Fr_James wrote:

> Due to accessing this message through Google I saw Doug’s post. Just

> want to note that I got my info direct from the Jerusalem Patriarchate

> Website (Greek Orthodox Jerusalem Patriarchate) which have a whole

> section dedicated to the holy lights. I have seen a private video of

> it which was according to my description and there is another video

> clip of the holy light and what happens on that web site for whoever

> is interested in further detail. If a spino0ff thread commences about

> whether it is fake or not I will not be able to participate due to

> computer problems.

http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll/showarticle?item_id=1303

“How do they do it?” “How do they do what?” I replied. “How do the Greeks make the fire?” “The Greeks don’t make it; God does.” She paused. “You mean the Greeks believe that God sends the fire?” “Right.” “But who really produces the fire? How is it done?” “I don’t know.” Exasperated, she pressed me. Don’t give me that. You teach theology. You know how it’s done.” Another long pause and then I replied, “The patriarch does it with a cigarette lighter.” She glanced at me with a mildly derisive smile on her face, and said, “You think the people know this?” “I doubt it. But if they did, it wouldn’t matter to them.” “Really? Then the miracle is not the lire but their faith.” “You got it.”

Not wanting to drop what is, after all, a legitimate question, later that night I read to Lea a passage from the 11th century Christian writer Abelfaragius. With mixed feelings, Abelfaragius quoted a Muslim detractor of the Easter Eve ritual:

. . . When the Christians assembled in their Temple at Jerusalem to celebrate Easter, the chaplains of the Church, making use of a pious fraud, greased the chain of iron that held the lamp over the Tomb with oil of balsam; and . . . when the Arab officer sealed up the door which led to the Tomb, they applied a match, and the fire descended immediately to the wick of the lamp and lighted it. Then the worshipers burst into tears and cried out Kyrie Eleison, supposing it was fire which fell from heaven upon the Tomb; and they were strengthened in their faith.

Pretty much sums it all up.