Resurrection in Stone and Paint

In 326 - 328 CE, Helena took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to locate sacred sites and relics associated with the life and crucifixion of Jesus. A decade earlier, her son, Constantine I, had legalised Christianity.

The pilgrimage was part of an effort to Christianize the Roman Empire. What Helena found in Jerusalem became the foundation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and a rich Christian tradition that endures today.

In this Holy Week, we will examine how the art and architecture of this church capture the essence of Easter.

Historical context 

In 313 CE, Emperor Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan, granting Christians the freedom to worship. This move laid the groundwork for establishing Christianity as a dominant religion.

As part of this effort, Helena, Constantine's mother, was inspired to go to Jerusalem to locate important Christian relics. The main relic in question was the True Cross: The actual cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus.

Now, how did she find it? The Romans, after suppressing Jewish revolts and destroying Jerusalem in the first century, had built pagan temples over significant Christian sites, like Golgotha.

According to Christian tradition, Helena excavated these areas and found the cross under a temple to Venus/ Aphrodite built by Emperor Hadrian in 135 CE.

The excavators also found a rock-cut tomb venerated as the burial place of Jesus. Part of the cross was kept in Jerusalem, while other fragments were sent to Constantinople and Rome.

After Helena's discoveries, Constantine I commissioned the construction of a grand church complex to enshrine these sacred sites. He wrote to Bishop Macarius, instructing him to spare no expense in creating a monument "more magnificent than any other."

The church was completed and consecrated in 335 CE. The annual dedication festival, the Encaenia, evolved into the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated on September 14.

The discovery of the True Cross and its enshrinement in the church added to its prestige. The church quickly became a magnet for Christian pilgrims and is considered the holiest site in Christianity.

Designing the church

Rather than a single building, the Holy Sepulchre is a patchwork of chapels and corridors. It combines two of the most important Christian sites - the place of death (Golgotha) and the resurrection (the tomb) - under one roof. The architectural layout includes:

Main Facade

The current entrance on the south side of the complex dates to the 12th-century renovation by the Crusaders. It features twin arched doorways and a lintel covered with foliage motifs.

Status Quo Door and Ladder

The claims of competing Christian denominations caused the church to be partitioned into separate areas. A status quo agreement in the 18th century governs the shared custody among six Christian denominations.

A wooden ladder - the immovable ladder - rests beneath a window on the facade, symbolising the delicate balance between these Christian churches.

The Stone of Anointing (Unction Stone)

Immediately inside the entrance, a reddish slab of marble flanked by candlesticks and lamps marks the traditional spot where Jesus' body was anointed before burial, as described in John 19:40.

While this tradition only dates to the medieval period, pilgrims venerate this stone by touching, kissing, or placing personal items for blessings.

The Chapel of the Three Marys

To the left of the stone of anointing is the Chapel of the Three Marys. This is the spot where Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the wife of Cleopas, stood and watched Jesus being crucified and buried in John 19:25.

Chapel of the Crucifixion

The Chapel of the Crucifixion (Golgotha Chapel) is a shrine complex marking the crucifixion site. During the Crusades, two parallel chapels were built. The upper chapel to the north belongs to the Greek Orthodox and features a marble altar inside a rock-cut chamber.

The altar is adorned with religious symbols and artwork depicting the crucifixion. Below this altar, you can glimpse the rough limestone of Golgotha through a silver disk on which five scenes of Christ's passion were etched.  

The lower chapel to the south is Catholic and is, according to tradition, the site of Christ's crucifixion. It features the Altar of the Nailing to the Cross, Station XI of the Via Dolorosa.

On the eastern side of the site, between the Orthodox and Catholic chapels, there is a crack in the Golgotha rock visible through glass panels. It is said to have formed during the earthquake at Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51).

Anastasis Rotunda

The Anastasis (Resurrection) Rotunda was built over the tomb of Christ in 340 CE. Pilgrims enter a circular room about 20 meters wide, where a massive dome (a 19th-century reconstruction)soars overhead. The dome’s shape lifts your gaze upward, symbolising Christ’s ascent into heaven. Early mosaics once decorated its underside, showing Christ surrounded by angels.

The oculus at the top streams light onto the Edicule (Tomb of Christ), a small ornate chapel encasing the tomb. Rebuilt in 1809-1810 after a disastrous fire destroyed much of the structure, it features pink marble columns, a gilded iron screen, and a domed top.   

The inner chamber of the chapel is divided into two spaces. The Angel's Chapel features a fragment of the stone said to have sealed the tomb. The Burial Chamber contains a marble slab that covers the rock bench where Jesus' body was laid.  

Coptic Chapel

The Coptic Chapel is located next to the Tomb Edicule and features a simple altar facing west. The stone that makes up the back end of the tomb is covered with marble to protect it.

Chapel of the Syrians

Located on the western side of the Rotunda, this chapel marks the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The chapel is currently in poor condition due to a conflict of ownership between the Syrians and Armenians.

Catholic Section

The northern section of the Holy Sepulchre is the Catholic Section, consisting of the Chapel of Mary Magdalene, the Arches of the Virgin Mary, and the Chapel of the Apparition of Jesus to his Mother.

Next to the rotunda is the Chapel of Mary Magdalene, commemorating the encounter between Mary Magdalene and Jesus in John 20:16.

