Tomb of Mary in Jerusalem – Video

The Tomb of Mary in Jerusalem – The Video

In today Video I am taking you to visit the Tomb of Mary in Jerusalem which is located at the foot hill of the Mount of Olives and it is within the Church of the Assumption Jerusalem.

In Christian belief, death is our punishment for the original sin. Regarding Mary, the mother of Jesus, God is believed to have shielded here from the stain of original sin at the time of her own conception; moreover Mary remained a virgin throughout her life. As such, Mary was the first among all human beings to experience resurrection.

Videos showing the celebration of the Assumption of Mary:

For the Catholic celebration of the Assumption of Mary – Click here!

For the Greek Orthodox celebration of the Assumption of Mary – Click here?

Catholics believe that Mary was taken up body and soul into heaven while she slept at the site that is now the basement of the Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion. The Eastern Orthodox including the Greek Church claim that Mary died in her sleep (the Dormition of the Theotokos), buried and only then experienced resurrection from the tomb.

Today, the Church over the Tomb of Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, which was built back in the 14^th century by the Franciscans, is controlled by the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Inside the Church

Now let’s enter the Church of the Tomb of Mary mother of Jesus in Jerusalem.

While the entrance gate dates back to the Crusaders, the three stairs in front of the entrance are new in order to prevent against flood water.47 steps lead to the depths of the cave but there are also important graves halfway down. Here to the right at this chapel, are the traditional graves of Marry’s parents Anne and Joachim – here to the right is the tomb of Anne and here is the tome of Joachim. Lower down on the left hand side, is the tomb of Joseph the Carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus’ adoptive father and Mary’s husband.

The Underground hall is shaped like a Cross but in now temporary T shape as the area opposite the stairs is blocked off because of flood damage.

To the right, there is the chapel housing Mary’s Tomb.  We are now entering the chapel to see and touch the Tomb of the Virgin Mary – the burial place Mary mother Jesus. The Glass plates surround the tomb of Mary in order to prevent pilgrims from taking mementoes and here above the Tomb of Mary, is an opening in the ceiling symbolizing Mary ascent to heaven.

During the years the Moslems ruled Jerusalem, they built a prayer nice (Mihrab) in the cave facing East to Mecca and it is here to the left of the Tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Behind Mary’s Tomb, further along the cave, there is a painting of the Holy Mother and her son, to which Christians attribute special powers.

On the western side there is a Coptic altar.

Every year on August 15, while Christians all over the world celebrate the Assumption of Mary, a big ceremony is taking place here at the Mary Tomb in Jerusalem – the actual burial place Mary mother Jesus…both by the Catholic and the Orthodox ……… for each of them I have a separate video.

That is for today, and until we meet again in my next Video, Let’s All Live the Jerusalem Experience!!!