Week in Pictures: From Serbia student protests to anti-US rallies in Yemen
From the Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem's Old City to displacement in North Darfur, Sudan, here's the week in photos.
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Herald Malaysia
21-04-2025
- Herald Malaysia
Israel faces criticism after Vatican diplomat barred from sacred Easter event
Israeli authorities imposed sweeping restrictions on Christian worshippers during Holy Saturday celebrations in Jerusalem, barring thousands from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, including the Vatican's top envoy to Palestine. Apr 21, 2025 Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during the ceremony of the JERUSALEM: Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, the Apostolic Delegate and Vatican Ambassador to Palestine, was denied entry to the sacred site, drawing strong condemnation from Palestinian Church leaders who described the move as a breach of diplomatic protocols and religious freedom. Security was tight in the Old City, where Israeli police set up multiple checkpoints and conducted identity checks, turning away large numbers of worshippers. The restrictions coincided with the Holy Fire ceremony, a central event in the Orthodox Easter calendar that traditionally draws thousands of local and international pilgrims. Palestinian sources said only 6,000 permits were issued to Christians from the occupied West Bank—far below the estimated 50,000-strong Christian population in the territories. Access for Palestinian Muslims and Christians to Jerusalem has long been tightly controlled, but this year's limitations were seen as particularly severe. The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine said many local Christians, along with foreign pilgrims, were blocked from reaching the church. Human rights groups reported incidents of physical assault and arbitrary arrests of worshippers during the day. Church leaders accused Israeli authorities of turning a deeply spiritual celebration into a militarized event. They warned that continued restrictions on religious access in Jerusalem undermine fundamental rights and escalate tensions in a region already gripped by conflict. Celebrations this year were again subdued, with churches limiting activities to liturgical services. Many Christian communities scaled back public processions due to the ongoing war in Gaza and heightened military presence across the occupied West Bank. Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, more than 950 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank alone, according to local health authorities. In a landmark ruling last year, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the withdrawal of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Despite the barriers, Christian pilgrims continue to make their way to Jerusalem, affirming the enduring significance of the Holy Fire ritual and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and
Express Tribune
20-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Thousands of Christians gather at Holy Sepulchre for sacred Holy Fire ceremony
People gather at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the day of the Holy Fire ceremony, in Jerusalem's Old City. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article Thousands of Orthodox Christians gathered on Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City to take part in the ancient Holy Fire ceremony, a central Easter tradition believed by many to be a miraculous occurrence. Pilgrims from across the world packed into the 12th-century basilica, which tradition holds is built over the site of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and burial. In near-total darkness, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch entered the Holy Edicule – the small shrine that houses the traditional site of Christ's tomb – and emerged with two lit candles, said to be miraculously ignited. The flame was then passed from candle to candle, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness, and later flown to Orthodox communities abroad. The ceremony, which dates back at least 1,200 years, remains a powerful visual and spiritual spectacle. However, its authenticity has long been questioned by sceptics, who have dismissed the event as a staged ritual. Regardless of belief, the ceremony continues to draw large crowds and carry deep significance. The ritual has a troubled history. In 1834, a stampede during the ceremony killed around 400 pilgrims, prompting tighter crowd controls in recent years. Citing safety concerns, Israeli authorities have imposed limits on attendance, sparking criticism from church leaders who say such actions disrupt the fragile, centuries-old status quo governing Jerusalem's holy sites. This year, a visible and heavy security presence greeted worshippers as they passed through multiple Israeli checkpoints. 'The number of police is higher than the number of pilgrims,' said Adeeb Joude, a custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many attendees said the turnout was smaller than in previous years, largely due to Israel's ongoing 18-month military campaign in Gaza, which has weighed heavily on the local Christian community—many of whom are Palestinian. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in East Jerusalem's Old City, an area captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed in a move not recognised by most of the international community. The Old City is home to several of the world's most revered religious sites and has long been a flashpoint of tension among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, as well as between various Christian denominations. While Israel maintains it protects freedom of worship, relations with the Christian community have become strained in recent years. Many Palestinian Christians have emigrated due to political instability and social pressures, leaving a dwindling population to uphold centuries-old traditions like the Holy Fire. Despite the challenges, Saturday's ceremony went ahead peacefully, reaffirming both the endurance of faith and the complex realities facing religious life in Jerusalem today.
Al Jazeera
20-04-2025
- Al Jazeera
Week in Pictures: From Serbia student protests to anti-US rallies in Yemen
From the Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem's Old City to displacement in North Darfur, Sudan, here's the week in photos.
