Thousands of Christians have gathered in Jerusalem to light torches and candles from a holy flame that ‘miraculously’ emerged from the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the eve of Orthodox Easter. The Holy Fire ignites, apparently of its own accord, from the tomb of Jesus Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
It has been descending on the church for more than 1,500 years. It is believed that the year in which it doesn’t light will be the last year in the history of man. The Holy fire descends on Jerusalem during a prayer by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine, who then passes the flame to pilgrims.
The pilgrims light 33 candles –that have all been tied together – from the fire to symbolize every year of Christ’s life. The Holy fire doesn’t burn during the first moments after its appearance, pilgrims wash their faces and heads in it, apparently suffering no injury. A delegation from the St. Andrews foundation will be taking the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Moscow and dozens of Russian cities – from Sevastopol to Yakutsk, in addition to other Orthodox churches abroad, including Rome and Tallinn.
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