The place where the blessed fire is lit. Explanations of the mystery of the Holy Fire by scientists

April 24 is Easter. The culmination of the main Christian holiday will be the convergence of the Holy Fire in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Once again, disputes will arise about what the miraculous fire is, how to explain its occurrence? Atheists are convinced that this is just a hoax. Believers, on the contrary, that this is a real miracle. Who is right?

strange discharge

More recently, the press reported that Russian physicist, Andrey Volkov, an employee of the RRC "Kurchatov Institute" last year attended the ceremony of the convergence of the Holy Fire and secretly made some measurements.

According to Volkov, a few minutes before the removal of the Holy Fire from Kuvuklia (the chapel where the miraculous fire lights up), the device that fixes the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation detected a strange long-wave impulse in the temple, which no longer manifested itself. That is, an electrical discharge has occurred.

The physicist came to Jerusalem as an assistant to one of the film crews who received permission to work inside the temple. According to him, it is difficult to judge anything reliably from one measurement, since a series of experiments is needed. But still, “it could also turn out that we detected the cause preceding the appearance of a genuine divine Holy Fire” ...

Today, closer to midnight, a plane with the Holy Fire landed at Vnukovo Airport. According to tradition, the sacred fire from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem was taken to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the particles of Fire were delivered to various churches throughout the country.

But what is the Holy Fire - a focus for believers or the True Light - a Russian physicist managed to find out. A scientist from the Institute of Atomic Energy, using high-precision instruments, was able to prove that the Holy Fire actually has a divine origin.

Andrey Volkov, the head of the laboratory of ionic systems at the Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", succeeded in what no scientist in the world has been able to do so far: he conducted scientific experiment in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

At the moment of the descent of the Holy Fire, the devices recorded a sharp burst of electromagnetic radiation.

Andrey Volkov, a 52-year-old candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, has always been interested in the phenomenon of an unusual self-ignition in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which Orthodox Easter. This fire appears by itself, in the first seconds it does not burn, believers wash their faces and hands with it, as if with water. Volkov suggested that this flame is a plasma discharge. And the scientist came up with the idea of ​​a bold experiment - to measure electromagnetic radiation in the temple itself during the convergence of the Holy Fire.

I knew that it would not be easy to do this - in Holy place with the equipment they could not miss, - Andrey Volkov told "Your DAY". - And yet I decided to take a chance, since all the devices fit in an ordinary case. In general, I hoped for good luck. And I'm lucky.

Radiation

The scientist set up the instruments: if during the convergence of the Holy Fire there is a jump in electromagnetic fields, the computer will record it. If the flame is a trick that is arranged for believers (such an explanation of the phenomenon is still in use among atheists), then no jump will occur.

Volkov watched as the Patriarch of Jerusalem, having taken off his vestments, entered Kuvuklia (the chapel in the Temple) in one shirt with a bunch of candles. People, frozen, waiting for a miracle. Indeed, according to legend, if the Holy Fire does not come down to people on the eve of Easter, this will be a sign of the approaching end of the world. Andrey Volkov found out that the miracle had happened before anyone else in the temple - his instruments caught a sharp jump!

For six hours of observing the electromagnetic background in the temple, it was at the moment of the descent of the Holy Fire that the device recorded a doubling of the radiation intensity, the physicist testifies. - Now it is clear that the Holy Fire was not created by people. This is not a deception, not a hoax: its material "traces" can be measured!

In fact, can this inexplicable surge of energy be called a message from God?

Many believers think so. This is the materialization of the Divine, a miracle. You won't pick another word. God's plan cannot be squeezed into mathematical formulas. But the Lord by this miracle every year gives us a sign that Orthodox faith- true!

"Fire Like a Cobra"

An argument in favor of the fact that the Holy Fire has a “natural”, and not a divine origin, is the fact that similar phenomena do occur. Of course, in no case should they be put on a par with the fire in the Temple of the Lord. However, there are some common features.

Let's start with such a sign as suddenness, lack of apparent reason. The same property is characteristic of such a phenomenon as spontaneous combustion, which is not so rare. For example, “Buff-Sad” last month wrote about an abnormal fire on Bolshaya Podgornaya Street that occurred last spring. This is far from an isolated case. And not only for Tomsk. For example, causeless fires are not uncommon in Moscow. The most surprising thing is that this happens especially often on the Garden Ring. Moreover, not only apartments and offices are burning, but even car interiors.

