Greece to Receive Holy Light as Planned Despite Middle East Tensions Greek City Times

ATHENS — The Holy Light will be transported to Greece as scheduled this Easter, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Loverdos confirmed, reassuring that authorities have taken all necessary steps despite ongoing instability in the Middle East.

Speaking to ERT News, Loverdos said the government remains committed to preserving the long-standing tradition, which holds deep religious and cultural significance for Greeks worldwide.

How the Holy Light will reach Greece

According to the plan outlined by the Deputy Foreign Minister, a government aircraft will depart for Tel Aviv on the morning of Holy Saturday.

The flight crew will remain at the airport, while a Greek delegation will travel by road to Jerusalem’s Old City, where the ceremony takes place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Loverdos will receive the Holy Light from the Patriarch following the ceremony, accompanied by the Patriarchate and Greece’s Consul General. The flame will then be transported back to Athens and distributed across the country for Easter services.

“The soul of the Greeks”

Loverdos described the Holy Light as a deeply symbolic element of Greek Easter.

“It symbolizes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and for this reason it is very important morally, emotionally, and psychologically,” he said.

He added that the Resurrection represents renewal not only in faith but also for the nation itself, calling the Holy Light the “soul of the Greeks.”

This year’s transfer comes as tensions persist across the Middle East, complicating logistics and raising security concerns.

Despite this, Greek authorities have ensured the continuation of the tradition, which sees the Holy Light arrive in Athens on Holy Saturday night before being distributed nationwide.

For Greeks in both the homeland and the diaspora, the arrival of the Holy Light remains one of the most powerful and unifying moments of Orthodox Easter.

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GCT Team

This article was researched and written by a GCT team member.