Benedict I of Jerusalem

Patriarch Benedict of Jerusalem (secular name Vasileos Papadopoulos, Βασίλειος Παπαδόπουλος) was the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem from 1957 to 1980.

Benedict was born in 1892. He was elected patriarch on January 29, 1957, succeeding Timotheos who had died over a year earlier. With his election the Jordanian government approved a law establishing new regulations concerning relations between the Confraternity of the Holy Sepulchre (Brotherhood of the Sepulchre - Hagiotaphites Brotherhood) and the indigenous Arab community of the Orthodox Church. The rules gave the Arab laity a role in the financial affairs of the Patriarchate, and required that the candidates for the offices of the patriarchate be citizens of Jordan, but the changes were discontinued after negotiation between the patriarchate and the Jordanians. «Αδελφοποίησις»

Following his election, Benedict actively pursued a rehabilitation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Starting in 1961, the structure was completely rehabilitated, including repair of the foundations, and cisterns, and restoration of the interior and exterior walls. Thousand of stones were replaced including removal of old and injection of new mortar. Columns were replaced and new capitals added where needed. However, on December 11, 1980, as the rotunda dome was finished, further restoration of the church came to a halt with the death of Benedict. Patriarch Benedict I is a Mason, a member of lodge «Αδελφοποίησις»^[1]

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