Let's take another sign of the Holy Fire - the property not to burn, at least at first. This already looks like a so-called cold plasma, a low-temperature ionized substance. It seems that such a plasma exists not only in physical laboratories.

Here is a quote from the newspaper "Miner's Territory", Novokuznetsk. A case is described when a firefighter went to a call and saw something completely unusual before his eyes. “Somehow I break into a room, in the middle of which an orange-blue selective column of flame hangs. Fire like a cobra stood upright, as if preparing to jump. I took a step towards the flame, and it was immediately sucked with a whistle into a hole in the floor ... And when we extinguished the barracks on Vera Solomina Street, the fire seemed to be hiding from us, spreading from one wall to another ... ". Note that the flames writhed, "hidden", but did not cause ignition.

Science and myths

There are cases when a mysterious flame or glow, mistaken for miracles, eventually found scientific explanation. According to old beliefs, the lights flickering in the swamps are candles that light the way for lost souls. It is now reliably known that wandering fires are nothing more than combustible swamp gas released from rotting plants. The bluish glow on the masts and frames of ships - the so-called "St. Elmo's fires", observed since the Middle Ages - are caused by lightning discharges in the sea. And what about the northern lights, which in Scandinavian myths is a reflection of the golden shields of the Valkyries? Scientists explain this phenomenon by the interaction of streams of charged particles passing through the upper atmosphere, through magnetic field Earth.

However, some cases still remain a mystery. In 1905, the mysterious lights visited the Welsh preacher Mary Jones. Their appearance ranged from small fireballs, pillars of light a meter wide, to a faint glow reminiscent of fireworks disintegrating in the sky. Moreover, some researchers explained the appearance of mysterious lights by the mental overstrain experienced by Jones during the sermons.

We must not guess, but explore

Let us return to where we started, to the miraculous Holy Fire in Jerusalem. It turns out that the Moscow physicist Andrey Volkov was almost outstripped by the Tomsk residents. The year before last, I was going to go to Jerusalem research group, among whom were the director of the Biolon Center Viktor Fefelov and the famous photojournalist Vladimir Kazantsev.

— We wanted to study the Holy Fire with the help of physical devices- says Victor Fefelov. - With the help of Tomsk scientists scientific center we assembled equipment: an automatic spectrophotometer, various other devices for studying electromagnetic waves of the widest range ... Outwardly, everything would look like shooting with an ordinary video camera, in fact, a thorough analysis would be carried out from X-ray and gamma radiation to low-frequency. We quite openly hoped to find an answer - either this is a miracle, or a natural phenomenon or deception.

Alas, due to problems with visas, the trip fell through. Although many Tomsk residents provided this or that support: corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Zuev, deputy Nikolai Vyatkin, director of the television studio Elena Ulyanova and others. The researchers also received approval in church circles. Perhaps it will succeed in next year.

* * *
Perhaps the answer lies in geophysics? That is, the whole point is the release to the surface of a bunch of tectonic, underground energy in the form of low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, which Volkov was able to fix?

- The Earth is a very large, extremely complex electromagnetic object, - says Viktor Fefelov, - and extremely little studied. It is likely that this phenomenon also has a tectonic contribution. No need to guess, you need to explore.

Indeed, perhaps the Holy Fire is due to many reasons? Edicule is located in unique place, in terms of tectonic plate dynamics. Perhaps the believers who have gathered at the Temple of the Lord also generate energy, which, thanks to a large number emotionally excited people is multiplied? Let us recall the case of the preacher Mary Jones mentioned above.

There may be other factors that we don't yet know about.

