SHOCKING new archaeological evidence likely confirms the Christian tradition that Jesus was crucified and buried at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
These new clues could settle the long-standing debate over Jesus’ death.
GettyThe Garden Tomb, on the church’s grounds, has been revered for centuries as the resting place of Jesus Christ[/caption]
Custodia Terrae SanctaeFloor of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre[/caption]
GettyTourists and pilgrims stand in line waiting to enter Jesus’ tomb[/caption]
A map locating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
Scientists have discovered and analysed the remains of a plant from the site, dating them to around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.
Jesus Christ is widely believed to have been crucified and died in the spring of 33 AD.
The researchers from Sapienza University of Rome claim that the plant identified could even be the same plant referenced in the Gospel of John:
“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There they laid Jesus,” reads John 19:41.
“The Gospel mentions a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields,” lead archaeologist, Francesca Romana Stasolla told The Times of Israel.
But other evidence also lends weight to the theory that the church in question played an important role in Jesus’ history.
Marble tombs on the Holy Sepulchre compound were uncovered by the researchers.
Stasolla explained that she plans to do additional testing of the marble tomb to uncover further information about Jesus’ death.
“We are conducting geological analysis to verify the origin of the marble, and we are also testing the mortar,” she said. “Both tests can give us important information.”
Stasolla added: “Whether someone believes or not in the historicity of the Holy Sepulchre, the fact that generations of people did is objective.
“The history of this place is the history of Jerusalem, and at least from a certain moment, it is the history of the worship of Jesus Christ.”
The team of Italian archaeologists, that has been conducting excavations since 2022, has had to pause its work for several weeks to keep the church accessible during Holy Week and Easter.
The church, dating back to the 4th century A.D. and located outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Excavation and restoration work has not come without its challenges.
It required the approval of the three central religious communities managing the church — the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land and the Armenian Patriarchate — as well as a license from the Israel Antiquities Authority.
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