THE TECHNICAL BUREAU OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

The Technical Office of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem was founded by the imperial architects of Constantine the Great and his mother Helen, in order to   safeguard, preserve and protect the Holy shrines in the Holy Land. The establishment of the Bureau coincided with the construction of the Temple of Resurrection in Jerusalem.

Simultaneously with the foundation of the Church of Resurrection (326-335 AC) the Patriarchate was built in the northern wing of the Rotunda, where it formed the “division of the essentials”, nowadays known as “agiotafiki fraternity”.  Until 451 AC Jerusalem was a Christian bishopric, but it was recognized as a patriarchate by the Council of Chalcedon: the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate, autocephalous or ecclesiastically independent,  fourth in honorific seniority after the churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch.

Since the beginning of Muslim rule in the 7th century, the Patriarchate has been the main custodian of the Christian holy places in Jerusalem. The headquarters of the Patriarchate have remained within the limits of the old city of Jerusalem at all times with the exception of the period of the Ottoman domination when the Patriarchate was relocated to Istanbul. The relocation of the Patriarchate to the metochia of “Panagios Tafos” in the Fanar area was necessary because the Patriarchate was notified immediately about and processed more effectively the decisions of the Turkish government. 

The headquarters of the Patriarchate returned to Jerusalem in 1845, when Cyril II was the patriarch.  Patriarch Cyril II constructed a new building for the patriarchate, which was connected to the monastery of the agiotafiki fraternity. The head offices of the patriarchate have remained in this place till today. The patriarchate holds an essential position among the Orthodox patriarchates because of its proximity to the Church of Resurrection. The Technical Office supports actively the continuous building activities, development plans and maintenance needs of the Patriarchate properties in the Holy Places.  More recently, an international agreement together with the Status Quo regulation have established a common technical bureau to carry out various projects that concern all the Christian religious communities (the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate and the Latin Patriarchate) in the Holy Places.  Nowadays, the director of the technical office of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, who is holding a Greek nationality, is also the director of the common technical bureau.

Address: P.O. Box 20689, Jerusalem, Israel
Tel: +972 2 244 8863, +972 2 0522 631623 (mobile)
Fax: +972 2 626 0830
Email: teocad@netvision.net.il