The Holy Fire descended in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Holy Saturday. The ceremony traditionally takes place at the place where, according to Christian belief, Jesus Christ was buried.
This was announced during the broadcast of the annual solemn ceremony.
Every year, the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire is held on the eve of Easter, and the ceremony itself takes place in the Kuvukliya (chapel) of the Holy Sepulcher.
During the ceremony, all candles and lamps inside the temple are extinguished. The entrance to the chapel is closed, and the doors are sealed with a special wax seal by the gatekeepers of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
After that, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, holding a pile of 33 candles in his hands for receiving the Holy Fire, goes around Kuvukliya three times with a special prayer. Then he enters the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher and says prayers at the Three-Day Bed of Christ the Savior. After five to ten minutes, the descent of the Holy Fire takes place.
This year, the descent of the Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem will be held in a virtually closed format. The decision was made by Israeli law enforcement officers, because due to the escalation in the Middle East there is a threat of shelling.
Usually, thousands of believers gather near the Holy Sepulcher to see this miracle with their own eyes. However, the current conditions do not allow for mass events, because the safety of people remains the main priority.
Only a limited number of people will be allowed into the temple: representatives of the clergy and official delegations. Access to the Old City will be controlled.
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