In 2001, the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne of the Jerusalem Church, Metropolitan Cornelius of Peter, in an interview with the GKRIZES ZONES program on the Greek TV channel MEGA, recalled that “every creation of God is good, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim. 4, 4- 5). According to him, in the case of the Holy Fire, or as it is called in Greek - the Holy Light, " we are talking about the natural natural light, but the prayers read by the Patriarch or another bishop replacing him, sanctify this natural light, and as a result, he has the grace of the Holy Light. This is a natural light, which is lit from the Inextinguishable Lamp, kept in the sacristy of the Church of the Resurrection. But prayers have the power to sanctify natural light, and it also becomes supernatural light. The miracle is in the epiclesis, in the prayer of the bishop; this light is sanctified by it"

I, of course, with reverence am to this event. And, of course, I really don’t like hysteria, no matter what authoritative lips it comes from. I also want to say that we in the Russian Spiritual Mission began to study the text of the Order of the Holy Light. In this order of office, we are talking about the fact that "Christ is the True Light", that "The Light of Christ enlightens all." When the Resurrection of Christ took place, a glow was visible. It is clear that the Light of Christ or the Light of Tabor is not actually a flame, it is precisely the Divine Light. But we, people, are constantly trying to replace the living God with His image, His icon - it is more convenient for us to pray this way, otherwise we cannot contain Him in our limited consciousness. We have the Body and Blood of Christ under the guise of bread and wine, and therefore the Divine Light is presented in the form of Fire, which we can really see, which we can even kindle ourselves."

The descent of the Holy Fire is a miraculous and yet inexplicable phenomenon by scientists, which occurs annually on the eve of Easter. The flame that appears by itself, which was first seen by the Apostle Peter over two thousand years ago, today is a visible evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Where and how is the Holy Fire lit? When will the Holy Fire descend in 2018? What should humanity prepare for in the event that the fire does not come down?

Where and when does the Holy Fire descend?

The Holy Fire is a harbinger of the Bright Resurrection of Christ. According to tradition, it descends on Easter Eve in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, built in 335 AD. In 2018, the Holy Fire will descend on Saturday, April 7th. He appears by himself, through the prayer of the Greek Patriarch near the memorial plate of the Savior.

As for the time when the Holy Fire descends, this traditionally takes place at noon, within 12:55 - 15:00 in the afternoon. At the same time, no one knows when the fire will appear. At one time, he descends after ten minutes, and at another - after a 2-hour prayer of the patriarch.

Age-old ritual traditions

The ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire, which has existed for more than a thousand years, is strictly regulated and spelled out to the smallest detail.

Traditionally, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem is filled with pilgrims from all over the world. It is they who are the first to know whether the Holy Fire has ignited and the first to have the opportunity to touch the flame that does not burn.

The temple itself can accommodate no more than 8 thousand people, but there can be up to 70 thousand people who want to see a miracle. For the rest, the territory adjacent to the temple is allotted. Each of the parishioners holds a bunch of 33 candles in their hands, which indicate the earthly age of Jesus Christ.

The Patriarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church goes to the chapel of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ - Kuvuklia in one cassock. This room is carefully checked by Israeli policemen for the presence of matches, lighters or other items that can give a fire.

In the process of waiting for the convergence of the Holy Fire in the temple:

• all sources of light are extinguished,
• there is deathly silence.

Pilgrims at this time should pray and sincerely repent of their sins before the Lord.

The Patriarch leaving the chapel, first of all, lights the candles of representatives of each of the religious denominations. After that, the fire spreads among the crowd of thousands of pilgrims. It is often difficult for the police to keep all those who want to get a piece of flame faster than others, because according to legend, all worldly sins are the first to be forgiven.

Some interesting facts about the Holy Fire:

1. The convergence of fire is symbolized by flashes in the form of blue fireballs near the dome of the temple.
2. Fire for some time does not burn either the body or the hair of a person.
3. The holy flame has never been the cause of a fire.
4. The wax of candles that were lit from the Holy Fire cannot be removed from clothing.
5. The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire is still a mystery.

How and where can you see the convergence of the Holy Fire?

You can contemplate the descent of the Holy Fire not only while in the Jerusalem temple. so amazing and inexplicable phenomenon actively covered by mass media from all over the world.

In Russia in 2017, the convergence of the Holy Fire was broadcast live on the NTV channel. Who will cover the upcoming event this year is still unknown, but in any case, how the Holy Fire appears can be watched online via the Internet.

Video recordings of such an unusual and rare phenomenon of past years, as well as photos of eyewitnesses from the scene, can be easily found on the Internet. Also, fragments of the video about the miraculous appearance of the Holy Light, as the Holy Fire is also called, will be shown on the same day in the evening news of all television channels without exception.

Spread of the Holy Fire around the world

Immediately after the representatives of all churches and denominations have lit their lamps from the Holy Fire, they go to their countries in order to transfer a piece of flame to all the cities and villages of the state.

