Planning for the Holy Fire Ceremony and Holy Week Services revealed
Authorities have imposed restrictions on the participation of clergy and believers in Holy Week services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
In Jerusalem, the order for conducting Holy Week services and the Holy Fire Ceremony has been agreed upon. This is reported by the Orthodoxianewsagency website.
The Jerusalem Police met with representatives of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Tuesday afternoon and provided instructions for the Holy Services and the Holy Fire Ceremony, which the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate must adhere to for the safety of the faithful.
According to these directives, all Holy Week services will be held normally, with only 15 Agios Stefanos Fathers at the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Resurrection, while the remaining Agios Stefanos will celebrate the Holy Services at the Chapel of Saints Constantine and Helen, located within the Patriarchate.
It is also reported that the Litany and Procession that takes place every year to commemorate Christ's entry into Jerusalem from the village of Bethesda will not take place since the village is located outside the Holy City of Jerusalem.
However, the remaining ceremonies in memory of the events of Holy Week will take place as normal.
In particular, the procession from the Throne Hall of the Patriarchate to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ will be held, as will the foot-washing ceremony on Holy Thursday. The procession with the Shroud will also occur, but with the participation of a limited number of clergy.
During the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire itself, 15 clergy members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre will be present in the church, as well as representatives of other Christian communities — Armenian (10 people) and Coptic (5).
After the descent of the Holy Fire, it will be handed over at the Jaffa Gate to representatives of various delegations. The delivery of the holy relic to other countries, as noted, will be accompanied by Israeli law enforcement agencies.
As the UOJ wrote, the Churches of Jerusalem appealed to Netanyahu regarding Easter services.
