Holy Fire 2017: when is the live broadcast, the history of the convergence, and much more, read the TopNews material.
vid_roll_width="300px" vid_roll_height="150px">Tens of thousands of Christians around the world are praying these days for the descent of the Holy Fire on the pre-Easter Holy Saturday in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
According to Christian tradition, the Holy Fire miraculously appears in the Edicule - the chapel over the Holy Sepulcher. Its descent occurs annually on the eve of Orthodox Easter.
Live broadcast of the descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem 2017 will be intkbbee available on the web.
The Holy Fire will be delivered to our country by a delegation of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation, which in 2017 included the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
Descent of the Holy Fire 2017
The descent of the Holy Fire in 2017 will take place in the renovated Edicule Chapel, which has been restored for about a year. During the renovation, for the first time in 500 years, scientists removed the marble slab covering Christ's burial bed and studied it.
The Holy Fire symbolizes the miraculous light of the Resurrection of Christ, which the Apostle Peter spoke about. This fire appears in the Edicule every year precisely on the eve of Orthodox Easter, thanks to the prayers of the Orthodox clergy and tens of thousands of pilgrims in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and at its walls.
However, debates continue in society about whether the descent of the Holy Fire is an annual miracle or simply a traditional Easter religious rite of the Jerusalem Church.
At noon, the procession to the Holy Sepulcher begins from the Jerusalem Patriarchate, ending before the entrance to the Edicule. A large lamp is brought into it, in which a fire should be lit, and 33 candles (according to the number of years of the Savior’s earthly life).
The Patriarch of Jerusalem traditionally enters the Edicule wearing only a linen cassock, so that it can be seen that he is not carrying matches or anything else that can be used to make fire. After this, the entrance to the chapel is sealed, and a period of intense anticipation begins for the descent of the Holy Fire.
According to popular legend, if the fire does not go down, it will become a terrible omen for all mankind, and those who are in the temple will die.
The wait for a miracle lasts from several minutes to several hours. During this time, the lights in the temple are turned off, and believers hold unlit Easter candles (large holiday candles) in their hands. People pray, repent of their sins and ask the Lord to grant the Holy Fire. According to eyewitnesses, after some time inexplicable flashes of light appear in the temple, which seem to flow down the walls and columns, and from the hole in the dome of the temple a wide vertical column of light descends onto the Holy Sepulcher.
Soon the blessed fire appears in the Edicule, the patriarch comes out of the cave and passes the fire from candle to candle to the people gathered in the temple. It is noteworthy that at first the Holy Fire does not burn when touched, notes RIA Novosti.
Descent of the Holy Fire VIDEO
When the Holy Fire descends in Jerusalem in 2018 directly depends on the date of Orthodox Easter. In 2018, Easter will be on April 8, which means thousands of believers around the world will expect the descent of the Holy Fire on the 7th. They say that if the fire does not go down in a certain year, it will be a symbol of the imminent end of the world. So, I would like to hope that this year in Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, fire will definitely appear.
If we return to history, it should be noted that the first evidence of the occurrence of this fire precisely on the territory of the city of Jerusalem, the holy land, appeared back in the fourth century. This has always happened since then in one place - in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to legend, it was in this cave that the body of Jesus Christ was located after the crucifixion and until the moment of his resurrection. So, that’s exactly what happened, on Holy Saturday, believers await the descent of the Holy Fire. If you were unable to get into the temple itself, it is difficult to do so, because there are more and more people wishing to do so every year, then you can watch the process of the descent of the fire online on the Internet or on television.
About the ceremony
The Descent of the Holy Fire is a whole ceremony that includes many rules and rituals. The ceremony begins about a day before Easter. This ceremony is called litany. At lunch, the patriarchs make a religious procession to the chapel, which is located in the very center of the temple. During the procession, a lamp is carried. It doesn’t burn yet and that’s where the fire appears later. Around the lamp there are 33 candles, which are a symbol of the years of Jesus Christ’s life on earth until the moment of the crucifixion.
