The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has announced the completion of its
extensive renovations to the tomb of Jesus. The religious site in
Jerusalem has been under reconstruction since May 2016 but work finally
came to an end on 20 March.
The project was
carried out by a team of Greek specialists who reconstructed the Edicule
— the protective structure over the shelf on which the body of Christ
is said to have rested following his crucifixtion. The covering had been
supported by metal beams since an early 20th century earthquake and
required reconstruction. It included restoration and cleaning of the
structure and led to the discovery of its original details.
Researchers were also able to
uncover the original surface of the tomb of Jesus, which until recently
was covered by a thick layer of marble. According to National
Geographic, this was the first time since at least 1555 CE that the tomb
had been revealed.
The restoration was sponsored by the Greek Orthodox,
Franciscans and Armenians — the three main Christian denominations of
the six that share the Holy Sepulchre. Contributions were also given by a
number of public and private entities. The total cost of the project
was approximately $4m (£3.2m).
The site will be
inaugurated on 22 March — an event that will be attended by various
political and religious leaders from Greece, along with the Holy Land
clergy.
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