Church of the Holy Sepulchre

My training is getting back on track so I'm happy on that front but I have just returned from a networking / conference visit to the Technion in Haifa, Israel so I thought I'd post a few thoughts about the trip. The trip involved lots of water infrastructure tourism (wooo I hear you gasp at the thought of pumping stations, reservoirs and desalination plants) but also a brief visit to Jerusalem on Thursday evening last week. But what a visit! The significance of the place is quite overwhelming both in terms of the history and the continuing influence that the various sites within the old city continue to have on the lives of millions of people.

Our first port of call is what is generally regarded as Christianity's most holy site - the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which was built around the rock of Golgotha (or the Hill of Calvary), the site of Christ's crucifixion and burial, prior to resurrection.


Plan of the Calvary and outline of the Church from here

Although agnostic in position, being able to see the spot and actually touch the slabs on which Christ's body was lain was really quite something. I'm still struck by the tangibility of the experience, and the sheer significance of what it represents in terms of lives across the planet.

I then walked the Via Dolorosa (or Way of Suffering), the route along with Jesus walked , carrying the cross before ending at Golgotha. Then it was on to look at the Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's 3rd most holy site, where Muhammad ascended to heaven. Then, at the same site we visited the last retaining wall of the Temple Mount, the most holy site in Judaism, where Jews believe Adam was created.

Quite an experience all in all.