The patriarch enters the chapel alone. He is wearing a minimum of clothing, and representatives of the Israeli police check and search the patriarch to ensure that he does not have any items with him that could cause fire. Moreover, in the temple itself, on the eve of Holy Saturday, all lamps, candles and other sources of fire are extinguished.
The lamp is installed by the patriarch directly in the center of the coffin bed. There is also cotton wool around the perimeter, and tape along the edges. After this, the police once again inspect the chapel, and then the main clergyman, who is already inside and searched, is sealed. Nobody knows where exactly the fire comes from. This secret has been preserved for more than a millennium. You can make it for the holiday table on Easter.
About obligatory rituals
The obligatory ritual that must be observed in order for the fire to appear is the presence of young people in the temple who ask the Mother of God and the Lord to grant fire. Eyewitnesses who were in the temple when the fire went down all unanimously say that flashes of bright light appear from nowhere right above the Holy Sepulcher.
It is impossible to determine exactly the time when the Holy Fire 2018 descends in Jerusalem and appears. But we know for sure that this always happens.
For two thousand years, Christians who celebrate their main holiday - the Resurrection of Christ (Easter) in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, have witnessed the miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is an architectural complex that includes Calvary with the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the rotunda - an architectural structure with a huge dome, under which the Edicule ("royal bedchamber") is located - a chapel located directly above the cave where the body of Jesus was buried, the Catholicon - the cathedral Church of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the underground Church of the Finding of the Life-Giving Cross, the Church of St. Helen Equal to the Apostles, several chapels - small churches with their own altars. On the territory of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher there are several active monasteries; it includes many auxiliary rooms, galleries, etc.
Although according to many, both ancient and modern testimonies, appearances of the Holy Light can be observed in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher throughout the year, the most famous and impressive is the miraculous convergence
The Holy Fire on the eve of the Orthodox holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, on Holy Saturday. Throughout almost the entire existence of Christianity, this miraculous phenomenon has been observed annually by both Orthodox Christians and representatives of other Christian faiths (Catholics, Armenians, Copts, etc.), as well as representatives of other non-Christian religions.
The earliest mentions of the descent of the Holy Fire on the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ are found among the holy fathers Gregory of Nyssa, Eusebius and Silvia of Aquitaine and date back to the 4th century. According to the testimony of the apostles and holy fathers, the Divine Light illuminated the Holy Sepulcher shortly after the Resurrection of Christ; The first witness to the miracle was the Apostle Peter.
One of the most ancient descriptions of the descent of the Holy Fire belongs to Abbot Daniel, who visited the Holy Tomb in 1106-1107.
In our time, the descent of the Holy Fire occurs on Holy Saturday, usually between 13 and 15 hours Jerusalem time.
Approximately one day before the start of Orthodox Easter, a church ceremony begins. To see the miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire, people have been gathering at the Holy Sepulcher since Good Friday; many stay here immediately after the procession of the Cross, which takes place in memory of the events of that day. By ten o'clock on Holy Saturday, all candles and lamps in the entire huge architectural complex of the Temple are extinguished. A lamp filled with oil, but without fire, is placed in the middle of the bed of the Life-Giving Sepulcher. Pieces of cotton wool are laid out throughout the bed, and tape is laid along the edges.
Then the procedure for checking the Edicule for the presence of fire sources takes place, after which the entrance to the Edicule is closed by the local key keeper (Muslim) and sealed with a large wax seal, on which the representatives of the Jerusalem mayor's office, the Israeli police, etc., who carried out the inspection, put their personal seals.
Both historical and modern practice indicate that during the descent of Fire there are three groups of participants. First of all, the Patriarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church or one of the bishops of the Jerusalem Patriarchate with his blessing. Mandatory participants in the sacrament of the descent of the Holy Fire are the abbot and the monks of the Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified. The third group of obligatory participants are local Orthodox Arabs. 20-30 minutes after the sealing of the Edicule, Arab Orthodox youth, screaming, stomping, drumming, riding on top of each other, rush into the temple and begin to sing and dance. Their exclamations and songs represent ancient prayers in Arabic for the sending of the Holy Fire, addressed to Christ and the Mother of God, St. George the Victorious, especially revered in the Orthodox East. Their emotional prayers usually last for half an hour.
