Holy Fire ceremony held in Jerusalem — video
This year’s annual Holy Fire ceremony, which precedes
Orthodox Easter, took place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on
April 19.
The ceremony began at 10:15 a.m. Jerusalem time, which
matches Kyiv time. The procession, led by the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch of
Jerusalem, made a single circuit around the Aedicule — the central altar of the
Church — before continuing to the Armenian Side Altar.
Several YouTube channels streamed the event live from
Jerusalem.
At 11:00 a.m., the tomb was ceremonially sealed.
Around 12:20 p.m., a clergy member from the Greek
Patriarchate was scheduled to bring a closed lantern into the Holy Sepulchre.
At 12:30 p.m., the Greek Orthodox clergy began their
cross-bearing procession. The participants circle the Aedicule three times.
Afterward, the Greek Patriarch undresses in front of the structure, assisted by
fellow clergy.
At 12:55 p.m., the Greek Patriarch and an archimandrite
entered the Aedicule to light candles from the Holy Fire, then passed the flame
on to the faithful.
By 2:30 p.m., the Patriarch emerged with the fire and
presented it to the gathered worshippers.
In most Orthodox churches, the Holy Fire ceremony is referred
to as the Holy Light. It symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the
light of the angel who first announced it.
Archbishop Yevstratii Zoria of the Orthodox Church of
Ukraine said back in 2021 that the ceremony’s meaning lies in the manifestation
of holy, blessed light — not the fire itself, which is merely a carrier of that
light. “Just like holy water blessed on Epiphany is still natural water, not
something that appeared miraculously,” he said.
“We venerate the Holy Light as a visible sign of blessing
from the Lord’s Tomb. But it is absolutely clear that the essence and meaning
of Easter cannot and should not center on the transportation and distribution
of the Holy Light. Even more disturbing is the attempt to link this light to
claims about the presence or absence of God’s grace in the Church — as if
Orthodoxy were a religion of fire worshippers. The custom of bringing the Holy
Light home on Easter night is relatively new; it only became possible with the
advent of air travel. In ancient times, no such custom existed, although some
medieval pilgrims did return months after Easter with the Holy Light,” Zoria
added, noting that during a pandemic there’s no need to “spend outrageous
amounts of money” on charter flights just to bring the flame a few hours
earlier.
Meanwhile, the claim that the Holy Fire is lit by clergy has been substantiated by Dimitris Alikakos, editor-in-chief of the investigative outlet Ellinika Hoaxes. After publishing a book detailing his findings, he was accused of slander by the Jerusalem clergy, but later acquitted by a court in Athens. Alikakos also released a video of a conversation with Bishop Isidoros, in which the bishop confirmed he personally lights the Holy Fire during the ceremony.
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