The Holy Fire was successfully lit at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Orthodox Holy Saturday, maintaining the centuries-old Orthodox Easter tradition.
The sacred flame will soon be bound to travel to Greece, Cyprus, and many other predominantly-Orthodox Christian nations under tight security, bringing the message of the Resurrection following weeks of severe instability and brutal wars across the Middle East.
This year’s ceremony saw reduced attendance at the church with approximately 2,700-3,000 people, as Israeli authorities tried to tighten security measures. Authorities enforced heavy security protocols throughout the area. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave final clearance for the ceremony to proceed only after Iran ceased its recent missile launches, deeming the city secure enough for limited public access.
The halt in hostilities allowed Jerusalem’s holy sites to reopen to the faithful a few days ago, ending a long lockdown. Pilgrims immediately returned to the stone streets of the Old City, gathering to pray for lasting peace in the Middle East.
The process of lighting the Holy Fire
During this ceremony, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch enters the chapel of Jesus’ tomb without any incendiary devices and begins to pray over the marble burial slab. According to tradition, a blue light is emitted from the stone and miraculously ignites the Patriarch’s candles with the Holy Fire of the Resurrection. This flame is then shared among the believers, spreading quickly from candle to candle to the crowds waiting both within and outside the church.
The Greek delegation that carried the Holy Fire to Greece returned to Athens on a state aircraft at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport around 7:30 pm local time. Upon arrival in Athens, it will go to the Exarchate of the Holy Sepulchre in Plaka first.
Once the aircraft lands, a coordinated distribution network will launch to ensure the Holy Fire reaches Greek parishes in time for the midnight Anastasis (Resurrection) services. AEGEAN and Olympic Air have deployed scheduled and extraordinary flights to transport the flame to at least eleven destinations across Greece and Cyprus.
Related: Holy Fire in Jerusalem: A Miracle or a Scam?
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