The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — a distance of about 600 metres (2,000 feet) — is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. The current route has been established since the 18th century, replacing various earlier versions.
Biblical references The episode is mentioned in all the canonical Gospels: Matthew 27:31–33, Mark 15:20–22, Luke 23:26–32 and John 19:16–18. Only John specifically says Jesus carried his cross , and all but John include Simon of Cyrene, who was recruited by the soldiers from the crowd to carry or help carry the cross .
A whole cross would weigh well over 135 kg ( 300 lb ), but the crossbeam would not be as burdensome, weighing around 45 kg ( 100 lb ).
Current relic Currently the Greek Orthodox church presents a small True Cross relic shown in the Greek Treasury at the foot of Golgotha, within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . The Syriac Orthodox Church also has a small relic of the True Cross in St Mark Monastery, Jerusalem.
The route has been established by tradition rather than archaeological evidence. The final stations of the crucifixion and burial are within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The route is in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Via Dolorosa, which means “way of sorrows,” is about a half-mile long , or just under 1 kilometer.
According to tradition, Jesus fell three times while on the way to Calvary. However, the biblical record, which is the only authorative account of Jesus trial and execution, is silent on the matter of falls.
Simon’s act of carrying the cross , patibulum (crossbeam in Latin), for Jesus is the fifth or seventh of the Stations of the Cross . Some interpret the passage as indicating that Simon was chosen because he may have shown sympathy with Jesus . Mark 15:21 identifies Simon as “the father of Alexander and Rufus”.
According to the story, it was the dogwood tree that provided the wood used to build the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Because of its role in the crucifixion, it is said that God both cursed and blessed the tree.
For them the death of Jesus was part of a divine plan to save humanity. The death and resurrection of this one man is at the very heart of the Christian faith. For Christians it is through Jesus’s death that people’s broken relationship with God is restored. This is known as the Atonement.
Alexander Metherell, assert that Jesus having survived crucifixion is “impossible” and “a fanciful theory without any possible basis in fact.” Further example may be found in a thorough analysis conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association, which concluded Jesus was very probably dead even prior to the
Helena, traveled to Jerusalem. According to tradition, she discovered relics of the cross upon which Jesus had been crucified. The spot had been venerated by early Christians, and she concluded it was Golgotha. Constantine ordered the construction of a basilica, which became known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre .
The impenitent thief is a man described in the New Testament account of the Crucifixion of Jesus. In the Gospel narrative, two criminal bandits are crucified alongside Jesus. In the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, they both join the crowd in mocking him.
Discussion of the True Cross and the Shroud of Turin. True Cross , Christian relic, reputedly the wood of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Legend relates that the True Cross was found by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land about 326.