The procession of the Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God down to Gethsemane

On Sunday, August 12/25, 2024, the Procession of the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos marched from the Metochion of Gethsemane, located in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre down to the Theotokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane.

This reverent majestic ceremony began early in the morning after the Night Vigil in the holy chapel of the Dormition in Metochion, which was led by Archimandrite Philoumenos.

The Hegoumen of Gethsemane, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis carried the icon of the Dormition, surrounded by the Holy Sepulchre Fathers, the representatives of Saint James Cathedral parish, the Hierodeacons Eulogios and Dositheos and a large crowd of faithful Christians. The procession was led by two rows of monks and nuns from many Orthodox countries, under the chanting of the Dormition hymns by a Byzantine choir led by Hierodeacon Simeon.

The Procession of the Holy Icon marched through Via Dolorosa, with short stops for supplications in front of the monastery of Saint Alexander Nevsky, the Monastery of Saint Charalambous, the Praetorium, the Holy Monastery of Joachim and Anna and the Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen.

The holy and touching Procession concluded inside the Church of the Dormition in Gethsemane, a supplication was held before the Theotokos’ Tomb and the Hegoumen of the Shrine His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenopolis, and Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos placed the icon on the Epitaph for veneration, until the day of the Service of the Lamentations on August 14th, the eve of the Feast of the Dormition.

The Procession was sealed by the Divine Liturgy at the Tomb of the Mother of God.

From the General Secretariat

Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem