Calvary (biblical site)
Calvary, also known as Golgotha, is the biblical site located just outside Jerusalem where, according to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was crucified. The name "Golgotha" comes from the Aramaic word meaning "place of the skull," and the English term "Calvary" derives from the Latin translation. This location is mentioned in all four Gospels, which describe the events surrounding Jesus's trial, crucifixion, and death under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Initially, there was no physical marker for the site until the fourth century when Emperor Constantine, following his conversion to Christianity, commissioned the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to commemorate it.
Over the years, archaeological investigations have sparked debate about the exact location of Calvary, particularly since the church is situated within the city walls, which contradicts biblical accounts suggesting the crucifixion occurred outside the city. However, modern research indicates that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre may indeed be built on or near the historical site of Calvary, as it was once located outside the walls at the time of Jesus's crucifixion. Notable restoration efforts have taken place at the church, including significant conservation projects that began in the 21st century, aimed at preserving this vital historical and religious site. The importance of Calvary continues to resonate within Christian traditions, symbolizing sacrifice and redemption.
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Calvary (biblical site)
According to the Christian Bible, Calvary was the hilltop site outside Jerusalem where Jesus Christ was crucified. The site is named in all four Gospels as Golgotha, from the Aramaic gulgulta, or “place of the skull.” Calvary is the English version of Calvaria, the Latin translation of Golgotha. The site was originally marked in the fourth century by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is said to house not only the site of Jesus’s crucifixion, but also the location of his tomb. Later archaeologists disputed the site as they did not believe it lay outside the city walls. However, modern research suggests the church may in fact have been built upon the historic site of Calvary.
Overview
The crucifixion and death of Jesus is recorded in the four gospels of the Bible’s New Testament. According to the accounts, Jesus was put on trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. After being found guilty, Jesus was tortured, nailed to a wooden cross, and left to die. Three of the four gospels name the site of his crucifixion as Golgotha, while the fourth refers to it only as the “place of the skull.” The Bible says the site is on a hill near Jerusalem in a well-traveled area outside the city walls. This seems to correspond with ancient customs as Roman executions would have taken place outside the city and near a roadway, so passersby would be reminded of the price of disobeying Rome.
Due to the turbulent, and oftentimes violent, period following the advent of Christianity, the early Christians did not do anything specific to mark the physical locations of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial. It was not until the early fourth century that Constantine, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, set out to find the spot of the Biblical events. He sent his mother, Helena, to the region in the year 325 CE and tasked her with discovering the true spot of the crucifixion. Constantine later commemorated the site that she chose by building the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the spot. The church covers the remains of a hill said to be Calvary and a tomb where Jesus was believed to have been buried.
In the nineteenth century, archeologists began to doubt that the church marked the spot of Jesus’s death. The church, which was rebuilt in the eleventh century, was inside the walls of Jerusalem, a fact that contradicted the biblical accounts. As archeologists began to search for alternate sites for Calvary, some researchers began to examine the history of the city and discovered that the site of the church was located outside the walls of Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion. The site was likely also near a city gate, which would have been a well-traveled area.
Another sign that seemed to indicate the site’s authenticity is that the Romans built a temple to the goddess Aphrodite on the spot in the second century. At that time, Rome was trying to stamp out the Christian faith and often built their own temples on sites that were important to the early Christians. Although evidence has shown the site of Calvary could be under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, scientists are less certain the church also marks the site of Jesus’s tomb.
In 2016, the tomb held by believers to have been that of Christ was opened for the first time in centuries. This was part of a $4 million conservation project. This effort was led by a team from the National Technical University in Greece.
Beginning in 2022, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher began an additional two-year, $11 million restoration project. In addition to the refurbishment of historical infrastructure such as its stone flooring, additional archaeological projects were undertaken. This project was briefly interrupted following the eruption of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas in October 2023.
Bibliography
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Harper, Douglas. “Calvary.” Online Etymology Dictionary, 2021, www.etymonline.com/word/calvary. Accessed 6 May 2021.
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Taylor, Joan E. “Golgotha: A Reconsideration of the Evidence for the Sites of Jesus’ Crucifixion and Burial.” Associates for Biblical Research, Spring 2002, biblearchaeology.org/research/new-testament-era/2308-golgotha-a-reconsideration-of-the-evidence-for-the-sites-of-jesus-crucifixion-and-burial. Accessed 6 May 2021.
“Where Is Golgotha, Where Jesus Was Crucified?” Biblical Archaeology Society, 4 Apr. 2021, www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/where-is-golgotha-where-jesus-was-crucified/. Accessed 6 May 2021.
"Where Was Jesus Crucified? Location of Golgotha." Christianity.com, 20 Feb. 2024, www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/golgotha-the-location-and-meaning-of-jesus-crucifixion-at-calvary.html. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.