AEGEAN Brings Holy Light to Greece on Special Flight

Photo source: Greek Travel Pages.

AEGEAN has recently announced that the Holy Light will travel to Greece from Jerusalem on a special flight ahead of Holy Saturday’s midnight Easter ceremony.

The Holy Light is scheduled to arrive at 18:00 on April 15^th at Athens International Airport and from there it will be transported to 8 destinations around Greece on regular or special AEGEAN and Olympic Air flights.

More specifically, the Holy Light will travel to Alexandroupoli, Chania, Samos, Larisa, Limnos, Ioannina, Corfu and Kefalonia and from there to numerous other locations by road.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

In Orthodox Christianity, the Holy Light is considered an annual miracle that takes place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the old city of Jerusalem on Holy Saturday morning, ahead of Easter Sunday.

Although the authenticity of the miracle has been disputed, it is believed that a blue light emits from Jesu’s tomb forming a column of light through which candles are lit. A Holy Light relay follows where all priests and pilgrims holding candles, receive and offer the light to each other.

Last year’s Holy Light journey with AEGEAN. Photo source: AEGEAN.

Despite the controversy, the Holy Light is considered an important event for many Orthodox Christians.

On Holy Saturday night, during the Easter Vigil (Paschal Vigil) churches and chapels around Greece are filled with people holding candles which they light up following a procession similar to the Holy Light relay that occurs in Jerusalem.

Just before midnight an excerpt from Mark’s gospel is read which leads up to the revelation of Christ’s resurrection where people and priests chant “Christos Anesti” (Christ Has Risen).