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The history of the emergence of blessed fire

Since the early Middle Ages, custom has appeared. on which on the eve of Easter the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church lit a fire in the Jerusalem temple and blessed it in honor of the main holiday of the faithful. However, from the end of the first millennium, judging by the reports of religious historians of the time, the concept of the convergence of the sacred fire appeared, that is, that the fire on the eve of Easter is given by the believing God. Numerous evidences of the convergence of the fire date back to the 10th century, and not only Christian but also Islamic historians wrote about this miracle. Initially, the fire was lit in the morning, and the rite itself is described in different ways, most often the appearance of lightning. Unchanged is only the place - the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Some eyewitnesses of the events of the 10th century wrote that the fire was brought directly by an angel.

Modern rite of fire convergence

By the nineteenth century, the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Firehas acquired modern features. It was even fixed by a special document issued by the Ottoman government. This was done to avoid conflict between representatives of various Orthodox churches, as well as Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

Keys from the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher are kept for many generations in one Arab family, whose representative passes on keys to the patriarch once a year.

The service on the day of convergence conducts firethe Jerusalem Orthodox patriarch. Together with him in the church have the right to be clergymen of other Orthodox churches, for example, Armenian. Priests wear festive white robes, and then bypass the procession around the temple, offering prayers. After that, the patriarch, together with a representative of the Armenian clergy, can enter the small ancient chapel, over which the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built. With them, they take candles, which will later be lit from the Holy Fire. The patriarch raises a special prayer directly at the Holy Sepulcher. At this time, believers are waiting for the convergence of fire both in the temple itself and outside it. There is also a television broadcast in many countries, including Russia. After the appearance of fire, the patriarch lights candles from him, from which, in turn, anyone who wishes can light a fire. After the ceremony, Holy Fire is delivered to Orthodox countries, where, in turn, believers can receive a piece of fire in their church.