The government of Israel is expected to give an official response to the Patriarch of Jerusalem by tomorrow, Tuesday March 31, regarding the conduct of the Holy Light Ceremony and other services of Holy Week. According to information reported by Maria Giahnaki on the “Magazine” show hosted by Eri Panagou on Parapolitika 90.1, a special protocol is already being developed that will allow Christian leaders to fulfill their religious obligations.
Holy Light: Maria Giahnaki’s report on Parapolitika 90.1 and Eri Panagou’s “Magazine” show
“By tomorrow, the Israeli government will have officially responded to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and after everything that has happened, a special plan is currently being developed that will allow Christian leaders to conduct their services in Israel. This is what’s new. Essentially, by tomorrow Israel will have given an official response.
However, I must say that yesterday Israel announced, after everything that happened, that a special plan is currently being developed that will allow Christian leaders to conduct their services at the Holy Sepulcher, and specifically this decision came from Netanyahu’s office. I’m talking about a response following international attention and very swift reactions and protests that were caused by the obstruction of the Latin Patriarch on Catholic Palm Sunday. I believe the Latins had a very immediate reaction to what happened, and because they generally have a very strong network, they immediately activated their government, Catholics, Latins and everyone. This is something they would have done for the Patriarchate of Jerusalem anyway, but because they already obstructed the first one, who was the Latin Patriarch as we see, they made sure the issue gained significant attention, and this certainly helps our cause as well.
I want to tell you that the Israeli authorities, after everything that happened and obviously to throw some dust in our eyes as we started these reactions, claimed that the restrictions imposed for now are temporary and already said they are imposed for the protection of religious leaders from ongoing regional attacks by Iran that are now also targeting Jerusalem, and the Israeli government clarified that they have no malicious intent, but all these moves are dictated by what they consider a necessary security need.
Now, regarding the Israeli Forces, the government said these things well, the Israeli Forces, essentially the Security Forces, also committed to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office to ensure pilgrimage opportunities for church leaders throughout the rest of the passion week starting next Monday, meaning probably from Lazarus Saturday, and we’ll see in practice if they keep their word because on Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, as you know, many ceremonies take place in Jerusalem. They even go to Bethphage, which is the point where Jesus began his journey with the donkey to reach Jerusalem. There are processions – now I don’t know if Israel will allow these because all this happens outdoors with processions and parades, which means they probably won’t allow this. Obviously they will allow services to be conducted at the reference points of Holy Week, because Holy Week doesn’t have just one church as a reference point – they start from churches outside the city of Jerusalem, they would go to Bethphage, from there to another church related to Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, to reach the Holy Tomb of the Holy Sepulcher.
Now regarding the Holy Light, which is our great concern, a solution must be found there, either through air force assistance or by road somehow – there is some such consideration“
