Tomb of the Virgin Mary, church building in Jerusalem
The Tomb of the Virgin Mary is a church in Jerusalem built around a rock-cut burial chamber believed to hold Mary according to Christian tradition. The building contains multiple chapels, decorated with icons and candles, with a simple central tomb chamber at its heart.
The burial chamber was carved from rock in the first century and later enclosed by a church structure. Crusaders built a new church here in the 12th century, which was subsequently destroyed and rebuilt multiple times over the centuries.
The site is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, and holds deep meaning across Christian traditions. Different Christian communities share the space today, including Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches, each maintaining their own chapels and rituals at this place of shared devotion.
Access to the site involves descending stairs into the lower chapel levels. Visitors should be prepared for dim lighting inside and air thick with candle smoke and incense from ongoing prayers and rituals.
A small opening in the rock allows visitors to peer directly into the burial chamber, where many leave written prayers and small offerings. This reveals how modern pilgrims continue to use the tomb as a place for personal devotion and gestures of respect.
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