Thousands of faithful are in Jerusalem for Holy Week to attend the Easter service. Speaking of the Week of Passions, he also refered to Greek suffering at the time of the economic crisis. “The passions are not just those of the Greek nation but of the whole of humanity,” he said, noting that the Greek nation is being tried because it is made up of the people of Jesus Christ and is “a nation of special significance to the Lord.”
Asked about his views on the Islamic State, Patriarch Theophilos said that he is not afraid, stating that we are living in times when humanity has placed “the Devil in the place of God, darkness in the place of light, and money in the place of Christ’s freedom. Why should we be surprised by what is happening?”He stressed his satisfaction on the stand of the Greek stand concerning the Patriarchate, especially keeping religion on the school curriculum. “We are happy with this development because a person without God is a person without hope,” he said.