A touching moment of goodwill and faith unfolded this month at one of Christianity’s holiest sites, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. A special icon gift from the St George Greek Orthodox Church in Rose Bay, Sydney was presented to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by Federal Liberal candidate for Wentworth, Ro Knox.
The icon, which depicted the Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, was given to Ms Knox by Father Gerasimos Koutsouras, parish priest at St George Rose Bay. She was asked to deliver it to the Jerusalem church during her recent visit.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in 326 CE by Emperor Constantine the Great, marks the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The Greek Orthodox section of the church, situated at the 12th station of the cross, is particularly significant to Orthodox Christians.
The small chapel inside is shared by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian communities. The chapel also houses the Angel’s Stone, believed to have sealed Jesus’ tomb, making the site a profound symbol of Christian faith.
In a post on Instagram, Ms Ro said that despite the absence of large crowds due to current travel restrictions to Israel, her visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was deeply moving.
“It is impossible not to feel awed by the significance and history of the site to all Christians,” she wrote.
Ms Ro added that the priest at the Holy Sepulchre expressed heartfelt gratitude for the special gift, and offered blessings to the Greek community in Wentworth as they approached the holiday season.
While the handover of the gift was not filmed out of respect for the sacredness of the location, the exchange was a powerful reminder of the bond between the Greek Orthodox Church and the faithful abroad.
