Source: Orthodox Christianity
[JERUSALEM – July 9, 2019] The former patriarch of Jerusalem, Irenaios (Skopelitis), was hospitalized in Jerusalem last week after suffering a pulmonary edema and cardiac arrhythmia, reports Romfea.
According to the article from July 3, doctors are optimistic, despite the fact that the health situation of the former patriarch, who turned 80 this year, is quite complicated. There has not been any update yet on his condition.
He also underwent a successful hernia operation in November 2015. A fire broke out at his apartment in the Jerusalem Patriarchate last July, and the sick Irenaios struggled to shout for help as he was stuck on his balcony. Local residents, however, noticed the smoke within a few minutes and rushed to help the former primate.
Pat. Irenaios was removed from office in 2005 amidst charges of dubious real estate transactions. He took up residence in the patriarchate from February 16, 2008, leaving for the first time in November 2015.
His successor, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos visited him in the hospital following his hernia operation. On March 22, 2016, he attended a reception to congratulate Pat. Theophilos on his name’s day, and on March 22, 2017, he was visited for the first time by Patriarch Bartholomew who was in Jerusalem for the reopening of the renovated Holy Sepulcher.