Heraclius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

The Patriarch Heraclius may perhaps have been the most corrupt and licentious priest ever to hold his see. Our reports of his character, however, reach us from his enemies. The great Western chronicler of the Crusades, William of Tyre, was for decades Heraclius’ opponent and rival. In 1180 William had (and had been) expected to be appointed Patriarch of Jerusalem. But the king of Jerusalem was swayed by his mother, said to be a mistress of Heraclius — who was duly appointed Patriarch. William himself was honorably reticent in the face of this reverse. His followers were less restrained. ‘Ernoul’ tells (with more indignation, it seems, than accuracy) how his hero William was excommunicated by the new patriarch, went into exile and died at the hands of Heraclius’ own doctor in Rome. William’s narrative was expanded and continued in Old French as L’Estoire d’ Eracles: its story starts with the Emperor Heraclius who recovered the True Cross in 628 — and includes a prophecy that the Cross, secured by one Heraclius, would be lost (as it was) by another.

Can anything redeem our Heraclius’ reputation? The whole story offered welcome ammunition to Henry II’s enemies. Gerald of Wales, bitterly opposed to the Angevins, sees here the turning-point in Henry’s reign: the king failed to rise to this one supreme test; from then on his own and his sons’ adventures faced ruin. Gerald’s Heraclius was certainly no coward. Henry II had a famously volcanic temper; it was a brave — or foolish — man who would confront him. The king summoned a Great Council at the Hospitallers’ House in Clerkenwell. (Heraclius consecrated their round church too.) Surrounded by his advisers, he gave Heraclius his answer: ‘for the good of his realm and the salvation of his own soul’ he declared that he must stay in England. He would provide money instead. Heraclius was unimpressed: ‘We seek a man even without money — but not money without a man.’ Virum appetimus qui pecunia indigeat, non pecuniam quae viro. (It is a dramatic moment. Gerald, though, inherited the topos from an old story with a quite different cast.)

The Patriarch confronted Henry, Gerald tells us, at Heraclius’ departure from Dover. Here is the king’s last chance. ‘Though all the men of my land,’ said the king, ‘were one body and spoke with one mouth, they would not dare speak to me as you have done.’ ‘Do by me,’ replied Heraclius, ‘as you did by that blessed man Thomas of Canterbury. I had rather be slain by you than by the Saracen, for you are worse than any Saracen.’

‘That blessed man Thomas of Canterbury’ had been killed in 1170. The penance of the four knights who killed him was to serve with the Templars for fourteen years. Henry himself promised to pay for two hundred Templar knights for a year; and in 1172 he undertook to take the Cross himself. Thirteen years had passed. Henry was growing old. Such a vow, undischarged, threatened his immortal soul — as both Heraclius and he knew well. Henry must tread carefully. ‘I may not leave my land, for my own sons will surely rise against me in my absence.’

‘No wonder,’ said Heraclius; ‘for from the devil they come and to the devil they shall go.’

