The Holy Light will travel on M. Saturday from Jerusalem to Athens on a special Aegean flight and then it will be transferred to the Exarchy of the Holy Sepulcher in Plaka, while at the same time its distribution will begin by air throughout the Greek territory.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on information, is in constant communication with agents of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, with our ambassador in Tel Aviv and with our consul in Jerusalem and already has a “plan B” if the situation becomes more dangerous.
According to this, the Greek delegation (including Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Kotsiras, the Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher and the Metropolitan of Ioannina) will arrive in Jerusalem by government aircraft for greater security. The relevant announcements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also expected in the next few hours.
The general order is given to the Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Kotsiras, who already met with the Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher for the details of the plan.
Because the situation in Israel is fluid, the deputy minister wants the transfer to take place, without delays, with a government plane and for the necessary people to board it (a maximum of regarding 15 people, including priests, politicians and police).
In the meantime, the climate of insecurity that prevails in the wider region of the Middle East and especially in the Holy Land due to the ongoing hostilities led the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Patriarchate to the decision not to send a delegation to Jerusalem on Holy Saturday in order to receive the Holy Light.
“Given the ongoing hostilities in Israel, the Holy Synod decided this year not to send a delegation to Israel and the Holy City of Jerusalem for the transfer of the Holy Light to Bulgaria”, he says in a terse announcement.
We remind you that the exact number of pilgrims who will be allowed to enter the Church of the Resurrection was announced a few days ago by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the ceremony of the Holy Light.
“The Patriarchate of Jerusalem publishes for the information of the pilgrims the opinion of the Architect of the Church of the Resurrection, Mr. Theodosios Mitropoulos, and the Architect of the Franciscan Brotherhood, Mr. Nagib Naser, regarding the number of pilgrims who may enter the Church of the Resurrection, duration of the Ceremony of the Holy Light”, it is stated in a related announcement. The announcement states that the presence of 4,200 believers will be allowed inside the Church and outside during the celebration of the Orthodox Easter.
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