In late March, the famous Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem closed due to coronavirus lockdown, but last week it opened its doors again.
Except for very brief closures due to wars or disputes, the last time the church was closed for an extended time was more than 650 years ago. In 1349, the church closed because of an outbreak of plague (“black death”). Now, pilgrims and travelers can return to the site that marks and encloses the places traditionally identified as Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified) and the tomb from which he rose.
Church leaders have announced that initially, the number of visitors will be restricted to 50 at a time, and social distancing along with face coverings will be required. As restrictions soften, we will keep our Faith Connections Travel community updated.
We will say much more about this fascinating and complex site itself in future posts. It is a place that has played an important part in history since the miracle of Christ’s resurrection. We look forward to returning there with our group in December and continuing to learn more about it between now and then.
