Holy Fire arrives in Athens from Jerusalem ahead of Easter celebrations

The Holy Fire from Jerusalem arrived in Athens by airplane at 8 p.m. on Saturday, ahead of Easter celebrations in Greece.

The flame was received with the protocol reserved for heads of state after Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem had been handed it to a Greek delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Amanatidis.

"It is a victory of hope and optimism, and our responsibility, to transform this into a creative force in the struggle we are all mounting for the rebirth of our homeland," said Amanatidis upon receiving the Holy Fire, which was due to be flown to more than a dozen points around the country after being brought to Athens on a special flight.

Earlier, thousands of Christians gathered in Jerusalem for the ancient fire ceremony, which celebrates Jesus' resurrection.

In a ritual dating back at least 1,200 years, they crowded Saturday...