The Western World’s Most Sensitive Ladder

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is arguably the most sacred site in Christianity. Located in Jerusalem, it is believed to be the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and tomb, and has served as a site for pilgrims for approximately 1500 years. It is further understood to be jointly governed by six different Christian denominations, while officially existing in the Jewish state of Israel, leading to a somewhat tangled series of “ownerships”.

This is where our story begins today.

The ladder sits above street level, providing access to a small balcony. Source: University of Notre Dame

The early days of Christianity witnessed extreme, and often violent, splintering into different sects, including Greek, Armenian, Ethiopian, and other separate groups* seeking control of the Holy Land. This continued for centuries even after the withdrawal of the Romans, until Islamic Arabian and Ottoman forces occupied the area beginning in the 7th century, suppressing all religious minorities.

The Ottomans did, however, issue a decree regarding the factions rallying for control over the church, passing a “Status Quo” law in the 1750s which ordered that no changes could be made to the site without the explicit permission of all six denominations expressing approval. This law extends not only to the building and its land, but also candles, chairs, furniture, windows, and anything inside or outside.

This includes the ladder.

The ladder itself is believed to have been placed there no later than the 1720s - its first mention appears in an engraving and although little else is known about its origins, we do know that it falls under the status quo arrangement as part of the Church. Rumors about the ladder include that it was left behind by a stone mason whose name and status have been lost to time. Other postulate that it was used when the Ottomans restricted movement in and out of the church so the monks could receive sunlight, or that it was used to grow vegetables on a balcony.

And yet, despite the ladder’s “sacred” status as a part of the church, it has been moved before - once to allow renovation crews to continue work on the bell tower, and another time after a thief stole it, before returning it after learning that its disappearance was creating conflict between the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.

This may sound like a joke - but fights have indeed broken out over the contents of the church being altered without the aforementioned six-way permission. As recently as 2008, a Coptic monk - of which there is always at least one present on a small section of the roof in dispute with the Ethiopian church - shifted his chair 20 centimeters to the side in order to sit in the shade.

The resulting clash resulted in the hospitalisation of eleven people.

TAI Score: Degree 1. It is highly unlikely that the contents of a church will cause any significant geopolitical threat. Regardless, given the violence that has potential to break out over such minor alterations means that individuals visiting the site should be aware - particularly considering the already high level of religious and sectarian violence that exists in the Middle East.

*The full list of denominations is the Greek, Armenian, Ethiopian, Syriac, Coptic Egyptian, and Roman Catholic churches.