oratrue,believingChristian,Easteristhemostmeaningfultimeto visitJerusalem,thecitywhereJesustheSonofManlivedandtaught and suffered, died and rose again in triumph.Atanyothertime,thecitylieswarilysomnolentamidthe politicalturmoilgrippingtheHolyLand,playinggotchawiththecoy phantomofpeace-theluxuryandthelongingofeverysingleperson living in the Old City (and of people of goodwill around the world)Fewhaveanyillusionspeacewillbeattainablewithintheir lifetime.Buttheyneverceasetohope,theirbeliefbolsteredbyan unwrittenunderstandingbetweenArabsandJewsthatJerusalem must not become a free-for-all.Butforeverypoliticalinitiativethatheightenstheseexpectations, there inevitably ensues a counter measure that dampens them.Jerusalemissacredtothemonotheisticreligions(Christianity,Islam and Judaism), and each in turn acts to safeguard its holy places. Forthefollowersofthesereligions,everyage-oldritualand traditioniscarvedinrockandnodeviationisconceivable.Where suchatravestyhasoccurred,theconsequenceshaveoftenbeen bloody.WitnesstheoutbreakofthesecondPalestinianuprising followingacontroversialvisittotheDomeoftheRock(oneofIslam's holiest shrines) by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.ForthevariousChristiandenominationsinJerusalem,thequestion ofholysitecontrol,andthenatureandtimingoftheritesconducted inthem,havealwaysbeenaboneofcontention,butithasbeen possibleforthechurchestokeepatenuouspeaceandcometoan understandingofmutualinterests,despiteoccasionalflare-ups, thanksingreatmeasuretoasetofprinciplesandguidelinesfirst promulgatedaround 1850.AllChristian churcheshavebound themselvesoverto acceptanceofthis "statusquo"which encapsulatesa pledgemadeover 150yearsagobythe rulingpotentate, TurkishSultanAbdul Majid,andwhich "defines,regulates andmaintains, withoutchange,the proprietaryrightsin theHolyPlacesgrantedexclusivelytothethreemajorChristianrites -Greek,ArmenianandLatinCatholic-thusmakingtheArmenian ChurchequalinstaturetotheCatholicandGreekOrthodoxChurches despiteitsrelativelysmallsize,"accordingtotheArmenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.Occasionally,theprinciplesareflouted,oftenwithbloodyresults asclergymentradeblowswithinsacredprecincts,infullviewof disbelievingpilgrimsandtourists.Thingsbecomeparticularlytouchy duringtheHolyFireceremonycommemoratingtheresurrectionof Christ. TheceremonytakesplacewithinthetraditionaltombofJesus ChristintheChurchoftheHolySepulcher,Christendom'smost venerated edifice. "Webelievethatonthisday,theHolyFiredescendsfromheaven andlightsupthelampwithintheTombofChrist,therebysymbolizing theresurrectionofChristandhisvictoryoverdeath,"theArmenian Patriarchate notes. Itcallsthis"descentoffirefromheaven"oneofthegreatest miracles of Christianity.Thematerialpartoftheceremony,acceptanceoftheholyfire,is conductedwithintheaediculeoftheHolySepulcher,whichconsists of two chambers, the Angel’s Chapel and the Holy Tomb Chapel.Inaccordancewithcenturies-oldpractice,atthehighlightofthe ceremony,theGreekPatriarchandtheArmenianPatriarch,ortheir representatives,entertheHolyTomb,kneeldowninfrontofthe Tomb,andwitnessthemiracleofthedescentoftheHolyFire, together. TheHolyFireisthentransferredbytheGreekandArmenian celebranttoothermembersoftheEasternChurchesthroughtwo windowslocatedinthewalloftheAngel’sChapel-andfindsitsway aroundtheworldaspilgrimslightupcandles,lampsandtorchesfrom it.Firebrigadesarealwaysonstandbyincasethereafirebreaksout - but there has not been a fire within living memory. "That in itself is a great miracle," as one Armenian priest observed.