Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The religious scene in Jerusalem is complicated even for tourists. Before planning our day, my guide asked me my religion. Local guides know that, among Christians interested in seeing Jesus’ tomb, most Protestants prefer the tomb in the Garden Tomb while Catholics like the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. While I’m Lutheran, this is one case where I definitely go with the Catholics.

For many Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built upon on the place where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, is the holiest of churches and the highlight of their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
For many Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built upon on the place where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, is the holiest of churches and the highlight of their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is built upon the summit of Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified. Because it’s holy for all kinds of Christians, who see things differently and don’t communicate very well, it’s a cluttered religious hodgepodge of various zones — each controlled by a different sect. There are chapels for Greek Orthodox, Franciscans, Coptic Christians, Armenians and so on — each run by a different community or sect. To make any decision about the church in general, they need to agree unanimously. That’s why nothing much gets done here in the holiest church in Christendom…and it feels that way.

The slab believed to mark the spot where the dead body of the crucified Christ was given to Mary is busy with devout pilgrims.
The slab believed to mark the spot where the dead body of the crucified Christ was given to Mary is busy with devout pilgrims.

Of the Stations of the Cross, most lie along the Via Dolorosa. But the last five are actually in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Number 10 is where Jesus was undressed, and Number 11 marks where he was nailed to the cross. Number 12 is where he was crucified. Number 13 is where his body was given to Mary. And finally, number 14 marks his tomb. Each is busy with pilgrims.

p27-Dome-of-church-of-HS

Comments

8 Replies to “Church of the Holy Sepulcher”

  1. Wonder what the guide does with non-Christians? Wouldn’t everyone want to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (regardless of whether it is the “true” site of Golgotha)? And what are the people at the top of the photo of the marble slab doing?

  2. Pilgrims touch iitems to the slab to have them blessed. When we were there there was a variety of people touring. All the sights in Jerusalem have different meanings for different ethnic and religious groups. It makes it a very fascinating place to visit.

  3. Rick,

    To address Kathy’s comment above about how tours address people of different faiths, the tour I was on (which I would describe as being a “secular” tour) included both Jews and Christians. We visited various sites of the three religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), both in Jerusalem and throughout Israel, and everyone was very respectful of others’ beliefs, including our Israeli guide, who made it a point to be inclusive.

    If one travels with a group of a particular faith, then, of course, the sites visited will focus on that faith. For example, if a Protestant group is touring, then they might just visit the Garden Tomb, whereas a Roman Catholic group might only see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I was fortunate in that my tour group saw both.

  4. Even with its crowds, competing sects and confusion, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is indescribably moving for believers. Walk through the entrance, turn right and climb the steep stone steps to Golgotha. You realize you are on the spot — or sometihing very close to hit — where Jesus did and in so doing, began the three days that remade human history and humanity itself.

  5. Interesting about the different tours for Catholics and Protestants. It is another example of the Protestant emphasis on the the risen, divine Jesus contrasting with the Catholic emphasis on the suffering, human Jesus. Catholic churches have crucifixes while Protestant churches tend to have crosses instead.

  6. I find it odd that a visitor to Israel would only want to see the sights relating to a single religion. Would you skip the cathedrals in Europe because you are not a Catholic? Or the temples in Thailand because you are not a Buddhist? Admittedly, I am an ecumenical skeptic, but I would want to see all of them.

    I do hope that Rick will visit the Dome of the Rock. I just finished reading Nicholas Shrady’s “Sacred Roads” and he (a Roman Catholic) has a compelling description of the mosque there. Certainly, if he’s scouting for a TV show, he should see all the sites.

  7. We also saw several people blessing their cell phones. Most were just prostrated feeling the moment. We are not Christians but we loved all the Holy sites!

    It was just as interesting in China seeing snake charmers and I Ching and Tarot Cards as well as lots of incense in the temples, with fruit offerings. People have very diverse views.

Comments are closed.