At about 1 p.m., the litany itself begins (in Greek, “prayer procession”) of the Holy Fire. In front of the procession are banner bearers with 12 banners, behind them are young men, a crusader cleric, at the end of the procession is the Orthodox patriarch of one of the local Orthodox churches (Jerusalem or Constantinople), accompanied by the Armenian patriarch and clergy.
During procession The procession passes all the memorable places in the temple: the sacred grove where Jesus was betrayed, the place where Christ was beaten by Roman legionaries, Golgotha, where he was crucified, the Stone of Anointing, on which the body of Jesus Christ was prepared for burial. Then the procession approaches the Edicule and circles it three times. After this, the Orthodox patriarch stops just before the entrance to the Edicule, he is unmasked - they take off his festive vestments, leaving him in only a white linen vestment (a long liturgical robe with narrow sleeves reaching to his toes), so that it can be seen that he is not bringing anything with him into the Savior’s burial cave , which could start a fire.
Shortly before the patriarch, the sacristan (assistant to the sacristan - the manager of church property) brings into the cave a large lamp in which the main fire and 33 candles should light up - according to the number of years of the Savior’s earthly life.
Only after this the patriarch enters the Edicule and kneels in prayer.
After the patriarch enters the Edicule, the entrance is sealed, and the wait for the miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire begins.
At this time, the lights in the temple turn off and tense anticipation sets in. All the people in the temple are patiently waiting for the patriarch to come out with Fire in his hands. The prayer and ritual continue until the expected miracle occurs. IN different years the wait lasted from five minutes to several hours.
After the patriarch enters the Edicule, first occasionally, and then more and more, the entire air space of the temple is pierced by flashes of light and flashes of light. They have a bluish color, their brightness and size increase in waves. Little lightning flashes here and there. In slow motion, it is clearly visible that they come from different places in the temple - from the icon hanging above the Edicule, from the dome of the temple, from the windows and from other places, and fill everything around with bright light. A moment later, the entire temple turns out to be surrounded by lightning and glare, which snake down its walls and columns, as if flowing down to the foot of the temple and spreading across the square among the pilgrims. At the same time, the lamps located on the sides of the Edicule themselves are lit, then the Edicule itself begins to shine, and from the hole in the dome of the temple a wide vertical column of light descends from the sky onto the Tomb. At the same time, the doors of the cave open and the Orthodox patriarch comes out and blesses those gathered. The Patriarch of Jerusalem transmits the Holy Fire to believers, who claim that the fire does not burn at all in the first minutes after the descent, regardless of what candle and where it was lit.
Sometimes, according to eyewitnesses, lamps and candles are in the hands of those praying. Most people hold several candles in their hands (to then take them to their churches and distribute them to loved ones). Each of them is like a torch, so that soon the entire temple begins to literally shine with fire.
Later, lamps throughout Jerusalem are lit from the Holy Fire. Fire is delivered on special flights to Cyprus and Greece, from where it is distributed throughout the world. Recently, direct participants in the events began to bring the Holy Fire to Russia.
In 2016, on a special flight in special lamps from Jerusalem, the Holy Fire was carried by a delegation of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation (FAP).
In 2017, the Holy Fire was also part of the annual program “Ask for Peace in Jerusalem.”
The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire is available to everyone. It can be seen not only by tourists and pilgrims - it takes place in front of the whole world and is regularly broadcast on television and the Internet.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
The Descent of the Holy Fire is a miraculous and still inexplicable phenomenon by scientists, which occurs annually on the eve of Easter. The flame that appears by itself, which was first seen by the Apostle Peter over two thousand years ago, today is a visible evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Where and how is the Holy Fire lit? When will the descent of the Holy Fire take place in 2018? What should humanity prepare for in the event that the fire does not go away?
