Timotheus I | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine | |
 Timotheus I in the 1940s | |
| Church | Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem |
| See | Jerusalem |
| Installed | 1935 |
| Term ended | 1955 |
| Predecessor | Damian I |
| Successor | Benedict I |
| Previous post | Archbishop of Jordan (1917-1935) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timotheos Themelis 1878 |
| Died | December 31, 1955(1955-12-31) (aged 77) |
| Alma mater | School of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem Oxford University |
Timotheos Themelis (1878–1955) was a clergyman who served as Archbishop of Jordan and later Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem.[1][2][3]
Born in Samos, Greece in 1878, Themelis was a graduate of the School of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and studied at Oxford University for four years. In 1931 he founded the theological quarterly New Zion. In 1947 he was appointed Knight of the British Empire for "his services in bringing the Christian communities of the Holy Land into closer cooperation." He was also an author, writing fifteen volumes on "theological subjects."[4]
As Patriarch Timotheus I of Jerusalem (r. 1935–1955), he expressed willingness to sell the Church’s lands in Caesarea to the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PICA), on the condition that his election be confirmed by the British Mandatory authorities. Historians note that while this willingness coincided with his confirmation process, broader political considerations and inter-Orthodox rivalries were the decisive factors in his recognition rather than the specific land negotiations.[5]
References
- ^ "Election of H.B. Timotheos Themelis - former Archbishop of Jordan - as Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem; on a Greek Orthodox Synod held in Jerusalem - Open Jerusalem".
- ^ "Patriarch of Jerusalem. (Hansard, 2 March 1938)".
- ^ Jerusalem Patriarchate website, Apostolic Succession section
- ^ "Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Timotheus Themelis, Dies in Holy Land". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-12-31.
- ^ Sasson, Avi; Marom, Roy; Kharanbeh, Saleh (2025). "Bayyarat al-Khuri: An Ecclesiastical Agricultural Estate in Caesarea, Israel." Palestine Exploration Quarterly. doi:10.1080/00310328.2025.2515756.
 | This article about a Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
 | This biographical article about a Greek religious figure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
