Holy Jerusalem

The Golden Gate
Mount Zion
Gethsemane
St. Stephan's Gate
Via Dolorosa
Holy Sepulchre
Ceremonies
Mount of Olives
Heavenly Jerusalem
Holy Sepulchre Print version

Church of the Holy Sepulchre
he Church of the Holy Resurrection



isible from afar, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with its two silver domes stands in the heart of the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. This area contains the last five Stations of the Via Dolorosa. In Jesus' times, there was a rocky hill by the name of Golgotha. It is widely believed that the skull of Adam, the first man, was buried in this hill. In 335 AD the Byzantine Emperor, Constantine, built a church above the Sepulchre. In the past, this church was much larger than it is today. In the front of the church, there is a flagstone-paved courtyard. To the right of the courtyard stands St. Abraham’s Monastery with its large pools of water that served as reservoirs for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during the Byzantine period. The facade of the church features impressive remains of Crusader architecture, including a two-story double gate from the 12th century. Each story has a double-arched opening with many embellishments and architectural elements characteristic of the period. There are two entrances; one has been sealed since 1187, and the other is open to visitors.



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Nuns at the entrance to the Church. Nuns at the dome.

Tenth Station
esus’ Clothes are Taken Away
This Station, adjacent to the church part of the Catholic chapel, is where Jesus was brought to have his clothes removed. During the Crusader period, this chapel led directly to Golgotha.


Eleventh Station
ailing Jesus to the Cross
This Station is under the auspices of the Latin Church. A mosaic at this Station depicts a Roman soldier nailing Jesus to the cross. On the ceiling is a 12th century mosaic of Jesus. There are also other more recent mosaics. The silver altar is decorated with six reliefs depicting the suffering of Jesus.


Twelfth Station
he Crucifixion Site
The twelfth Station is a Greek Orthodox chapel whose altar stands upon Golgotha rock. At the center is the silver plate where Jesus’ cross stood. On either side are holes for the crosses of the two thieves, one good and one bad, who were crucified with Jesus.



The place of crucifixion.



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Luke 23:33-46
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots to share out his clothing. The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.' The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to off him vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.'


’ One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’ It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ With these words he breathed his last. Reference also Matthew 27:32-56, Mark 15:21-41, John 19:23-36 Thirteenth Station

Thirteenth Station
he Agonizing Mary, Bringing Jesus Down from the Cross
In this place, Mary took the body of Jesus after he was lowered from the cross. The altar is dedicated to Mary, and is called Our Lady of Sorrows. The very precious statue of Mary was stolen in 1968 but was found and returned to the church, which is under the auspices of the Franciscans.


Our Lady of Sorrow's Altar


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The Stone of Anointment
On the floor, opposite the Sepulchre, is the “Anointment” stone where Jesus’ body was laid after being taken down from the cross. Here his body was prepared for burial with heavy oils and a shroud. Surrounding the rock are six large candlesticks; two Greek, two Catholic, and two Armenian. On the right side of the main room is another room, Adam’s Chapel, named after the first man. According to tradition, the cross was placed on top of the skull of the first man, and when a drop of Jesus’ blood fell on the skull, it came to life for a short period.


Palm Sunday ceremony of the eastern churches The Holy Tomb


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Palm Sunday ceremony of the eastern churches. The Holy Tomb



The Holy Tomb


Fourteenth Station
he Tomb is surrounded by a structure built by the Greeks in the 19th century. In an elegant room called the Chapel of the Angel is a stone altar, which is widely believed to be part of the stone that covered the Tomb. This is where the angel sat when Mary Magdalene came to visit the day after the crucifixion.


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urrounding the tomb are small chapels, including the Chapel of Jesus’ Clothes under which is a room called Chapel of the Discovery of the Cross. Here Helena found the cross on which Jesus was crucified. In Adam’s Chapel, located under the Golgotha Hill, there stands a rock with a large crevice.


The Omophlos - Center of the world in the Greek Orthodox Catholikon.


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The Armenian Pavilion at the Church of the Resurrection
Matthew 27:57-61
When it was evening, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, called Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate thereupon ordered it to be handed over. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean shroud and put it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. Now Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre
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Chapel of the Marys inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre near the Armenian Sacristy Ceremonies.


Matthew 28:1-8
After the Sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre. And all at once there was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His face was like lightning, his robe white as snow. The guards were so shaken, so frightened of him, that they were like dead men. But the angel spoke; and he said to the women, ‘There is no need for you to be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would. Come and see the place where he lay, then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has risen from the dead and now he is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see him.” Now I have told you.’ Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples. Reference also Mark 15:42-47, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 23:50-56, Luke 24:1-12, John 19:38-42, John 20:1-18.



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Provoslavian Nurs in the Church of Holy Sepulchre.