Holy Fire ceremony unfolds without pilgrims in Jerusalem

15:03, 18.04.2020

The Holy Fire ceremony was held without pilgrims in Jerusalem due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Holy Fire descended at 14:51 Tbilisi time.

Usually, thousands of Orthodox Christians gather at East Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

Worshippers pray and light torches and candles from a flame they believe to be miraculously ignited in Jesus’ tomb in the Aedicula of the church.

Following the Holy Fire cermony, the flame is taken by plane to other Orthodox communities in countries such as Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the holy fire will be brought by a special flight, which will also bring Georgian citizens from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi today.

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