Fire is transported charter flight in a special capsule. Trying to be in time by ten in the evening, when evening services begin in the main temples of the capital, representatives of confessions are trying to deliver the sacred flame to the place of service as quickly as possible.

It is said that if the fire did not come down, then it would be a terrible omen for all mankind. The Apocalypse will begin and the Last Judgment from which no one will hide. Then the Church of the Holy Sepulcher will be destroyed, and the people living on Earth will perish. Despite the fact that the Holy Fire appears from year to year, there is always the possibility that one day it will not come down ...

The Holy Fire is an unsolvable and mysterious mystery for scientists around the world. But not for Christians! We know that the Holy Fire is an Easter symbol that the Lord himself gives us from heaven! And the convergence of this great and beautiful gift from God has been going on since ancient times.

The Holy Fire has appeared in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem for more than a millennium. Earliest references to the descent blessed fire on the eve of the resurrection of Christ, they are found at Gregory of Nyssa, Eusebius and Sylvia of Aquitaine and date back to the 4th century. They also contain descriptions of earlier convergences.

On the eve in the temple, all candles, lamps, chandeliers are extinguished. As early as the beginning of the 20th century. this was carefully observed: the strictest search was carried out by the Turkish authorities inside the chapel; on the slander of Catholics, they even reached the revision of the pockets of the clergy metropolitan, the vicar of the patriarch ... because of suspicion, the patriarch is forced to undress himself to his cassock, so that it can be seen that he does not bring matches into the cave or anything that can light a fire. During the reign of the Turks, close "control" of the patriarch was carried out by Turkish Janissaries, who searched him before entering the Kuvukliya, at the present time the Jewish policemen examine the patriarch.

Shortly before the arrival of the patriarch, the priest brings into the cave a large lamp, in which the main fire and 33 candles should flare up - according to the number of years of the savior's earthly life. Then the Orthodox and Armenian patriarchs (the latter also undresses before entering the cave) enter inside. They are sealed with a large piece of wax and a red ribbon is placed on the door; Orthodox ministers put their seals. At this time, the lights in the temple are turned off.

After the sealing of the Kuvuklia, Orthodox Arab youth runs into the temple, whose presence is also an obligatory element of the Easter celebrations. Young people sit on each other's shoulders like riders. They ask mother of god and gentlemen, that he bestow the Holy Fire on the Orthodox. "There is no Faith other than the Orthodox Faith, Christ is the True God," they chant. For European parishioners, accustomed to other forms of expression of feelings and calm worship, it is very unusual to see such behavior of local youth. However, the Lord reminded us that he also accepts such a childishly naive, but sincere appeal to him. During the time when Jerusalem was under the British Mandate, the English governor once tried to ban these "Savage" dances. The patriarch prayed in the Kuvuklia for two hours: the fire did not come down. Then the patriarch, by his own will, ordered the Arabs to be let in .... And the fire descended. "The Arabs, as it were, are addressing all peoples: the Lord confirms the correctness of our faith by bringing down the Holy Fire on the eve of Orthodox Easter. What do you believe in?

All the people in the temple are patiently waiting for the patriarch to come out with fire in his hands. However, in the hearts of many people there is not only patience, but also awe of expectation: in accordance with the tradition of the Jerusalem church, it is believed that the day when the Holy Fire does not come down will be the last for the people in the temple, and the temple itself will be destroyed. Therefore, pilgrims usually take communion before coming to a holy place. AT different years the agonizing wait lasts from five minutes to several hours.

Before the descent, the temple begins to be illuminated by bright flashes of blessed light, small lightning flashes here and there. In slow motion, it is clearly seen that they come from different places in the temple - from the icon hanging over the cuvuklia, from the dome of the temple, from windows and from other places, and fill everything around with bright light. In addition, here and there, between the columns and walls of the temple, quite visible lightning flashes, which often pass without any harm through standing people.

