Today in Jerusalem the Holy Light, known in the West as Holy Fire, once again descended into the Tomb of Christ as Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem knelt in prayer within the Holy Sepulchre. With 33 candles in each hand he distributed the Holy Light to the few present, many of whom wore face masks, as the ceremony unfolded without pilgrims due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Usually, thousands of Orthodox Christians gather at East Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the eve of Orthodox Easter. Following the Holy Light ceremony, the flame is taken by plane, which this year will be empty of passengers, to other Orthodox communities in countries such as Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania.
