Christian worshippers thronged the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Saturday to celebrate the ceremony of the "Holy Fire."
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In the annual ceremony that has been observed for over a millennium, a flame taken from Jesus' tomb is used to light the candles of fervent believers in Greek Orthodox communities near and far. The devout believe the origin of the flame is a miracle and is shrouded in mystery.
On Saturday, after hours of frantic anticipation, a priest reached inside the dim tomb and ignited his candle. Each neighbor passed the light to another and, little by little, the darkened church was irradiated by tiny patches of light, which eventually illuminated the whole building. Bells rang out. "Christ is risen!" the multilingual worshippers shouted. "He is risen indeed!"
Many trying to get to the church – built on the site where Christian tradition holds that Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected – were thrilled to mark the rite of the Orthodox Easter week in Jerusalem.
