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[[Image:Holy Sepulchre exterior.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]
The '''Church of the Holy Sepulchre''', called '''Church of the Resurrection''' (''Anastasis'') by Eastern Christians, is a large Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The ground the church rests on is venerated by many Christians as [[Golgotha]], the Hill of Calvary where the [[New Testament]] records that Jesus Christ was crucified. It also contains the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). The church has been an important [[pilgrimage]] destination since the 4th century, and the portions of it administered by the Orthodox are in the care of the [[Church of Jerusalem]]. The Church commemorates the founding of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on [[September 13]].
==History==
The initial building was founded by [[Constantine the Great]] in 335, after he had removed a pagan temple on the site that was possibly the Temple of Aphrodite built by Hadrian. Constantine had sent his mother St. [[Helen]] to find the site; during excavations she is said to have discovered the [[True Cross]]. The church was built around the excavated hill of the Crucifixion, and was actually three connected churches built over the three different holy sites, including a great basilica (the ''Martyrium'' visited by the nun [[Egeria]] in the 380s), an enclosed colonnaded atrium (the ''Triportico'') built around the traditional Rock of Calvary, and a rotunda, called the ''Anastasis'' ("Resurrection"), which contained the remains of the cave that St. Helen and St. [[Makarios I of Jerusalem|Macarius]], [[Patriarch of Jerusalem]], had identified with the burial site of Jesus. The surrounding rock was cut away, and the Tomb was encased in a structure called the ''Edicule'' (from the Latin ''aediculum'', small building) in the center of the rotunda. The dome of the rotunda was completed by the end of the 4th century.
This building was damaged by fire in 614 when the Persians under [[w:Khosrau|Khosrau II ]] invaded Jerusalem and captured the Cross. In 630, Emperor [[Heraclius]], who had captured the Cross from the Persians, marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and restored the True Cross to the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
[[Image:Holy Sepulchre iconostasis.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The iconostasis in the Orthodox [[katholikon]]]]
Each year, during the Holy Week services, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and its Bishops hold a traditional ceremony of the washing of the feet, in honour of Christ washing the feet of his apostles before his crucifixion.
====Entrance====
The entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is important to the church tradition, since a large crack in one of the entrance pillars on the left, is attributed to a miracle of the Holy Light occuring during a Resurrection ceremony.The exterior facade of the church was built by the Cursadors sometime before 1180.
====Stone of the Unction====
Immediately upon entering the Church of the Resurrection lies the '''Stone of the Unction'''. According This is the spot which commemorated the preparation of the body of Christ for burial. The current slab, is made from limestone and dates to tradition1808, this when the previous 12th century slab was destroyed. The ownership of the slab is shared betnwee the four main Christian churches. Over the spot where they laid Christ after he had slab hang large opulent lamps that have been taken down from donated by the Armenians, Greeks, Copts and Latins. On the outside wall of the Catholicon, behind the Stone of the Unction, is a large mosaic depicting the crossannointing of Christ for burial.
====Latin calvary====
To the right of the Stone of the Unction are a series of steep stairs that lead up to the first room of Golgotha. This The first room belongs to the latin church, and it is this spot the place where Christ was nailed to the Cross. This chapel is a Catholic Franciscan altar dedicated to the Nailing of the Cross (Station 11 of the Via Dolorosa).
====Rock of Golgotha ("Greek Calvary")====
====The chapel of [[Adam]]====
The chapel of Adam is located immediately beneath Golgotha. This is a small area of worship that used to be known as the "Area of the Skull" and also the chapel of "Melchizedek". In accordance with tradition, the name of 'skull' and 'Adam' is derived from the fact that this is the spot where they found the skull and relics of Adam. The theology of the Orthodox church believes that this location is not a coincidence since the purpose of the crucifixion is directly connected to the story of Adam and his expulsion from Eden. Having found the bones of Adam underneath Golgotha symbolises the cleansing of the bones of the man who committed the first sin by the blood of Christ dripping down from the cross.
====Chapel of the Derision (Greek)====
Immediately at the base of Golgotha, to the right, is the small Chapel of Derision (Crowning with Thorns).
====Chapel of St. Helen====
The Chapel of St. Helen is also known as the Armenian Chapel of St. Gregory.
The Chapel of St. Vartan can be accessed through a door on the north side of the Chapel of St. Helen. In the 1970s, this area was discovered and excavated and the findings include remnants of walls built by Hadrian in the 2nd century. One of these walls has a stone etched with a merchant ship and an inscription "DOMINE IVIMVS" which translates "Lord we shall go". It is estimated that this stone dates from before the completion of the Byantium church, ca. 330 AD. This chapel is locked and not normally available to the public.
====Chapel of the Finding of the Cross====
According to our the traditionof the church, this is the area where St. Helen discovered the True Cross during the mother course of Stthe Churches excavations around 330AD. Constantine the Great She discovered three crosses. To discern which of the True Cross on three crosses belonged to Christ, and which Christ belonged to the thieves, a sick man was crucifiedbrought to touch each one in turn. This church He was excavated miraculously healed by only one and constructed around 330ADthis is the one that has since been distributed to all Christian Patriarchates across the world.
====Chapel of the Division of the Robe (Armenian)====
====Chapel of St. Longinus (Greek)====
