The Custodia Terrae Sanctae, which is in charge of looking after Christian holy places in Israel, reports that experts from Rome have finished weeks of meticulous archaeological work in one of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre's most vulnerable areas. The area surrounding the Holy Edicule, or main tabernacle, was excavated by archaeologists from the Department of Antiquities of the University of Rome Sapienza as part of a NIS 41 million ($11 million), two-year rehabilitation and archaeological excavation.
Christian pilgrims hold candles as they gather during the ceremony of the Holy Fire at Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead, in the Old City of Jerusalem, on April 23, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
According to Christian legend, Jesus was crucified by the Romans 2,000 years ago outside the city's walls and buried nearby in a cave tomb.
From June 20 to June 27, archaeologists worked nonstop for seven days and seven nights while excavating the area in front of the Edicule. Because the excavation involved closing the Edicule to the public, the tight schedule was designed to cause as little inconvenience to tourists as possible. The Edicule was constructed where it is thought that Jesus was interred.
More details concerning the Edicule's early Christian layout, some of which date to the fourth century, were discovered during the most recent excavation. Archaeologists uncovered a currency trove under one of the floor slabs, which contained coins produced up until the reign of the Roman Emperor Valens (364–378 AD).
Other intriguing finds include a section of the main Edicule's external wall that was covered in 18th-century graffiti in multiple languages, including Greek, Latin, and Armenian.
Earlier this summer, with the aid of a conservation team from Turin, Italy, and the Franciscan Faculty of Biblical Sciences and Archaeology in Jerusalem, archaeologists worked on the repair of additional sections of the basilica floor. They investigated several construction methods and cement types while discovering an old drainage system.
Part of the cladding of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Holy Edicule contained 18th-century graffiti. (Courtesy Gianfranco Pinto Ostuni/Custodia CTS)
Christian church's past
Around 330 CE, when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and his mother Helena visited the Holy Land to locate locations associated with Jesus, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was constructed. She ordered the construction of grand structures, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is thought to be the site of Christ's crucifixion and burial.
It was perhaps a pilgrimage place for early Christians before that. Latin inscriptions from before the church was built have also been found by archaeologists on the site, further supporting the idea that it may have already been a place of pilgrimage for Christians.
However, it was a pagan temple until the church was constructed there beginning in 330 CE. The early Christian community was persecuted by the Romans, and Emperor Hadrian believed that the location would be excellent for a temple to Jupiter or Venus.
The church was burned down by Persian invaders in 614, and it was once more destroyed in 1009 by the psychopathic caliph al-Hakim, who attacked Christians, Jews, and even other Muslims. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was renovated by Crusaders in the 12th century, giving it its present form.
A partially excavated floor in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in June 2023 reveals the different types of construction and masonry used throughout the centuries. (courtesy Archivio Università La Sapienza, Roma)
The "status quo"—a strict power-sharing arrangement among the many Christian denominations—has ruled the site since 1852. The church's keys have been in the hands of a Muslim family for at least 800 years.
According to the agreement, the various religions have made minor improvements to the chapels that are under their jurisdiction, but coordinated action to maintain shared areas has frequently proved challenging. When Israeli officials momentarily shuttered the Edicule in 2015 because they deemed it unsafe, it served as a wake-up call.
The Edicule's limestone and marble construction need immediate repair after years of exposure to elements like water, humidity, and candle smoke.
Christian community leaders visit archaeological excavations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in June, 2023. (courtesy Archivio Università La Sapienza, Roma)
A church that renovates collectively remains collective
The Holy Edicule underwent its first significant refurbishment since the clearing up after a fire in 1808 in 2016, when representatives of various Christian traditions joined together. Conservationists asserted to have discovered the original limestone bed on which Jesus was interred in October 2016, when the restoration project was in full gear. A year later, the public may enter the Edicule after its restoration.
The Edicule's refurbishment, however, brought attention to the need for more repairs, including immediate work on the basilica's floor, as renovations often do. The church's floor, like much of it, is a jumble of construction techniques from different eras, with stones from the Crusader period in the 12th century, more modern extensions from the 19th century, and splotches of concrete and cement from previous, shoddier reconstructions.
The church, which is tucked away in the middle of Jerusalem's bustling Old City, will get the opportunity to undergo archaeological investigation as well as repairs to the sewage and power lines that run beneath it during the reconstruction.
Between 2020 and 2022, when it was largely empty owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the church conducted a preliminary investigation. The restorations and archeological excavations got under way in March 2022.
Part of the Italian team excavating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in June, 2023. (courtesy Gianfranco Pinto Ostuni/Custodia CTS)
Phased repairs will be made to the 1,200 square meter (13,000 square foot) level so that liturgical services and visitation can continue. Depending on what the archaeologists find, the renovation will be paid for by contributions and should be finished in May 2024.
When the excavations first started last year, Rev. Francesco Patton, the leader of the Catholic Franciscan order dedicated to protecting Christian monuments in the Holy Land, said, "The cooperation among the three communities is the most important thing." "It demonstrates to the whole world that fraternal relationships between Christians from various churches and communities are possible."
The restoration effort itself appears to have aided in the reconciliation of the various denominations' disputes.
As Patton stated last year, "discussion is really facilitated when you are doing something together with the others." "Working together is something that helps people get to know each other and to start a process of trusting."
