Church of Holy Sepulchre

Among the many churches in Jerusalem, two stand out.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher, while not very beautiful on the outside, contains the holiest sites for Christians, it was built around the site of christ's crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

The first basilica was built by emperor Constantine at around AD 326, it was then rebuilt and later enlarged by the Crusaders between 1114-1170. The church survived a massive fire in 1808 and an earthquake in 1927. It is divided into chapels and spaces to accommodate six different denominations, which contributes to a bit of a disorienting feeling when walking around inside.

A very majestic rotunda.

This is where the anointing and wrapping of Christ's body has been commemorated since medieval times. This stone dates from 1810.

I usually see people pray there, place rosaries on top of the stone, kiss it, or just simply touch it. Occasionally there are those who carelessly put their handbags or drinks on top of the stone. I guess there are tourists like that everywhere. Ugh!

My favorite part of the church are the small buildings on the roof, they are inhibited by a community of Ethiopian monks.

The second church that I find really beautiful in Jerusalem is the church of st. mary magdalene.
It was built in 1885 by Tsar Alexander III in memeory of his mother, Maria Alexandrovna.

The seven gilded onion domes sparkle beautifully in the sun. The church is set amid a tranquil garden.

One of my favorite moments while walking to the church was when I spotted this man, he spoke a bit of English, smiled and shook my hand.

Jerusalem is a very special place.

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