A moment later, the whole temple turns out to be belted with lightning and glare, which snake down its walls and columns, as if flowing down to the foot of the temple and spreading over the square among the pilgrims. At the same time, candles are lit at those standing in the temple and on the square, the lamps themselves are lit; "And suddenly a drop falls on the face, and then a cry of delight and shock is heard in the crowd. The fire in the altar of the catholicon is burning! The flash and flame are like a huge flower. And the cuvuklia is still dark. Slowly, slowly, by candlelight, the fire from the altar begins to descend towards us And then a thunderous cry makes you look back at Cuvuklia. It shines, the whole wall shimmers with silver, white lightning streams through it. The fire pulsates and breathes, and from the hole in the dome of the temple a vertical wide column of light descended from the sky on the coffin." The temple or some of its places are filled with an unparalleled radiance, which is believed to have first appeared during the resurrection of Christ. At the same time, the doors of the coffin open and the Orthodox Patriarch who blesses the audience and distributes the blessed fire.

However, not everyone lights a fire from a patriarchal candle; for some, it lights up on its own. “Brighter and stronger flashes of heavenly light. Now the blessed fire began to fly all over the temple. It scattered in bright blue beads over the cuvuklia around the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord, and one of the lamps flared up, burst into the temple chapels, onto Golgotha ​​(lit on her also one of the lamps), sparkled over the stone of chrismation (the lamp was also lit here. Someone's candle wicks were charred, someone's lamps, bunches of candles flared up by themselves. One of the witnesses notes how a woman standing next to him lit candles three times, which she twice tried to put out.

The first time - 3-10 minutes, the lit fire has amazing properties- does not burn at all, regardless of which candle and where it will be lit. You can see how the parishioners literally wash themselves with this fire - they drive it over their faces, over their hands, scoop it up in handfuls, and it does no harm, at first it does not even scorch their hair.

Indeed, this is one of the greatest miracles of both past centuries and the modern 21st century! The Lord shows all his followers, all Christians, that he is with us!

In Russia, the Holy Fire is delivered to many, many cities for the Paschal service, and the joyful feast of Easter is intensified and ascends to heaven, to the birthplace of the Holy Fire!

The convergence of fire can be seen only once a year and in the only place on the planet - the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection. Its huge complex includes: Calvary, a cave with the Cross of the Lord, a garden where Christ was seen after the resurrection. It was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine and the Holy Fire was seen there during the first service on Easter. Around the place where this happened, they built a chapel with the tomb of the Lord - it is called Cuvuklia.

At ten o'clock in the morning of Great Saturday, all candles, lamps and other sources of light are extinguished in the temple every year. The highest church ranks personally monitor this: Kuvuklia passes the last test, after which it is sealed with a large wax seal. From that moment on, the protection of holy places falls on the shoulders of the Israeli police (in old times Janissaries coped with their duties Ottoman Empire). They also put an additional seal over the seal of the Patriarch. What is not proof of the miraculous origin of the Holy Fire?

Edicule

At twelve o'clock in the afternoon, a procession of the cross begins to stretch from the courtyard of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to the Holy Sepulcher. It is headed by the patriarch: having bypassed Kuvuklia three times, he stops in front of her doors.

“The patriarch dresses in white clothes. With him, at the same time, 12 archimandrites and four deacons put on white vestments. Then clerics in white surplice with 12 banners depicting the Passion of Christ and His glorious Resurrection come out of the altar in pairs, followed by clerics with ripids and life-giving cross, then 12 priests in pairs, then four deacons also in pairs, and the last two of them in front of the patriarch hold bunches of candles in their hands in a silver stand for the most convenient transfer of holy fire to the people, and, finally, the patriarch with a rod in right hand. With the blessing of the patriarch, the singers and all the clergy, while singing: “Thy Resurrection, Christ the Savior, the angels sing in heaven, and make us on earth glorify you with a pure heart” go from the Church of the Resurrection to the Kuvuklia and bypass it three times. After the third circumambulation, the patriarch, the clergy and the chanters stop with the banner-bearers and the crusader in front of the holy life-giving tomb and sing the evening hymn: “Quiet Light”, reminiscent of the fact that this litany was once part of the rite of evening worship.

The Holy Fire is one of the most powerful and significant characters faith among Orthodox Christians and the phenomenon higher powers its truth to all believers. Once again, he will descend from heaven this year on Saturday, April 7, on the eve of Holy Easter in Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where the earthly path of Jesus Christ was completed. O natural essence phenomena, about how the Holy Fire descends, how science is trying to explain this, and we will talk with you today.

