Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holy Fire, which descends every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem a day before Orthodox Easter, will be delivered to Moscow on May 1, Russia's Foundation of Saint Andrew the First-Called told Sputnik on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2021) Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holy Fire, which descends every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem a day before Orthodox Easter, will be delivered to Moscow on May 1, Russia's Foundation of Saint Andrew the First-Called told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"For all years we bring the Holy Fire to Russia, the Foundation of Saint Andrew the First-Called has been carrying out this mission upon the blessing of the heads of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, fulfilling the requirements of the state bodies of the Russian Federation and the State of Israel. In 2021, as last year, we plan our actions amidst the serious restrictions caused by the spread of the coronavirus," Vladimir Yakunin, the chairman of the foundation's board of trustees, said.
According to him, Russia's embassy to Israel will transport the Fire to an airplane. Then the foundation's delegation with the Fire onboard will depart to Moscow to deliver it for Easter Vigil in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
Yakunin also thanked Israeli authorities for the opportunity "to receive the Holy Fire and deliver it to our churches by the beginning of festival worships."
He added that there will not be the traditional distribution of the Fire to believers at Vnukovo airport due to the restrictions caused by COVID-19.
According to the Orthodox Christian tradition, the Holy Fire is a miracle as it appears without any human manipulation during the liturgy on Great Saturday, the day preceding Orthodox Easter. Its takeout of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a symbol of Christ's Resurrection.
