The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is delighted to announce that His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III participated -as a guest- today at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Patriarch Theophilos was the only Orthodox head of church at the ceremony. The oil used in the coronation ceremony was consecrated by His Beatitude and then by His Grace the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, further cementing the historic ties between the Coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land.
The anointing oil utilized to anoint the King and Queen is derived from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, specifically two groves at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, which also houses the burial place of the King’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, as well as from the Monastery of the Ascension.
For centuries, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this hallowed city of Jerusalem, from ancient kings to the present day.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is honoured to have played a pivotal role in this historic moment, which marks the first coronation of a British monarch in the 21st century. The ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey in London, which has hosted coronations for over 900 years, since the coronation of William the Conqueror on 25 December 1066.
His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III expressed “we are deeply honoured to have contributed to this historic event and to have had the privilege of contributing to the anointing of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The use of oil from Jerusalem is a powerful symbol of the historic ties between Britain and the Holy Land, and we hope that this ceremony will serve to strengthen those ties for generations to come.”
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends its warmest wishes to King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a long and prosperous reign. We offer our prayers and blessings to both of them on this momentous day.
By en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info
