Archeologists discovered an ancient Cross belonging to a Crusader warrior from the 13th century. As we read in one report:
Researchers have announced new revelations in their ongoing restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, believed to be the tomb where Jesus Christ was buried before His resurrection, and have discovered an engraved cross believed to have been left by 12th century crusaders.
The Mirror reports that workers at the famous church, which has been rebuilt and destroyed numerous times throughout the centuries, have lifted the tomb's marble lid for the first time in 500 years. Previously, they discovered the limestone shelf where Jesus's body is believed to have been placed after His crucifixion.
Now, they have also found a second gray marble slab they did not know about before, which is reportedly engraved with a cross carved by 12th century crusaders.
"The most amazing thing for me was when we removed the first layer of dust and found a second piece of marble," said Fredrik Hiebert of National Geographic, a partner in the restoration project.
"This one was grey, not creamy white like the exterior, and right in the middle of it was a beautifully inscribed cross. We had no idea that was there," he added.
Hiebert said getting the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Orthodox Church leaders responsible for the tomb to agree to open it for repairs was a difficult task, but he was very glad when the communities came to an agreement, allowing the project to go ahead.
"Everything has to be approved by the committee, so even changing a candle takes a long time," the researcher revealed.
"There is a ladder by the main entrance to the church that hasn't moved in 240 years and they still haven't reached a decision. It's called the immovable ladder," he added.
"So the fact we were finally allowed to carry out this work is a triumph of negotiation."
The archaeologists are using radar and thermographic scanners to gather information from the insides of the tomb before unsealing it, but have warned that the data is so extensive that it will take months to analyze.
The MailOnline shared dozens of new images last week of the $3.7 million restoration project, which is expected to continue into spring 2017.
Part of the project will also seek further evidence to support the claim that the tomb is indeed the location where Jesus was buried.
What a sublime moment, what a beautiful thing to behold! The God-Man, the Center of all mortals, the One Who Is, the I AM, became one with Humanity to war against the prince of darkness, to destroy the works of devil, and in the most pertinent of battles, the war for mankind's soul, Christ died. It seemed as though the General of Heaven's armies was crushed, defeated and had lost. In the tomb He lay, holy women came by with spices of sweet fragrance and aroma, but lo, they saw Him, triumphant over death, conquering and triumphed. He vanquished the serpent, He bridged humanity to God, He assailed the greatest foe, He surpassed death and laughed at him.
The acolytes of the darkness, the followers of Muhammad, overran the sacred land upon which God walked, upon which God conversed with His earliest disciples, upon which God looked to the city on a hill, glistening on the ascended sun, and wept. They conquered the land and slaughtered the people, the desecrated the holy sites and the churches, they ravished the women and slaughtered the priests, they tormented and crucified the inhabitants.
The Church of Rome, glorious and full of valor, called for the warriors of Christ to emulate their Savior, to take up the Cross as He took up the Cross, to ascend the mountain of sacred struggle as He treaded upwards with the most dolorous of labors to Mount Golgotha, to combat the agents of Satan as He crushed the serpent in the cosmic war for man's soul.
The eye could have beheld all those men, countless and innumerable in their multitudes, taking up their crosses and carrying the holy wood with Christ, as Simon of Cyrene bore the weight of the Crucifixion when he lifted the heavy gibbet with the Savior. They marched into Jerusalem, and as they ascended the mountain of eternal struggle, they combated the enemies of the Cross in the midst of the heavenly Mount Zion, being in the presence of the holy warriors of bygone times. The rays of the sun gleamed upon their armor, blood and sweat tinged their faces, from their actions beamed the effulgent light that emanates from self-abnegation.
A holy people, a holy nation, under whom stood as their King -- the Christ and His Mother, the Queen of Heaven, the one in whose womb Divinity became one with Humanity -- they laughed at death, for in their hearts was the Defeater of death. With tears in their did they remember Christ, after the battle was finally over; with praises from their mouths did they remember the victory of Mount Golgotha, and as the moon receives glory from the sun, so did the light of glory shine through their actions from the sacrifice of their king.
In that land, which was now ruled by Christendom's hands, soldiers of the Cross entered the tomb where death was defeated, and one of them, after stern contemplation, on death and on life, on saints and on the sacred, left a cross behind, and till this day it reminds us, of the beauty of sacrifice.
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