DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0193
160 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,
the Greeks and Armenians with pictures, the Latins with
images. In the centre rises an oblong building of wood, of
twenty feet in length by ten in breadth, in which is a cupola,
open at top. One half of this contains the sepulchre of our
Saviour, the other is fitted up for the chapel of the Copts.
A small space enclosed by low railings surrounds the en-
trance to the Sepulchre. I confess I had been prepared to
see something like a tomb, and was rather disappointed, on
entering, to find myself in a mean chapel, where the altar,
of plain white marble, occupied a space of six feet in
length, two in breadth, and in depth about two feet and
a half, leaving only room in front of it to kneel. It covers,
according to the tradition of the place, the tomb of our
Saviour, of whom a miserable picture is hung on the tapestry
over the altar; this is lighted by forty-five silver lamps, sus-
pended in six rows from the cupola. I followed the example
of my guide, in kissing the altar, kneeling, and bowing my
head over it.
From the sepulchre I was led to a flat stone of six feet
in length and three in breadth, forming part of the pavement
of the body of the church, where our Saviour's body was
anointed after it was taken from the cross; near which were
the tombs of Godfrey and Baldwin, two of the sovereigns
of Jerusalem during the crusades: they are now enclosed
and concealed from view within the wall; their existence and
the Greeks and Armenians with pictures, the Latins with
images. In the centre rises an oblong building of wood, of
twenty feet in length by ten in breadth, in which is a cupola,
open at top. One half of this contains the sepulchre of our
Saviour, the other is fitted up for the chapel of the Copts.
A small space enclosed by low railings surrounds the en-
trance to the Sepulchre. I confess I had been prepared to
see something like a tomb, and was rather disappointed, on
entering, to find myself in a mean chapel, where the altar,
of plain white marble, occupied a space of six feet in
length, two in breadth, and in depth about two feet and
a half, leaving only room in front of it to kneel. It covers,
according to the tradition of the place, the tomb of our
Saviour, of whom a miserable picture is hung on the tapestry
over the altar; this is lighted by forty-five silver lamps, sus-
pended in six rows from the cupola. I followed the example
of my guide, in kissing the altar, kneeling, and bowing my
head over it.
From the sepulchre I was led to a flat stone of six feet
in length and three in breadth, forming part of the pavement
of the body of the church, where our Saviour's body was
anointed after it was taken from the cross; near which were
the tombs of Godfrey and Baldwin, two of the sovereigns
of Jerusalem during the crusades: they are now enclosed
and concealed from view within the wall; their existence and