New Discoveries at Jerusalem's Holy Sepulcher Church Shed Light on Jesus' Death, Resurrection
CHURCH of the HOLY SEPULCHER, JERUSALEM, Israel – This week, Holy Week, is very special for Christians around the world. It's when they commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as described in the New Testament. Recent discoveries at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City shed new light on what happened in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.
The discoveries here occurred during a recent restoration around the tomb. That's when excavators dug below the level of the original 4th-century memorial. Archaeologist Dr. Francesca Stasolla led the excavations.
"The excavation in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has allowed us to rediscover the long history of Jerusalem," Stasolla said. "The oldest evidence is related to a quarry from the Iron Age, and then the settlement sequence of the Roman city; the first Christianization of Jerusalem because of Emperor Constantine; the first monuments built in memory of the death of Christ; and finally, the entire architectural sequence up to the modern age.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you receive the latest news.***
One of their discoveries validates the gospel account in the Book of John, It describes Calvary and the site of Jesus' burial being in the middle of a garden.
Stasolla recalled, "During the excavations, we noticed how the large quarry, as it was gradually abandoned, was used for burials according to Jewish custom. So there were rooms dug into the rock.
"At the same time," she continued, "Some areas had terraces made with dry stone walls, and within these small spaces, we found traces of cultivation, paleobotanical analyses of pollen that revealed traces of cultivation. This data somehow echoes the Gospel of John, which speaks of vegetable gardens and gardens in the area of the venerated tomb and Calvary."
Professor Stasolla observed that the excavations are like reading history itself.
"For me, the reconstruction of the historical sequence is very important, and digging is like reading a book and turning a page, only they are pages of earth. You turn one page at a time, and so the important thing is precisely this long story. It also becomes exciting to deal with such an important story, with a story told in this way, and with a story so felt by millions of people."
About The Author
CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief
In a time where the world's attention is riveted on events in the Middle East, CBN viewers have come to appreciate Chris Mitchell's timely reports from this explosive region of the world. Mitchell brings a Biblical and prophetic perspective to these daily news events that shape our world.
Chris first began reporting on the Middle East in the mid-1990s. He repeatedly traveled there to report on the religious and political issues facing Israel and the surrounding Arab states. One of his more significant reports focused on the emigration of persecuted Christians from the Middle East.
In the past, Chris's reporting has been distinguished by award-winning coverage of revival movements and other spiritual issues. In addition to the Brownsville revival in Pensacola, Fla., he also covered an outbreak of revival in Missouri. His report on the "holy laughter" revivals in Toronto and London was named CBN's "Focus Story of the Year" in 1994.
That same year, Chris also earned a "Short Story of the Year" award for his examination of religious coverage in network news. He has also reported on such movements as the Promise Keepers and the annual "Prayer and Fasting" campaign led by the late Campus Crusade founder Dr. Bill Bright.
In addition to his reports for The 700 Club, Chris is also a regular contributor to Christian World News, a weekly 30-minute newscast that airs nationally in multiple markets.
Prior to joining CBN News in 1992, Chris worked for three years as a researcher, producer, and reporter for the Features/Testimonies department of The 700 Club.
A native of the Boston area, Chris earned a B.A. in History at the University of New Hampshire in 1975. In 1987, he graduated with honors from Regent University, earning an M.A. in Communication. While a student at Regent (then CBN University), Chris anchored "Newsight," a student-produced Christian news program.
Chris's goal at CBN News is to provide in his stories the Biblical "understanding of the times" described in I Chronicles 12:32.
