Holy Fire has descended in Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Jerusalem, April 18, 2020

YouTube screenshot YouTube screenshot     

The Holy Fire has descended in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as seen on the live stream on the Facebook page of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem entered the church a little after 1:00 PM (6:00 AM Eastern), and after vesting and processing thrice around the Lord's Tomb, he entered the Tomb itself at 1:45 PM (6:45 AM).

The Holy Light descended at about 1:50 PM (6:50 AM Eastern), after only five minutes.

Normally, after the Fire’s descent the Patriarch passes the holy gift to the faithful, though the ceremoy was celebrated without parishioners and pilgrims this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The descent of the Fire was preceded by a complex ceremony: The doors of the Sepulchre were sealed by with a large wax seal as a sign that its inspection had finished, and in it was found nothing that would allow the Patriarch of Jerusalem to light the fire by any ordinary means.

Shortly before the arrival of Patriarch Theophilos, the seal was removed from the door of the edicule, and a large lampada and thirty-three candles were carried into the tomb. Then the Patriarch entered and began to wait. Those present continually prayed for the granting of the Fire until the time of its appearing.

The Holy Fire will be delivered to around the world to various Local Orthodox Churches.

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4/18/2020

Comments
Keith Cunningham4/19/2020 4:37 pm
Thank you very much for posting this! I did not know at exactly what time the liturgy of the descent of the Holy Fire would take place. The video from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was especially moving as our churches here in Berlin were closed due to the coronavirus. In the empty church, the sense of waiting and anticipation has a different feeling than when the church is full of worshippers, as in the video documentation made last year. The deep, solemn tolling of the bell underscored the sense of the sacred time between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. I have been in the Chapel of the Tomb once, in 2003, at the end of the Second Intifada, and at that time the Church of the Holy Sepulcre was also virtually empty. This video brought back the deep feeling that came over me at that time. Thanks to all who helped make this video available. The Lord is Risen!
Amelia Vasiliki Dres4/18/2020 10:14 pm
I wish I were there.Kali Anastasi.
Jagathish 4/18/2020 5:26 pm
The Risen Jesus Christ save the World
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