The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
(This
is another in a series of reflections from my trip with the Presbyterian
Peacemaking Program to Israel
and Palestine
(Note:
There is an excellent and comprehensive Wikipedia article on the “Church of the
Holy Sepulchre”.)
With our free time when we first
arrived in the Old City of Jerusalem, we walked all though the ancient streets
and walkways. We were not looking for any particular sites since we knew our
tour would cover them all later. But I did have in the back of my mind and I
was watching for the location of the greatest Christian holy site: the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which, for Protestants, is also referred to as
the Church of the Resurrection. We never found it. Is there a spiritual lesson
here? For the casual tourist visiting the Old City of Jerusalem finding the
most holy Christian site is not easy. While a relaxed stroll through the Old City
will typically end near the Jew’s Wailing Wall and, of course, Islam’s
majestic, soaring, gold Dome of the Rock is visible from many spots all around Jerusalem , the empty tomb
of our Lord Jesus Christ is not easily located. There are two tourist entry
ways to the Church of the Resurrection. One of them is so obscure - an almost,
hidden turn off of a small, unmarked alleyway - that I would never have found
it on my own. The more, common entry way to the Church blends in almost
seamlessly with the surrounding shops and homes.
This is a parable for us: in order
to find the Church of the Resurrection you need to truly be seeking it. Even so
its location is difficult to find. The best solution, which is what we did, is
to follow someone who already knows the way.
I had a powerful and memorable
spiritual experience within the Church of the Resurrection. Our team was
scheduled to visit there immediately after breakfast one day; we were walking
from our hotel and thus our guide book put us at the Church at 9:30 a.m. But
Lawrence, one of the leaders of our study tour, suggested that if anyone wanted
to avoid the crowds he was also going to visit the Church much earlier; he
expected to be at the entry door when it was unlocked at 5:00 a.m. About ten of
us joined Lawrence
for this early morning walk. Walking through the Old City
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
includes both Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. The
Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a jumbled, confusing, multi-level
conglomeration of many different interlocking and overlapping churches build
around and over one another through the ages. There are stories about monks
from different traditions fighting each other in protection of their sacred
inches within the Church. There are chapels, small alcoves, shrines and altars
established everywhere. Although we were the first tourists to arrive that
day, the atmosphere was already filled with the ancient, gorgeous sounds of
chanting; the Armenian monks in their small chapel down a steep flight of
stairs were celebrating their mass, at 5:00 a.m! I pondered if this was the
first or the second mass of their day.
I quickly wondered through the
hallways and passageways in this convoluted, holy space and found my way to the
Empty Tomb. There were a few people wandering around here and there; I paused
to study this space and look around. This is a Greek Orthodox space now and
shows their passion for icons, candles, incense and religious decoration. Under
a huge, soaring, cathedral-size dome, the Empty Tomb is itself a small
structure. There is a small entry way which opens into a preparatory room in
which about five or six people can stand in a circle. Then a low, small passageway is the
entry to the Tomb. The Tomb is sacred space where only two or a crowded, three
people could fit. To enter requires one to kneel and
crawl in; the floor polished smooth through the generations. There at eye level
as one enters, crawling only a few feet on hands and knees, is the stone upon
which the body of Jesus was laid, an empty slab of stone. I knelt next to it
and quietly rested my head on it.
I knelt in quiet, silent prayer inside the
Empty Tomb for as long while; I opened my eyes and was surprised to still find
myself alone. No one was in the Tomb with me, no one was in the small outer
chamber waiting to enter the Tomb, and I saw and heard no one outside preparing
to enter. I was alone in the Empty Tomb of my Lord. I prayed with my eyes
closed for awhile, and then with my eyes open I studied this small room with
all its Greek Orthodox devotion. Candles were burning; my organizational mind
wondered who was responsible to keep them burning. I was inspired. I was not
necessarily inspired by the biblical idea that this was the actual, physical
spot of the Resurrection. I was more inspired by the simple thought that
millions – countless numbers - of Christian brothers and sisters had come to
this very spot through all the generations to pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
How many people, from how many places, in how many languages, representing how
many churches knelt exactly in this spot where I was kneeling in the name of
Jesus? How many people have had the opportunity to be alone in the Empty Tomb?
The thought shook me. I realized what a gift I had been given and I entered a
deep time of prayer running through my long list which I always and everywhere
have in my heart; and still I was alone. I had the thought that respectfulness
required me to crawl out of the Tomb backward, feet first. At the last moment,
just as my head was about to exit the Tomb, I paused, looked all around this
space once again and knew once more how abundantly I have been blessed, and our
world has been blessed, with the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank you Lord!
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem .” Psalm 122: 6
