Pilgrims attend holy fire ritual in Jerusalem
Thousands of worshippers are crowding a Jerusalem shrine to celebrate Orthodox Christianity’s Easter Week holy fire ritual.
Hundreds of police were deployed in and around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre today to control an estimated 10,000 pilgrims.
Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried where the church now stands.
On the day before the Eastern rite Easter, churches mark the holy fire ritual. It’s in honour of the belief that a holy fire appears spontaneously from Jesus’ tomb as a message that he has not forgotten his followers.
Greek Orthodox, Armenians and other Eastern rite Christians mark Easter on Sunday, several weeks after observances by other Christian denominations.
The two groups adhere to different calendars.
