Church of Holy Sepulchre
One of the most holiest churches, located in Jerusalem at the traditional site of Golgotha - the place of Jesus Crucifixion and burial.
Matthew 27: 33, 60: "And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha....And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed"
Home > Sites > Jerusalem > Church of Holy Sepulchre (Sepulcher)
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Contents:
* Entrance * St Helen * Rotunda * Armenian * Calvary
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Overview:
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one of the most Holy sites in the Christian world, the site of the burial place of Jesus. The 12th C structure is located on the traditional site of Golgotha, the crucifixion and burial site of Jesus.
History:
The Church was established in 333 by the Roman emperor Constantine, after his mother, Queen Helena, marked the place of Golgotha during her visit in 326AD. The site was selected based on memories of the site as an execution place, and on the existence of a garden, tombs and fragments of wood planks. The large basilica was leveled by the Persian intrusion (614AD). The new church was built on top of it, so few remains of the foundation are left. However, this basilica is illustrated in the Byzantine mosaic map of Madaba, which was discovered in 1884 in a Byzantine church in Madaba, Jordan. This ancient map, laid out in the 6th C AD, shows the map of the Holy Land, with dozens of illustrated sites, including Jerusalem and the original basilica that once stood there. It has three doors on the front, parts of one of them survived in the current structure. |
 Madaba map: Constantine's basilica |
- Restored Basilica (7th-11th C)
After the conquest of Jerusalem by the Arabs (638AD) the basilica was partially restored on a smaller scale. It was initially honored by the new rulers, who respected Jesus and his burial place. However, it was again leveled in 1010AD by the Arab rulers when their faith became more extreme. This destruction may have sparked the Crusaders waves of conquest, which aimed at regaining the control of the Holy city and rebuilding the church.
- Crusaders (11-12th C)
In 1099AD the Crusaders take the city and hold it until 1187. They restored the basilica and inaugurated it in 1149AD as St. Sepulchre. After the surrender and fall of the city to the Saladin army, the Arabs honored the church, and the key to the church was kept by Arab families - until this date.
The third Crusaders campaign (1189-1192) attempted to recapture the Holy city and regain control of the church, but failed. However, a treaty between Richard and Saladin (1192-1195) allowed pilgrims to visit the church. Five more Crusades (1204-1270) also failed to regain the city.
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Modern times
In July 1927 the church suffered damages in the 6.3 magnitude earthquake .
The church is controlled by different Christian denominations within the church, each having a part of it: Catholics, Armenian, Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic and Ethiopian. The Muslim families have the key to the main door since 1187, and used to sit in the entrance, manage the church, and mediate between the different denominations. It is opened to the public and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors year round.
Location:
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located on the west side of the old city - the Christian quarter. It is the traditional site of Golgotha - the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.
The church can be approached from the St. Helena alley in the Christian quarter, through a gate, as seen on the right side.
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Photos:
(a) Yard and entrance:
After passing the gate, there is an open yard before the church. On both sides of the yard are small churches, while the entrance to the Holy Sepulchre is on the north side of the yard.
Click on the photos to view in higher resolution...
This is the view from the yard on the south side of the church, where the main door is located. There are a pair of doors, but the right door is blocked off. On the right side are stairs that lead to the Catholic's Chapel of the Franks, the 10th station on Via Dolorosa (- stripping off Jesus garments).
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In the base of the middle column on the left door is a large crack. There are reports on a fire that came out of that column in 1547. This incident is regarded by Greek Orthodox Christians as a miracle of the Holy fire that happened after they were banned from entering the Church, and helped them to reclaim rights of access.
Other cases of the "Holy fire" occurred inside the church near the tomb of Jesus, or during a Greek Orthodox ceremony held on the night before Easter day. In such ceremonies the Patriarch lights up a fire, symbolizing the resurrection, and passes the fire to torches held by the crowd.
In one such case (1834) the fire caused a great panic, and hundreds of pilgrims that packed the halls were crushed when the crowd pushed their way out.