Holy Fire: the mystery and essence of the phenomenon

Scientists and atheists have been trying to explain the nature of the Holy Fire for a long time, but so far to no avail. True believers do not need to explain anything, they accept Fire as God's grace. Skeptics, atheists, scientists with available data, scientific methods through experiments also want to reveal the nature of the phenomenon with scientific point vision, perhaps they will ever succeed .... But so far only a mystery hidden from explanation.

On the eve of Orthodox Easter, we will also touch on this phenomenon.

Where and when the Holy Fire descends

The Holy Fire descends in one place, only in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, in Israel, in Jerusalem, and only on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

This phenomenon has been observed year after year for more than a millennium. The first mention dates back to church historians in the 4th century.

I will give a description full of the feelings experienced by Archimandrite Savva Achilles in the book “I saw the Holy Fire.” For more than 50 years he was the main novice at the Holy Sepulcher. Here are his impressions:

“... the patriarch bowed low to approach the Life-Giving Tomb. And suddenly, in the midst of dead silence, I heard some kind of quivering, barely perceptible rustle. It was like a thin breath of wind. And immediately after that, I saw a blue light that filled the entire inner space of the Life-Giving Tomb.

Oh, what an unforgettable sight it was! I saw this light whirl like a strong whirlwind or storm. And in this blessed light, I clearly saw the face of the Patriarch. Big tears were running down his cheeks...

… the blue light has returned to a state of motion. Then it suddenly turned white... Soon the light took on a rounded shape and in the form of a halo stood motionless above the head of the Patriarch. I saw how His Beatitude the Patriarch took bundles of 33 candles into his hands, raised them high above him and began to pray to God to send down the Holy Fire, slowly stretching his hands to the sky. As soon as he raised them to the level of his head, all four beams suddenly lit up in his hands, as if they were brought close to a flaming furnace. At the same moment, the halo disappeared from the light above his head. Tears flowed from my eyes from the joy that engulfed me .... "

Holy Fire in Jerusalem. Story

The Holy Fire has been in the temple for more than a millennium. The earliest references to the descent of the Holy Fire on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ are found in Gregory of Nyssa, Eusebius and Sylvia of Aquitaine and date back to the 4th century. They also contain descriptions of earlier convergences. According to the testimony of the Apostles and Holy Fathers, the uncreated Light illuminated the Holy Sepulcher shortly after the Resurrection of Christ, which one of the apostles saw: and the night was, however, two images I saw internally - sensually and sincerely, ”we read from the church historian Gregory of Nyssa. “Peter appeared before the Sepulcher and the light in the tomb was terrified in vain,” writes St. John of Damascus. Eusebius Pamphilus tells in his “Church History” that when one day there was not enough lamp oil, Patriarch Narcissus (II century) blessed to pour water from the Siloam font into the lamps, and the fire that descended from heaven lit the lamps, which then burned throughout the entire Easter service . Among early references testimonies of Muslims, Catholics. The Latin monk Bernard (865) writes in his itinerary: “On Holy Saturday, which is the eve of Easter, the service begins early and after the service is completed, Lord have mercy until, with the coming of an Angel, light is kindled in the lamps hanging over the tomb."

Video IS IT TRUE? Holy Fire

Holy fire truth or fiction. Holy Fire is false or true?

This apparent miracle has been repeated for many centuries, since ancient times.
What is this “manifest miracle”? On the eve of Orthodox Easter in the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulcher, God creates amazing miracle available to any child - lights a fire. This fire, however, does not “ignite spontaneously” in front of everyone! The principle here is the same as for all other tricks: the disappearance or appearance of an object is not carried out directly in front of the astonished public, but under the cover of a handkerchief or in a dark box, that is, hidden from the audience.
Two high-ranking priests enter a small stone closet, which is called a cuvuklia. This is a special room inside the temple, like a chapel, where supposedly there is a stone bed on which the body of the crucified Christ lay. Having gone inside, two priests close the door behind them, and after a while they take out fire from the cuvuklia - a burning lamp and bunches of flaming candles. Crowds of fanatics immediately rush to them to light candles brought with them from the blessed fire. It is believed that this fire does not burn in the first minutes, so the pilgrims, who had languished in anticipation for many hours before, “wash” their faces and hands with it.
“Firstly, this fire does not burn, which is proof of a miracle,” write hundreds of believers in dozens of forums. - And secondly, what, if not God's miracle, can you explain that with such crowding of people and such an amount of fire, there have never been fires in the Temple?
Doesn't it burn?.. Were there any fires?.. The temple has already burned several times, which is not surprising given such an old building. During one of the fires in the temple, 300 people burned alive. And another time, due to a fire near the temple, the dome even collapsed, seriously damaging the cuvuklia with the “grave” of Christ.
Nevertheless, the story that the “wonderful” fire does not burn continues to circulate among believers.

