Orthodox Christians at Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

(13 Apr 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jerusalem - 13 April 2023
1. Exterior of Church of the Holy Sepulchre
2. Wide of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III (wearing golden robe) and priests during traditional ceremony known as the Washing of the Feet at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
3. Worshippers
4. Theophilos III leading prayer
5. Church of the Holy Sepulchre cupola interior
6. Various of Theophilos III, wearing white robe
7. Theophilos III splashing soapy water from silver pitcher on priest’s foot and wiping with cloth
8. Worshippers
9. Theophilos III during traditional ceremony known as the Washing of the Feet
10. Priest holding candles
11. Worshippers
12. Nuns
13. Israeli police
14. Theophilos III reading surrounded by priests
15. Close of priest
16. Mid of Theophilos III holding golden cross
17. Various of Theophilos III blessing worshippers
18. Crowd exiting Church of the Holy Sepulchre
19. Exterior shot of Church of the Holy Sepulchre
STORYLINE:
Christian Orthodox worshippers gathered at the the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Thursday, to mark the start of the Orthodox Easter holidays.
The event is marked with the traditional ceremony known as Washing of the Feet.
The Holy Sepulchre is the site where Christians believe Jesus was entombed and then resurrected.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III poured soapy water from an ornate silver pitcher into a bowl and then washed and dried the feet of the priests.
In all he washed the feet of 12 priests, symbolizing the washing of the feet by Jesus Christ of his 12 disciples over 2 thousand years ago.
On Wednesday, Greek Orthodox leaders in Jerusalem said Israeli authorities were "enforcing unreasonable restrictions" which were limiting the freedom to worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
During a press conference they said they feared Israel would erect barriers on the route through the Old City to the church.
This year major Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays have coincided, against a backdrop of renewed Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Last year, Israel applied a safety law that limited crowd size based on space and the number of exits.
Authorities said they wanted to prevent a repeat of a 2021 stampede at Mount Meron in northern Israel during a religious festival attended by around 100,000 mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews.
It was one of the worst disasters in the country’s history, and authorities came in for heavy criticism over alleged negligence.
But church leaders have rejected any restrictions on principle, saying they infringe on religious freedom.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, like Al-Aqsa Mosque, is governed by a decades-old set of informal arrangements known as the status quo.
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