Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
lorosa—the “Way of Grief” where, it's believed, Jesus walked as he carried his cross to
be crucified. Pilgrims come from around Christendom to worshipfully retrace his steps.
Today most of the Via Dolorosa feels like a touristy shopping mall, but the presence of
devout pilgrims gives it a sacred feeling nevertheless.
Their journey culminates at the site of Jesus' crucifixion, marked by the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher on the summit of Calvary Hill, or Golgotha. This dark, sprawling church
is the most sacred site in Christendom. Built around the tomb, or sepulcher, of Jesus, it's
shared by seven different denominations. Because it's holy for all kinds of Christians (who
see things differently and don't always cooperate), it's a cluttered religious hodgepodge of
various zones, each controlled by a separate sect. There are chapels for Greek Orthodox,
Coptic Christians, Armenians, Ethiopians, Roman Catholics, and so on. A Greek Ortho-
dox chapel marks the site believed to be where Jesus was crucified. A few steps away,
under a grand dome, pilgrims line up to enter the Holy Sepulcher itself and place a candle
near the tomb of Jesus.
Within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, this stone—generally surrounded by pilgrims
touching it and praying—marks the spot where Jesus' dead body was placed when taken
down from the cross.
