Al Meseeh Qam! Haqqan Qam! (Arabic)
“…and his tomb is with us to this day.” (Acts 2:29)
Just as David’s tomb was revered by the Jews, so is
Jesus’ tomb by all Christians; in fact, there is an Orthodox Church built
directly over this very site: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher – built in 330
AD by the Emperor Constantine’s mother, St. Helen. The original Byzantine style
structure was destroyed by the Persians in 6143 AD. When it was rebuilt, the
Egyptian caliph al-Hakim had it dismantled and “hacked-down to the bedrock” in
1009. Soon afterwards the Crusaders rebuilt the church and much of what is
standing today is from that period. Inside the church is a rocky out-cropping
which by tradition is the location of where the Crucifixion took place and also
the spot of the tomb where Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus placed the Body of
Christ as the Sabbath sun was quickly setting. Although this temple is
controlled by the Orthodox Church, all pilgrims are welcome to enter and
venerate this most sacred of all Christian shrines.
Fr. John Memorich
Al Meseeh Qam! Haqqan Qam! (Arabic)
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