Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the traditional site of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The primary alternative site, the Garden Tomb, is preferred by evangelicals for the atmosphere but possibly predates Jesus by 5-8 centuries (Matthew 25:28 says that the tomb was a new tomb built for Joseph of Arimathea). See discussion by FIRM, and Wayne Stiles.

Following the Bar Kokhba revolts, Emperor Hadrian built a temple to Venus on the site in the 130s. Around 326, Constantine and his mother Helena identified the site as the Biblical Golgotha.

Old photo – Matson Photo Service, New photo – author