Orthodox Christians mark 'Holy Fire' Easter ceremony in JerusalemPrev TopicNext Topic

• eddessaknight

  

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  Apr 27, 2019, 2:17 pm

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  Orthodox Christians mark 'Holy Fire' Easter ceremony in Jerusalem

  

  Christian Orthodox worshippers hold up candles lit from the Holy Fireas they gathered in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City on the eve of Orthodox Easter Jerusalem (

   Huge crowds of pilgrims on Saturday marked the "Holy Fire" ceremony at Christianity's holiest site in Jerusalem's Old City on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

  Some 10,000 believers holding candles squeezed into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

  Thousands more crammed the square outside and surrounding streets to receive the flame, representing the resurrection of Christ, which passed from candle to candle and will be taken back to Orthodox churches worldwide.

  The ceremony at the church -- built on the site where according to Christian tradition Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected -- is the holiest event for Orthodox Christianity.

  The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the rest of the Old City lies in east Jerusalem, occupied and later annexed by Israel following the Six-Day War of 1967.

  The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations share custody of the church.

  Christians made up more than 18 percent of the population of the Holy Land when Israel was founded in 1948, but now form less than two percent, mostly Orthodox.

  He is Risen, indeed he IS...alleluia !
• eddessaknight

  

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  Apr 28, 2019, 7:19 pm

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  Description & Significance  from within the Orthodox faith

   

  Holy Fire in 2019

   

  Orthodox tradition holds that Easter is the principle Hold day celebrated according to the Julian Calendar used by the Eastern  OrthodoxChurch, rather than on the date used in Catholic, Protestant, ...

   

   the Holy Fire happens annually on the day preceding Orthodox Pascha (Orthodox  Easter), in which a blue light emanates within Jesus Christ's tomb (usually rising from the marble slab covering the stone bed believed to be that upon which Jesus' body was placed for burial) now in the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which eventually forms a column containing a form of fire, from which candles are lit, which are then used to light the candles of the clergy and pilgrims in attendance. The fire is also said to spontaneously light other lamps and candles around the church. Pilgrims and clergy claim that the Holy Fire does not burn them.

   

  While the Patriarch is inside the chapel kneeling in front of the stone, there is darkness but far from silence outside. One hears a rather loud mumbling, and the atmosphere is very tense. When the Patriarch comes out with the two candles lit and shining brightly in the darkness, a roar of glorious jubilation resounds in the Church.

   

  Thousands of pilgrims as well as local Christians of all denominations gather in Jerusalem to witness and share this annual joyful event by partaking via sharing in the Patriarch's Holy Light that lights others lights without diminishing it's own. The Holy Fire is taken to certain  Orthodox countries, such as  Greece  Bulgaria,and Romania by special flights, being received by church and state leaders.
• eddessaknight

  

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  Apr 28, 2019, 7:56 pm

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  In response to eddessaknight

  Quote: Originally posted by eddessaknight on Apr 28, 2019

  Description & Significance  from within the Orthodox faith

   

  Holy Fire in 2019

   

  Orthodox tradition holds that Easter is the principle Hold day celebrated according to the Julian Calendar used by the Eastern  OrthodoxChurch, rather than on the date used in Catholic, Protestant, ...

   

   the Holy Fire happens annually on the day preceding Orthodox Pascha (Orthodox  Easter), in which a blue light emanates within Jesus Christ's tomb (usually rising from the marble slab covering the stone bed believed to be that upon which Jesus' body was placed for burial) now in the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which eventually forms a column containing a form of fire, from which candles are lit, which are then used to light the candles of the clergy and pilgrims in attendance. The fire is also said to spontaneously light other lamps and candles around the church. Pilgrims and clergy claim that the Holy Fire does not burn them.

   

  While the Patriarch is inside the chapel kneeling in front of the stone, there is darkness but far from silence outside. One hears a rather loud mumbling, and the atmosphere is very tense. When the Patriarch comes out with the two candles lit and shining brightly in the darkness, a roar of glorious jubilation resounds in the Church.

   

  Thousands of pilgrims as well as local Christians of all denominations gather in Jerusalem to witness and share this annual joyful event by partaking via sharing in the Patriarch's Holy Light that lights others lights without diminishing it's own. The Holy Fire is taken to certain  Orthodox countries, such as  Greece  Bulgaria,and Romania by special flights, being received by church and state leaders.

  Romanian Villagers Light Graveyard Errie Fires in Easter Ritual

  April 25, 201

   

  COPACIU, Romania — Orthodox Christians in a southern Romanian village lit fires and candles at the gravesites of friends and relatives, part of a centuries-old Easter ritual. Fire Light comes from the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

  The fires burning Thursday before dawn in the village of Copaciu are believed to guide the souls of the dead during the night — or keep snakes, symbolizing evil — away from the graves.

  The mostly elderly ladies taking part in the rituals, repeated across southern Romania, also burned incense and exchanged small bags of food.

  The 78-year-old Elisabeta Marinescu recounted the tradition of walking behind funeral processions while sprinkling sand along the trails of the cemetery.

   

  Marinescu said that, according to local customs, werewolves would be distracted gathering the grains of sand and wouldn't have time to follow and take away the dead person's relatives.