AEGEAN to Transfer Holy Light from Athens to Greek Cities, Islands

AEGEAN has announced that it will transfer the Holy Light to nine destinations around Greece ahead of Holy Saturday’s midnight Easter ceremony.

According to the announcement, the Holy Light is expected to arrive at Athens International Airport (AIA) on May 4. From Athens it will be transferred to nine Greek destinations on scheduled or unscheduled AEGEAN and Olympic Air flights.

In particular, the Holy Light will travel to Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Corfu, Alexandroupolis, Chania, Samos, Lemnos, Larissa, and Kefallonia.

The scheduled and unscheduled flights for the transport of the Holy Light on Holy Saturday are:

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

Although the authenticity of the miracle has been disputed, it is said that a blue light radiates from Jesus’ tomb, creating a column of light through which candles which candles are lit. A Holy Light relay follows, in which all priests and pilgrims holding candles receive and give the light to one another.

Photo source: Unsplash

For many Orthodox Christians, the incident of the Holy Light is significant even in spite of the controversies surrounding it.

During the Easter Vigil, also known as Paschal Vigil, on Holy Saturday night, churches and chapels all around Greece filled with people carrying candles, which they light up after a procession similar to the Jerusalem Holy Light Relay.

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).