The most popular encyclopedia in the world – Britannica – has updated its information about the holy Easter fire that every Orthodox Christian awaits on the Resurrection Night. The miraculous origin of the fire has been born controversies for centuries.
The holy fire in Jerusalem is expected by the orthodox believers. Photo: nbcnews.com
Encyclopådia Britannica, the most popular encyclopedia in the world, has updated her information on “Holy Fire” on February 27.
At the beginning of the text dedicated to the “holy fire” it is shown that this is about “” Flame lit at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on the Great Sabbath, on Saturday before Easter, calculated according to the Julian calendar. The Pascal ritual takes place annually in Jerusalem, where it is led by the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, with the participation of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. ” In Arabic, the main language of the local Christian community ”.
The ceremony of the holy fire
“In the afternoon of that Saturday, the Greek and Armenian hierarchs entered the edit alone, which surrounds the grave in which it was said that Jesus was buried. The edic is then closed while the Greek Patriarch kneels and prays inside. After some time, a glitter which bears a flame in each hand.”, The quoted source shows.
The delegations that represent the Eastern Orthodox countries bear the flame on the same day in their origin countries, where it is presented in timely cathedrals for the Easter service. It is also transported locally in cities in the Cisiororda and Israel, with considerable Christian communities – such as Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nazaret – where the crowds gather with a band in the centers to receive the flame.
Pretensions of miraculous origin
“Claims of miraculous origin” – this is the subtitle of the last part of the text. This is where the divine origin of the flame is brought into question.
“Many Christians over the centuries have attributed the ignition of the candles of a spontaneous spark that miraculously descends from heaven, a faith affirmed by many Eastern Orthodox Christians. This interpretation is perpetuated by the theatricality of the event, which includes the search for the Patriarch by the Civil Authorities to demonstrate no means to the public. The miraculous of the event has aroused considerable controversy at the beginning of the eleventh century and may be the reason why Al-ākim Bi-Amr Allah, Caliph Fatimid, ordered the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in 1009. In 1100, a few months after the crusaders took control over Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch The ceremony but could not obtain the holy fire by miraculous means. – shows the famous source of information.
The Telegraph has made light
The priest Samuel Agoïan, representative of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, said he had elucidated the miracle of the holy fire and that his ignition is related to the Coptic Church.
The Armenian priest Samuel Agoïan told the Israeli reporters who really happens during the miraculous appearance of the sacred fire, writes the Israelfo news portal.
According to the prelate, the candles of the sacred fire would be lit by the patriarchs from an oil lantern and there would be nothing mystical in this process. “God does wonders but not to entertain people“Said Ago.
In 2001, The Telegraph tried to find out what’s with this fire. Thus, they learned, from an Armenian Faclier named Soukias Tchilingirian, that the event has only a vague symbolic value given by the old.
“It is not a miracle. The Greek priests bring a lamp – one that has been used for this purpose in the last 1,500 years – to light the holy light. For faithful pilgrims is a fire from heaven, a real miracle. But not for us”he confessed.
Why do the legend persist? Because the priests need the money brought by believers, as well as the city needs tourists’ money, and people thus buy a ticket to faith.
Greek historian Michael Kalopoulos has shown that candles impregnated with white phosphorus can take fire by themselves. This is because white phosphorus, in contact with wet air, tends to boil spontaneously. He did the demonstration including a live Greek television (see video).
Michael Kalopoulos studied the history of religion and wrote a series of original books, the best -selling being those about the biblical religion. He is a member of the Greek society of historians and often appears as a speaker invited in television talk shows. He also wrote several articles and essays of historical, theological and social interest.
