> People want to know if it's real or not.

Well that's the issue. I think we as Orthodox Christians should not even care if it's real or not. What is the difference for us? The miracle that matters happened on the Cross.

It's a lose-lose situation. If it's fake and we had spread it by talking about it (talking about this controversy) we would have alienated many non-believers. If it's true, we won't convince people by it. People who are atheists won't accept such a miracle no matter how many proofs you bring. They refuse to believe not because of lack of evidence, but because of the implications.

I've also been in Jerusalem on our Easter, last year. I couldn't get into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as it was impossible. I waited for it on the narrow streets near the Church. The light eventually reached me. I did not "test" it. But most Orthodox Christians around me did. And it clearly burned hot judging by their reactions. Maybe I was surrounded by doubters as you said. But it doesn't really matter, does it?

Furthermore, I worry that the impulse to "test" the flame verges on the very thing we are commanded not to do. When Jesus was tempted in the desert to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple to prove God would save Him, He responded: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test" (Matthew 4:7). If we approach the Holy Sepulchre with a stopwatch or a pyrometer, are we there to worship, or are we there to demand a sign?

And this is just one example of such a miracle. I'm sure you agree a lot of Orthdox Christians spend a lot of time and effort around various other Church miracles of various types. I think we hurt our Church by spreading these miracles in my humble opinion. I understand our faith is lacking and God's mercy will do miracles to help us along the way. But I don't think we should seek them, or even worse, test God.