Where and when does the Holy Fire descend?
The Holy Fire is a harbinger of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. According to tradition, it takes place on Easter Eve in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, built in 335 AD. In 2018, the Holy Fire will descend on Saturday, April 7th. He appears by himself, through the prayer of the Greek Patriarch near the memorial plate of the Savior.
As for the time when the Holy Fire descends, it traditionally occurs at noon, within the range of 12:55 - 15:00 hours of the day. However, no one knows when the fire will appear. At one time he comes down after ten minutes, and at another - after the patriarch’s 2-hour prayer.
Centuries-old ritual traditions
The ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire, which has existed for more than a thousand years, is strictly regulated and prescribed down to the smallest detail.
| 10:15 | Walking around the Edicule (chapel) in a procession led by the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem |
| 11:00 | Closing and sealing the marble Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher |
| 11:30 | Emergence of emotional Arab Christian youth |
| 12:00 | Arrival at the Temple of the Greek Patriarch |
| 12:10 | Appeal of representatives of the Armenian clergy, as well as the Coptic and Syriac Orthodox churches to the Patriarch |
| 12:20 | A closed lamp is brought into the Holy Sepulcher, in which a fire should flare up |
| 12:30 | Procession of the Greek clergy with a three-fold circumambulation of the Edicule |
| 12:50 | Entrance to the Holy Sepulcher of the Patriarch and Armenian Archimandrite |
| 12:55 – 15:00 | Exit of the Patriarch with the Sacred Fire |
Traditionally, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem is filled with pilgrims from different parts of the world. They are the first to know whether the Sacred Fire has been lit and the first to have the opportunity to touch the flame, which does not burn.
The temple itself can accommodate no more than 8 thousand people, but there can be up to 70 thousand people wanting to see the miracle. For the rest, the territory adjacent to the temple is allocated. Each of the parishioners holds in their hands a bunch of 33 candles, which represent the earthly age of Jesus Christ.
The Patriarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church goes to the chapel of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ - Edicule in one cassock. Before this, this room is carefully checked by Israeli policemen to see if there are matches, lighters or other objects that could cause a fire.
While waiting for the descent of the Holy Fire in the temple:
- all light sources are extinguished,
- There is deathly silence.
At this time, pilgrims should pray and sincerely repent of their sins before the Lord.
When the Patriarch leaves the chapel, the first thing he does is lights the candles of representatives of each religious denomination. After this, the fire spreads among a crowd of thousands of pilgrims. It is often difficult for the police to restrain all those who want to get a piece of the flame faster than others, because according to legend, all worldly sins are forgiven first.
Some interesting facts about the Holy Fire:
- The descent of fire is symbolized by flashes in the form of blue fireballs near the dome of the temple.
- The fire does not burn either the body or the hair of a person for some time.
- The Holy Flame was never the cause of the fire.
- The wax of candles that were lit from the Holy Fire cannot be removed from clothing.
- The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire still remains a mystery.
How and where can you see the descent of the Holy Fire?
You can witness the descent of the Holy Fire not only while in the Jerusalem temple. Such an amazing and inexplicable phenomenon is actively covered by media from all over the world.
In Russia in 2017, a live broadcast of the descent of the Holy Fire was carried out by the NTV channel. It is still unknown who will cover the upcoming event this year, but in any case, how the Holy Fire appears can be observed online via the Internet.
Video recordings of such an unusual and rare phenomenon in past years, as well as photographs of eyewitnesses from the scene of the event, can be easily found on the Internet. Also, fragments of a video about the miraculous appearance of the Holy Light, as the Holy Fire is also called, will be shown on the same day on the evening news of all television channels without exception.
Spreading the Holy Fire around the world
Immediately after representatives of all churches and denominations have lit their lamps from the Holy Fire, they go to their countries in order to transfer a piece of the flame to all cities and villages of the state.
