Holy Sepulchre, painting, Jerusalem © 2017

Constantine the Great founded the original church in 3C AD, it was destroyed, like most things in Jerusalem's history and later rebuilt during the crusader period. The church contains, according to traditions dating back at least to the fourth century, the two holiest sites in Christendom: the site where Jesus was crucified, known as "Calvary" and "Golgotha" and Jesus's empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected. The exterior court yard was a great place to paint with a resident ginger cat of divine character to keep me company as I painted the church. The stories hidden within this church are endless, my favorite is the Immovable ladder (top right in my painting). The ladder is referred to as immovable due to an understanding that no cleric of the six ecumenical Christian orders may move, rearrange, or alter any property without the consent of the other five orders. It’s been there since 1757.