Heavy Police Presence Restricts Access to Holy Fire Ceremony at Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Thousands of Palestinian Christians celebrated the Orthodox Holy Light ceremony on Saturday, April 30, in Jerusalem’s Old City amid a heavy police presence and limited access. The two-millennia-old celebration that symbolizes Jesus’s resurrection usually draws large crowds to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter. However, Israeli police limited access to the event this year citing safety concerns.

Restrictions on Holy Fire Ceremony

The Holy Fire ceremony is an annual Orthodox Christian ceremony held in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. However, for the third year in a row, Israel has placed limits on the number of participants, leading to tension between police and Christian worshipers. The Israeli police initially capped the event this year at 1,800 participants, leading the Greek Orthodox Church to accuse the police of infringing on the freedom of worshipers with their “heavy-handed” restrictions.

Tensions between Police and Worshipers

Police ultimately allowed a greater number of participants to make their way to the church than initially planned. Thousands of clergy, police officers, diplomats, and pilgrims huddled inside the church, while thousands more gathered in surrounding alleys where police clashed with worshipers trying to make their way through barricades. Israeli police turned back most of tens of thousands of worshipers who had arrived from the gates of the Old City and directed them to an overflow area with a live stream.

Safety Concerns and Controversy

The police acknowledged that they were increasing security and blocking some routes into the dense Old City for safety during the celebration at the holy site. The restrictions included limiting attendance to 1,800 people inside and 1,200 more outside, leaving thousands unable to reach the church due to Israeli police checkpoints. Pilgrims and Christian residents of the Old City protested the large police presence and restrictions, which they see as part of longstanding efforts to push out the local Christian community. Some church leaders have voiced concern over an environment of impunity in the face of rising acts of violence targeting Christians in Jerusalem.

Background and History

The Holy Fire ceremony comes during a rise in violence in the Old City, which has seen clashes between police and Muslim worshipers. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that on the Saturday before Easter, a miraculous flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. While the ceremony traditionally hosts as many as 10,000 worshipers, police began to crack down on the event at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago, doubling down on restrictions in the wake of a deadly crowd crush at a Jewish holy site in Mount Meron last year.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem, including its walled Old City and holy sites, after the 1967 Middle East War in a move not recognized internationally. It sees Jerusalem as its eternal and undivided capital, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital for a future independent state.

Title: Letter Reveals Greek Orthodox Request for Restrictions on Holy Fire Ceremony

Contradicting earlier allegations by church leaders, Israeli daily The Times of Israel recently reviewed a letter that indicates restrictions on the Holy Fire ceremony were imposed at the request of a Greek Orthodox official. The letter stresses that the maximum number of visitors for the ceremony should be 1,800 inside the building and 200 more in the courtyard.

Authenticity Questioned

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate did not respond to requests for comment on this revelation, but its authenticity was not verified by an architect from the Common Technical Office.

Church Leaders vs. Israeli Police

On Wednesday before the event, the Greek Orthodox Church claimed that Israeli limits on worshipers were heavy-handed and negotiations had failed. The Israeli police responded by affirming that the limits were necessary for safety during the celebration at the holy site.

In conclusion, the annual Orthodox Holy Light ceremony in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre drew thousands of Palestinian Christians despite heavy restrictions imposed by Israeli police citing safety concerns. Limited access this year led to tension between police and Christian worshipers, with church leaders accusing Israeli authorities of infringing on worshippers’ freedom. While some have protested the large police presence and restrictions, others have voiced concerns over rising acts of violence towards Christians in Jerusalem. Contradicting allegations from church leaders, a letter recently reviewed by a major Israeli daily indicates that restrictions were imposed at the request of a Greek Orthodox official.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons