Tomb of Jesus

By the Editors of the Madain Project

The tomb of Jesus referes to a place where according to one or more than one traditions the Jesus of Nazareth was buried. This page attempts to enlist all the known locations based on various traditions. Two of the major locations are the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb although former is believed to be the actual site of burial in Catholic tradition and later in Protestant tradition, but there is no hard and fast rule on that.

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Overview

The profoundness of the "Tomb of Jesus" in history, archaeology and religious studies can be guaged by the fact that a large number of sites claim and have traditions associated with them being the burial site of Jeses.

The most important and widely accepted location is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, revered by many as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection since the first half of the fourth century CE. This ancient church has been a pilgrimage destination since the time of emperor Constantine and his mother Helena, standing as a testament to its deep religious significance to the Christian religious tradition.

Another notable site is the Garden Tomb, dating back to the eighth century BCE and discovered in the nineteenth century CE, which offers a tranquil setting and is favored by some Protestant communities for its striking resemblance to biblical descriptions.

List of Notable Sites

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Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
The Aeudicle inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is believed to be the burial location of Jesus according to the Catholic tradition. Parts of the tomb's interior is seen below. The room of the tomb is 2M by 93cm. The white marble lid covers the tomb, it was placed in the fourteenth century on the tomb to prevent further damage. Presently this is most famous aedicule situated inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in city of Jerusalem.

circa

Talpiot, Jerusalem
Discovered in 1980 CE an ossuary was found in Talpiot Tomb bearing the epigraphs, interpreted as "Yeshua bar Yehosef" ("Joshua, son of Joseph"). The tomb is carved from the solid limestone bedrock, containing six burial shafts and two arched shelves for burials. It contained ten ossuaries, six inscribed with epigraphs, including one interpreted as "Yeshua bar Yehosef" ("Joshua, son of Joseph"), though the inscription is partially illegible, and its translation and interpretation is widely disputed.

circa

The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem
The Garden Tomb, the burial location according to Protestant tradition, it is a rock-cut tomb in Jerusalem which was unearthed in 1867 CE. This particular tomb also has a stone groove running along the ground outside it, which Gordon argued to be a slot that once housed a stone, corresponding to the biblical account of a stone being rolled over the tomb entrance to close it. During the 1920s a Roman era winepress was found on the grounds of the tomb as well.

circa

Shingō, Japan
The purported tomb of Jesus in Shingō, Japan, according to local customs Jesus did not die on the cross in contrast to Christian tradition instead his brother Isukiri took his place on the cross, while Jesus fled to Mutsu Province, in northern Japan. Where, he became a rice farmer, married, and raised a family with three daughters. Eventually dying at 106, his body was exposed on a hilltop for four years then his bones were collected, bundled, and buried in the mound purported to be his grave.

circa

Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
The shrine known as Roza Bal, Kashmir; came in spotlight when the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, claimed in 1899 that it is actually the tomb of Jesus. Locals believe a sage is buried here, Yuzasaf or Yuz Asaf (or Youza Asouph), alongside another Muslim holy man, Mir Sayyid Naseeruddin. The structure stands in front of a Muslim cemetery. It consists of a low rectangular building on a raised platform, surrounded by railings at the front and an entry.

See Also

References

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