Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the traditional burial place for Jesus (photo by Berthold Werner, Wikimedia Commons)
“For the first time in centuries, scientists have exposed the original surface of what is traditionally considered the tomb of Jesus Christ,” says an online article from National Geographic. “Located in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, the tomb has been covered by marble cladding since at least 1555 A.D., and most likely centuries earlier.”
The article goes on to quote Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society and a partner in the restoration project: “The marble covering of the tomb has been pulled back, and we were surprised by the amount of fill material beneath it. It will be a long scientific analysis, but we will finally be able to see the original rock surface on which, according to tradition, the body of Christ was laid.”
Check out the full story below: