The church of the holy sepulchre is worth a visit. It's a great time to visit as it is quieter (probably due to covid travel restrictions, so less people). There's no information inside so it's worth reading up before you go, or to have a guide.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the most sacred site in the world for millions of Christians. This if the site of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The church was built during the 4th century by the Emperor Constantine, who accepted Christianity and made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. His mother, Saint Helena, toured the Holy Land and identified the sites in which the events mentioned in the New Testament took place. Helena identified this place as the Calvary, where Jesus was crucified. She also identified the burial plot of Joseph of Arimathea, who facilitated Jesus’ burial after he was taken down from the cross. Lying within the boundaries of the church are the last stations in Jesus’ Way of Grief- from the 9th to the 14th station.
Many changes took place in the church over the years, and it was formed into its current shape during the crusader era. During its early days in the Byzantine era, it was larger and known as “The Resurrection Church”, commemorating Jesus’ rise from the dead.
During the 13th century, the responsibility for opening the church and keeping the church’s keys was given to two Muslim families, and they are still, to this day, responsible for the church’s keys and its opening at dawn and closure at sunset. Most of the compound is held by the Catholic Church, the Armenian Church and the Greek Orthodox Church, with limited rights to the Syrian and Coptic Churches.
During the 19th century a status-quo agreement was signed between the various communities, defining the rights of prayer and ownership for the different communities involved in the church.
The church façade was designed during the crusader area. In the past, on top of the entrance arches, there were lintels decorated with crusader embossments. They are currently in the custodianship of the Rockefeller Museum. The bell tower on the left side was also built during the crusader era. For many of the tourists visiting this place, this is the highlight of their visit to the Holy Land.
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, by Noam Chen
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 6789 traveler reviews“Focal point of many sects of Christianity.”
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered the holiest place on earth by Christians because it is the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, his dead body taken down from the Cross, anointed on the rock/ stone and lowered in the grave and the place of resurrection of Jesus Christ. As you enter the church you are...
MoreThe Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered the holiest place on earth by Christians because it is the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, his dead body taken down from the Cross, anointed on the rock/ stone and lowered in the grave and the place of resurrection of Jesus Christ. As you enter the church you are greeted with a sight of a place crowded, packed with hundreds of people. Many of them devote Christians on a mission of pilgrimage and an equal number of tourists of all faiths on the face of the earth. There is an astounding number of 30-plus chapels and worship spaces. All with a profusion of devotional ornamentation of several Christian rites. For example, the tomb ofChrist is in the aedicule at the same time it is believed to be in another different place at the end of a dark, narrow tunnel. Going around the church is equally confusing and feels like going through a maze. This is due to the crowds where at times you do not know where you are as you are carried by the flow and because of twisting, climbing, descending path and staircases necessitated by different architectural styles, confined and limited space due to a large number of events have taken place in a limited area. By the time even a non-Christian visitor leaves Church of the Holy Sepulchre he is overpowered by a sense of history and the orderly confusion prevailing at the place so revered by millions.
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“Spiritually Moving”
How? Can't really explain in words. If you're Christian, you'll possibly share the same experience when you visit. For non-Christians, the church is ornate and historical, but not sure the crowds are worth it if this is not the basis of your faith. For those who believe, tolerate the lines and rude people and...
MoreHow? Can't really explain in words. If you're Christian, you'll possibly share the same experience when you visit. For non-Christians, the church is ornate and historical, but not sure the crowds are worth it if this is not the basis of your faith. For those who believe, tolerate the lines and rude people and wait for the opportunity to spend a few minutes inside the tomb. It was quite moving. If you're into it, bring some items to place on the stone where Jesus' body was placed for burial preparation after being removed from the cross. These will be much more meaningful than keychains or t-shirts brought back as souvenirs that say Jersualem on them. The vendors in the surrounding market also sell small crosses and rosary, but be prepared to pay way more since it's the mecca of tourist traps.
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