Orthodox Christians with candles and cell phones in hand crowded into Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Saturday before Orthodox Easter Sunday, which this year is celebrated one week after Christianity in the West.
The devout waited for religious leaders to emerge with the "Holy Fire," which, as the video above shows, quickly spread throughout the church. The fire is then taken on planes to Greece and other Orthodox Christian communities around the world.
Saturday of Fire celebrations in streets of Bethlehem, #Palestine ahead of Easter pic.twitter.com/1vBAtn6f8h
— Alex Shams (@seyyedreza) April 11, 2015
According to AP, the ritual dates back at least 1,200 years, and is considered a miracle and a message to the faithful from heaven.
Christian Orthodox worshipers hold up candles lit from the 'Holy Fire' as thousands gather in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on April 11, 2015, during the Orthodox Easter ceremony of the 'Holy Fire.'
The 'Holy Fire' ceremony has been celebrated in the same way for 11 centuries, and is marked by the appearance of 'sacred fire' in the two cavities on either side of the Holy Sepulchre.
Christian Orthodox worshipers hold up candles lit from the 'Holy Fire' as thousands gather in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on April 11, 2015, during the Orthodox Easter ceremony of the 'Holy Fire.'
Christian Orthodox worshipers light candles from the 'Holy Fire' as thousands gather in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Upon being lit, the flame will now start a journey to Orthodox Christian nations around the globe. It will be flown to countries such as Greece and Russia on specially chartered planes.
The Orthodox Easter, which due to the use of the Gregorian calendar, comes a week later than when Easter is celebrated in the West. The religious festival is marked by worshipers eating Easter cakes, or kuliches, as well as exchanging painted eggs.
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