Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem

We went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem twice, once in the evening and once in the early morning for 6 a.m. Mass, and it is simply mind-blowing that you can be that close to the locations of Christ's crucifixion and burial! It is an incredibly holy site! Here is some background.

 

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, known as the Church of the Resurrection (Anastasis) to Eastern Orthodox Christians, is a church in the Old City of Jerusalem that is the holiest Christian site in the world. It stands on a site that is believed to encompass both Golgotha, or Calvary, where Jesus was crucified, and the tomb (sepulchre) where he was buried. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been an important pilgrimage destination since the 4th century.

 

The early Christian community of Jerusalem appears to have held liturgical celebrations at Christ's tomb from the time of the resurrection until the city was taken by the Romans in 66 AD. Less than a century later, in 135 AD, Emperor Hadrian filled in the quarry to provide a level foundation for a temple to Aphrodite.

 

The site remained buried beneath the pagan temple until Emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity in 312 AD. He soon showed an interest in the holy places associated with his new faith, and commissioned numerous churches to be built throughout the Holy Land. The most important of these, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, was begun in 326 AD.

 

Constantine's builders dug away the hillside to leave the rock-hewn tomb of Christ isolated and with enough room to built a church around it. They also cleared away Hadrian's temple and the material with which an old quarry had been filled to provide the temple's foundations. In the process, according to contemporary Christian historians, the Rock of Golgotha was found. The Church was formally dedicated in 335 with an oration by Constantine's biographer, Eusebius of Caesarea.

 

In the course of the excavations, Constantine's mother St. Helena is said to have discovered the True Cross near the tomb. It is said that St. Helena actually discovered three crosses - those of the two thieves and that of Christ. To discern the one belonging to Christ, a sick man was brought to touch each one, and he was miraculously healed by one of them, the True Cross. Pretty cool!

Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Courtyard

Stairway to Calvary

Top of the Stairs - Calvary/Golgotha



 
 
 
 
 
 

Calvary / Golgotha - My sister Julie kneels down
to touch the rock and reverence the
place of Crucifixion.
 

Lots of candles lit nearby

Julie lights one of the many candles.





The Stone of Unction - the place where
Jesus' body was laid to prepare it for burial.





The Edicule - Entrance to the Tomb of Christ

The Edicule (Aedicule), or little house, consists of two

parts: A four columned porch over the forecourt

and a five columned octagonal marble structure

surrounding the tomb chamber.





The Tomb of Christ (on the right where you see

the marble slab - which also serves as an altar for

Mass) -- We had Mass here one morning at 6 a.m.

Fr. Chris and Deacon Rich were the only people

who could fit in this tiny space. The rest of us were in

an adjoining room where we could hear. Then Father

had to come through the small opening to distribute

Holy Communion. At the end of Mass, each of us was

able to crawl in there to touch and reverence the tomb!

Pretty amazing!

 

The Dome of the Basilica - so ornate!