The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Holy Sepulcher-Jerusalem

Most people I’ve talked to don’t know that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher exists. It doesn’t look nearly as impressive as St. Peter’s or Westminster’s Abbey. However, this small church inside the Old City of Jerusalem is the holiest location in the world for all Christians, and it is truly an amazing place. The church isn’t owned by any one Christian group, but is shared between six of them. The sharing is not always peaceful, though, and the different sects fight each other for control. In fact, the competition is so fierce that a Muslim has to open the gate every morning to prevent any one faction from possessing the key to the most sacred place in Christendom. The church is fought over in this way for a reason. It is built over the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. I’ve been there, and it was one of the most powerful experiences of my entire life.

Why you should go:

You don’t have to be very religious to be moved by seeing this place. It was only when I was there that I realized that the Bible isn’t just a story. It happened at real places that you can visit. There are three major holy places in the church that I thought were especially meaningful. One of these places was the Stone of Unction, where Jesus was laid to be prepared for burial. It was pretty unbelievable to touch a place where Jesus had been. The second was the Rock of Golgotha, or Calvary, where Jesus was crucified alongside thieves. By far though, the most touching part was when I touched the altar in the Tomb of Jesus Christ. The Tomb is the single most sacred site in all of Christendom. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is over the place where these events really happened. No matter how religious you are, or whether or not you go to church, it will deeply affect you to see where Jesus Christ died and rose again.

How:

You might want to go with a guide, just for a brief explanation of what’s what. If you do, I recommend the Holy City Tour from New Jerusalem, at www.newjerusalem.com. Their tour of the Church is very good, and they’ll show you a lot of things you might otherwise have missed. The best guide New Jerusalem has is Alon, and you would be wise to try to get your tour from him.

I still like to go back after the tour and spend a few quiet hours in this sacred place. There is nothing better than spending an afternoon wandering the maze of holy places in Christianity’s most sacred site. It will be at least an afternoon, though, as it does take a while to see the church in its entirety. The church has an enormous amount of things to see; even more than I’ve described, and it is hard to navigate through. Still, the main reason it takes so long to see is the lines. Devout pilgrims crowd the holy sites at all times of year, and you’ll need to leave extra time to make sure you see everything you want to see. Make sure you have enough time to pay homage to this hallowed place.

My favorite guidebook for all Jerusalem is Jerusalem, Israel, Petra, and the Sinai from Eyewitness Books. The book does a good job explaining the Church and everything within. It also has a great map of the Church that covers two pages. The church is set up on multiple levels (because it is built into the hill of Golgotha/Calvary), and you need something to help you navigate through it. The book helped a lot with my visit to the Holy Sepulcher.

Don’t be afraid to go if you’re not Christian.

In all honesty, there were probably more Jewish people on my tour than Christians. As long as you are respectful of the sanctity of the site, the worshippers really don’t care if you visit. This is a very important place, and it can help you understand the Christian religion and its 2 billion followers.

If you liked this post about Jerusalem, consider reading about the Mount of Olives.

Email me at michaelworldtravel@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

The rather blank exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The entrance to the Church, opened onto by an alleyway

The Stone of Unction, where Jesus was laid after death

Paying my respects to the Stone

The Chapel of St. Helena, where the cross that Jesus was crucified on was supposedly found.

The altar over the Rock of Golgotha, or Calvary, where Jesus was put to death

Me touching the Rock of Golgotha through the small hole under the altar. Strangely enough, this ended up being picture #666.

The small Chapel of Adam, beneath the traditional site of the crucifixion. The crack in the stone is said to have been caused by the earthquake that followed Jesus' death

The dome of the church, centered over the Tomb of Jesus. The Tomb is the structure seen at the bottom of the picture

The front of the small shrine built to house the Tomb of Jesus Christ, the holiest place in the world

Me entering the Tomb

The most sacred site in the world, the Tomb itself

The outer section of the Tomb. The table contains a piece of the Tomb that broke off.

Christians traditionally believed that Jerusalem was at the center of the world. This stone basin marked the exact center of maps.

The mysterious wooden doors in the floor of the church... are they hiding something?