The restoration of the chamber that many believe to be the place where the body of Jesus Christ was laid after the crucifixion is finally complete. For the last nine months, a team from the National Technical University of Athens spent more than $4 million working on the tomb to preserve it and prevent it from collapsing—which, according to experts, was imminent.
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Jesus' tomb LIVE: Latest updates tomb unveiled in Church of Holy Sepulchre ahead of Easterhttps://t.co/q2RXvzzIgv pic.twitter.com/8mX7JpBWXb
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) March 22, 2017
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The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which sits above the tomb, remains a popular destination for Christian pilgrims from the around world.
The tomb has a contentious history. Six different Christian denominations share collective ownership over the church, and they don’t always get along. As The Guardian notes, disputes over who is responsible for certain areas of the church frequently become so heated that for the last eight centuries, leaders from the six denominations have actually allowed a Muslim family to hold the keys.
The tomb’s reopening ceremony will be held today.
