In Jerusalem, the restored Holy Sepulchre was ceremonially unveiled

Jerusalem - In the presence of representatives from various Christian churches, the restored Holy Sepulchre was ceremoniously unveiled today in Jerusalem, where, according to Christian legend, Jesus Christ was buried. Among those present were, for example, Theophilos III, the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, reported AFP.

"Previously, this sanctuary was completely black, its walls darkened by the smoke of pilgrims' candles. Now it has regained its original color, the color of hope," said Antonia Moropulos, the head of the team of experts who restored the sanctuary over the past ten months. The so-called edicule, a small shrine within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, has now undergone its first complete renovation in more than 200 years. It was built between 1809 and 1810, and since then only partial renovation work has been carried out.

The condition of one of the most visited Christian sites was critical. Disagreements among the Christian churches that share the church long hindered the reconstruction. Only after the church fell into a state of emergency did the main custodians, the Armenian, Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox Churches, come to an agreement last year. Certain rights to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre also belong to the Coptic, Syrian Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.

The restoration work of the Holy Sepulchre was carried out by a team of about 50 experts from the National Technical University of Athens, which had previously restored sites such as the Acropolis in Athens and the Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul. The work was primarily done at night so that visitor tours of the church would not have to be halted.

Virtually all parts of the edicule were disassembled, cleaned, and restored, including the columns and dome of the shrine. A new feature is the creation of an opening through which pilgrims can first see the stone from the old tomb where Jesus's body lay.

According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was buried at this site after his crucifixion around the year 33. Christians believe that he rose from the dead afterward, as the women who went to visit his tomb a few days later found it empty.

Some Christians believe that Jesus was buried in the Garden Tomb, located a short distance from Jerusalem's Old City. This site was uncovered only in the 19th century. However, Professor Moropulos stated that the restoration work on the edicule proved that the tomb is within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The costs for the current renovation, largely funded by the three main custodial churches and Jordan's King Abdullah II, rose from the original three million euros to six million euros (162 million CZK).

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also known as the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre) is located within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. It stands on the site where, according to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was crucified. The church was built in the first half of the 4th century by Emperor Constantine I on the site of Jesus's tomb. Since then, it has become one of the most sought-after destinations for Christian pilgrims.