Today in Jerusalem the Holy Light, known in the West as Holy Fire, once again descended into the Tomb of Christ as Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem knelt in prayer within the Holy Sepulchre. This ceremony has taken place just about every year for hundreds of years on Holy Saturday, shortly after 2:30pm. With 33 candles in each hand he distributed the Holy Light to the many present. Following the Holy Light ceremony, the flame is taken by plane to other Orthodox communities in countries such as Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania. In Greece the Holy Light is usually received with the welcome of a Head of State.
In pre-COVID years, over 10,000 pilgrims packed the Holy Sepulchre to be witnesses of this miracle. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the ceremony to be closed to the public for the first time since the Black Death in 1349, with only clerics, police, and media present. Last year, only 4200 people were allowed in the church, due to the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and the resulting logistical problems.
In 2025, Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter together, which means an increase in pilgrims to Jerusalem for the festivities, although Palestinian Christians will find it difficult to attend this year due to the continuation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This Easter, the Israeli government announced it had issued 6,000 permits to Palestinians, though there are 50,000 Christians – mostly Catholic or Greek Orthodox – living in the West Bank beyond East Jerusalem. However, in reality, just 4,000 were given, according to Christian leaders, and often only to a few members of each family who applied. These permits are valid for just one week and do not allow the Palestinian pilgrims to stay in Jerusalem overnight, meaning they have to make the gruelling journey back to the West Bank by bus or taxi – crossing a multitude of army checkpoints – every evening, limiting the festivities they can take part in.
In pre-COVID years, over 10,000 pilgrims packed the Holy Sepulchre to be witnesses of this miracle. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the ceremony to be closed to the public for the first time since the Black Death in 1349, with only clerics, police, and media present. Last year, only 4200 people were allowed in the church, due to the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and the resulting logistical problems.
In 2025, Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter together, which means an increase in pilgrims to Jerusalem for the festivities, although Palestinian Christians will find it difficult to attend this year due to the continuation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This Easter, the Israeli government announced it had issued 6,000 permits to Palestinians, though there are 50,000 Christians – mostly Catholic or Greek Orthodox – living in the West Bank beyond East Jerusalem. However, in reality, just 4,000 were given, according to Christian leaders, and often only to a few members of each family who applied. These permits are valid for just one week and do not allow the Palestinian pilgrims to stay in Jerusalem overnight, meaning they have to make the gruelling journey back to the West Bank by bus or taxi – crossing a multitude of army checkpoints – every evening, limiting the festivities they can take part in.