HOLY LAND: August 5, 2011
Gethsemane Convent Commemorates St Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles

As reported by the official website of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, on August 4, 2011, Gethsemane Convent held its feast-day celebrations of St Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles. All-night vigil and Divine Liturgy and the monastery were led by His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain. He was joined by Hieromonk Alexy (Eliseev), Rector of Holy Fathers Church in Hebron and priests from Russia and Ukraine who were here on a pilgrimage.

After the divine services, in accordance with tradition, the nuns of Gethsemane Convent gave the pilgrims red Paschal eggs in memory of the miracle which occured as St Mary preached of the Bright Resurrection of Christ before the Roman Emperor Tiberius.