Jesus’ restored tomb is unveiled, well in time for Easter
MIDDLE EAST: Renovations at Christianity’s holiest site - carried out over the past nine months were finally unveiled yesterday in a ceremony that brought together rival Christian denominations and ushered in a new era for pilgrims wanting to get closer to their saviour.
And it’s all ready in time for Easter, which falls on April 16 this year. Restoring the Holy Edicule, the chamber where Christians believe Jesus was buried and rose from the dead after his crucifixion, was no simple undertaking.
The shrine, which is thought to encase Jesus’ 2000-year-old burial cave, stands at the heart of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a 12th-century edifice built atop 4thcentury remains.
Control of the sprawling church is shared by six Christian denominations. The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Orthodox churches are the primary custodians, while the Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox churches, and even some secular entities, have lesser responsibilities.
It’s a complicated status quo, resting on various written agreements and unchanged for at least 150 years. And still, squabbles among the denominations as each attempts to assert its rights at the site are so frequent that they have acquired a physical symbol: an ‘‘immovable’’ wooden step ladder, in place since the 18th century, reminding each group that none may alter any part of the church without the consent of the others.
In the case of the Edicule, however, there was no choice. Renovations to the structure, built in 1810, were long overdue. Water damage had caused it to buckle, and it threatened to collapse under its own weight. Last year, Israel’s Antiquities Authority deemed the site unsafe and briefly closed the building, to much protest.
With approval from the pope and the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as donations from various entities and individuals to cover the nearly US$4 million restoration, work finally began in June.
- Washington Post