Holy Fire mayhem

Today the Orthodox christians celebrate the "longest occurring miracle in history" - the Holy Fire appearing inside the Tomb of Christ. For over one and a half millenia it has been recorded that on Holy Saturday a mysterious fire appears sometimes from the centre of the Tomb (which is actually a Crusader reconstruction since the real tomb was destroyed by Caliph Hakim in the 12th century) and lights the candle of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch. Well back in the 12th century the Latin Pope has denounced it as a fraud and forbade Catholics from participating in this event. So only Orthodox crowds are involved - and it can get nasty as rival churches try to be the first to light their candles from the Patriarch's. There's been in recent years fights between Copts and Greeks, Greek and Armenians, and the Syrians and Copts over this mayhem. With all due respect - it's quite a circus.

Locals (L) argue with soldiers at New Gate

New Gate was closed since yesterday evening. The Orthodox christian crowd can be quite uncontrollable and the police are not taking any chances. And to witness the Holy Fire is an event more sacred to the Orthodox than the resurrection of Christ - so the crush can be fatal. Last night some locals who lived in the Christian Quarter were not allowed to return home as the Gate was closed off. An altercation ensued and when a local pushed a soldier, things got very heated. Guns were raised and several soldiers rammed the local several metres to the main road ... it was very tense.

Roadblock in front of our house

Meanwhile the whole of the Muslim Quarter right up to the Christian Quarter were closed off by barricades yesterday. Only tourists and pilgrims were allowed through but the coincidence of 3 feasts of 3 religions that cross the same road made things impossible. Jews were allowed to go down Damascus Gate through the 3rd Station to the Wailing for their final day of Passover. Orthodox Christians were making the Way of the Cross (a novelty picked up from the Roman Church) and crossed the 3rd Station. Muslims were allowed to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers only from Herod's Gate and Lions' Gate. And of course where all 3 religions intersect is right at our doorstep down to the 3rd Station. The crush of people, the frantic attempts by Israeli soldiers to control the crowds, the anger of muslims prohibited from passing through led to a situation quite frightening and explosive.