Our Christian roots: Calvary in the Holy Sepulchre
(Vatican Radio) In Rome, to remember the Lord’s Passion each year, the Pope leads
a candle lit Via Crucis around the ancient Colosseum. In Jerusalem, a similar procession
takes place every Good Friday up the winding, hilly streets of the old city – along
the Via Dolorosa. For centuries, pilgrims to the ancient holy city have followed
Christ’s footsteps along this Way of Sorrows. The last few stations are found in
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – whose foundations were built by the first Christian
emperor of Rome – Constantine, in the fourth century. Inside the church, pilgrims
pause to pray before the 12th station, the crucifixion on Mount Calvary,
and can reflect before Christ’s empty tomb.
Early Christians first prayed on
the site only to have their sanctuary destroyed by the Roman emperor Hadrian who buried
it and built a temple to the Roman gods atop it in the 2nd century. In
325 Constantine decreed that all pagan temples that had been erected over Christian
holy sites be destroyed.
In building the shrine of the Holy Sepulchre, Constantine
had the area thoroughly excavated and discovered Christ’s tomb buried under the rubble
beneath his predecessor’s pagan temple.
Since the Constantinian-era structure
was built in the 300s, the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and rebuilt a number of times.
It is now home to a variety of Christian denominations, including the Catholic and
Orthodox churches.
Scholar and author Fr. Peter Stravinskas now takes us to
the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem up to Calvary – or “Golgotha,” the “skull” to reflect
on the mystery of Christ’s resurrection.