Holy Fire descends in Jerusalem's temple of the Holy Sepulcher

Holy Fire, which symbolizes the light of the Resurrection of Christ, not made by hand, of which the apostle Peter spoke, has descended in the temple of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

All the candles and lamps in the church were extinguished in advance. The fire appeared after prayers for a miracle by Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, and thousands of pilgrims who, on the Holy Saturday before Easter, filled the temple of the Holy Sepulcher, the area in front of it and the surrounding streets.

The fire appeared, as in previous years, in the Edicule - the chapel inside the church of the Holy Sepulchre, above the stony bed on which the buried body of Christ rested on Holy Saturday  It is there that, according to the age-old ritual, Orthodox Patriarch prayers are made for the descent of the Holy Fire. According to the ancient ceremony, before entering the Edicule the garments of Patriarch Theophilos III and the chapel itself were carefully examined for the presence of any artificial means of obtaining fire.

Once the annually-expected Easter miracle has occurred, the Patriarch of Jerusalem passes the fire to the believers crowded near the Edicule. Among them is the delegation of the Foundation of St. Andrew, which will bring Holy Fire from Jerusalem by a special flight to Moscow's Vnukovo-1, and then to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, for the Easter night service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, RIA Novosti reports.

It is noteworthy that Muslims also recognize the divinity of fire, whose origin has not yet been explained by science. They are present in the temple of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, together with Christians, and then bring home the particles of the Holy Fire .