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 replace it with a new version, removing the controversial word (‘miracle’) and all the other claims.” I felt immense satisfaction. It should be noted that these “other claims”, which we had indeed discussed, date back centuries, and almost no believer disputes them.
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 sanctuary 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 sanctuary 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:
“Lord and Master Jesus Christ, radiant Wisdom of the Father who is without beginning, You dwell in unapproachable light. You commanded light to shine out of darkness; You said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. Lord, Giver of Light, You led us out of the darkness of error and brought us into the wondrous light of the knowledge of You. Through Your presence in the flesh, You filled the whole earth with light and joy; through Your descent into Hades, You filled the depths below; and afterwards, through Your holy Apostles, You proclaimed the light to all nations. We thank You, for through true faith You brought us from darkness into light and made us Your children through holy Baptism, allowing us to behold Your glory, full of grace and truth. Lord, Giver of Light, You are the great Light of whom it was said, ‘The people who sat in darkness…’ Lord and Master, You are the true Light who enlightens everyone coming into the world. You are the one Light of the world and the Light of human life, whose glory has filled all creation. Through Your saving work in the flesh, You came into the world as Light, even though people loved darkness rather than light. Lord, Giver of Light, hear us, Your sinful and unworthy servants, who stand at this hour before Your most holy and light-bearing Tomb. Receive us as we honor Your holy Passion, Your most sacred Crucifixion, Your voluntary death, the laying and burial of Your deified Body in this most venerable Tomb, and Your Resurrection on the third day, which we have already begun to celebrate with joy. We also commemorate Your descent into Hades, through which, with sovereign power, You freed the souls of the righteous held captive there and filled the depths below with light through the radiance of Your divinity. Therefore, with joyful hearts and spiritual gladness, on this most blessed Saturday, we celebrate the saving mysteries that You accomplished in a manner worthy of God, both upon the earth and beneath it. Remembering You, the truly joyous and longed-for Light who shone divinely in the depths below, we perform this manifestation of light as an image of Your compassionate revelation to us. For on this saving and radiant night, heaven, earth, and the depths below were filled with light through the supernatural mystery of Your descent into Hades and Your Resurrection from the Tomb on the third day. Therefore, as we reverently receive this light from Your light-bearing Tomb, we distribute the true Light to those who believe in You. We pray and implore You, most holy Master, to make it a gift of sanctification, filled with all Your divine grace through the grace of Your most holy and light-bearing Tomb. Bless and sanctify those who reverently receive it. Free them from the darkness of the passions and count them worthy of Your radiant heavenly dwellings, where the unsetting light of Your divinity shines. Grant them health and well-being, Lord, and fill their homes with every good thing. Yes, Master and Giver of Light, hear me, a sinner, at this hour. Grant both us and them to walk in Your light and to remain in it for as long as we possess the light of this passing life. Grant, Lord, that the light of our good works may shine before others, so that they may glorify You together with Your Father, who is without beginning, and Your most Holy Spirit. For You have appointed us as a light to the nations, so that we may shine upon those who walk in darkness. Yet we have loved darkness rather than light and have committed evil deeds. For, according to Your true word, everyone who does evil hates the light. Therefore, we stumble and sin daily because we walk in darkness. Nevertheless, make us worthy to live the remainder of our lives with the eyes of our minds enlightened. Grant that we may walk as children of light, in the light of Your commandments. Make white as light the radiant garment of holy Baptism, which we have darkened through our deeds, for You clothe Yourself with light as with a garment. Grant that we may put on the armor of light and, through it, overcome the prince of darkness, who disguises himself as an angel of light. Yes, Lord, just as on this day You caused light to shine upon those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, so today cause Your incorruptible light to shine within our hearts. Enlightened and warmed by it in faith, may we glorify You, the one joyous Light who come from the primal Light, throughout the 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 oil lamp” that is placed in the Holy Sepulchre: “At the same time, the oil lamp, which is used in the sacred ceremony, is carried in procession from the cell where it is kept near the Stone of Anointing, 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 Stone of Anointing and the holy Edicule. As soon as they arrive, the Dragoman unseals the door of the Edicule and our Sacristan, carrying the sacred oil 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 oil 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 most recent change, made on 23 June 2018, is the only one that directly points to a non-miraculous explanation, clearly implying that the Holy Fire is lit by natural means. Although it may clearly imply this, it certainly does not say so explicitly. The progress made, however, can hardly be described as merely formal. This was a substantive change, brought about by a combination of luck and persistence. It may take years for us to fully appreciate its significance.
(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 ) ↩︎