The actual entrance of the procession into the city will be
imposing, but, once within the Jaffa Gate, the Kaiser and Kaiserin
purpose going on foot to the Holy Sepulchre, with an entire absence
of any State surroundings. The route from the gate to the Sepulchre
has been entirely renovated for their Majesties by the Sultan.
Needless to say, this block of buildings containing the Chapel of
the Sepulchre is surrounded by much that is legendary, and has
been the scene of many and fierce contentions. Now it is under the
protection of the Sultan, and Moslem soldiers guard it, and are
stationed within the vestibule to keep order amongst the various
Christian pilgrims who visit it. Various chapels credited to various
nations are within its portals, the Church of the Sepulchre being,
of course, the chief place of interest.
The rotunda of the sepulchre is the principal part of the building.
In the centre of the adjoining vestibule, or Angel's Chapel, lies
the stone which is said to be that which the angel rolled away from
the mouth of the sepulchre; then by passing through a lower door you
enter the Chapel of the Sepulchre; it is very small, only holding
three or four persons at one time. Very much controversy has taken
place regarding the correctness of the site of the Holy Sepulchre.
It must of necessity be an uncertain matter, as the course of
the city wall has not been clearly ascertained, and it seems an
undoubted fact that in the fourth century the actual site of the
tomb was completely lost sight of. Pilgrims who visited Jerusalem
at that period centred their entire interest on the place of the
Ascension of the Lord, worshipping and revering the living, and not
the dead, Christ.
It is perhaps hardly necessary here to point out the difference
between ancient and modern Jerusalem. Many of the old landmarks are
still in existence, some of which I shall have occasion to mention
later. There is a large German colony now resident there, and during
his Majesty's visit he will receive representatives of this colony
at the German Consulate.
[Illustration: CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.]
Sunday will be a memorable day for the expedition, the first event
being the attendance at morning service in the Church of the
Nativity at Bethlehem, to be followed by the opening of an orphanage
for Armenian children.
In the afternoon certain sacred places on the Mount of Olives will
be visited. The entire Mount is replete with interest, for there is
no other place which was frequented so much by Christ when on earth.
It is a significant fact that, so far as can be ascertained from
the Scriptures, Jesus never spent one night within the precincts of
Jerusalem, but was wont to spend them on the Mount of Olives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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