The Service of the Holy Light at the Patriarchate

On Holy Saturday at noon, 1 May 2021, the Service of the Holy Light was observed according to the Status Quo of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

At 13.00 o’clock (summertime) the Patriarchal Entourage and other Hagiotaphite Fathers with the Greek Delegation – the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Vlasis, his Excellency the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and the Consulate General of Greece staff, went down to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre through the staircase of Saint James Cathedral.

Inside the Church, the representatives of the Armenians, Copts and Syrians came to receive the blessing by His Beatitude the Greek Orthodox Patriarch to participate in the ceremony and receive, each according to their right, the Holy Light.

Immediately after that the Procession three times around the Sacred Edicule began, under the chanting of “Thy Resurrection Christ Saviour” and “Joyous Light”, with the attendance of the Delegations and the faithful Christians, who were allowed to enter by the Health Authorities due to the covid-19 measures.

At the end of the Procession, His Beatitude took off His Patriarchal vestments and remaining with the white sticharion entered the Holy Tomb, prayed and gave the Holy Light through the South window of the Edicule to the Priest of Saint James Cathedral, and then through the Sacred Edicule doors to the Priests and the attending people.

Once all people received the Holy Light, they touched their faces and hands and glorified God Who gave His Son to be Crucified and Resurrected and saved us all.

When all ceremony finished, the Patriarchal Entourage returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters, as the faithful were cheering, the Scouts parading, and the Big bells tolling. At the Reception Hall of the Patriarchate, His Beatitude gave the Holy Light to the Greek Delegation to transfer it to Greece by plane and sanctify the Greek people.

Source: Jerusalem Patriarchate