What’s On In Summary

MonMay12	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
TueMay13	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
WedMay14	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Lunchtime Organ Recital: Charles Andrews More information on the Lunchtime Organ Recital Series Concert 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm Choral Evensong sung by the Bar Choral Society Organ prelude: Sonata no 5, movement 1 (Mendelssohn) Psalm: The Lord’s my shepherd (tune, Crimond) Canticles: (Wood in D) Anthem: Geistliches Lied (Brahms) Organ voluntary: Sonata no 5, movement 2 (Mendelssohn) This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm
ThuMay15	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Holy Communion This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm
FriMay16	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Talk: The story of the Temple Church from the Knights Templar to the present day Free as part of the entrance fee. Talk 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
SatMay17	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day
SunMay18	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day Holy Communion Please enter the Temple via Tudor Street This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 8:30 am– 9:00 am Choral Mattins Sung by the Temple Singers Responses: Radcliffe Psalm 16 Te Deum: (Stanford in B flat) Benedictus: chant by Havergal Anthem: Christus resurgens (Richauffort) This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
MonMay19	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
TueMay20	Church closed for sightseeing all –day SIMULCAST ECUMENICAL SERVICE OF PRAYERS FOR PEACE AND FOR UNITY AT THE 1,700th ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA (20 May 325) Also available live and thereafter on: www.templechurch.com His late Holiness Pope Francis sent a written message of support and welcome just a few days before his death. The message will be read out at the start of the service. *Presiding in London:* His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster The Rt Rev. Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem *Presiding in Jerusalem:* His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Theophilus III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Please turn over for further details Alongside leaders of Anglican, Armenian, Coptic, Greek, Methodist and Free Church, Pentecostal and Syriac Churches. The service will be in English, Greek, Latin, Aramaic and Church Slavonic. This ecumenical service marks the 1700^th anniversary of the opening day of the Council of Nicaea (20 May 325). At the Council 318 bishops agreed on the Nicene Creed, the foundational and irreplaceable statement of Christian faith which still unites Christians all over the world. The Son was declared to be homoousious – of the same substance – with the Father: the Son is not a creature, a lieutenant or in any way subordinate to His Father, but is God Himself. The service will bring together Christian leaders and communities for a profound moment of unity and prayer for peace, during this time of brokenness and conflict. We shall pray in particular for peace and safety for the Christian communities in Christ’s own native land. The Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land. The Round Church (1163, perhaps the first Gothic building built in England) was modelled on the circular church of the Holy Sepulchre / Anastasis (Resurrection) in Jerusalem, the site of Christ’s death, burial and rising. The Holy Sepulchre was commissioned by Emperor Constantine shortly after the Council of Nicaea. We are very grateful to the Temple Church Trust for making us so welcome, and to The Honourable Society of Inner Temple for kindly making its Bench Apartments available. The service is organised by Friends of the Holy Land and the Temple Church in London. You will be most welcome to join us for this most special event at the anniversary of an event that has ever since defined and united us all. Service 12:00 pm– 1:00 pm
WedMay21	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Lunchtime Organ Recital: Yarno Missiaen More information on the Lunchtime Organ Recital Series Concert 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm Choral Evensong Sung by the Temple Church Choir Organ prelude: Prelude in E flat (Harris) Introit: The Call (Richard Lloyd) Canticles: Stanford in C Anthem: A new song (Macmillan) Organ voluntary: Flourish for an occasion (Harris) This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm
ThuMay22	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Holy Communion This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm
FriMay23	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Talk: The story of the Temple Church from the Knights Templar to the present day Free as part of the entrance fee. Talk 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
SatMay24	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day
SunMay25	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day Holy Communion Please enter the Temple via Tudor Street This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 8:30 am– 9:00 am Choral Communion Sung by the Temple Singers Introit: Be ye followers of God (Thalben-Ball) Setting: Messa in Alamire (Lotti) Psalm 15 Anthem: Dextera Domini (Rheinberger) Organ voluntary: Dankpsalm (Reger) This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
MonMay26	Church closed for sightseeing all –day
TueMay27	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
WedMay28	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Lunchtime Organ Recital: Simon Bell More information on the Lunchtime Organ Recital Series Concert 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm Choral Evensong Sung by the Temple Singers Organ: Prelude in C BWV547 (Bach) Introit: Coelos ascendit hodie (Stanford) Respones: (Ayleward) Psalm 47 Canticles: Fifth service (Tomkins) Anthem: Ascendo ad Patrem (Scheidt) Organ voluntary: Fugue in C BWV547 (Bach) This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm
ThuMay29	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Holy Communion This service will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. Service 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm
FriMay30	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Talk: The story of the Temple Church from the Knights Templar to the present day Free as part of the entrance fee. Talk 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
SatMay31	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day
SunJun01	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day Holy Communion Service 8:30 am– 9:00 am Choral Mattins Service 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
MonJun02	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
TueJun03	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
WedJun04	Church closed for sightseeing all –day Choral Evensong Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm
ThuJun05	Church closed for sightseeing all –day Holy Communion Service 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm Choral Evensong Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm Compline by Candlelight Service 9:00 pm– 10:00 pm
FriJun06	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Talk: The story of the Temple Church from the Knights Templar to the present day Free as part of the entrance fee. Talk 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
SatJun07	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day
SunJun08	Church Closed for sightseeing all –day Holy Communion Service 8:30 am– 9:00 am Choral Communion Service 11:15 am– 12:15 pm
MonJun09	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
TueJun10	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm
WedJun11	Church open for sightseeing 10:00 am– 4:00 pm Lunchtime Organ Recital: Paolo Oreni This recital will be live-streamed on the Church's YouTube Channel. More information on the Lunchtime Organ Recital Series Concert 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm Choral Evensong Service 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm