Cage Around Jesus’ Tomb in Church of Holy Sepulchure Removed in Renovation

The iron cages built by the British in 1947 to protect the chamber where the body of Jesus was believed to have been placed and from where he was resurrected were removed for the first time in 70 years as part of the renovation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchure being undertaken by a team from the National Technical University of Athens. The painstaking work of stabilizing the burial chamber, known as the Edicule, began this past June. In October, the actual chamber believed to have been the resting place of Jesus. A window that will allow tourists an actual glimpse inside the chamber was added. The target for completion of the renovation project is in time for the Orthodox Easter, which falls on Sunday, April 16.