David Sharrock in Jerusalem
The Israeli government, fearful that a rush of pilgrims marking the new millennium next year will turn Christendom’s holiest shrine into a deathtrap, is putting pressure on the religious orders that control it to open a new emergency exit.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Old Jerusalem is where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried. Its only entrance has been guarded for 700 years by two Muslim families – the Nusseibeh and Joudeh clans – who lock it at night and keep the ancient key safe.
A final decision on a new door has yet to be taken by the often antagonistic religious orders that share control of the church. But the tradition of the sole gatekeepers who have kept the peace for centuries is under threat.
The “breakthrough” paving the way for what Israel hopes will be a millennial tourism windfall was said to have been made last weekend.
The Tourism Minister, Moshe Katsav, issued a statement claiming that the three churches that occupy the Holy Sepulchre – Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic – had agreed to decide the location of the new door soon. The statement said it would be close to St Helena’s church, a shrine built on the roof owned by the Egyptian Copts. But access is via a monastery, Deir Sultan, belonging to the Ethiopian church.
Every inch of the Holy Sepulchre is a source of dispute between the churches. So when Katsav spoke, it came as no surprise that the churches remained silent.
According to the Israeli government, a committee meeting for eight months, which includes the churches, the tourism and religious affairs ministries and police, also agreed that the key to the new entrance would be held by the churches. The government had apparently wanted custodianship of the key, but the churches refused.
The Holy Sepulchre once had more than 10 entrances. When Salah a-Din conquered Jerusalem in 1178 he ordered all of them sealed except for the Crusader gate, which today serves as its only door, entrusting the key to the two families.
Wajeeh Nusseibeh (49), who opens the church every morning at 4am, was trying to preserve his dignity last week as journalists badgered him about a decision of which he knew nothing.
“Maybe it’s just a balloon the Israelis are floating,” he said. “They keep talking about all these pilgrims that are going to come, but in all my years here I’ve actually never seen fewer visitors.”
The church was indeed almost deserted. Nusseibeh inherited the custodianship from his father 20 years ago and now his own son Obada (17), accompanies him on his unpaid duties.
Salah a-Din gave the family 40 000 dunams (about 4 000ha) of land near the West Bank city of Nablus. They still earn an income from some of it, although much of the land has been confiscated by Israel to build Jewish settlements.
Nusseibeh explained that the division of duties meant the Joudeh family looked after the key at night. “Nobody has asked us about this plan, neither the churches nor the Israeli government. It should be discussed with [the Palestinian Authority] President [Yasser] Arafat.”
Nusseibeh said he would abide by any democratic solution but could furnish documents dating back centuries to prove his role.
“We are simple people and proud to serve in the holy places. We may be the bridge of peace between Islam and Christianity and the friendship between everybody,” he said.
Many factors could yet derail the agreement. “It’s not a question of the key only,” said Father Claudio Baratto, a Franciscan monk who represents the Roman Catholic Church.
Not least is the consent of the Ethiopians, who were forced out of the main body of the Holy Sepulchre in the 17th century when they could not pay high Ottoman taxes and retreated to the roof. The quiet dignity of their monastery is at odds with the sectarian tensions beneath their feet.
Gabra Selassie, accountant to the Ethiopian patriarchate, said it was agreed another door should be opened. “But this plan is not good because it’s in our place, and so we are opposed to it,” he said.
“There are many other corners, many other doors bricked up, that could be opened. The Israeli government must look to the other side.”
Yet he did leave open the possibility of a deal allowing the Ethiopians to return to the church’s interior. At the very least, he would insist the new key be kept by the Ethiopian monks.
The chances that everything can be resolved soon are not good. Some believe that the Israelis are exaggerating the dangers of serious injury for territorial purposes, pointing out that the last fatalities were in 1840, when several dozen people were trampled to death after a fire broke out.
But according to Israeli estimates, four million people will visit next year, including the pope.