The only true place in this fake world is the Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord. In all the places where Christ performed miracles, divine energy and fragrance are emitted.
The Devil has no place in the Holy Land. He just steps from shoulder to shoulder and influences certain people.
Christ left His mark, His energy, and His promise of eternal life in the True world.
April 2015, Jerusalem, Israel
A pilgrimage, a journey into the unknown beyond human senses. Different and true at the same time.
I traveled from London to the Holy Land without expecting proof of faith. I believed in our Christ since I was a child. After researching online about the miracles that occur during Holy Week until Holy Easter, I decided to make this long journey alone.
I did not expect to experience a miracle from God to believe. I believed. But God had other plans.
In all the pilgrimages, Christ is present! His 'energy' and presence are intense everywhere. The conditions of the Holy Sepulcher monks are difficult in a hostile environment of Muslims and Jews. They were all very friendly.
The Experience of Truth
My experience in Jerusalem was not limited to pilgrimage alone. It was a spiritual awakening, a recognition of the divine presence in every corner of the Holy Land. Every place, every church, every trace of Christ's history was proof of His truth.
The Church of the Resurrection, Golgotha, the Tomb of Christ, every spot radiated holiness and divine grace. Visiting these places was not just a personal satisfaction but a deep connection with the divine.
The Holy Sepulcher monks
live in conditions that require courage and dedication. In an environment that may seem hostile, these monks keep faith and hope alive. Their friendliness and kindness were another sign of God's presence in these places.
Conclusion of the Journey
My return to London was not a simple return to daily life. It was a return with my heart and spirit filled with the holiness and blessing of the Holy Land. This journey changed me, making me feel the truth and power of my faith even more deeply.
This journey was a miracle in the fake world. A miracle that made me realize the true essence of life and faith.
Holy Saturday
It is extremely difficult to manage to enter the Church of the Resurrection on the day when all of humanity watches the Holy Fire ceremony. Waiting from dawn under suffocating police cordons, you lose your patience and courage, and many give up the effort. Fatigue overwhelms you, as it did to me after 4-5 hours of waiting without literally being able to breathe!
I praise God for sending people to help me endure and finally enter the Church of the Resurrection! The emotion is indescribable when you are blessed to experience this miracle up close. The church was already flooded with people, and there were few places left. Finally, a small corner was found (on the balcony of Golgotha), and with cameras in hand, we waited for the great event. I had no visual view of the Holy Sepulchre where the Orthodox Patriarch enters to perform the ritual.
I had read and seen many events that occur in the Church throughout Holy Week. Messengers of God help people find their faith; some hear the nails, and others wait for the flashes that appear like lightning just before the Holy Fire exits the Tomb, or candles that light themselves. This is what I was expecting too! Or at least one of the two! Continuous videos and photos to capture the right moment of the miracle!
But that moment never came.
The bells ring joyously, and people shout, "CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!" Candles around me lit on their own, and I was again disappointed that I did not experience any of these events. I lit my candle from other pilgrims and had read that the flame does not burn you for 10-20 minutes. So, I decided to try (whether I would get burned or not) and experience this small miracle. (As a human, doubt starts to possess you...) I began to observe the Holy Fire, and as I touched the flame (which indeed did not burn me), I felt it flood me, drench me with Divine grace. Yes, as unworthy as I was and am, Christ granted me something unique. The flame turned into soft cotton, as if I were feeling human flesh! At that moment, everything collapsed. Everything earthly and fake. Your whole life. The fake world. EVERYTHING! YOU EXPERIENCE THE TRUE GOD! Unstoppable tears for twenty minutes. All I could shout was YOU ARE REAL, MY CHRIST! ALIVE AND REAL!
I repeat, I was not seeking proof for my faith. I BELIEVED! But Christ knows why He revealed this miracle to me and deemed me worthy to experience it amidst my sinfulness and unworthiness.
As I was still in the Church with unstoppable tears, two priests approached me (probably Holy Sepulchre monks), Greek Orthodox, and asked me, "Are you Greek?" I answered, "Yes." "Take this, my girl" (they did not know me), and I opened my hand, and they gave me sealing wax (this is the wax that seals the door of the Holy Sepulchre when the Patriarch enters) from the Holy Sepulchre of Christ. Later, I learned that this wax has a great blessing to have.
(As I describe all this, my eyes are teary.)
It is a miracle I will never forget until I leave this vain and fake world. To have a reason to LIVE and BELIEVE in something true in this world.
In closing, I want to say that it is a unique experience to strengthen our Orthodox faith for every Christian to be in this place. Christ will give what each person needs, strengthening their relationship with the True God.
JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND HE NEVER ABANDONED US.
CHRIST IS RISEN!
TRULY HE IS RISEN!
JESUS CHRIST CONQUERS FOR ALL AGES.
AMEN.
Thomai
