Scientists from the National Technical University of Athens have discovered that the Holy Sepulcher will collapse if no work is done to strengthen the surrounding temple. This is reported by the National Geographic edition.
Experts who carried out the restoration work of the aedikula (domed chapel), in which the burial Lodge of Christ was placed, found that most of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was built on the ruins of earlier buildings. As a result, there are many tunnels and canals inside the building that make the building unstable.
Archaeologists believe that about two thousand years ago a limestone quarry was located on the site of the temple, which later became the burial place of the Jewish nobility. This is indicated by the fact that, in addition to the Holy Sepulcher, there are several other graves in the building. The Roman temple, built here in the second century, was destroyed by Emperor Constantine in about 324 AD, and a church was erected on its ruins. Over the centuries, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was rebuilt several times.
To eliminate the risk of imminent destruction of the shrine, scientists propose to carry out 10-month work worth six million euros. These include removing the cracked surface surrounding the aedicula, backfilling the foundation, and creating a new drainage and drainage system.
In 2016, archaeologists removed a marble slab from Christ's Burial Lodge for the first time. According to scientists, the opening of the tomb will reveal why Saint Helena, who conducted excavations in Jerusalem, decided that this tomb was the burial place of Christ.