[ April 30, 2024 ]
On Palm Sunday, Christians commence Holy Week, to culminate on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. To our Christian readers, we wish you a safe and holy holiday. The corona crisis heightens the significance of the message these holy days bring.
Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (which we usually call “Palm Sunday,” because the crowd welcomed Him by spreading palm branches in His path). Those who greeted Him were convinced He was the Messiah (or “anointed one”), sent by God to establish His Kingdom on earth. (more from Billy Graham here.)
Israel to Help Christians Share Holy Rituals amid Coronavirus Pandemic
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is working with foreign governments and Orthodox Christian leaders in the Holy Land to make sure that one of their most ancient and mysterious rituals — the Holy Fire ceremony — is not extinguished by the coronavirus outbreak, officials said Friday.
Story continues below advertisementEach year, thousands of worshippers flock to Jerusalem’s Old City and pack into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher — built on the site where Christian tradition holds that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected — for the pre-Easter ceremony.
Top Eastern Orthodox clerics enter the Edicule, the small chamber marking the site of Jesus’ tomb, and exit with candles said to be miraculously lit with “holy fire” as a message to the faithful. The flame is normally shared with candle-holding pilgrims and even sent in special containers to Orthodox Christian communities around the world.
Details of the flame’s source are a closely guarded secret.
Due to a ban on large public gatherings this year because of the virus pandemic, Israeli officials say the April 18 ceremony will be limited to about 10 religious leaders from various Orthodox denominations. They have also developed a creative way to deliver the flame to overseas communities.
Palestinian Christians take part in the Holy Fire ceremony a day before Orthodox Easter in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, April 27, 2019.(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Because anyone entering Israel must go into quarantine, foreign dignitaries coming to pick up the flame will receive it on their plane and immediately return home.
The coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can be spread by people showing no symptoms. It can cause serious illness and death in some patients, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health issues.
Israel has reported more than 7,000 confirmed cases and at least 36 deaths.
Akiva Tor, who heads the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s department for world religions, said the arrangement has been discussed with local church leaders and coordinated with several foreign countries with large Orthodox populations, including Greece, Russia, Georgia and Ukraine.
Tor said church officials have been understanding. “We have the same goal in mind, which is to enable the continuation of this miraculous event while being respectful of the medical emergency which is taking place,” he said.
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10 Comments
4 years ago
The Jews provide salvation, as always.
4 years ago
God bless ’em …
4 years ago
Reply to
felix1999
Yes, it’s an Orthodox Christian tradition. Catholics use a variation.
On Orthodox Easter Sunday/Resurrection Sunday, the Orthodox gather at the alleged tomb of Jesus at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. An Orthodox Patriarch receives a flame in the tomb on a candle and passes it to everyone there. The Orthodox literally pass this flame around the world – for as Jesus said, He is the Light of the World. I’m not sure which Patriarch gets the honor, but it’s probably the one whose Church has operational control of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on that Sunday.
The Holy Sepulchre passes from Orthodox to Orthodox Churches on a complex – and politically sensitive schedule, but they all take turns – or they’re supposed to – at all the important ceremonies, etc. The flame is allegedly lit by a miraculously supplied vent of natural gas in the tomb. Skeptics have, of course, suggested it’s Diamond matches, but that would only go back to the 19th century. *wink*
In the Catholic variation, each priest blesses a candle and begins lighting candles for his congregation. This happens either at the midnight service or at the dawn service on Western Easter.
Hope that helps! – you and yours have a wonderful week, Felix!
4 years ago
Reply to
Dan Knight
A Chicago iconographer once shared with me how she was present in the Holy Sepulchre when the Greek Orthodox Patriarch emerged from the tomb with his candle lit up. Although her candle wasn’t lit, candles of many of the faithful around her, who were gathered inside the Holy Church, were lit up on their own. Furthermore, flashes of light crisscrossed the ceiling! She touched one of the lit up candles and she swore that the flame did not burn her hand. This is a true testimony.
4 years ago
Reply to
diaspora
Impressive … thank you for sharing!
Stay safe, and you and yours have a wonderful week, Diaspora!
4 years ago
Easter celebrates the death and resurrection of Christ. The dates are probably off but Christians believe the event to be true. I don’t view that event as a pagan holiday. Christians shouldn’t be in lock down for that. Passover is a Jewish holiday. We can wish our Jewish friends well but Christians should be celebrating
John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Chocolate Easter bunnies, chocolate lambs and eggs, marshmellow peeps etc. are not what we celebrate! Don’t let others define who you are or what you celebrate.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ’s stead,
be ye reconciled to God.
4 years ago
Reply to
felix1999
I’m sure you realize the disciples were experiencing these events before the New Testament was compiled. The New Testament was assembled later. Christians believe the Old Testament was a foreshadow of the New Testament through prophetic verses leading up to the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Some of the Jews in that time rejected Him and some embraced Him and that is still true today. I would not expect a Jewish person to be celebrating Easter or some call it Resurrection Day.
Labels don’t matter to me. Many “Republicans” are RINOS. Neither do those that celebrate Easter with chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps or egg symbolize Easter to us. That is not what Easter is about. It is the events that are celebrated. If those events didn’t happen, Christians would not have access to heaven.
If the disciples of Christ were around, I have some doubts they would be celebrating Passover as our Jewish friends do. They lived them! Instead I believe they would be celebrating His birth, death, resurrection and ascension because that was a turning point. They gave their lives for it and proclaimed New Testament teachings. A New covenant was made. Christ is the final atonement and lamb of God that shed His blood to take away the sins of the world.
Some things did carry over. For example, male circumcision is not required of Christians since He was looking for a circumcision of the heart. I would expect our Jewish friends to carry out that procedure. It also has health benefits etc.. and many Christians also have it done for symbolism and health reasons. There are other direct correspondences. Passover corresponds to Jesus’ death in Corinthians 5:7-8 etc.
I really don’t know if you are a Christian or a Jew. If you are a Christian, I hope you don’t over look the significance of His birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Some Christians do celebrate Passover to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of Christianity. I suppose it is a matter of personal conscience. If you are a Christian, I just hope you don’t let others redefine what Christians should be celebrating and wind up shunning it because many have secularized it or because the dates are most likely off.
His birth, death, resurrection and ascension are not pagan events or pagan holidays. In any event, do as you wish!
