JERUSALEM, Saturday, May 4, 2024 (WAFA) – Eastern Orthodox churches in Palestine observed today the Holy Fire Saturday which precedes Easter Sunday, with the absence of any celebrations due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people since last October.
In the occupied city of Jerusalem, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Jordan for the Greek Orthodox Church led a solemn service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The service was attended by a significant gathering of bishops, priests, and worshippers who managed to reach the church despite the restrictions and imposed by the Israeli occupation in the vicinity of the Old City.
However, the celebratory processions and scout marches that usually take place annually were absent this year due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, since last October.
Following the emergence of light from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holy fire was transported to various cities and towns across Palestine. It reached Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, the Jordan Valley, Nablus, Jenin, and also to various parts of the world to illuminate candles in churches.
In Ramallah, the holy flame arrived at the Transfiguration Church for the Greek Orthodox community, where it was received with prayers in the absence of any festive scenes. Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, along with several dignitaries and church patrons in the city, attended the event, alongside priests and Christian religious figures.
Similarly, the holy flame reached Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, as well as towns and villages within the 1948-occupied territories. Christian churches in Ramallah, Nablus, and Jenin celebrated Easter in unison according to the Eastern calendar.
In Gaza, where the Israeli blockade prevented the arrival of the holy flame from occupied Jerusalem, a solemn service was were held at the Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church, with the participation of some displaced individuals sheltering in the church.
M.N
