The Council of Church Leaders held an emergency session on Thursday under the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos, to decide how to address the prohibition of the Holy Fire Ceremony. Shortly after, before noon of the same day, they sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, requesting a clear response regarding the upcoming celebrations and services, as there is already great concern in the Christian world about what will happen with the Holy Fire ceremony. The orthodoxianewsagency website, fully confirming the parapolitika.gr report by Maria Giahnaki about the meeting of the Council of Christian Church Leaders in Jerusalem, writes that the Jerusalem Patriarchate issued a statement today referring to the content and message sent by the Church leaders regarding Easter.
According to the Patriarchate, there was extensive discussion regarding the manner of conducting ceremonies during Holy Week and Easter, as well as the exchange of visits between Churches under the extremely difficult conditions prevailing due to the war raging in the Middle East.
Holy Fire ceremony: The Easter message
The Council session, held under the presidency of Jerusalem Patriarch His Beatitude Theophilos, approved the Easter message that will be read to their flocks. This message references the volatile situation created by the war in Jerusalem, Gaza, Lebanon, and the broader Middle East region.
The Easter message in English
The Christian Church Leaders pray that the Resurrection of the Lord will bring an end to the military conflicts and the much-desired peace to the region.
On the same day, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos was visited by the UK Consul General in Jerusalem, Helen Winston.
The British diplomat was briefed by the Patriarch on the situation in the Church of Zion as well as the efforts being made by the other Christian Churches in the region to overcome the difficulties of the ongoing war.
