At the Greek Orthodox Easter...
Illustration
At the Greek Orthodox Easter Vigil Noon Mass in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Eucharist was completed and the processions around the tomb began ... Coptic, Ethiopian, Greek, Armenian, Syrian ... all the Eastern rite churches. It was like a football rally. The Greek Patriarch entered the tomb with an unlighted Paschal candle. The crowd shouted, "Come, Lord Jesus," "Mary, make your Son come," "St. George, make Jesus come," and
very soon he did ... in the form of a lighted Paschal Candle, supposedly lit inside the tomb without flint or match. The crowd was ecstatic as the light was passed from the tomb to a waiting acolyte who jumped into a cab and went to Lod Airport to take the Easter light to Athens and Cairo. Meanwhile, the pilgrims around the tomb lit their candles and the Shrine was filled with the Light of Christ. "Allelula! Christ has Risen." The Light of Christ came again, as before, at the prayer requests of the faithful. "Come Lord Jesus" ... Maranatha ... it's the prayer of the Christian church. Come into our hearts, fill the world with your light and love. "Come, Lord Jesus, Come."
very soon he did ... in the form of a lighted Paschal Candle, supposedly lit inside the tomb without flint or match. The crowd was ecstatic as the light was passed from the tomb to a waiting acolyte who jumped into a cab and went to Lod Airport to take the Easter light to Athens and Cairo. Meanwhile, the pilgrims around the tomb lit their candles and the Shrine was filled with the Light of Christ. "Allelula! Christ has Risen." The Light of Christ came again, as before, at the prayer requests of the faithful. "Come Lord Jesus" ... Maranatha ... it's the prayer of the Christian church. Come into our hearts, fill the world with your light and love. "Come, Lord Jesus, Come."
