Golgotha
Matthew, Mark, and John all identify to place where Jesus was crucified as "Golgotha." The name is related to the Aramaic word for "skull," and so it is referred to in the Gospels as "the place of the skull." That expression, in turn, was translated in the Latin Bible as "locus calvariae," which gives us our word "Calvary" as the name for the place of Jesus' crucifixion.
The exact location of Golgotha or Calvary is unknown. In its original context, of course, the place was probably regarded as loathsome, for it was likely the site of many public executions. For later generations of Christians, however, it became most sacred because of the death of Christ there. For visitors to the Holy Land today, two possible locations are offered. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (right), whose site dates back to the days of Emperor Constantine, contains and commemorates both the site of Jesus' death and the tomb where He was buried. This site is an ancient one and, while not proven, there is no historical or archaeological evidence that disputes it. The other cherished site visited by Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land today are the so-called "Gordon's Calvary (right) and The Garden Tomb. These sites, also proximate to one another, were discovered by British general Charles Gordon in the 19th-century. The historical support for the site is not as great, therefore, but it has a look and feel that are very genuine, indeed. |