Panel: PILGRIMAGE: SOCIOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY



984.9 - ENGAGING THE SACRED, ENGAGING WITH THE OTHER: PILGRIMAGE TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE AND THE STONE OF ANOINTING AS A PERIPHERAL SACRED SPACE

AUTHORS:
Marer A. (Master's student in Comparative Religion and Anthropology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem ~ Jerusalem ~ Israel)
Text:
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is a significant pilgrimage destination in Christianity, containing multiple sacred focal points. Among them, the Stone of Anointing occupies a unique position. Unlike other sites within the church, which are controlled by specific Christian denominations, the Stone serves as an open space where believers from various traditions engage in acts of devotion. This paper explores how the stone functions as a locus of pilgrimage, interaction, and subtle tensions among Christian communities and visitors. Based on ethnographic fieldwork—including observations and interviews from 2022-2024 this study investigates how pilgrims perceive and experience the Stone of Anointing. The research examines three dimensions: (1) the stone's historical evolution and significance, (2) the spatial dynamics between local worshippers and transient pilgrims, and (3) the stone's role within the church's sacred hierarchy, where it is secondary to the Tomb and Golgotha, yet central in its accessibility. This paper offers a glimpse into one of the most complex pilgrimage spaces. Situated in Jerusalem, a city of profound sacred significance, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a place where various Christian denominations coexist. Pilgrims engage with believers from diverse cultural and theological backgrounds, and emotions like reverence, discomfort, fear, and exhilaration emerge in response to both the sacred site and fellow believers. The findings reveal that the stone functions as a microcosm of ecumenical interaction, where believers share space and observe each other's practices. It highlights the contrast between regular worshippers and first-time visitors, as well as between different denominations. Though the stone may seem marginal in the broader sacred landscape, it remains a key focal point of embodied religious experience.