His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the Holy Fire from Jerusalem on Holy Saturday evening at the Patriarchal Cathedral. He explained that it is a gift from God: “Through this Holy Fire, we have the sign of the love of Christ, the Light of the World.”
“The Holy Fire is a gift of God, which is offered to those who believe in Christ and love Him, as He appeared after the Resurrection only to those who loved Him.”
“Christ did not appear to those who crucified Him, nor to those who hated Him, nor to those who mocked Him, because He did not want to put any pressure on them with His risen presence. He respected their freedom to receive Him,” His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel explained.
“So, the Fire from the Holy Sepulchre, the Light of the Risen Christ, is a holy, mysterious and unique light of its kind. It is a gift of the Risen Christ to those who believe in Him, love Him and illuminate their lives through faith in Jesus Christ, the world’s Saviour.”
Bringing the Holy Fire to Romania for 15 years
His Excellency reminisced that the custom of transporting the Holy Fire to Romania dates back fifteen years, owing to the availability of expedient transportation.
At the same time, Patriarch Daniel noted who the Holy Fire reaches through the Romanian Patriarchate: “For example, this evening our brothers from the Metropolis of Bessarabia will receive the Holy Fire from Jerusalem and, of course, all the provinces of the country and even Ukrainian believers near Maramureș and Czech and Slovak believers who take the Holy Fire from Baia Mare.”
“We wish all of you that at midnight we may enjoy the Light of Christ that illuminates everyone for the glory of the Holy Trinity and our salvation,” Patriarch Daniel said.
The Holy Fire descended at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Holy Saturday at about 14:13. The Fire was brought to Bucharest by Archimandrite Teofil Anăstăsoaie, the Representative of the Romanian Patriarchate at the Holy Places.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca-Emanuela Ene
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