Holy Fire signals Orthodox Easter

Christians in the Western Church celebrated Easter on April 5.

I would like to wish to all brothers and sisters in Christ of the Catholic and Protestant denominations a Happy Easter and the Resurrection of our Lord bring to all of you and loved ones health, peace, prosperity, happiness and salvation of your souls.

Why do Christians celebrate Easter/Pascha on different dates?

The calculation of Pascha was done in the year 44-46 A.D. at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem and reconfirmed at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea 325 A.D.

There it was established the following: “Christian Pascha is celebrated on the:

First Sunday after the Spring Equinox, Passover or Passover week.”

First Sunday after the Fool Moon.

First Sunday after Jewish Passover.

Never prior or in the same time with Passover or Passover week.

In the 12th century A.D., the Roman Catholic Church changed the celebration.

Western Easter is celebrated sometimes five weeks prior to Passover and Orthodox Pascha.

Orthodox Christians never changed the date of Pascha since 44-46 A.D. and it is always a week after Passover.

This year, Western Easter is celebrated the same time as Passover.

For Orthodox Christians, there is a fifth point that is taken into consideration of celebrating Pascha.

“Holy Fire” comes on the Pascha time at the Orthodox faith, based on the correct calculation.

How does it come? The day before Pascha, Easter Sunday, at 11 a.m. Holy Saturday, the Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy Land comes to the Holy Sepulchra Church (The Church of the Tomb of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the place of His Resurrection) in Jerusalem. He enters into the small chapel, which has been sealed since Holy Friday night, after the service of the Burial of Jesus.

Before the patriarch proceeds for this unique service, he is searched by Jewish, Muslim and civil representatives to be sure he has no mean of starting a fire.

After he enters the Holy Tomb he kneels and prays over the stone of the tomb and instantly the Holy Fire appears.

With bare hands, he places it into two chalices and lights two bunches of 33 candles (the age of Jesus), comes out and gives the light to everyone who is there.

This particular fire is reused at midnight service called the Resurrection Service or the service of New Light (Neo Phos in Greek) and it continues to stay lit over the Holy Tables in Orthodox churches and homes, all over the world, for the rest of the year.

At this midnight service, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord is proclaimed in all the languages of the world — “Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death. And upon those in the tombs bestowing life.”

The Resurrection of our Lord is the central pillar of Christianity. It transformed the apostles and all those who believe in Him.

By His Resurrection, Jesus conquered death and sin.

He offers eternal life and a new life to all of us.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11: 25)

He proclaimed that He is the Light of the world: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

There are a few places in the Old Testament related to the fire and Holy Fire, which showed the glory of God.

The Holy Fire has come once per year, on the Holy Saturday in the Orthodox faith for about 2,000 years.

The Christian Orthodox salute for 40 days after Pascha is “Christ is Risen!” with the answer, “Indeed He is Risen!” This salute was predicted/prophesied by Isaiah some 800 years before it happened.

During this wonderful time of the Pascha/Easter, the Eastern Orthodox Clergy Association of Mahoning Valley wishes all Christians a Happy Pascha/Easter.

May the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the feast of feasts, bring you health, peace, prosperity and His wonderful blessings along with His light who illumines souls and bodies for His kingdom of heaven.

The Rev. Remus Bleahu is a Romanian Orthodox priest in Youngstown.