Every biographic dictionary has its own future.  One becomes interesting only for
 experts, another satisfies the pride of popularity-lovers and their admirers, while the
 third takes a place on shelves of libraries of intelligence services.  The purpose of 
 this book is quite different because it includes biographies of people who are con-
 cerned with God.  These people, according to poet Regina Derieva, “are called to 
 give continuous witness to Christ in order to help save others from conceit.  One
 saved from conceit becomes a man of God, than which there is no higher rank.”  In
 other words, this book includes biographies of real people of God who live in 
Jerusalem and work for the Church of this holy city. 
     The Church has existed in the Holy Land since the time of Jesus Christ.  There 
 have been times of persecution from outside and division within.  The Church has
 had power and has been externally weak, has been united and divided, has repre-
 sented the majority and a small minority.  At the same time, through all centuries 
 and under all circumstances, the Church has preached the Risen Lord through 
liturgy, hymns, sermons, prayers, and fellowship.  From the Church of Jerusalem, 
the Mother Church, the Gospel has spread towards all corners of the earth.  All
Christians, therefore, are related to the Church of Jerusalem.  Whatever Church 
tradition one is a member of, the Church of Jerusalem is the root of the family tree 
of his own Church.
     This book serves as guide to the Church of Jerusalem by highlighting the rich
 traditions everyone, as a Christian, is a part of.  Nowhere else in the world can one
 encounter his Christian heritage to such an extent as one can in Jerusalem.  In
 addition to visiting the holy sites, meeting with the Church in the Holy Land, that 
is, with the local Christians whose biographies are included in this book, gives an
 enriching perspective to a pilgrimage.
     Of course, this book cannot determine who are all the well-known people of the
 Jerusalem Church.  During the compiling of this book, some of those whose
 biographies are not included left Jerusalem on a mission.  Others have been just
 appointed to Jerusalem and were on their way here.  Still others refused to take part
 in this book, following either orders of canons or their own reasons.  At the same
 time, all of them are represented in this book, either visibly in pictures, or invisibly 
in their prayers and benedictions. 
 

This Web site also will try to be a "virtual visit"  to this most sacred Christian site of Jerusalem. A view of the Holy Sepulchre Order CDs with sound of the Holy Land produced by the Divine Art  & Alexander Deriev _ _