Adjacent to it is the Franciscan Chapel of the Apparition, commemorating Jesus appearing to his mother alone immediately after resurrection.

While none of the gospels records this event, it is described in the apocryphal Book of the Resurrection of Christ by Bartholomew the Apostle.

The northern section of the Holy Sepulchre features the Arches of the Virgin Mary, a section commemorating Mary visiting the tomb. Similar to the apparition, the gospels do not record Mary, the mother of Jesus, going to the tomb specifically. But it is part of the Catholic tradition.

Catholicon (Greek Orthodox Chancel)

This is a grand 11th-century Crusader-era structure located in the central nave east of the Rotunda. It is a Greek Orthodox cathedral featuring a domed ceiling and columns, with an iconostasis separating the sanctuary from the congregation.

It also contains the Omphalos, a stone vase at the entrance symbolising the church of the resurrection as the spiritual "navel of the world" in medieval Christian tradition.

Chapel of St. Helena (Armenian)

This is a 12th-century Armenian chapel located at the lower level of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and next to the cistern/ pit where, according to tradition, St. Helena found the True Cross.

The chapel is dedicated to her but was renamed for St. Gregory the Illuminator - the man credited for bringing Christianity to Armenia in 301 CE.

Chapel of the Finding of the Cross

In the deepest part of the Holy Sepulchre, beneath the Chapel of St. Helena, is the Franciscan Chapel of the Finding of the Cross.

According to Christian tradition, St. Helena found three crosses while excavating Golgotha. To determine which of the three was the True Cross, they brought in a sick woman.

Immediately she touched the True Cross, she got healed, and that is how they identified it. The Chapel's interior is adorned with 12th-century art, creating a reverent atmosphere.

The Prison of Christ

This is a small and often overlooked chamber beneath the Chapel of St. Helena. According to Catholic tradition, this is the place where Jesus was held before his trial and crucifixion.

However, in Orthodox tradition, the prison of Christ is located near Station 2 of the Via Dolorosa.

Chapel of St. Longinus

To the south of the prison of Christ is the Greek Chapel of St. Longinus. It is dedicated to Longinus, the Roman soldier who, according to Matthew 27:54, pierced Jesus with his lance. When he saw water and blood flowing immediately after piercing him, Longinus accepted Jesus as the son of God.

Chapel of the Division of Robes

Further on, after St. Longinus, is the Division of Robes, a chapel commemorating the stripping and division of Jesus' garments by the Roman soldiers in John 19:23-24. 

Chapel of Derision

If you are standing at the steps leading to the Chapel of St. Helena, the Chapel of Derision is to your right. It commemorates the insults and scorn Jesus suffered at the beginning of his journey towards crucifixion.

The chapel also features a preserved fragment of a column which, according to tradition, Jesus sat on as the crown of thorns was put on his head. 

Architectural legacy

The layout of the Holy Sepulchre inspired church design, pilgrimage routes, and easter rituals across the medieval Christian world in various ways. Here are some examples.

Architectural replicas

The Anastasis Rotunda became a model for churches in medieval Europe seeking to reenact the resurrection narrative. These include the Round Churches of Europe, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Cambridge, England, Temple Church in London, and Santo Stefano in Bologna, Italy.

These round churches, often housing a symbolic tomb, were used for Easter reenactments of the resurrection. The congregations ritually discover the empty tomb as described in the gospels.

Some medieval churches built life-sized replicas of the Holy Sepulchre to host liturgical plays. These plays were performed in or near tomb-like structures and reenacted the discovery of the empty tomb by the Marys and the apostles.

Meanwhile, churches in England, like the Lincoln Cathedral, created elaborate stone carvings, which served as focal points for medieval Easter rites.

Sacred topography and processional spaces

The Holy Sepulchre integrates the crucifixion site and the tomb in its layout. This spatial arrangement inspired churches to create sacred geographies for processional liturgies like Stations of the Cross. Churches replicate this with side chapels or stations.

Moreover, medieval cathedrals like Durham Cathedral included an Easter Sepulchre niche or chapel where a consecrated host or crucifix was entombed on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter morning.

Influence on pilgrimage journeys

The Holy Sepulchre became a pilgrimage goal, inspiring processional routes like the Via Dolorosa. Churches along the pilgrimage routes incorporated architectural elements reminiscent of Jerusalem. For example, the San Vivaldo in Tuscany features a replica of the topography of holy places in Jerusalem associated with the Easter tradition.

Symbolic light and the edicule

The Edicule in the Holy Sepulchre is central to the Holy Fire ceremony on Orthodox Holy Saturday. This Easter ritual, where a fire is miraculously lit by the Holy Spirit, according to tradition, has influenced Easter vigil fires in churches worldwide.  

The rotunda's dome, symbolising the heavens, inspired light-filled church designs to represent divine glory overcoming darkness.

Ecumenical architecture and shared sacred spaces

The shared custody of the Holy Sepulchre among several Christian denominations has influenced modern churches to incorporate open, flexible spaces to accommodate diverse Easter traditions.

Architecture as resurrection storytelling

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City is one of Christianity's holiest sites. Constructed in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine the Great, it has undergone several architectural restorations.

The current structure dates primarily to 1810 and encompasses the traditional locations of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection as described in John 19:41-42.

While the church's architecture and art carry spiritual significance, they also highlight the connection between faith, culture, and history, serving as inspiration for religious architecture.

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