Holy Fire descends in Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

The Holy Fire descended in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalemat about 14:32 pm, Kiev time

The Holy Fire appeared in the edicule (the small chapel built over the burial place of Christ) after the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, entered there to patiently pray and wait. After the Fire’s descent, the Patriarch passed the holy gift to the faithful who lit from it their bundles of thirty-three candles, per the age of Christ at the time of His Crucifixion and Resurrection, reports the UOC Information and Education Department.

The official delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by the Chancellor of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary also received the Holy Fire from the Primate of the Jerusalem Church.

The TV broadcast of the Holy Fire's descent was broadcast by the “Inter” TV channel, thanks to which millions of Ukrainians were able to watch this unique event live.

As the UOJ reported, the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the only official delegation from Ukraine accepted at the residence of Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, will deliver the Holy Fire to Ukraine on April 27. The meeting of the Holy Fire will take place at the Kiev Borispol International Airport at around 6:30 pm. On the same day, in the room for official delegations, the Holy Fire will be given to the clergy to be distributed in the dioceses of Ukraine.

At 23.00, the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine will give out the Holy Fire to thousands of the faithful who will come to the night Paschal service in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

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