STEP RESENTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 11

STEP RESENTED

CLOSING OF BASILICA FEELING IN JERUSALEM APPROACH OF HOLY WEEK Times Cable LOXDON, April 8 The closing of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre covering the traditional site of the tomb of Christ, following an expert's report that it is no longer safe, has caused consternation among the members of the communities who worshipped in it owing to the approach of Holy Week, says the Jerusalem correspondent of the Times. Thousands of pilgrims and GraecoLatins consider the closure an alarmist step, and 'protest that the building, which has stood for eight centuries, will stand for a fortnight more.

Tradespeople resent the threatened curtailment of their profits from pilgrims.

The privilege of witnessing the ceremony of the '"Holy Fire" in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, fell to the lot of Miss Ann Russell Quayle, of Auckland, on a visit to Palestine last year. Miss Quayle, in describing the ceremony, writes:

"Every year the Easter festival of the Orthodox (Greek) Church is celebrated ■ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. The ceremony of the "Holy Fire" takes place on Easter Day. The mists of time have obscured its origin, but it has been going on for centuries. The "Holy Fire" issues from a crevice in the tomb in which the lifeless body of Christ was laid, and the tomb is enclosed in a temple within the Church itself.

"The dome of the Church rises above the temple, and inside the dome is a gallery from where the proceedings below are in full view. This gallery is occupied by the various consuls, military officers, members of the British community, residents, tourists, etc. A number had candles in their hands, and also held strings with cotton wool at the ends which were suspended from the gallery and reached nearly to the floor below. These tufts of cotton wool were later on lighted by friends, and were then drawn up to the gallery and candles lighted from them. "Shortly before the appointed time of the ceremony, a small procession of Greek priests headed by the bishop appeared and forced their way through the crowd. They slowly walked around the temple three times reciting prayers. Then a bell boomed forth and the lights in the church were extinguished. "The excitement of the crowd increased, and hoarse cries arose as the bishop was seen to enter the temple, the door of which he closed. In a little while the bell was heard again, and at the same time a flaming torch was thrust through a round hole in the wall of the temple. Immediately there was a movement by the dense swaying mass of people toward the flame. Many of those at the rear mounted on the shoulders of those in front of them and so reached the torch.

"As the candles were lighted, the bearers rushed from the church. The door of the temple opened and the bishop reappeared; he was presumed to be overcome by the Visitation of the 'Holy Fire,' and some of the priests, aided by a policeman, made way for *im and he was hurried out of the church.

"All this time the struggling crowd wore clamouring to light the candles. When at last the "Holy Fire" began to show signs of dying out, the lights in the church were turned on. Gradually the place became empty and peace reigned once more."