- Title: Holy fire arrives in Bethlehem amid coronavirus restrictions
- Date: 18th April 2020
- Summary: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (APRIL 18, 2020) (REUTERS) PRIESTS AND PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS WELCOMING HOLY FIRE CEREMONY WITHOUT CROWD IN PROGRESS AT MANGER SQUARE BELLS RINGING OVER NATIVITY CHURCH PRIEST HOLDING HOLY FIRE IN OLIVE LAMP BELLS RINGING OVER NATIVITY CHURCH VARIOUS OF BETHLEHEM RESIDENT TAKING WALKING WITH CANDLE LIT FROM HOLY FIRE AT MANGER SQUARE VARIOUS OF PRIEST BLESSING ENTRANCE OF NATIVITY CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ORTHODOX PRIEST, FATHER ESSA THALGIYA, SAYING: "The atmosphere is different than the last year, it was always nicer, but this year because of the virus (coronavirus) there is a lockdown, the church is closed and people are at home. It is hard to celebrate the Holiday." DOOR OF NATIVITY OPENING, OFFICIALS AND PRIESTS WALKING OUT TO WELCOME HOLY FIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAYOR OF BETHLEHEM, ANTON SALMAN, SAYING: "In such a day the square should be full of pilgrims who are coming from Egypt and world-wide to celebrate Easter in Bethlehem This year there is no one and as you an see the Square today is empty of people who are celebrating because of the coronavirus." BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (RECENT) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING EMPTY MANGER SQUARE, NATIVITY CHURCH
- Embargoed: 2nd May 2020 14:32
- Keywords: Bethlehem Easter Health Holy Fire Jerusalem Orthodox West Bank coronavirus
- Location: BETHLEHEM AND RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City: BETHLEHEM AND RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CA0OW1Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Priests in the West Bank city of Bethlehem welcomed on Saturday (April 18) Holy fire in front of the Nativity Church.
The usual yearly ceremony has been different this year without a crowd of local Palestinians and visitors due to coronavirus outbreak.
Mayor of Bethlehem and and priests carried an olive lamp lit by the Holy Fire into Nativity church.
The Holy Fire is transferred from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, Ramallah and many churches in the occupied West Bank.
The Holy Fire is considered a miracle and occurs every year on Holy Saturday, the day preceding Easter Sunday.
In Jerusalem The Holy Fire ceremony typically draws tens of thousands of pilgrims to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre that is believed to contain Jesus' tomb.
With the Old City church closed to pilgrims to halt the spread of the coronavirus, only a handful of clergy on Saturday witnessed the emerge of the flame from Jesus' tomb.
(Mohammad Abu Ganeyeh, Hamuda Hassan, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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