Christ's Tomb - Jerusalem

 

Admittedly, this blogger has never been to Jerusalem, or to the site of Christ's entombment.  This blog was created to explore famous graves however, and with the Christmas season upon us, it seemed like the right time to explore the most famous gravesite of them all.

For more than 1,700 years, Christians the world over have made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  It was originally established by Constantine the Great in 336 on what is believed to be the site of Christ's crucifixion and subsequent entombment. 

Twenty years earlier, Constantine had a vision, that of a cross in the sky.  In response, he sought permission to dig for the tomb, subsequently finding the remains of three crosses, one of which was said to have had healing properties.  The church was later built on this site.

As shown below, the tomb lies at the center of the church, which receives more than 2 million visitors each year.  The church also houses remnants and artifacts of Christ and the crucifixion (see Trivia below).  It is one of the most sacred places in the world of Christianity.

Merry Christmas!

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about the church, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• The church is home to the Rock of Calvary, where the crucifixion is believed to have occurred.  It is encased in glass at the altar.  Check out a clip on YouTube.
  
  
• The church has undergone a series of renovations over the centuries, the most significant of which was in 614, following an attack by Persian forces.