An AP reporter spends the night locked inside Jerusalem’s holiest church with clergy and pilgrims
JERUSALEM (AP) — The enormous doors were pushed shut, the clanking bolts secured from the outside and several clergy, pilgrims and one journalist — me — were locked for the night…
For the second night in a row, the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem were locked, confining clergy, pilgrims, and a reporter inside its ancient walls. The Church, where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, buried, and resurrected, has a tumultuous history. It has been governed by Muslim rulers and affected by shifting political powers, resulting in an ownership shared by the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, and Greek Orthodox churches.
As the night fell, a representative from a Muslim family, who has held the keys to the basilica since the 13th century, ascended a ladder to secure the upper bolt. A Greek Orthodox priest subsequently locked the door from the inside. The gates reopened the following morning at dawn, allowing about a dozen priests, a few registered pilgrims, and some cats to freely explore the vast, dark basilica.
Among the visitors was Peter Stängle, a Brazilian pilgrim who spent the night in prayer, seeking solace and reflection. His tattoos covered his forearms, and he laid his forehead on the stone known as the unction, where Jesus's body was prepared for burial. Amidst the echoes of centuries-old stones and the brilliance of 20th-century wall mosaics, Stängle pondered the purpose of his presence and the potential for salvation.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
