The flame poured forth from the tomb, lighting up the cavernous church as fire passed from candle to candle held by thousands of Christian pilgrims convinced they were witnessing a miracle.
Orthodox Christians packed into Jerusalem's centuries-old Church of the Holy Sepulchre and spilled out into the surrounding cobblestone alleys in anticipation of the annual 'Holy Fire' ceremony on the eve of Easter Sunday.
Believers hold that the fire is sent from the heavens to ignite candles held by the Greek Orthodox patriarch in an annual rite symbolising Jesus's resurrection that dates back many hundreds of years.
Minor scuffles broke out as Israeli police struggled to contain the crowds as they made their way through the Old City and packed into the church that Christians believe stands on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.
The ceremony began with a group of a few dozen local Arab Christians who pumped up the crowds by beating drums and chanting in honour of Jesus and Mary.
Then the Greek Orthodox patriarch, Theophilos III, made his grand entry at the head of a procession of monks, chanters, dignitaries and red and gold banners bearing icon-like images.
After circling the ornate tomb in the heart of the church three times amid chants of 'Axios' ('Oh, great one') the patriarch entered the shrine on Jesus's traditional burial site and then emerged with several lit candles.
The flames were passed throughout the crowd, casting a flickering orange glow on the grey walls and towering stone columns and filling the air with smoke as police armed with fire extinguishers stood by nervously.
"It's a miracle. It comes from the sky, down into the tomb and then lights the candles in the hands of the patriarch," said George Papadopoulos, one of the black-cloaked chanters in the procession.
A few metres away, Kostas Kotulis, a 24-year-old pilgrim from Athens, passed his hand back and forth over a bolt of lit candles.
"It's a miracle, and only the Greek patriarch can do it," he said. "I touch the fire and I don't get burned."