The Holy Land and Syria

by Frank G. Carpenter

Near the Stone of Unction is the spot on which it is said the Virgin Mary stood while Christ was on the cross. It also is worn away by kissing. Going on into the great rotunda and turning to the right we reach a church belonging to the Greeks at the front of which stands a column as high as a chair and about as big around as a four-gallon crock. This is the centre of the world, and is honoured as such. I saw Russian peasant girls kissing it, and farther on observed them kissing holy place after holy place until it seemed to me that their lips must wear out. Kisses are pressed upon these spots by thousands of mouths every day, and if every lip leaves its microbes all the diseases of the world must be in the bacteria here.

It is hard to estimate the value of the offerings the pilgrims lay on these shrines. Those who come are of all classes, and some bring the savings of years. The poor lay their pennies in the hands of the priests and drop them in the slot boxes which may be seen at almost every corner. There is much gold, and there are treasures in precious stones. A life-sized image of the Virgin Mary which I saw in the Greek church was covered with diamonds. The image was made of wax, and was dressed in satins and silks. Its face was painted. An oval pearl as big as the end of my thumb hung on the forehead, while on the waxen fingers were a score or more rings. Some of the rings were set with diamonds, some with sapphires and rubies, and others with opals. Opals in Palestine are looked upon as the sign of good luck and not bad, as with us.

Most of the rings were costly and each was presented to the Virgin as a love offering. On the silken lap of the image lay a great golden heart as thick as my fist and about six inches in width. It was studded with emeralds and diamonds. The heart was a present from Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria, who made many costly gifts to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In the grotto of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem is a similar statue, even more gorgeously decorated, although some of the jewels are said to be paste.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a hotbed of superstition. It is supposed to stand on the spot where Christ was crucified. The Bible tells us that this was outside Jerusalem, but the Church of the Sepulchre is to-day far within the walls. This, however, is not a proof that the location is incorrect, for the walls of Jerusalem have been thrown down and rebuilt again and again, especially those on Mount Zion where the great church stands. The hill where Christ was crucified was made up of terraces of rock, and that is the nature of the foundation of this church. The place was located by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, who came here about three hundred years after Christ died, and found what was said to be the true cross among the rubbish on the side of the hill. She had the cross dug out and carried to Constantinople, whence later on some pieces of it were sent to Rome. One section as long as your arm is said to be in Jerusalem, and there are so many other pieces scattered over the world that I venture you could build a house with them.

Shortly after this discovery, a church was erected on the spot, and since then others have been built, destroyed, and rebuilt, until we now have this great edifice which covers, I should say, an area of several acres. It is surmounted by a cross rising from a dome as big as that of our National Capitol.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is not beautiful and its position in the heart of Jerusalem, surrounded by bazaars, convents, monasteries, and hotels, is by no means imposing. The front of it is covered with carvings, some of which are from ancient temples, and over the doors are bas-reliefs of scenes from the Bible. One of these represents the raising of Lazarus, with the Saviour standing at the front and Mary at His feet. At the command of Christ, Lazarus is seen rising from the dead, while in the background are spectators, some of whom are holding their noses as an evidence, perhaps, of the corruption which had begun to take place before Lazarus was brought to life.

Under the dome of the church lies the tomb of the Saviour. It is enclosed in a chapel of an ivory-white marble, which stands in the centre of the rotunda. This chapel is perhaps twenty feet high, twenty-six feet long, and seventeen feet wide. Entering through a door so low that you have to stoop to go in, you finally come into a chamber six feet square and lighted only by candles. This is the alleged tomb of the Saviour. Over it is a marble slab covered with glass to keep the kisses of the pilgrims from wearing the stone. There are always priests here, and all who come in are sprinkled with holy water. Every worshipper brings with him rosaries, beads, and holy pictures which are laid upon the tomb to be blessed. I saw one old woman totter in with a half bushel bag full of rosaries on her back; a frowsy-bearded man came with her, bearing all he could carry. Spreading these out on the slab, they knelt, while the priest sprinkled the beads and gave them his blessing. Before leaving they dropped some coins into his hand. They were Russians and will probably carry these rosaries back home to their friends.

The modern American oil can competes with the ancient water bottle. The small boy scorns, like his father, to be seen carrying a little water at a time, though he may proudly stagger along with a heavy skin holding several gallons