Tel Aviv [Israel], April 21 : Thousands of Christians gathered at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for the centuries-old Holy Fire ceremony, as reported by Al Jazeera.
According to tradition, worshippers held unlit candles as they packed into the 12th-century basilica, built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried.
The ceremony began in near-total darkness, with the Greek patriarch entering the Holy Edicule and emerging with two lit candles. The flame was then passed from one candle to the next, filling the rotunda with a warm glow of light, Al Jazeera reported.
The flame was later transferred to Orthodox communities in other countries on special flights.
The ceremony, which dates back over 1,200 years, is believed by Eastern Orthodox Christians to be a miraculous event.
Eastern Orthodox Christians believe the light miraculously appears inside the Holy Edicule, built on the traditional site of Jesus's tomb, while sceptics going back to the Middle Ages have dismissed it as a carnival trick for the masses. Either way, the ceremony, which goes back at least 1,200 years, is a sight to behold. It has also ignited safety concerns.
According to Al Jazeera, a tragic incident occurred in 1834 during the Holy Fire ceremony, when a stampede in the crowded church resulted in the deaths of around 400 pilgrims, mostly due to suffocation or trampling.
The ruler at the time narrowly escaped with his life.
In recent years, Israeli authorities have limited the number of participants in the ceremony, citing safety concerns. However, church leaders have protested this move, accusing the authorities of disrupting the long-standing arrangements governing Jerusalem's holy sites, known as the status quo.
On Saturday, there was a heavy military presence as thousands of worshippers passed through Israeli checkpoints to enter.
Some worshippers lamented that the turnout lacked numbers this year because of Israel's 18-month war on Gaza. "The number of police is higher than the number of pilgrims," said Adeeb Joude, key holder for the Holy Sepulchre.
Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City with major sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, in the 1967 Middle East War, and annexed it in a move not recognised internationally. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state.
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