I had not been in Jerusalem long before I made my way to the scene of the last few hours of Our Blessed Lord’s life on earth, and as it appeared so important, I decided to have a guide to point out the main features to me.  I must say that my first impression from the outside was  disappointing, because it was not as inspiring an edifice as I expected, and very old.  The main entrance stands in a courtyard, and consists of two portals, dating from the time of the Crusaders.  One of them, however, is walled up.  Owing to the church being allowed to fall into such a state of decay during the centuries, it is at present a mass of steel, used to retain the old structure whilst renovations are taking place to restore it to its former state.  It seemed a little difficult at first to realise that these walls enclosed such a historic relic of the past, and the birth of  Christianity, for within was a spot where Our Lord gave His life for us, Calvary; where He was anointed on being received from the Cross; the anointing stone; and lastly where Our Lord was laid, the Holy Sepulchre itself.  It all seemed so very small to me, and to have taken place within such a small area, was hard to realise, because I had imagined a huge hill as Calvary, and the Holy Sepulchre was barely a hundred feet away.  For instance, there is a spot just within the main entrance where one can stand and see Calvary, the Anointing Stone, the spot where he Holy
Women stood whilst He was being anointed, the Holy Sepulchre itself; all this under one roof.  Of course, you understand that this building has been built subsequent to the Crucifixion, and it is believed that the first Church on this site was about 49A.D.  During the ages they have been destroyed and re-built many times by conquering armies.  I am wandering again.

Entering the door, I was met by a Palestinian Policeman, always on duty there, and to the left, a cushioned recess of the Moslem doorkeeper, so I was told.  I was given to understand that the custodian of the church is hereditary in a Jerusalem Moslem family, who keep the keys.  This is in interesting feature which I must verify.  Walking on a few paces there is a block of red marble, which marks the spot where Jesus was anointed.  Hanging over it were eight silver oil burning lamps of quaint design, and belonging to the various sects represented here.  A few feet to the right was a flight of steep stone steps which led up to Calvary.  Climbing these I came to the Chapel of Mount Calvary (XI. & XII Stations).  The mosaic floor, walls and ceiling were wonderful, depicting the last few hours of the life of Jesus.  The Chapel contained three altars.   The one on the left being Greek Orthodox, and situated over the very place where the Cross was erected, the middle and right altars being Roman Catholic.  Hanging from the ceiling were priceless solid gold oil lamps, and the altar ornaments, like the candlesticks were of pure gold and had been presented by various notables throughout the world.  It was a wonderful sight, and the thing that struck me forcibly was that only a Greek priest was there to guard it!  I feel I must explain, that visiting this holy place for the first time it was almost impossible to think of the spiritual significance, as the material, and knowing I would be able to make a future visit, I must admit I thought only on those lines.  It was only natural, I suppose, that with all these interesting reminders of the Crucifixion and the Death of Our Lord around us, and with so many other people visiting the place for the first time like myself, and the voices of numerous guides explaining things, that I found it most difficult to concentrate and bring my mind to the actual sequence of events which took place there.  One thing I did feel rather strongly though, and that was that it all seemed so very recent to me, and not as if 1900 years had passed since the last chapter in His life on earth was written, and I felt for the moment that I lived in the past.  However, I resolved to return to these sacred spots not as a sight-seer but as a pilgrim.  Of course, I did say a prayer at each of these places I visited, but without that concentration which should accompany prayer at such holy spots.  I have digressed again – you will have a job to follow this, I’m sure.  To continue:  we are still on Mount Calvary.  At the altar on the left, and immediately behind, is a large crucifix with Our Lord nailed to it, with the inscription I.N.R.I in three languages above, in diamonds!  Stooping down and looking under the altar, there is a hole in the marble also through which can be seen the actual rock where the Cross was erected.  To the right, between this and the middle altar, can be seen, again through a hole in the marble slab, a cleft in the rock, which you will remember is mentioned in the Gospels, when darkness descended over the earth and the earth was split.  Between the centre and left altars is a statue of Our Lady, adorned with many precious gifts given by pilgrims, which the guide informed me was worth two million pounds!!  The statue depicts the sword of sorrow piercing the heart of the Blessed Virgin.  This church was only dimly lighted, and sightseers are given a candle to view the sacred relics.  I was fortunate,
however, in meeting an American priest on a visit a few days after, and he switched on some lights, which enabled me to inspect the mosaic closely and admire the oils which adorned the walls.  Leaving Calvary and descending some steep stairs, I visited other churches of the Greek, Armenian, and Catholic sheltering under the same roof, including the Chapel of Adam, Angels Chapel, Chapel of the Syrians, Tombs of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, The Pillar of the Scourging (which is in the Chapel of the Apparition and in the custody of the Franciscans),  Prison of Christ, Greek Cathedral, Chapel of Empress Helena (who discovered the true Cross and did much good work in the Holy Land round about the thirteenth century, including building a Church of the Holy Sepulchre, later destroyed), the Altar of the Penitent Thief, Chapel of the Invention of the Cross, Abyssinian Chapel, etc. etc.  I’m afraid that my ability with a pen does not do full justice to such a subject, neither can it describe to any great degree the atmosphere of this building, and the full significance of it all, as it affected me on my visit here, though I think
this is more or less a true account in my own words, of my impressions.  It is a most difficult subject to write about, I think.  However, I’m going to continue to the end now.

At last I came to the Holy Sepulchre itself.  Entering a large circular hall with a large dome – the Rotunda, I saw confronting me a very pretty red marble rotunda, the Holy Sepulchre itself, which I entered.  Inside was the Angels Chapel.  In the centre of this very small chapel, there is a stone set upon a marble pedestal; this stone is said to be a part of that which closed the door of the sepulchre, and which was rolled away by the  angel.  It is only a small fragment, the rest of it having been taken away by the Crusaders, and others throughout the ages.  Stooping very low, I entered the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, a very small room, with a slab of marble covering the actual tombstone, which serves as an altar.  From the ceiling hang forty-three silver lamps belonging to the various sects.  The Franciscans say Mass in this Chapel every morning, though the Greek church are the guardians of it, and one of their priest is always stationed there.

I might add, that owing to an earthquake in recent years, the inside of the building is a mass of wooden stays, struts and beams, erected to preserve the structure, and which hide its glory.  I’m sure that without them, walls hitherto covered, would reveal wonderful paintings etc. to the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims that come here.  I am given to understand that in two years they will be removed.

By this time I was feeling quite tired, though I felt I would have loved to wander around for a few hours on my own, so dismissing my guide, who was amply rewarded for his services, I returned home.  I was determined to re-visit this place again though, but I hoped to be able to as a  pilgrim and not so much as a sightseer.  In this I have been disappointed so far, because on three subsequent visits |I took some fellows with me, and sort of acted as a guide.  However, I did have a Mass offered up from Calvary for my intention.  I think I told you this before, but in case I didn’t I’ll tell you now.  On one of my visits I met an American priest in the Holy Sepulchre and we had a most interesting conversation, and he explained more to me in half an hour than my guide did in over two hours.  Then I asked him the question that had been on my mind since I arrived, would it be possible to have a Mass said for my intention at a suitable date.  He arranged it for me, and at dawn one morning I, in company with another lad who wished to accompany me, set out on a long uphill journey.  It was a great idea don’t you think?  I prayed awfully hard, and for every one of my numerous friends by name.  I need hardly tell you what my special intention was.  It was that this terrible war would soon be over, so that I could return to my beloved and two grand little babies, to live in peace, happiness and security.  Please God that a speedy end is reached, because there is nothing I want more than to rejoin the most wonderful little sweetheart and wife in the whole world.