Definition

Noun: 1. The tomb in Jerusalem where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was laid after his crucifixion and from which he resurrected. This term refers specifically to the site venerated as the place of Christ's burial and resurrection.

Usage

• The term "Holy Sepulcher" is a proper noun and is almost always capitalized. It is used to refer to the specific historical and religious site in Jerusalem.
• It is commonly used in historical, religious, and archaeological contexts.
• Example:

Examples

• Historical/Religious Context:
  • The Crusades were launched, in part, to secure Christian control over the Holy Sepulcher.
  • Many Christian denominations share custody of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
• General Reference:
  • The authenticity of the Holy Sepulcher as the true tomb of Jesus is a matter of faith and historical study.

Advanced Usage

• "the Holy Sepulchre": This is a common alternative spelling, particularly in British English. "Sepulchre" and "Sepulcher" are spelling variants of the same word.
• The term can be used metonymically to represent the central miracle of Christianity (the Resurrection).
  • Example: The message of the Holy Sepulcher is one of hope and victory over death.

Variants and Related Words

• Holy Sepulchre (n): Alternate spelling.
• Sepulcher (n): A small room or monument, cut in rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is laid or buried. (The general term from which the proper noun is derived).
• The Tomb of Christ: A direct descriptive synonym.
• The Edicule: Refers to the small chapel within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that encloses the tomb itself.

Synonyms

• The Tomb of Christ
• The Sepulchre of Christ
• The Empty Tomb (emphasizing the resurrection)

Related Phrases

• Church of the Holy Sepulcher: The church in Jerusalem built over the traditional sites of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus.
• Knights of the Holy Sepulcher: A Catholic order of chivalry under the protection of the Holy See, founded to defend the Holy Sepulcher and support the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

Noun

1. the sepulcher in which Christ's body lay between burial and resurrection