Archbishop Nathaniel expressed readiness for cooperation, and the patriarch expressed a desire to help resolve the dispute over “Der Sultan”
On September 15, 2025, the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III received the new Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem – His Eminence Nathaniel – at the patriarchal residence, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem reported.
The Archbishop expressed his respect for the head of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and expressed readiness for close cooperation. For his part, Patriarch Theophilus III, in the presence of the brothers of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, welcomed him with the words: “You are welcome” and emphasized the Patriarchate’s readiness to assist in strengthening relations with the Ethiopian Church.
He also expressed his desire, to the extent possible, to contribute to the resolution of the long-standing dispute between the Ethiopian and Coptic Orthodox Churches over the Der Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem. The Der Sultan Monastery is located in Jerusalem, next to the Church of the Resurrection. It has been the subject of a long-standing dispute between the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. The Copts consider the monastery their historical property, while the Ethiopians have lived there for centuries and insist on the right to use it. The conflict has periodically escalated, and a final solution has not been found, with the Der Sultan dispute being a symbol of the broader tensions between the two churches.
On the same day, Patriarch Theophilos III received other guests: a group of 30 pilgrims from Serbia, the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr. Dimitrios Angelopoulos, a delegation from Montenegro, led by Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica and the President of the Jewish Community in the country, Ms. Nina Ofner Bokan, as well as the new Consul General of Belgium in Jerusalem, Ms. Anik van Kalster.
Photo: Jerusalem Patriarchate
