The burial slab of Jesus Christ, as believed by many Christians believe has been uncovered by scientists for the first time in centuries. Placed in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, the tomb has been covered by marble cladding since at least 1555 A.D., and most likely centuries earlier.
As per the popular belief, the body of Jesus Christ was laid on a shelf or “burial bed” hewn from the side of a limestone cave following his crucifixion by the Romans in A.D. 30 or possibly 33 and Christ was resurrected after death, and women who came to anoint his body three days after the burial reported that no remains were present.
Revealing the fascinating details, Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, a partner in the restoration project said, “The marble covering of the tomb has been pulled back, and we were surprised by the amount of fill material beneath it and it will be a long scientific analysis, but we will finally be able to see the original rock surface on which, according to tradition, the body of Christ was laid.”
Now enclosed by a small structure, thus burial shelf was last reconstructed in 1808-1810 after being destroyed in a fire and are currently undergoing restoration by a team of scientists from the National Technical University of Athens, under the direction of Chief Scientific Supervisor Professor Antonia Moropoulou.
Researchers are now able to study the original surface of the most sacred site in Christianity and an analysis of the original rock may enable them to better understand not only the original form of the tomb chamber, but also how it evolved as the focal point of veneration since it was first identified by Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, in A.D. 326.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also known as the Church of the Resurrection) is currently under the custody of six Christian sects and is overlooked by three major groups—the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Armenian Orthodox Church. Along with them the Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac communities also have a presence there. Parts of the church that are considered common areas of worship for all of the sects, including the tomb, are regulated by a Status Quo agreement that requires the consent of all of the custodial churches.
Outside the Edicule, Thephilos III, the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, stood watching the events with a serene smile. “I’m glad that the atmosphere is special, there is a hidden joy,” said the patriarch. “Here we have Franciscans, Armenians, Greeks, Muslim guards, and Jewish police officers. We hope and we pray that this will be a real message that the impossible can become the possible. We all need peace and mutual respect.”
