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Last update - 12:35 23/03/2008 Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter By The Associated Press Tags: Church of the Holy Sepulcher  Pilgrims thronged Christian holy sites in Jerusalem on Sunday, braving a heightened security alert to celebrate Easter in the city where they believe Jesus was resurrected on this day two millennia ago. In the walled Old City, hundreds of believers escaped the stifling temperatures of an unseasonable heat wave and filled the cool, dark rooms of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, traditionally the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. The odor of incense wafted from the church doors into the courtyard outside. Ahead of the weekend, security forces deployed thousands of officers nationwide to secure events connected with Easter and the Jewish festival of Purim. The alert was also high because of Israeli concerns about a possible revenge attack for the assassination of a Hezbollah commander last month in Syria. Advertisement Israel denied involvement, but Hezbollah has blamed Jerusalem and threatened to avenge his death with an attack on Israeli targets. On March 6, a Palestinian gunman killed eight young students at a Jerusalem rabbinical seminary, the first major attack in the city in four years. Jeri Minasy, 59, a retired flight attendant from Newnan, Georgia, said the recent violence couldn't deter her from spending Easter in Jerusalem. She called the experience "special, mystic and spiritual." But she wondered what Jesus would think about the bloodshed. "I think he would be appalled that people can't get along. He would be crying," Minasy said. Many visitors to the church were visibly moved. Some sang hymns near a small stone structure adorned with candles that marks the site of Jesus' tomb. Tamera Perry, 39, a high school teacher from Silver City, New Mexico, said she planned to videotape the Easter Mass and send it over the Internet to her church at home, where it would be shown on a projector at the Easter service. She hoped to transmit something of the experience of being in Jerusalem for the holiday, Perry said. "I get a real sense of the surroundings here, being where Jesus walked and walking the hills that he walked," she said. Not all believers chose to mark Easter at the Holy Sepulcher. Some Protestants venerate a spot outside the Old City known as the Garden Tomb as the site of Jesus' burial, and groups gathered there early Sunday to sing songs accompanied by a rock band. Some raised their hands and swayed to the music. "We can say that resurrection day was the happiest day in history," Peter Wells, the site's chaplain, told the crowd, speaking at a podium bearing the words, "Jesus Is Alive." "So once again, the Lord is risen," Wells said, and the assembled believers answered in unison: "The Lord is risen indeed, hallelujah!" U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who was in Jerusalem on Sunday, marked Easter with a service at the U.S. consulate before setting out for a day of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Related articles: Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem's Old City for Good Friday Jews, Arabs, Americans join Jerusalem Palm Sunday march Vatican rejects criticism of new prayer for Jewish conversion Bookmark to del.icio.us   Declassifying AIPAC Two former pro-Israel lobbyists charged with revealing secret info. to Israeli diplomats. Jersualem pilgrimage Christian pilgrims flock to Holy City to mark Good Friday and retrace the route of Jesus.

Today Online Hezbollah: We have proof Israel killed Mughniyah Responses: 103 Jerusalem official denies reported truce offer to Hamas, Jihad Responses: 64 Gideon Levy: Blind int'l friendship enables Israel to kill, settle Responses: 52 Cheney in Ramallah: Peace will require 'painful concessions' Responses: 27 Editorial: Swiss gas deal with Iran a disgrace, like WWII neutrality Responses: 31 Rosner's Domain New Guest, Daniel Kurtzer: since '93 U.S. didn't help peace process succeed Govt. to appeal ruling on classified material in AIPAC trial I've known my rabbi for more than 20 years... (WTR) There's no need for American pressure on Israel Poll: Mideast summit in Moscow, a good idea? More Headlines 19:59 Cheney in Ramallah: Qassams kill Palestinians' legitimate hopes 19:20 IAF Official: All F16I pilots were exposed to carcinogenic substance 16:36 Jerusalem official denies reported truce offer to Hamas, Jihad 17:34 PM: Israel to send back refugees who infiltrate from Sinai 15:59 Shi'ite mourners hail Mughniyah as martyr at Beirut gravesite 19:00 Taibeh resident jailed for 9 years over role in foiled terror attack 20:05 PM aide planning Website 'to connect all Jews around the world' 15:25 Ethiopian activist: Integration failed, separate schools needed 12:35 Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter 15:36 Hamas, Fatah officials in Yemen agree to revive direct talks 19:17 Sarkozy's ex-wife due to wed Jewish multi-millionaire in N.Y. 15:45 Israeli singer Yael Naim embraces Apple, Britney Spears for success 19:04 Temperatures soar nationwide as heat wave continues Previous Editions Select Day 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar

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