'A few years ago, you would have seen a sea of people here'

‘Feels like a blessing’: On Orthodox Easter, Christians flock back to the Holy Sepulchre

During the ceasefire with Iran, the iconic church that enshrines what many consider Jesus’s tomb opens to the public and Christians from across denominations return with cautious joy

At noon on Easter Sunday, dozens of families poured out from the St. Jacob Orthodox Cathedral in Jerusalem’s Old City into the compound of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Adults and children, mostly from the local Arab community, wore their best outfits; men sported suits and ties, girls ran around in twirly dresses, and women had their hair perfectly styled. Several generations of family members took pictures together as the youngest delighted in the bags of chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies wrapped in colorful paper handed out at the end of the service, while friends of all ages shook hands, wishing each other a Happy Easter.

“We wait for this moment the whole year,” Phethen from Jerusalem told The Times of Israel. “It’s happy to be here, but the situation still feels hard. It’s not like every other year.”

A serene Orthodox Easter was enjoyed under a glorious, clear blue sky tempered by a cool breeze. It was a scene that would have been unthinkable only days before, as the church, like all of the holy sites in the Old City, remained shut for almost six weeks during the US-Israel war with Iran. Iranian missiles and fragments reached the area several times ahead of the ceasefire, which took effect on Thursday.

“I had never come here for Easter, but after everything that has happened, I want to take advantage of every opportunity for normal life that I have,” said Xenia, 35, who moved to Israel from Russia eight years ago and lives in Ramat Gan.

“According to the latest news, we don’t know what will be tomorrow, so it felt even more important to be here today,” she added, referring to the reports that negotiations regarding the ceasefire in Pakistan had quickly broken down.

Speaking in the heart of the church next to the Aedicule, the shrine that encloses the tomb where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was buried and resurrected, she said that for Orthodox Christians in Russia, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre carries a very deep meaning.

“Since I moved to Israel, I feel I’ve gotten kind of used to being close to this place, but I bought some candles for my friends in Russia,” she explained. “This is really important for them.”

The tale of two Easters, only a week apart

On April 5, the Catholic Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa celebrated Easter mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with only a few clergy (different Christian denominations follow different calendars).

Due to wartime Home Front Command guidelines, worshipers were banned from attending. A few days earlier, Pizzaballa himself and another priest had been prevented by police from entering the church to say mass for security reasons, sparking widespread criticism worldwide.

“For us, it is a reason for great joy that [Orthodox Christians] can celebrate Easter with the public,” said a Catholic friar from the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, who did not want to disclose his name. “We are just different branches of the same tree. We celebrated in one way; now they are celebrating in another. It is all part of God’s plan.”

The friar spoke with The Times of Israel as he and his brothers set up the area in front of the Aedicule for mass.

“We normally celebrate our Sunday mass at 6:30 in the morning, but today we switched time slots to allow for Easter celebrations,” the friar said.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is divided among several Christian denominations, including the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Catholic Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate, according to a centuries-old set of norms known as “the status quo.” Different communities are responsible for their own sections of the site, while the central areas are shared, with the agreement dictating the times and manner in which each church can use them.

To prepare for the mass, priests and nuns swept the floor, unrolled a carpet, and set out several wooden benches and a candelabra, which would be returned to their rooms right after the celebration.

“I live here, so I have been attending mass even during the war, but it is a relief to be able to welcome worshipers,” the friar further explained, adding that, thanks to the local Catholic community, the mass always attracts the public, even in times when there are very few visitors.

“We have many Catholics living here, especially workers from India,” he said. “I am not sure whether they will be able to come today, because Sunday for them is a day of work, and it’s easier to attend in the early morning.”

Many Christian foreign workers, identifying with different denominations, did make it to the Church on Sunday. Among them were Lyn and Jenny, Orthodox Christians and caretakers from the Philippines, who were excited to take pictures at the entrance.

“We have been here for nine years,” they told The Times of Israel. “Being in the Holy Land feels like a blessing. We feel close to God.”

Asked about their experiences during the war, they explained that after a long time in the country, they had grown accustomed to it.

“It’s normal here in Israel,” Jenny said. “We have a bomb shelter, [war] is a little scary but not too much.”

Jenny and Lyn also tried to attend the Holy Fire ceremony on Saturday night, but they could not enter the church because there were too many people.

The rite, one of the most iconic among the Easter celebrations in Jerusalem, attracted thousands of people. Dating back some 1,200 years, the ceremony symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus. A flame, supposedly kindled in some miraculous way in the heart of Jesus’s tomb, is used to light the candles of fervent believers from Orthodox communities.

Mehr, 56, from Jerusalem, was among those who attended.

“There were many people last night, but still fewer than usual because there are no tourists,” he told The Times of Israel as he took a break to smoke a cigarette during the Easter liturgy at St. Jacob.

“A few years ago, you would have seen a sea of people here,” he added, gesturing at the square.

He also explained that in general, on Sunday morning, there are many fewer worshipers than at night.

“Most of those who come at night do not manage to come also the following day,” Mehr said. “It feels good to be here. Thank God, all the churches have reopened.”

The quiet but still festive atmosphere, though, did not spread much beyond the immediate vicinity of the church, with the vast majority of stands and shops in the alleys leading to it completely empty of customers or shut down.

“It used to be that for days like these, you would have 100,000 people passing by here; now nothing,” said Ahmad, one of the shop owners, explaining that Sunday was the first day he reopened his store after the war.

“Some locals are buying a few things here and there, but there are no tourists,” he added. “Last year, it was much better. Inshallah [God willing in Arabic] that the situation becomes more stable and the tourists come back.”

AP contributed to this report.