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Church Of The Holy Seulchre Research Paper

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Church of the Holy Sepulchre is also known as the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Resurrection (Orthodox Christians). Originally identified as being outside the settlement of Calvary, it is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel and is considered one of the holiest sites in the world, as well as being a central destination for Christian pilgrims. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was originally built by the Roman Emperor Constantine (272-337) in 330 CE upon the site of a Roman temple. It has since been controlled by Arab rulers, reclaimed by Christian crusaders, repeatedly ruined by fires and conquests, and long been subject to regional religious and political tensions. The Holy Sepulchre is a central Church in …show more content…

The Holy site of the Church includes the Golgotha, or location of Jesus of Nazareth's crucifixion, the tomb in which he was buried, and Anastasis, the site of his resurrection. The responsibilities and care for the site are shared between the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syrian Orthodox orders. Conflicts between these denominations have led the Church to be damaged, destroyed, rebuilt, desecrated, and neglected for centuries. In addition, given the different periods of construction, varying influences including the Roman, Jewish, Christian, Byzantine, Medieval, Crusader, Romantic, and Modern styles can be identified in the structure. Liberation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a central motivation to the First Crusade (1096-1099). Presently the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Jerusalem, and consists of dedicated chapels as well as Holy relics, including the Stone of Anointing, Rock of Calvary, Angel's Stone, Stone of Unction, and the …show more content…

During conversion of the Roman temple, a tomb claimed to be the site of Jesus' burial, known as the Rock of Golgotha was discovered. In addition, Helena, Constantine's mother, is purported to have found the True Cross upon which Jesus was crucified. In response to these discoveries the original Roman Church incorporated the locations of Jesus' crucifixion, his tomb, and the site of his resurrection. The church was severely damaged in 614 when the Persian Emperor Chosroes II (550-628) conquered Jerusalem and captured Holy relics, including the True Cross. In 630 Emperor Heraclius (575-641) reclaimed the region, recaptured the True Cross, and began rebuilding the Church. However, the site was again conquered by Arabs in 638, though notably the Church of the Holy Sepulchre remained a Christian site of worship which was not destroyed or converted to a Muslim

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