Holy Sepulcher Church

• Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchre ) belongs to several different Christian sects -- Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Ehiopian Orthodox, An Syrian Orthodox, who agreed in 1862 to leave things exactly as they were.
• They have therefore not added fire exits.
• If it is not holy to you, visit on an odd Tuesday.
• On the Sunday that was western Easter and eastern Palm Sunday, the central part was beyond full, packed tighter than Times Square on New Year's Eve or Omonia Square at 7PM. One procession carried lit torches around the hall in one direction. A different goup carried palms.
• Although there was room to go deeper into the building, if anyone had made for the single door in a panic, there would have been a stampede. As it was, two of the men in our ill-planned tour ( http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/even-licensed-guides.html ), had to lift a small woman, a stranger who had stumbled, and carry her into the plaza. Perhaps that was not where she wanted to go, but once she was up, there was no room inside to put her down.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox