On Thursday 31 December 2021/ 13 January 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of Saint Melani.
On this feast, the whole Church and especially the Church of Jerusalem commemorates Saint Melani who was born from a noble family in Rome and when her husband and children died, she retreated to Egypt where she fed thousands of monks and Christians and protected the persecuted by the Arians Christians.
When they left for Palestine, she followed them and established a Nunnery, living in reverence until about the year 410.
The commemoration of Saint Melani was celebrated by the Patriarchate at the underground Chapel dedicated to her within the Holy Monastery of Megali Panagia, which was founded by Saint Elias, Patriarch of Jerusalem in AD 510 for the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and was later given to Saint Melani who became the Abbess of 90 nuns in it.
In honour of Saint Melani there was a night vigil at her chapel on Wednesday 30 December 2021/ 12 January 2022 by the Elder Dragoman Archimandrite Mattheos with the co-celebration of the ministering Priest of the Monastery, Archimandrite Makarios and Hierodeacon Dositheos. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon with the help of the Nuns of the Monastery.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Abbess of the Monastery and renovator of the main Church, Reverend Nun Melani hosted a reception for the congregation.
