Holy Fire

The Holy Fire around the
Empty Tomb

The Old City and some roads surrounding it were closed off yesterday for the annual Holy Fire ceremony. Tens of thousands of orthodox christians gathered or at least tried to gather into the Holy Sepulchre church for this miracle but police closed off the entrance after the crowds got too large and there was danger of a crush or fire. SO what is this Holy Fire all about? It's the Easter proclamation in the eastern rites. They believe a holy fire from heaven comes down into the Empty Tomb and the Patriarchs of the Greek, Armenian and Coptic churches receive it and pass it to others outside the Tomb. The franciscans who care for the Holy Sepulchre used to participate in this ceremony until recently ... and though it is not central to our Easter celebration, we still retain this miracle in a low-key moment during the Easter Vigil when our franciscan sacristan enters the Empty Tomb when the Gloria is sung and comes out with a lighted candle with which he lights all the candles on the altar.

Anyway there is no Easter Mass or Blessing of Fire and Water like us ... the Orthodox have this fire which they share with each other. This miraculous fire is supposed to be the guarantee that the Resurrection actually took place but now so much superstition has taken over, this rite has overtaken the Gospel message and people only think of bringing the fire home ... nothing remembered about the resurrection. Pity.

Police on horses, patrol cars and foot
patrol at Damascus Gate

The Jewish Passover also ended yesterday ... so the Old City streets were also packed with jews going to the Wailing Wall to pray. Security was super tight. Tensions at the Gaza border where over 10,000 Gazan burnt tires to block the view of Israeli soldiers have led to over 10 deaths when Israeli soldiers fired through the smoke. Among the dead was one journalist. There was fear that violence would erupt throughout the country and other borders but luckily nothing happened. Anyway now that all the feasts are over, we can expect a little normality in our lives ... till Independence Day and the American Embassy move to Jerusalem in a month's time. We're expecting riots.

This morning I suggested to some of our guys that we should go to the New City for some ice cream as the weather has heated up to 26 degrees. Last week because of the Feast of Unleaven Bread, no ice cream shop was opened. Then we realised if we went today, they'd have only old stock left as there's no time yet to make a new batch of ice cream .... so I guess we'll have to wait for a couple more days.