TURBULENT PRIESTS.
THE PATRIARCH AND THE POLITICIANS
The Eastern Orthodox Church is one of the biggest landowners in Israel and the West Bank. It owns thousands of acres in highly sensitive locations. For example, the land under the Israeli parliament the Knesset, the land that the Israeli President’s residence stands on, swathes of the Galilee and parts of disputed East Jerusalem.
Two years ago Irineos I, the 140th Patriarch of Jerusalem, holding the most important Christian position in the Holy Land, was voted out by the Holy Synod after allegations of selling off Church land to overseas investors in a deal brokered by a right wing settler organization – part of the rabbinical movement Ateret Cohanim.
His Beatitude Theophilos III is the Church’s official successor to Irineos. He’s been sanctioned by both Palestinian and Jordanian governments, but still awaits approval from the Israeli government. The Israelis are reluctant because they not only want to guarantee that the land sold by his predecessor can remain in Israeli hands, but also have demanded first refusal on all future land rental or sales and a full list of the Patriarch’s possessions. Until he complies they have locked up his land registry and finance department. He can’t access his cash, or collect his post.
Theophilos III has the support of the majority of the brotherhood, but a renegade few, with the Israeli police, are protecting Irineos 1 who refuses to leave his apartment in the Patriarchate – the official seat of the Church’s business in the Christian quarter of the OldCity, where Theophilos also carries out his daily business.
Meanwhile the Palestinians who have run businesses out of the disputed church lands in the Old City wait to see if Theophilos can save their livelihoods, and rumours abound about previous land scandals, monies siphoned off to buy personal property in Greece and other scandals that so far have gone unchecked. There are over a dozen court cases pending in Jerusalem district courts.
Theophilos III has the ear of the American and Greek governments who understand the role of the church in stopping church lands becoming another thorn in the side of the peace process. He also believes he has God and time on his side.
“Governments good and bad come and go…we come and go…but the Patriarchate is still here” .His own spiritual empire stretches throughout the Arabian peninsula and the Mediterranean.
Can this 1,700 year old institution the seat of the Eastern Orthodox faith maintain its grand stature here in the Holyland? And what does the coming year hold in store for Theophilos III, the monks and the property men?
This page was last updated on May 14, 2012 .
For any question regarding our documentary films,
please email us
or call +972-3-6168611
from the US: 1-917-338-6188
