With grandeur, the Ceremony of the Holy Fire Lighting took place at the Holy Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, and it was given to the faithful.

The official ceremony began at 14:15, after the sealing of the Holy Sepulchre was broken. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos, entered the tomb and emerged holding the 33 candles, passing on the Holy Fire to the pilgrims present for the “Come, receive the Light,” as bells rang and the faithful cheered.

Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Loverdos was in Jerusalem for the ceremony, in order to bring the Holy Fire back to Greece.

Inspection of the Holy Sepulchre

Before the ceremony, the Israeli police and representatives of other denominations carry out thorough inspections to ensure that nothing is inside. The entrance is sealed with wax, upon which the representatives of the denominations place their official seal.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem then takes his position at the Holy Altar of the Church’s Katholikon a short while later. Representatives of the Armenians, Copts, and Arabs also arrive, requesting the Patriarch’s permission to receive the Holy Fire.

The Six Stages of the Holy Fire Ceremony

The ceremony consists of the following six stages:

Sealing the door of the Holy Edicule with soft wax and affixing the seals by the church doorkeeper, as a remembrance. Unsealing the door, and the entry and placement of the lamp inside the Holy Sepulchre by the Sacristan and Abbot of the Church of the Resurrection. Procession of the Patriarch and high-ranking clergy, circling the Holy Edicule three times. Entry of the Patriarch and an Armenian priest into the Holy Sepulchre. (In recent years, a representative of the Israeli police also enters.) Prayer by the Patriarch for the sanctification of the Holy Fire, followed by its reception. Exit of the Patriarch and distribution of the Holy Fire to the faithful.

Arrival in Greece at 19:00 in the Evening

According to an announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Holy Fire is expected to arrive at Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” around 19:00 in the evening. It will then be distributed throughout the entire Greek territory.

Heading the Greek delegation is Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos. Accompanying him to Jerusalem were ND MP Maximos Charakopoulos, representing the Hellenic Parliament and head of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, His Eminence Metropolitan David of Grevena, and the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre, Father Ieronymos.