Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre you see visitor after visitor make their way through the crowds to bend down and kiss or place their face against the sacred anointing stone. The church is said to be one of two holiest sites in Christianity. The church, referred to sometimes as the Church of the Resurrection, sits on the site of where Jesus was crucified.

Within the walls of the church that dates back to the second century AD, you will find five representations of the final passage of Jesus. However, after the crucifixion the building did not start out as a church. It started out as a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus built by a Roman Emperor named Publius Aelius Hadrian.

The Roman Emperor built the temple dedicated to Venus to cover up the cave in which Jesus had been placed in and later arose from. It wasn’t until year 325 that Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, ordered a church be built in place of the ungodly temple. The church construction was finished in year 335.

The Stone of Anointing is where Jesus’ body was laid to rest. It is one of the first items you will come to as you enter the church from an outside courtyard. Some have questioned the stone saying that it was placed in the church during an 1810 reconstruction.

Inside the church is a stairway that is regarded as the site of where the crucifixion actually took place. Also inside the church walls is The Altar of the Crucifixion.

What do you see?

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.”

— Isaac Asimov

I captured these photos directly next to a historic site that is visited by millions of people from all over the world. Local residents and tourist alike find the clutter distracting and the trash undermining of the finely kept museum pieces next door. I thought the same until I slowed down to take in my surroundings with a deeper consideration for where I was standing.  

The trash filled passage ways between the homes, the children in the streets without shoes and the field containing the garbage of nearby residents sits within 105 yards of where Jesus spent his final days while on trial prior to being sacrificed.

The neighborhood of the working class was a vivid illustration of how accepting Jesus was of people and surroundings. It was an illustration of his life in so many ways that tourist who want neat and tidy fail to see. It was a reminder that he walked with the unclean, the unhealthy and the unloved. In reality, the perfect setting.

When Jesus was at this location it was known as the Palace of Caiaphas. The High Priest of Israel lived in the palace that was utilized as a court setting for Jesus. Caiaphas presided over the Jewish Council which ordered Jesus be put to death finding him guilty of blasphemy. This is also the location of where Peter denied Jesus in the court of the palace three times.  

It is at this site some 105 yards away from the garbage filled homes that you will find the hole that Jesus was lowered into and held captive.

Today, the Church of St. Peter is built over that jail cell where Jesus was held.

Nothing to Worry About

His nickname is Alabama and he currently lives under a bridge. But, he does not get overly worried about being homeless.

“Is that a tattoo,” I asked while pointing at the name “Jesus” on his arm. He responded, “I wished it were a permanent tattoo because I love Jesus now and forever and I strive to be a real Christian.” He followed that up by saying, “Generally speaking I’m a C-minus Christian at best, but a lot of my days I start out an A plus Christian, but I make mistakes I’m human.”

“If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it.” - George Burns , American comedian (1896-1996)

Jesus Loves You, even in a NY subway

I spotted this elderly woman in a subway station under the roads of New York City. By number of stations, New York has the largest subway system in the world and you never know who you will see or what you will see people doing. This woman has decided to tell others that Jesus loves them. It is a simple task that she told me she was called to do. 

Pastor Rick Warren once stated, "God is looking for people to use, and if you can get usable, he will wear you out. The most dangerous prayer you can pray is this: 'Use me.'" I smile when I see people being worn out :)