Media: Ukraine to receive Holy Fire from Jerusalem

The ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem. Photo: redluchbl.ru

Israeli authorities will allow usual Easter-related ceremonies in Jerusalem to proceed, but with the restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Israeli media outlet “The Jerusalem Post”, citing a Foreign Ministry source.

The exact mechanics of the ceremony have not been worked out yet, the Foreign Ministry source said, because the Health Ministry may put more restrictions in place, but flights to bring the fire to Russia, Ukraine and Greece have already been arranged.

There will likely be 10-15 people in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher representing the different Eastern Orthodox churches, who will transport the fire to Ben-Gurion Airport with a police escort. The religious delegations from the different countries will not disembark from their planes, in order to avoid Israel’s quarantine requirements. They will receive the fire on the planes.

The entire Holy Fire ceremony will be live-streamed online, as well.

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