The Holy Fire ceremony took place in Jerusalem in an atmosphere of intense emotion, as worshippers waited eagerly to light their candles. When the eternal flame illuminated the church, bells rang out in joyful celebration and the fervor of the faithful was beyond description.

The doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem were opened on Saturday morning, marking the start of preparations for the Holy Fire ceremony.

According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, the church’s key custodian, Adeeb Joudeh al-Husseini, accompanied by Wajeeh Nusseibeh, approached the entrance carrying the historic key. Nusseibeh climbed a ladder and unlocked the heavy wooden door, allowing the first worshippers to enter.

The Holy Fire ceremony, which symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is regarded as a miracle by the faithful in the Eastern Christian Orthodox Church, attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims from around the world each year. According to tradition, at 2:00 p.m. local time, a ray of light enters through the church’s dome and ignites a lamp inside the tomb of Christ. The ritual takes place inside the church, around the Edicule, which houses the site believed to be Jesus’ tomb.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in the heart of the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, in East Jerusalem.

Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Loverdos traveled to Jerusalem to attend the Holy Fire lighting ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The minister is set to receive the Holy Light from Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, with whom he will also hold a meeting.

The Holy Light is expected to arrive at Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos after 18:30 local time, before being distributed across Greece.