Church of the Holy Sepulchre
In 326, Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a temple dedicated to Jupiter or Venus to be torn down. This structure had been built by Hadrian around AD 130 on a site that included a cave containing a rock-cut tomb. The Roman emperor sought to replace the pagan shrine with a Christian church after receiving permission from Macarius, the Bishop of Jerusalem. Eusebius, a Bishop of Caesarea, assisted in the excavation efforts. Workers removed soil and ruins until they uncovered three crosses near the tomb. One cross was believed to have cured people near death and identified as the True Cross. The discovery led Romans to believe they had found Calvary. A rotunda called the Anastasis rose over the burial site while a great basilica stood across an eastern courtyard. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was consecrated on the 13th of September 335. Pilgrims like the Pilgrim of Bordeaux visited in 333 and described the wondrous beauty of the new construction.
On the 18th of October 1009, Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah ordered the complete destruction of the church. The damage was extensive with few parts of the early church remaining. The roof of the rock-cut tomb suffered severe damage and the original shrine was destroyed. Only portions of the northern wall containing the burial bench and the southern wall survived. Christian Europe reacted with shock at the event. It became a spur to expulsions of Jews and later served as justification for the Crusades. In wide-ranging negotiations between the Fatimids and the Byzantine Empire during 1027, 1028, an agreement allowed rebuilding. The new Caliph Ali az-Zahir agreed to let the church be reconstructed and redecorated. Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos oversaw completion in 1048 alongside Patriarch Nicephorus of Jerusalem. Contemporary sources credit the emperor with spending vast sums to restore the site. A total replacement remained beyond available resources so the great basilica stayed in ruins while work concentrated on the rotunda and surrounding buildings.
The rebuilt church site was taken from the Fatimids by knights of the First Crusade on the 15th of July 1099. Crusaders began refurnishing the church in Romanesque style and added a bell tower. These renovations unified small chapels on the site and were completed during Queen Melisende's reign in 1149. All holy places came under one roof for the first time. Eight 11th- and 12th-century Crusader leaders including Godfrey, Baldwin I, Baldwin II, Fulk, Baldwin III, Amalric, Baldwin IV and Baldwin V were buried in the south transept and inside the Chapel of Adam. Royal tombs were looted during the Khwarizmian sack of Jerusalem in 1244 but probably remained mostly intact until 1808 when fire damaged the church. The remains may still lie in unmarked pits under the pavement. William of Tyre chronicled rebuilding efforts in the mid-12th century. Crusaders investigated eastern ruins occasionally excavating through rubble to discover part of the original ground level of Hadrian's temple enclosure.
An Ottoman decree of 1757 helped establish a status quo upholding state affairs for various Holy Land sites. Sultan Abdülmecid I issued a firman in 1852/53 that pinned down permanent statutes regarding property and roles of different denominations. Primary custodians include Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches. The Greek Orthodox act through their Patriarchate as well as through the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. Roman Catholics operate via the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. In the 19th century Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox acquired lesser responsibilities including shrines and other structures. None control the main entrance where Saladin assigned door-keeping to Muslim Nusaybah family in 1192. The Joudeh al-Goudia family became custodians of keys by Saladin in 1187. Despite occasional disagreements religious services take place regularly with coexistence generally peaceful. An example of concord is full restoration of Aedicule from 2016 to 2017.
During excavations under the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer across the street it was found that area immediately south and east of sepulchre was quarry outside city during early first century. Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla conducted recent excavation finding remains of olive trees and grapevines approximately 2,000 years old. Plant remnants seeds and pollen were discovered via archaeobotanical analysis performed on soil samples extracted beneath stone floor. From archaeological excavations in 1970s construction took over most site of earlier temple enclosure. Triportico and Rotunda roughly overlapped with temple building itself. Virgilio Canio Corbo estimated western retaining wall passed extremely close to east side of supposed tomb. If wall had been further west any tomb would have been crushed under weight if not already destroyed when foundations made. Dan Bahat former city archaeologist regarded reconstructions unsatisfactory noting no known temple matching design exists. Archaeologists found void containing fourth-century drawing of Roman pilgrim ship inside Chapel of Saint Vartan.
A restoration of Aedicule executed from May 2016 to March 2017 declared visibly deteriorating structure unsafe by Israel Antiquities Authority. Much of $4 million project funded by World Monuments Fund plus $1.3 million from Mica Ertegün and significant sum from King Abdullah II of Jordan. Original limestone cave walls confirmed within Aedicule while window created to view this from inside. Moisture discovery led to underground shaft resembling escape tunnel carved into bedrock seeming to lead from tomb. On the 26th of October 2016 marble cladding protecting supposed burial bed removed for first time since at least 1555. Members National Technical University Athens present during process. Initially only layer debris visible cleared next day revealing partially broken marble slab with Crusader-style cross carved. By night the 28th of October original limestone burial bed shown intact. Tomb resealed shortly thereafter. Mortar from just above burial bed later dated mid-fourth century. In February 2018 church closed following tax dispute over 152 million euros uncollected taxes on properties. Jerusalem city hall stressed exemption applies to churches affecting hotels halls businesses owned by churches.
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Common questions
When was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre consecrated?
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was consecrated on the 13th of September 335. Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a pagan temple to be torn down in 326 to replace it with this Christian church.
Who destroyed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 1009?
Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah ordered the complete destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the 18th of October 1009. The damage was extensive and left few parts of the early church remaining.
Which denominations are primary custodians of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre today?
Primary custodians include Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches. The Greek Orthodox act through their Patriarchate as well as through the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre while Roman Catholics operate via the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
What happened during the restoration of the Aedicule from 2016 to 2017?
A restoration of the Aedicule executed from May 2016 to March 2017 declared the visibly deteriorating structure unsafe by Israel Antiquities Authority. On the 26th of October 2016 marble cladding protecting the supposed burial bed was removed for the first time since at least 1555 revealing an intact original limestone burial bed.
When did the Crusaders take control of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?
The rebuilt church site was taken from the Fatimids by knights of the First Crusade on the 15th of July 1099. Crusaders began refurnishing the church in Romanesque style and added a bell tower before completing renovations during Queen Melisende's reign in 1149.