🇷🇺 Embassy of Russia in Israel:

☦️ Today, on Holy Saturday, Orthodox pilgrims traditionally flock to Jerusalem to witness the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The earliest description of the Holy Fire service in Russian literature was left by Abbot Daniel, who visited the holy sites in 1106–1107.

In the XIX century, with the establishment of the Russian Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, the participation of Russian pilgrims became more organized. The Society was supported by Russian diplomacy — the Consulate General of the Russian Empire in Jerusalem was involved in facilitating the arrival and accommodation of pilgrims and their access to the holy sites.

Since the early 2000s, a stable tradition has formed of the official transport of the Holy Fire to Moscow by representatives of the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called. There, it is brought to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour during the Paschal service of the Patriarch and then distributed throughout the country.

In the context of a complex military-political situation in the Middle East, the organization of such pilgrimages requires continuous close coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Israeli authorities as well as church structures.