June 23 – A historic day.
Patriarch Orders Removal of the Word “Miracle”
A week later, on April 19, I called Aristarchos to find out if he had seen the email and how he intended to handle the matter. That conversation lasted exactly 41 minutes. It was a seminar on the entire Holy Fire ceremony, but most importantly, it was a personal confession on his part about the whole issue. He asked me not to reveal the content of our conversation, nor of what would follow. His plea was dramatic: “I cannot bear the burden… Things should have been done differently a long time ago. Now it’s too late…” I gave him my word.
However, that day we had joyful news: “I informed the Patriarch, and he agreed to delete the text currently posted on the website, and to replace it with another one without the controversial word (“miracle”) and all the rest.” I felt immense satisfaction. It should be noted that these “rest,” which we had indeed discussed, are claims that come from the depths of centuries, and almost no believer disputes them. And furthermore, we hear them from the “experts” every year on television.
At least 15 phone calls followed within a period of about two months. All of them had the text change as their exclusive subject, and almost all of them were initiated by me.
On May 25, he called me himself. “The text that will replace the old one has finally been found. It’s from an old edition of the Patriarchate. This will not cause scandal.” “Did the Patriarch see it?” I asked. “Of course, it has his approval. I also spoke to him about you.” I couldn’t believe it. I was overjoyed! “Can you send it to me?” “I can send it to you, but how will that happen? We haven’t typed it yet. I only have the pages of the book. How can I send them to you?” “Scan them, Your Eminence.” “Alright. I don’t know how to do that, but I’ll tell an employee.”
On May 30, Aristarchos informed me that the typing of the text had begun. On June 7, he informed me that it was completed and was expected to be uploaded to the website. “It will take a few days.” From that moment on, there wasn’t a day I didn’t visit the website to see if the new text had been posted. At the same time, I was planning the trip in my mind. As soon as the text changed, I had to go to Jerusalem. I informed him about it. I felt he wasn’t enthusiastic. In fact, he warned me about some “dangers”: “Too many questions about the Holy Fire are not a good thing here. If you even start asking about the lamp that goes inside, then things will get worse.” However, I must say that not only did he not discourage me, but he did everything he could to make me feel welcome in the Holy City. On the same day, if I remember correctly, we talked about the paradox of the Patriarchate’s website not being one, but two with different domains. And yet, he didn’t even know that… I told him to combine the content of the two websites and have both domains redirect to one. “Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t know these things well. I will convey what you told me to the responsible technician.”
On June 19, he contacted me to inform me about the Patriarch’s and his own schedule. He also knew that there was no point in me going to Jerusalem and not meeting Theophilos. Then he announced to me that the website had taken on a new form – although I already knew it. They did exactly what I told them.
On June 20, we had another long conversation, 39 minutes. It was another “confession” with many revelations, and at the end, another dramatic plea to “keep it between us.” I gave him my word again. This made the need to go to Jerusalem even more urgent. Firstly, if I kept everything to myself, what is the point of a journalist’s moral obligation to publicize the truth? And secondly, I had to find, see, and prove what I knew up to that point. And that could only be done in Jerusalem.
June 23, 2018. A historic day
June 22nd, 2018, was the last day that the official website of the Patriarchate contained the word “miracle” regarding the Holy Fire, as well as all the “rest.” June 23rd, 2018, was a historic day. The old text was replaced by one with a completely new perspective, with theological language, deeper and certainly more Christian. It may not have referred to the method of ignition, but there was no “cotton” that “miraculously ignites.” The “miracle” became “the Patriarch with all reverence kisses the Holy Sepulchre, where our Lord Jesus Christ was laid dead and came forth alive, and receives the holy fire.”
Aristarchos, in one of our last phone calls, told me that all this happened because of me. Hanging up the phone, I thought that it might have happened because of me, but if I say it, no one will believe me. They will think I’m crazy.
I quote the email I received on 27/5/2018, from the Chief Secretariat of the Patriarchate, with the file of the new text attached:
I also quote here the pdf file, named “docment,” which contained the original text that was posted on the Patriarchate’s website that day:
Let’s also look at the description of the Holy Fire ceremony, as it existed on the Patriarchate’s website until June 22, 2018 (here is the archived page from that day). This is the text that was withdrawn, and I was unable to find out who wrote it, no matter how hard I tried. I quote it verbatim:
The Holy Fire
Brief Presentation
It symbolizes, but also clearly proves, the Great Mystery of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. It fills us with feelings of spiritual, psychological, and religious upliftment. The hearts of all beat with faith, admiration, and hope for the Great Mystery of Life. It is a true miracle, which admits no dispute.
From the morning of Holy Saturday, thousands of faithful from Jerusalem and pilgrims from all over the world flock to the Church of the Resurrection to attend the Holy Fire Ceremony.
At 12 noon, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by Archbishops and other Clergy, arrives at the Patriarchate. He enters the Holy Altar of the Catholicon, and the heterodox are given permission to participate in the Ceremony. Then the Archbishops and Clergy vest in their robes, and the Patriarch in his full Hierarchical vestments. The Patriarch leads the procession, which starts from the Holy Altar of the Catholicon and walks three times around the Holy Edicule to the sounds of the chanters, who chant “Your Resurrection, Christ our Savior…”
It is necessary to emphasize that the heterodox have previously inspected the entire interior of the Holy Edicule to certify that there is no lit lamp or other source of light.
After the procession, the Patriarch stands before the door of the Holy Edicule, removes his vestments, and waits in his sticharion, epitrachelion, and zone.
The heterodox conduct an inspection to ensure that he has nothing on him that could create suspicion or raise doubts.
When the inspection is completed, the guards remove the seals from the door, and the Patriarch enters the Holy Edicule with two bundles of unlit candles. The Armenian Patriarch and the Dragoman enter the antechamber with him, where they remain. Throughout the Church, there is emotion and anticipation.
The Patriarch, kneeling before the Holy Sepulchre of Christ, prays to the Crucified One, holding two unlit candles and humbly and reverently offering the following prayer:
“Master Lord Jesus Christ, the primal light wisdom of the unoriginate Father. Who dwells in unapproachable light, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. Lord, the giver of light, who led us out of the darkness of error and brought us into the wondrous light of Your knowledge, who filled all the earth with light and joy through Your incarnate presence therein, and the nether regions through Your descent into Hades, and after these things proclaimed light to all nations through Your holy Apostles. We thank You, that through pious faith You have transferred us from darkness to light and we have become sons through holy baptism, having beheld Your glory, full of grace and truth. But, O light-giving Lord, who are the great light, who said, ‘The people who sat in darkness.’ Master Lord, the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. The only light of the world and light of the life of men, whose glory filled all things, for You came into the world as light through Your incarnate economy, even though men loved darkness rather than light. You, Lord, giver of light, hear us, Your sinful and unworthy servants, who at this hour stand before Your most holy and light-bearing tomb, and accept us, who honor Your immaculate passions, Your most holy crucifixion, Your voluntary death, and the laying and burial of Your deified body in this most venerable tomb, and Your three-day resurrection, which we have joyfully begun to celebrate, and we also commemorate Your descent into Hades, by which You sovereignly freed the souls of the righteous held captive there, filling the nether regions with light by the lightning of Your divinity. Therefore, with a rejoicing heart and spiritual joy, on this most blessed Saturday, we celebrate Your most salvific mysteries divinely accomplished on earth and under the earth, and remembering You, the truly joyful and desirable light that divinely shone in the nether regions, we make a manifestation of light, portraying Your compassionate theophany to us. For on the saving and luminous night, all things were filled with light, heaven and earth and the nether regions, because of the supernatural mystery of Your descent into Hades and Your three-day resurrection from the Tomb. Therefore, reverently receiving from Your light-bearing Tomb, we distribute to those who believe in You the true light, and we entreat and beseech You, Most Holy Master, to make it a gift of sanctification and filled with all Your divine grace, through the grace of Your Most Holy and light-bearing Tomb. And bless and sanctify those who reverently touch it, freeing them from the darkness of passions and deeming them worthy of Your most luminous tabernacles, where the unsetting light of Your divinity shines. Grant them, O Lord, health and well-being, and fill their homes with every good thing. Yes, Master, giver of light, hear me, the sinner.” at this hour, and grant us and them to walk in Your light and to remain in it, as long as we have the light of this temporary life. Grant us, O Lord, that the light of our good works may shine before men and glorify You with Your unoriginate Father and Your Most Holy Spirit. For You have placed us as a light to the Gentiles, that we may shine for those who walk in darkness. But we have loved darkness rather than light, doing evil deeds. For everyone who does evil hates the light, according to Your truthful word. Therefore, we stumble daily, sinning, because we walk in darkness. But deem us worthy to live the rest of our lives with the eyes of our mind enlightened. Grant us to walk as children of light in the light of Your commandments. The luminous garment of holy baptism, which we have defiled by our deeds, whiten, like the light, You who put on light as a garment. Grant us to put on the armor of light, that through it we may overcome the prince of darkness, who transforms himself into an angel of light. Yes, Lord, and as on this day You shone light on those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, so today shine Your incorruptible light in our hearts, that being enlightened and warmed by it in faith, we may glorify You, the only one from the only primal light, joyful light unto endless ages. Amen.”
After the prayer, he places the cotton in the Holy Sepulchre, and it miraculously ignites. With it, he lights the candles and exits the Holy Edicule. The important thing is that the holy fire has no heat for a few minutes. That is, if one touches the holy fire with their hands, they will not be burned. It is truly one of the greatest Miracles of Christianity, which is repeated every year on Holy Saturday.
If we compare the two texts, we will find that the new one lacks:
- Any reference to the word “miracle,” or even to anything supernatural or suggestive of such. Specifically, the phrase: “It is a true miracle, which admits no dispute” was removed. Furthermore, there is no longer the phrase – or any similar one – that the Patriarch places “cotton in the Holy Sepulchre, and it miraculously ignites.” Nor, of course, the last phrase of the text: “It is truly one of the greatest Miracles of Christianity.”
- The reference “that the heterodox have previously inspected the entire interior of the Holy Edicule to certify that there is no lit lamp or other source of light.”
- The reference that “the heterodox conduct an inspection (editor’s note: of the Patriarch) to ensure that he has nothing on him that could create suspicion or raise doubts.”
- The reference to the non-burning property of the Holy Fire: “The important thing is that the holy fire has no heat for a few minutes. That is, if one touches the holy fire with their hands, they will not be burned.”
Instead, in the new text, the word “ceremony” is repeated four times, instead of “miracle,” and the most… extreme word is the characterization “mysterious” for it.
At this point, something equally important must be emphasized. The reference to the Holy Fire on the Patriarchate’s website has undergone other changes as well. For example, in 2010, the text had an additional chapter, under the title “Detailed description of the contemporary Holy Fire ceremony,” which was subsequently removed1, after a “fundamental reconstruction” of the website in 2014. In it, the following reference was made to the “sacred lamp” (candelabrum) that is placed in the Holy Sepulchre: “At the same time, the lamp, which is used in the sacred ceremony, is carried in procession from the cell where it is kept near the holy Deposition, by our Sacristan of the Church of the Resurrection, led by the Dragoman and an Archbishop, to the holy Edicule by the shortest route, that is, through the space between the holy Deposition and the holy Edicule. As soon as they arrive, the Dragoman unseals the door of the Edicule and our Sacristan, carrying the sacred lamp, enters and places it on the holy Sepulchre. As soon as he exits, the door of the Edicule is closed again…”
From the above description, we must retain the phrase: “the lamp, which is used in the sacred ceremony”. We already have a significant statement that the lamp is used in the ceremony. There is no room for interpretation here. There is a clear admission that the lamp is placed inside the Holy Sepulchre for some reason. What reason, one wonders?
The last change, the one made on 23/6/2018, is the only one that directly refers to a non-miracle, clearly implying that it is a natural process of igniting the Light. Nevertheless, it may imply it, but it certainly does not state it. The progress, however, can hardly be described as “typical.” It was a change of substance, resulting from a combination of luck and persistence. Perhaps years will pass before we realize the magnitude of its value.
(However, as we will see later, about a year later [2019] – after the publication of my research – the Patriarchate proceeded with an unprecedented action: it deleted this description as well. Today, in the relevant section “Holy Sepulchre”, the entry “The Holy Fire” has been deleted)
After all this, the trip to Jerusalem was a necessary choice. I made a promise to myself not to return without solving the historical enigma.
- You can see it archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20100407045304/http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info:80/gr/agion_fos.htm ) ↩︎