Following a $3.7 million renovation that took months, the purported tomb of Jesus inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been reopened to the public. The shrine, known as the Edicule, which surrounds the site that many believe is the place the body of Jesus lay before His Resurrection, had been in dire need of renovations to prevent collapse. The work was paid for mainly by the World Monuments Fund, along with financing from three denominations and a donation from King Abdullah II of Jordan. Restorers systematically removed, cleaned, and renovated the marble slabs that formed the Edicule. A window was also installed, which allows people to see the actual stone wall of the tomb for the first time. The work has made it possible to remove the unsightly black protective cage that had held the Edicule together for 70 years. Authorities are warning that more work needs to be done, however, as the recent renovations revealed that the floor and foundations under the shrine are unstable.
Off-site Links:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/world/middleeast/tomb-of-jesus-reopens-jerusalem.html?_r=0
- http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/jesus-christ-tomb-jerusalem-restored-collapse-tunnels/
- http://www.timesofisrael.com/newly-restored-shrine-at-jesuss-tomb-reopens-in-jerusalem/
