Easter in Israel - How they celebrate Easter
The main event of Easter (the death and resurrection of Jesus) took place in Israel, lets take a look at how they celebrate it.
At Easter, the Christian world celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus and Israel in which the main events of his life took place is the focus of these celebrations. Christian communities scattered throughout Israel celebrate Easter for seven days symbolizing the last week of Jesus' life.
The many events that take place in Israel at that time attract thousands of Christian pilgrims, who come to participate in the various ceremonies, visit the holy places and pray in them. Many ceremonies and events take place in Haifa, Nazareth and other cities, but the main events take place as expected in Jerusalem. Many events take place in Jerusalem during Easter week. On Palm Sunday ( dominica palmarum ) , starting on the Sunday before Easter, Christian believers march from the Peggy Church on the Mount of Olives to the Church of Santa Ana located on the Via Dolorosa in the Old City.
The colorful procession is made up of thousands of believers from different countries who stand by the side of the road and receive the heads of the Catholic Patararchy with blessings and singing. The event ends at the Church of Santa Ana where many orchestras entertain the time of the believers.
On Holy Thursday, a foot-washing ceremony is held for believers. Although throughout the year the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is open to all, on Holy Thursday the doors of the Church close and they secretly reopen only four times during the day. After the ceremony of washing the feet, the ceremony of taking the bread and wine takes place, after which the priests hold a spectacular procession around the empty tomb of Christ. The "Good Friday" march that precedes the "Sabbath of Light," which according to Christian tradition marks the day of the crucifixion of Jesus, takes place in Jerusalem with the participation of thousands of believers.
These, carrying large crosses, recreate in a march the route of the Via Dolorosa, the route of Jesus' march between the last 14 stops in his life, until they reach the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The "Sabbath of Light" ceremony in Jerusalem, which takes place after "Good Friday", is the largest event in the Orthodox Christian world.
The ceremony itself begins at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem. In the early morning many believers arrive to take their place at the entrance to the tomb and wait for the signal to open the doors. Inside the church is the Greek Orthodox Patriarch who in due course enters alone into the Holy Sepulcher with a torch extinguished and prays. After the torch in his hand is lit, he takes the torch to the representatives of the other denominations who light the torches in their hand from the fire in his hand and take them out to the church, the fire being passed between those present from one to the other.
Apart from Jerusalem, you will also find many events in cities with a large Christian population, such as Haifa and Nazareth. Traditions in the various Christian communities living in Israel regarding the holiday vary, but visitors to Haifa on Palm Sunday are in for a surprise, since the traditional march in which Christians march with palms passes between a variety of churches - the march begins at the Greek Orthodox Church, from where the Catholic Church Continues to the Latin Church and ends at the Maronites and back to the new Orthodox Church.
In Nazareth you can walk the alleys of the city on Palm Sunday together with the locals and many believers in the procession in the atmosphere of a religious, folk and colorful festival, and special music
From the stables of divplanet
