners of the Hated and the Hater..." (1992-Fr. Alan Stanford)

One can ask, "What part of 'Prejudice' and 'hate' do you not understand? Are you a complacent person? In light of the saying, examine yourself! You may be surprised if you are honest with yourself for your soul may convict you before Jesus Christ convicts you in the times to come!

"When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor."

St. Mark the Ascetic.

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit." Psalms 32:1-2

For further information about how spammers, hackers and those who are angry with you can or will attempt to do damage, we offer the following link as regards some of the computer - internet problems:

http://msn.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,116258,00.asp

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