Descent of the Holy Fire.

Every year, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, a colorful church ritual of the descent of the Holy Fire takes place. This event takes place on the Saturday before Easter.

It is believed that the first witness of the convergence of fire was the Apostle Peter. Having learned about the resurrection of Christ, he went to the tomb of Jesus and saw a light in the place where the body of the Savior had previously lay. In 1810, a chapel was erected over the Holy Sepulcher - Cuvuklia. It is here that the Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Armenian archimandrite, enters on Great Saturday on the eve of Easter. Before entering Cuvuklia, the patriarch undresses to his cassock. Prior to this, other church ministers inspect the premises - they check that there are no matches and lighters in the chapel. The patriarch takes a bundle of unlit candles with him.

After some time, he appears before the faithful with already burning candles. Lighting their lamps and candles from them, believers pass the Holy Fire to each other. In a matter of seconds, the fire spreads throughout the temple. It is believed that in the first minutes this fire does not burn, therefore those gathered in the temple “wash themselves” with it. Immediately, lampadas are lit from the Holy Fire, which are transported to different parts of the world.

The Holy Fire from Jerusalem is delivered to Moscow on Saturday evening by a special flight. The icon-lamp is brought to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior for the main Easter service in Russia.

According to legend, if the fire does not come down, it will mean the imminent end of the world.

Scientists have tried to challenge the "divine" nature of the Holy Fire many times. They put forward many versions - from an electric impulse to chemical reaction causing combustion. About a month ago, the representative of the Armenian Patriarchate in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Samuil Agoyan, added fuel to the fire, saying that there was no mysticism in the “descent”. The priest said that he personally saw how candles are lit from an ordinary oil lamp. “God works miracles, but not for the amusement of people,” Agoyan added.

It is generally accepted that only people who adhere to the relevant beliefs believe in the existence of religious miracles. At the same time, not a single skeptic can explain the phenomenon of such a miracle as the Holy Fire, no matter what arguments he tries.

What is the Holy Fire?

An amazing phenomenon has been studied more than once by scientific and religious figures who could not find at least proof natural origin phenomenon called "the condescension of the Holy Fire." It includes:

1. Ceremony preparing for the emergence of the flame. Exist special ritual, without which the main event of Holy Saturday will not take place and the celebration will be ruined.
2. Checking the Patriarch and his entry into the temple. From this moment, the international broadcast of the ceremony by TV channels begins.
3. The appearance of the Holy Fire and its transfer to other clergy.
4. The beginning of the first celebrations in honor of .

How does the Holy Fire appear?

The process of the emergence of flames deserves special attention. At about 10 o'clock in the morning to the Jerusalem Orthodox Church begins to move procession, headed by the Patriarch and the highest ranks of the clergy. After they come close to Kuvuklia (the chapel of the Holy Sepulcher), events begin to unfold as follows:

1. So that the believers would not have doubts about where the Holy Fire comes from, the Patriarch undresses and remains in one white undershirt, under which nothing can be carried.
2. It is inspected by representatives of the Turkish and Israeli police, according to a tradition that has existed since the 14th century.
3. The Patriarch is approaching the entrance to Kuvukliya along with similar ranks from the Armenian, Coptic and Syrian Apostolic Churches. They will be the first to see the Holy Fire after the Patriarch.
4. The doors of the chapel are closed, and the faithful are left to wait for a miracle outside the doors.

How does the Holy Fire descend?

After the Patriarch and the priests remain behind the first doors of Kuvuklia, they appear in front of the room with the Tomb of Christ. The Metropolitan of Jerusalem will enter it alone, but a few steps from him there will be a representative of the Armenian Church. The convergence of the Holy Fire occurs in several stages:

1. The patriarch begins prayers praising Jesus Christ.
2. Turning to God can take both several hours and several minutes.
3. Lights flash on the stone slab, flowing down like drops.
4. The patriarch picks them up with a cotton ball and sets fire to a bunch of candles.

