The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem

As every year on Orthodox Holy Saturday within the framework of the Orthodox Easter holidays, the Holy Fire descended in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre today, April 11. Given the overall security situation in the Middle East, it was not clear a few weeks and days ago whether the entire ceremony would take place.

What is it really about? The ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire has been known throughout the world since time immemorial. The first preserved written mention of the descent of the Holy Fire is known from 329 AD, but it is highly likely that the descent took place several centuries earlier. Some sources even say that for the first time this fire descended a year after Christ's crucifixion and resurrection to the first apostles and Christians in Jerusalem.

The procession or ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire takes place every year on Orthodox Holy Saturday, never at any other time. The ceremony itself does not last long, it is usually a process of over an hour. The Patriarch of Jerusalem (currently Theophilus III) enters the so-called Kuvulkia, that is, the part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where, according to ancient Christian tradition, Christ was buried.

After several minutes of prayers by the patriarch, the holy fire descends from heaven as a sign of Christ's resurrection and His victory over death. An extremely powerful and interesting peculiarity is that the Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the Kuvuklia only in his lower priestly clothing, before which he is thoroughly checked to ensure that he does not have anything with which he could light the fire himself.

The fire descends on its own, exactly at the site of Christ's tomb. This year, according to camera footage, the fire descended shortly after 1 p.m. (CET), approximately 4.30 minutes passed from the Patriarch of Jerusalem's entry into the empty tomb until the fire descended.

This fire does not burn after it has been extinguished and for this reason it is considered holy, i.e. a fire that was not lit by man but by God. All those present, as a sign of this miraculous fact, apply it to their faces, hair and other parts of their bodies as proof that the fire with its physical peculiarities will not harm them in any way.

This event is both a miracle and an indescribable experience for the entire Orthodox world. This ceremony also has its admiration and respect in other religious confessions, even among Muslims.

Subsequently, the fire is transported by air to several countries of the Orthodox world.

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WT.24

Photo WT.24 & Greece media