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(b) Stone of Anointing (Unction):
| After entering the doors,
the hall opens to the southern hall. On the floor lays the stone of
anointing. According to tradition,
the body of Jesus was laid on this stone after removed from the cross. As
per John 19: 40: "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen
clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury".
This is also illustrated on the wall mosaic above the entrance (see part of it on the right side). |
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In the photo below - the stone of anointing (unction) greets the visitors, who kneel, pray and kiss the stone. Above the stone are lamps, each donated by one of the denominations.
(c) St. Helen Chapel:
On the east side of the Church are 29 steps that lead down to the Chapel of St. Helena, honoring the mother of Emperor Constantine who discovered the cross and vault in her visit (326AD). This is a beautiful Armenian chapel.
The photo below shows the ancient graffiti of crosses on the walls of the staircase.
The photo below shows the interior of the chapel with its large mosaic floor.
On the south side is a large painting showing the scene of the discovery of the cross.
(d) Finding of the Cross Chapel :
At the lowest chamber, 13 stairs under the Chapel of St. Helena (and towards east), is a cave called the "Finding of the Cross". This is the place where Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, found the fragments of the cross (on the right side).
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On the left side of the chapel (see photo above) is a statue of Helena, holding the cross. Under it is an altar with the inscription seen on the right side. It was donated by the Austral-Hungarian Prince Maximilian, which later became the King of Mexico. This was erected in 1857 and restored in 1965. The remains of the cross were relocated to Rome, and are on display in the "Holy Cross in Jerusalem" church ("Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme"). |
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(e) Rotunda:
The heart of the Holy Sepulchre is a round hall ("Rotunda"). Here the tomb of Jesus is located in a smaller structure in the center of the circle. The photo below shows the ceiling of the hall. The natural light filters in from the top of the cape, casting a holy spell over the hall.
The tomb of Jesus is located in the center of the hall, within the structure seen below.
(f) Chapel of the Angel:
The entrance to the tomb is through a narrow door on the east side. There is normally a queue to the enter the inner chamber.
The first chamber is called the Chapel of the Angel. A
fragment of the blocking stone of the Sepulchre is stored here. It is called
after the angel that removed the stone. The Biblical text (Matthew 28 2-3):
"And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
snow").
(g) Tomb of Jesus:
Behind the Chapel is another narrow door which leads to a smaller chamber - the tomb of Jesus.
Parts of the tomb's interior is seen below. The room of the tomb is 2M by 93cm. A marble lid covers the tomb.
(h) Chapel of Mary Magdalene:
On the north side of the Rotunda, the hall of the tomb, is the Franciscan Chapel of Mary Magdalene. Mary of Magdala (Migdal) accompanied Jesus on his way to the cross and burial (Mark 15, 47: "And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus beheld where he was laid") . The altar is on the left side (not seen), while the Rotunda is seen in the background. On the north side of the chapel are more rooms.
(i) Armenian Chapel:
South to the Rotunda is a small Armenian shrine, seen in the photo below.
(j) Catholican:
The eastern dome and galleries are part of the Catholicon ("general"). This is the the large Greek Orthodox cathedral, seen below from the Calvary chapel above the entrance.
(k) Greek Orthodox Calvary:
On the second floor, above the entrance on the south side, is the Greek Orthodox Calvary, seen below.
Biblical references :
| These references describe the site of crucifixion and
burial of Jesus.
Matthew 27:33, 35, 59-60
"And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull"... "And they crucified him".... "And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed".
Mark 15:22, 46
"And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull." ... "And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre."
Luke 23: 33, 53
In Luke the name is Calvary (from Roman, meaning also place of skull):
"And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him,..." ... "And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and
laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before
was laid". John 19:17, 40-41
"And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha". "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid".
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Scenes from the wall Mosaic above the entrance to the Church:
a: Jesus is taken down from the cross
b: Laid down and wrapped in the linen
c: Laid into a new rock-hewn tomb |
Etymology:
Links:
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