Why does the Holy Fire not burn?

The sheaf of candles held by the Patriarch consists of 33 pieces (according to the number of years Jesus spent on Earth). The only one who personally saw the secret of the Holy Fire takes the bundle out of Kuvuklia and hands it over to the Armenian Metropolitan. He shows it to the believers, and they light their candles from it. Weakened after fervent prayer, the Patriarch, as soon as he appears at the door, is lifted up in his arms and carried to the exit with hymns. Meanwhile, those who first visited Jerusalem are surprised to note the special properties of the flame:

1. Knowing where the Holy Fire actually comes from, experienced tourists fearlessly wash themselves with it, put candles to their faces and put their fingers to it.
2. The color of the fire varies from light blue to blue, which cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.
3. After 5-10 minutes after the convergence, the flame on all sheaves acquires its usual properties and heats up.

How to bring the Holy Fire home?

No less important for the believer is not only the opportunity to see the Fire, but also the desire to take away its particle with him. The Holy Fire at home can be placed in front of the iconostasis or lamps can be lit from it and placed in rooms on the eve of Easter. To implement the idea, you will need:

• a small candle, which in churches is allowed to touch the flame from the Holy Sepulcher;
• a small lamp with a lid that prevents the lampada from going out;
• vaseline oil, which is used to support combustion.

What should be done with the Holy Fire?

Most spiritual guides do not recommend turning into idolaters and turning fire into a kind of cult. Believers should treat it accordingly: they can find the flame in the parishes to which it is brought by plane from Jerusalem. It is believed that the Holy Fire is what allows you to:

• Orthodox, unable to come to the temple, personally see the miracle;
• recall the bright holiday of Easter, which he marks;
• gain spiritual strength for fasting on Great Saturday.

Holy Fire - true or false?

If church officials consider it sinful to doubt the sacred nature of the phenomenon, then journalists and scientists are not shy in the most daring assumptions that the descent of the Holy Fire has quite earthly origin. Supporters of different versions are leading options such as:

1. Concealment of fire from those who inspect the Patriarch. Since on the day of Great Saturday he does not have the opportunity to carry the flame with him, it can be decided that the Fire is carried and hidden at the Tomb in advance.
2. A chemical reaction caused by the special composition of the slab on the tomb of Christ. Esters of organic acids can give a cold fire, but its color will not be blue, but green.
3. Spontaneous combustion. Some natural substances at a certain temperature environment and humidity may flare up. They have this property: white phosphorus, boric acid, jasmine oil.

Holy Fire - scientific explanation

In 2008, skeptics had a chance to find out the nature of the Holy Fire. Russian physicist Andrey Volkov was admitted to Edicule before Holy Saturday, who received the approval of the Orthodox Church to install equipment with sensitive sensors. Before him, no one knew the answer to the slippery question, how scientists explain the convergence of the Holy Fire, Andrei Volkov’s research gave mixed results:

1. A few seconds before the appearance of a flame at the Holy Sepulcher, a physicist recorded an unusual long-wave electrical impulse that arose spontaneously.
2. During the ignition of the cotton wool laid out on the lid of the tombstone, the pulse fluctuations increased many times over.
3. Power measurements showed that the flash of fire can be compared to the operation of a low-power welding machine.
4. Scientific diagnostics of a crack on a column at the entrance to Kuvuklia proved that such damage could occur solely under the influence of electricity.

Holy Fire - interesting facts

The mystical character of the nature of Fire in history has been repeatedly associated with curious events. It was worth breaking at least one tradition of his appearance, as the course of the ceremony changed in front of all the witnesses. The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire underwent sharp interventions twice:

1. In 1101, the Latin Patriarch of Choque decided to take the reins of the greatest Christian miracle into his own hands. The desire to unravel his secret so captured the heretic that he tortured the monks and received from them all the details of the procedure for obtaining Fire. The flame never appeared after a day of futile attempts.
2. In 1578, a priest from Armenia decided that the secret of the Holy Fire would be revealed to him and obtained permission from the clergy to enter Kuvuklia first. Orthodox priests did not protest and remained at the door. The column in front of the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher cracked and flames began to emanate from it.