The holiest site in Christendom stands at the end of the Via Dolorosa and contains the final stations of the Cross. Here Jesus was crucified, buried and also resurrected. The Church is guarded and maintained by Christian factions including the Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenians and Ethiopians, each taking a turn at the Sepulchre itself and having their own areas within.
The Final Five Stations of the Cross
There are fourteen Stations of the Cross and the Ninth is just outside the building. It is where Jesus fell for the third time and is marked by a column built into the door of the Coptic Church. From here he could see his place of execution. At the Tenth Station there is a small stone stairway that leads to where Jesus was stripped of his garments. The Roman Catholic Franciscans have charge over the Eleventh Station which is close to where Jesus was nailed to the Cross and a glorious mosaic marks the site of Calvary.
The Twelfth Station is looked after by the Greek Orthodox Church, this is a chapel that marks the exact place where the Cross stood and the cracked Rock of Golgotha can be seen. The Thirteenth Station, at the foot of the stone steps, is where Jesus was taken down from the Cross and is marked by the Stone of Unction, or Anointing Stone. This is where Mary prepared her son's body with a mixture of myrrh, aloe and aromatic oils. This stone was located during the Crusader Period, the present one being laid in 1810.
The Aedicule
The Holy Sepulchre itself lies in the centre of the Rotunda which was built over and around the rock cave in which Jesus was laid. Within the Sepulchre are two tiny rooms - the first denotes where Mary Magdalene saw an angel whilst visiting the grave on the Sunday and the second is the Fourteenth Station - the actual Tomb of Jesus. The sacred rock is covered in a marble slab that has been in place since 1555. Over the Tomb are three reliefs depicting the resurrection and forty-two lamps which burn night and day - thirteen each for the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches and four for the Copts.
The Chapels of Adam and St Helena
Beneath Calvary is the Chapel of Adam - legend has it that Jesus was crucified over the place where Adam's skull was buried. The Rock of Calvary can also be seen here through a window on the altar wall. The crack in the rock was created when an earthquake hit at the exact time of Jesus' death. The Chapel of St Helena - Emporer Constatine's mother - is looked after by the Armenians. Helena spent a long time in the Holy land traveling and marking all the sites, she was present in 326AD when the first church was constructed and is said to have discovered the True Cross as well as the Tomb. Eusebius says in his "Life of Constantine" that the site had originally been a Christian place of worship but Hadrian built a Temple to Aphrodite over the top. Socrates Scholasticus, in "Ecclesiastical History" tells of Helena's discovery of the Tomb and another chapel - 22 steps down from that of St Helena - marks where the Cross was found. There is also another chapel dedicated to Longinus - the Roman soldier who pierced Christ's side with a spear.
The prison of Christ
The Prison of Christ is also said to be within the Church. There are, however, a few other places in contention for this title. The Franciscan's allege that this is the true prison, however the Greek Orthodox say that it was near the Church of Ecce Homo at the First Station of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa. The Armenians state that it was close to the Second Station, and a horrid dungeon in Ciaphas' House - now St Peter in Gallicantu - is the third alternative site of the Prison.
Another Possible Site For The Tomb
The Garden Tomb, not far from Damascus Gate is also popular with Protestant pilgrims. This site was discovered in 1882 by General Charles George Gordon. Even though archeological digs have discovered pottery only up to 7BC, and many agree that the area would have been abandoned by the time of Christ, this Tomb still attracts millions of visitors each year.
Booking.com
For Visitors
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with its narrow passageways and multiple-ownership chapels is a busy and confusing place to visit. The door's can be shut at a moment's notice and the queues are enormous. However, it is a spectacular church unlike any other and time needs to be taken in order to savour the atmosphere and to remember the life and death of Jesus Christ.
Author Sunil S.
The Final Five Stations of the Cross
There are fourteen Stations of the Cross and the Ninth is just outside the building. It is where Jesus fell for the third time and is marked by a column built into the door of the Coptic Church. From here he could see his place of execution. At the Tenth Station there is a small stone stairway that leads to where Jesus was stripped of his garments. The Roman Catholic Franciscans have charge over the Eleventh Station which is close to where Jesus was nailed to the Cross and a glorious mosaic marks the site of Calvary.
The Twelfth Station is looked after by the Greek Orthodox Church, this is a chapel that marks the exact place where the Cross stood and the cracked Rock of Golgotha can be seen. The Thirteenth Station, at the foot of the stone steps, is where Jesus was taken down from the Cross and is marked by the Stone of Unction, or Anointing Stone. This is where Mary prepared her son's body with a mixture of myrrh, aloe and aromatic oils. This stone was located during the Crusader Period, the present one being laid in 1810.
The Aedicule
The Holy Sepulchre itself lies in the centre of the Rotunda which was built over and around the rock cave in which Jesus was laid. Within the Sepulchre are two tiny rooms - the first denotes where Mary Magdalene saw an angel whilst visiting the grave on the Sunday and the second is the Fourteenth Station - the actual Tomb of Jesus. The sacred rock is covered in a marble slab that has been in place since 1555. Over the Tomb are three reliefs depicting the resurrection and forty-two lamps which burn night and day - thirteen each for the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches and four for the Copts.
The Chapels of Adam and St Helena
Beneath Calvary is the Chapel of Adam - legend has it that Jesus was crucified over the place where Adam's skull was buried. The Rock of Calvary can also be seen here through a window on the altar wall. The crack in the rock was created when an earthquake hit at the exact time of Jesus' death. The Chapel of St Helena - Emporer Constatine's mother - is looked after by the Armenians. Helena spent a long time in the Holy land traveling and marking all the sites, she was present in 326AD when the first church was constructed and is said to have discovered the True Cross as well as the Tomb. Eusebius says in his "Life of Constantine" that the site had originally been a Christian place of worship but Hadrian built a Temple to Aphrodite over the top. Socrates Scholasticus, in "Ecclesiastical History" tells of Helena's discovery of the Tomb and another chapel - 22 steps down from that of St Helena - marks where the Cross was found. There is also another chapel dedicated to Longinus - the Roman soldier who pierced Christ's side with a spear.
The prison of Christ
The Prison of Christ is also said to be within the Church. There are, however, a few other places in contention for this title. The Franciscan's allege that this is the true prison, however the Greek Orthodox say that it was near the Church of Ecce Homo at the First Station of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa. The Armenians state that it was close to the Second Station, and a horrid dungeon in Ciaphas' House - now St Peter in Gallicantu - is the third alternative site of the Prison.
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Another Possible Site For The Tomb
The Garden Tomb, not far from Damascus Gate is also popular with Protestant pilgrims. This site was discovered in 1882 by General Charles George Gordon. Even though archeological digs have discovered pottery only up to 7BC, and many agree that the area would have been abandoned by the time of Christ, this Tomb still attracts millions of visitors each year.
Booking.com
For Visitors
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with its narrow passageways and multiple-ownership chapels is a busy and confusing place to visit. The door's can be shut at a moment's notice and the queues are enormous. However, it is a spectacular church unlike any other and time needs to be taken in order to savour the atmosphere and to remember the life and death of Jesus Christ.
Author Sunil S.
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