Among the most moving sights visitors encounter at Jerusalem’s
Church of the Holy Sepulchre are the thousands of crosses
etched
into the church’s walls. They serve as reminders that
today’s pilgrim follows in the footsteps of Christians, who centuries ago,
crossed continents to see the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and tomb. Until now the markings were thought to be graffiti made by the
pilgrims themselves. Now, Israeli researchers using three-dimensional imaging
technology have determined that the crosses were part of a more organized
effort. Dated back to the 15th century, they were
very similar in terms of their depth and design. This suggests that they were
created by only a few people, maybe two or three hand artists. Maybe not graffiti after all, but something more organized. They were created as a service
to the pilgrims, perhaps to aid them in their spiritual journey. An archaeologist working on them said
“Let’s
say that you are an Armenian pilgrim, so you pay something to the priest, you
pay something to this special artist and he carved for you, for the benefit of
your soul and your relatives’ souls, …a special cross in the most sacred place
for Christianity on earth.” Similar to people lighting a candle in our churches in front of statues. After closing last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre opened for Easter, and is once again welcoming visitors. Since some of the crosses resemble the Maltese cross, they could have been
done by a member of the Knights of Malta, or some artist who had a connection
with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, later known as the Knights of Malta.
Saturday 17 April 2021
Crosses in Jerusalem
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