JERUSALEM – A small group of Christian clerics celebrated the Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Saturday as the coronavirus pandemic prevented worshippers from taking part in the ancient ritual.
They entered the Edicule, a chamber built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was buried and rose from the dead after being crucified.
They emerged with candles lit by a fire that the faithful view as a divine message. The source of the flame is a closely-guarded secret.
The clergymen, from different Orthodox denominations, then circled around inside the empty church, chanting prayers that echoed off the walls.