The Jerusalem church leaders have condemned the Israeli police for inflicting "unnecessary and heavy-handed restrictions" on access to the Orthodox Easter Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre Church. The event's attendance has been limited to 1,800, a dramatic decrease from the 10,000 guests who attended last year as usual.
The authorities responsible for the security and peace in occupied East Jerusalem stand that they are doing their job in ensuring the safety and freedom of the worship service attendees.
Orthodox Easter Holy Fire Faced Restrictions in Jerusalem
According to BBC, church officials have encouraged Christians to disregard these restrictions and attend the ceremony. Father Mattheos Siopsis of the Greek Orthodox Church and representatives from other denominations announced this at a news conference on Wednesday. They emphasized their intention to worship freely and peacefully, leaving the Israeli authorities to respond as they see fit.
This call to local Christians and foreign pilgrims could result in chaotic scenes in the Old City, as additional security checkpoints have been established. Last year, social media videos documented conflicts between worshippers and officers denying them entry to the church.
The Saturday before Easter is associated with a tradition among Eastern Orthodox Christians who think a supernatural flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to the article in Associated Press News, the Greek patriarch entered the Holy Edicule, a room constructed where Jesus' tomb once stood, and emerged holding two lit candles.
Thousands of people holding candles spread the flame around him as he does so, gradually illuminating the basilica's gloomy walls. Then, this flame is distributed to Orthodox communities in other nations on particular flights.
But the church leader in Jerusalem said that the negotiations and arrangements with the police over the restrictions they were inflicting sadly had failed. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said they could not correspond to the Israeli authorities because these restrictions on access to the Holy Spelucher were unreasonable.
In spite of this, Father Mattheos Siopis of the Greek Orthodox Church said that they would continue with the service as scheduled and extend an invitation to anyone who desires to pray alongside them. Whatever the government does, churches will continue to worship openly and peacefully. Many critics question the authenticity of the Holy Fire, and its origin is still a closely-kept secret.
Also Read:Christians in Jerusalem Celebrate Palm Sunday Amid Struggle to Maintain Presence
The Fear of the Increasing Attack on the Christians in Jerusalem
The Israeli police authority declared on Wednesday that limiting the church attendance to 1,800 people, which also includes clergy from the different Orthodox denominations, is a necessary safety precaution. According to the article in Aljazeera, crowd mobility will be controlled, according to Jerusalem District Police Chief Superintendent Yoram Segal, and the ceremony will be shown on TV screens around the city.
Since the election of Israel's most far-right administration this year, Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land have claimed increased attacks on their 2,000-year-old community. A priest was attacked at the Tomb of the Virgin Mary in March; a Jesus statue was vandalized at the Church of the Condemnation in February; and Christian graves at the Anglican cemetery on Mount Zion were desecrated in January. During a November procession in the Old City, two Israeli army Givati Brigade soldiers were imprisoned for spitting on the Armenian archbishop and other pilgrims.
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