Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem walked out of the Edicule, where he was praying for the fire's descend, and began to distribute it to the people in the church.
The miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire takes place on the eve of the feast of the Resurrection according to the Julian calendar (in 2023, Easter will be celebrated on April 16). The fire appears in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which is built over the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected.
This year, Israeli police have significantly limited the number of worshipers who can attend the Holy Fire ceremony. No more than 2,400 people were able to witness the miracle of the descent. In previous years, nearly 10,000 pilgrims were admitted to the church.