We visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher today, perhaps one of Christianity’s holiest of sites. Inside the massive structure, pilgrims can venerate the spot where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried. Catholics, Russian Orthodox, Armenians–the list of various churches is long and from time to time through the years, there have been squabbles. A few years back, Israeli police had to be called to the scene to break up a fight.
Today we met Wajeeh Nuseibeh, a Muslim man whose family has been guardian of the keys to the church for generations. Each day, Wajeeh opens the enormous doors of the church at 5 a.m. and locks up at 9 p.m. You can find him sitting near the entrance and he even offers visitors one of his business cards that proclaims him “Custodian and Door-Keeper of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