The fire is transported on a charter flight in a special capsule. Trying to make it by ten in the evening, when evening services begin in the main churches of the capital, representatives of confessions try to deliver the sacred flame to the place of service as quickly as possible.
They say that if the fire did not go down, it would be a terrible omen for all mankind. The Apocalypse and the Last Judgment will begin from which no one can hide. Then the Church of the Holy Sepulcher will be destroyed, and people living on Earth will die. Despite the fact that the Holy Fire appears from year to year, there is always the possibility that one day it will not descend...
Faith in God is supported by unusual phenomena. Some of them make even skeptics and desperate atheists think. The Descent of the Holy Fire is a vivid example. If the miracles that Jesus performed are simply described in the Bible, then this annual miracle can be seen for yourself. It is necessary to go to the Promised Land in the spring and watch in a huge temple how this miracle is lit. Or just watch the news on Holy Saturday.
Historical background
The life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ has been proven many times. There are not only biblical sources, but also archival documents that were kept then. With his preaching and deeds, the Son of God clearly spoiled the mood of the Roman occupiers. In those days, Judea was a colony, and the colonizers were pagans. Belief in one God violated the foundations of that time and created competition for the imperial policy of Rome. Jesus can be seen as an oppositionist. And any totalitarian regime deals harshly with dissent. According to the Bible, the death of Jesus is retribution for human sins for thousands of years to come.
Christian meaning
This miracle occurs annually on the eve of Orthodox Easter. Location: Jerusalem Orthodox Church. But there are two more places where you can see the descent of the Holy Fire: the Syrian and Coptic churches. The event symbolizes the miracle of the resurrection of Christ. In states where Orthodoxy exists, the event is broadcast live. These are Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Bulgaria. With this event, the main Orthodox holiday begins - Easter. The fire spreads and is transported by plane to countries where the traditions of Orthodoxy are honored. Upon arrival, he is met by spiritual leaders, and the miracle of fire moves from the airport with an honorary escort. From the main temple of the country, the fire is carried to the central parishes in the regions.
Service Highlights
The entire process of the service on this Saturday has a complex and strict order. Here are the main steps:
- The entrance of the patriarch and his retinue to the temple. It is accompanied by a religious procession, then the patriarch puts on white clothes. He is accompanied by twelve archimandrites and deacons. The religious procession ends with the song “Quiet Light.”
- Prayer of the Patriarch. She passes near the box of the Savior, the Patriarch asks for mercy from God, the salvation of pagans and the lost, and observance of the commandments by all people.
- Waiting for the fire. This is the culmination of Holy Saturday. Many believers in the temple observe various strange phenomena: in the area of the dome you can see flashes, bright flashes, pillars of light. And this does not happen because many people want to take a photo and the flashes go off.
After a period of waiting and passionate prayer, light appears in the Edicule and the bells begin to ring. From the windows of the Edicule, the holy fathers serve candles with descending fire. They are picked up by believers and begin to spread throughout the temple. The first moments the fire does not cause any burns, it only causes joy and pleasant emotions. Then the Patriarch comes out. He looks tired and slightly exhausted, because asking God for the salvation of many sinners is hard work. And the fact of the appearance of fire brings a serious moral shock.
Details
Many people are interested in: “ When does the fire go down in 2017?» Easter will be on April 16, so Saturday is April 15. AND main question for all Orthodox Christians this Saturday evening will sound like this: “ Has the Holy Fire been lit in Jerusalem today?"Some may ask: " What to do if the fire does not go down?“The history of Orthodoxy does not know such cases. The only episode occurred in 1579. But there is a reason for this: they weren’t allowed into the temple. Orthodox priest. The lack of convergence of fire is one of the signs of the end of the world. But the holy fathers in Edicule will find a way to extract it and save our sinful world with their prayers.
The appearance of the Holy Fire in 2014 can be seen on video (note deleted by the owner):
To the epigraph:
“The Holy Fire is a symbol of faith, salvation, mercy and the greatness of the Lord!”
