The grace fire descended in the Kuvukliyata – a chapel in the center of the “Resurrection of Christ” church, in which the cave of the Holy Sepulcher is located, where there is a tablet especially revered by all Christians, under which the tomb of Jesus Christ is located. The fire was requested by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III, reported BGNES.
This year, due to the complicated situation in Israel, a Bulgarian delegation did not travel to welcome the fire. The Romanian Church plans to take the Holy Fire from Jerusalem.
The divine fire will be brought to Bulgaria by Father Kiril Sinev, who spiritually cares for the Bulgarian community in Bucharest. As has become a tradition, for the tenth year in a row, the Holy Fire will be brought from the airport in the Romanian capital to the cathedral in Giurgiu by Romanian clergy.
Representatives of the Rousse Metropolis will carry him across the Danube Bridge around 8:00 p.m. Immediately after his entry into Bulgarian territory, he will be handed over to clergymen from Varna, Silistra, Popovo, Razgrad, Tutrakan, etc. By midnight, it will also be distributed in temples across the country.
Traditionally, the Rousse Metropolis takes the Holy Fire from the Romanian city of Giurgiu, and the reason for this is the proximity of these cities.
Throughout history, no one has been able to uncover the secret of the miracle of the Blessed Fire, despite numerous attempts.
The grace fire symbolizes the light of the Resurrection of Christ, believers consider it a sanctuary.
Preparations for the descent of the Holy Fire begin on Saturday morning. Every year, the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher is carefully checked for incendiary devices, with the aim of dispelling any doubt that the miracle was the result of human hands. The tour is made by representatives of the Muslim community in Jerusalem. The doors are then sealed with a large comb of beeswax. It is sealed by clerics from the Catholic, Armenian and Coptic churches, who have chapels in the great church at the Holy Sepulcher. This is a sign that all the lamps in the chapel are extinguished.
According to an old tradition, the only ones who can receive the heavenly fire are the Orthodox, and they pass it on to other Christian denominations. The Patriarch of Jerusalem prepares to enter the chapel, and all the worshipers fall silent.
According to an old belief, if the Holy Fire does not descend on Holy Saturday, it will be the last day of mankind. The Temple of the Holy Sepulcher will be destroyed and the Second Coming will occur. According to the beliefs, one of the lamps above the Holy Sepulchre, ignites itself. From it, the patriarch lights bundles of 33 candles each and takes them out of the temple. Everyone stretches out their hands to light their candles and greet each other with “Christ is Risen”!
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