The Holy Fire will not be brought to the Republic of Moldova this year, for the first time in the past 17 years, IPN reports.

Secretary of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church Vadim Cheibaș confirmed that the Holy Fire was brought to Chisinau for 17 years in a row and this is the first time that the Paschal Vigil will be held without this.

“The Easter Vigil has nothing to do with the Holy Fire. The fetching of the Holy Fire is a separate event and the formula of the paschal service will be decided during the last week before Easter. It is two weeks and a half until then. It is too early to speak about this now,” stated the secretary.

Vadim Cheibaș noted the Ester Vigil is a blessing procedure where priests announce that “Christ is Risen”.

According to Christian beliefs, after Jesus Christ was buried, a powerful light rose through the marble slab and Christ returned to life. Since then, the Holy Fire starts to burn on the tomb of Jesus Christ each evening before Easter.