Skopje, 14 April 2023 (MIA) - A state and church delegation led by Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski, also including Culture Minister Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska, State Commission for relations with religious communities and groups director Darijan Sotirovski, and Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archdiocese (MOA-OA) Metropolitan Josif Todorovski will take part Saturday at the Holy Fire event at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City.

 

The arrival of the delegation and passing of the Holy Fire will take place tomorrow evening at International Airport Skopje at 8 p.m., the Government said on Friday.

Orthodox tradition holds that the Holy Fire happens annually on the day preceding Orthodox Easter. During this time, blue light is said to emit within Jesus' tomb, rising from the marble slab covering the stone bed believed to be that upon which Jesus' body is to have been placed for burial. The light is believed to form a column of fire, from which candles are lit. This fire is then used to light the candles of the clergy and pilgrims in attendance. The Holy Fire is taken to Greece by special flight and similarly to other Orthodox countries or countries with major Orthodox churches, such as Georgia, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Romania, Egypt, Cyprus, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine and Russia, being received by church and state leaders.

Photo: Government of Republic of North Macedonia