Athens court rules in defamation lawsuit regarding the Holy Fire

The Single-Member Court of First Instance of Athens has issued a ruling in a defamation lawsuit filed by Archbishop Aristarchos, Chief Secretary of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, against author Dimitris Alikakos. The lawsuit stemmed from statements made by the author in his book 'Lytrōsi, Peri tou Agiou Photos' regarding the nature of the Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem. According to the author, the court rejected the defamation claims brought by the Archbishop, who alleged that his remarks had been misrepresented. The author further asserts that the judicial decision addressed the core of the matter by stating that the ignition of the Holy Fire is a result of human intervention rather than a miracle. The legal proceedings focused on evaluating evidence provided by both parties concerning the authenticity of the ritual. The court concluded that the specific allegations of defamation were not substantiated. This ruling marks the first time that this specific court has addressed the underlying mechanism of the Holy Fire ritual in a legal context.