THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

Shannon News, 15 December 1925, Page 3

THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

SATETY OF SACRED TOMB. NEED TO REPAIR BUILDING. .Christians in all' part*' of the wort! will hear with interest, says the jNew--of the World, that anxiety is felt b> British officials in Jerusalem concerning the stability of the tomb of our Lord, which stands within the Clmrci of the Holy Sepuchr'e. When the 'lurk.-: ruled in Palestine the {historic Christian denominations were accorded spccia, privileges at the holy places, with tJie result that control is vested in tho local authorities of the various churcn-

It is stated tliat this circumstance makes it difficult to obtain the ncces_ saiy authority for the examinational the sacred tomb and for the carrying out of repairs. Tombs cut in the solid rock Were common on the hillsides m Jerusalem 2000 years ago. In one ot these, the property of Joseph o± An mathca, the body of o.ur Lord mis iau.' In less than two generations from the crucifixion Christians fled from the city which was presently to b'e devastated by siege at the hands of the Komans. n , ~ During the persecutions of the Lnn;.> tians at the hands of the Roman cmpviors who were then masters, ot the known world, there-was no opportunity for organised public activity on tho part of Christians; and nothing could be done by them to impress on the records of time their reverence for Ua holy places. To bo known as a.follower of the cross, as readers of Wiseman s exquisite "Fabiola" will remember., was to be in danger of death. Progress in those days of tempest was by tlu I path of blood. . • Then suddenly something happened which transformed the civilised world. The Roman Emperor Constantino became a Christian, and the cross which was hitherto despised, which could onl> be received in catacombs or m tnc secrecy of home life, became the symbol of imperial honour. By Constan tine's orders search was made torque sacred tomb. This was in A.D. ris;>, 1 and, beyond all doubt the site tnen fixed upon no doubt with the help oi tradition, if such htid been preserved--is that to which to-day pilgrims resor.. from all quarters of the world. At Easter the unending stream ox worshippers reaches its Hoot! tide, and innumerable crosses and other oftorin°- arc placed upon the canopy above the tomb, the marble slabs of which , axe now stated to be bulging ominously, j The British officials, who are anxioiu i to effect repairs, must, however, ar- j range matters first with the governing ecclesiastics. These represent ■ the . Abyssinian, Armenian, Coptic, bretu and Latin rites. Thus far, such representations as have been made have not been verv successful. In the delicate situation'in which the British authorities find themselves in Jerusalem, patience is necessary to avoid introducing new causes of distrust and suspicion. No doubt the tact of the officials, backed by proper assurances, will secure the unanimity required. Easter the British authorities were so afraid of the possibility of some disaster in the crowded church that, they placed a force of police around tho tomb to keep the crowd back. Curiously enough, the entrance to the Church I of the Holy Sepulchre is controlled by

a Mohammedan, the descendant of a familv to whom the task was entrusted 'centuries ago at the time of • the Mohammedan conquest of Palestine.