In the center of the rotunda, with its entrance facing the east, is the Chapel of the Sepulcher, the holiest place in all this holy building.  Passing through the small door, the visitor finds himself in the Chapel of the Angels, a very small room, where a piece of stone, said to have been rolled away from the grave by the angels, is to be seen.  Stooping down, the visitor passes through a low opening and enters the Chapel of the Sepulcher proper, a room only six and a half feet long and six feet wide.  The “tomb” is at the right hand of the entrance, occupying about half of the floor, above which it rises two feet.  It is covered with marble, so that even if this were the very spot where the Lord and Savior was laid by the hands of kind friends, the modern visitor would not know what it looked like when that event took place.  The little chapel, capable of accommodating about six people at a time, contains some pictures and forty-three silver lamps, the property of the Copts, Armenians, Greek and Roman Catholics.  A priest stands on guard, so that no damage may be done to any part of the place.

The Greek chapel, the largest, and to my notion the finest that I saw, is just in front of the sepulcher.  From its having two sections and a partition, I was reminded of the tabernacle of the wilderness journey.  Services were being conducted once while I was there, and I saw the Patriarch and others, gorgeously robed, going through with a service that was at least spectacular, if not spiritual.  At one point in the exercises those participating came down close to where I was standing, passed around the spot designated “the center of the world,” and went back again to the farther end of the richly ornamented room.  One of the priests, with hair reaching down on his shoulders, bore a silver vessel, which I suppose contained burning incense.  The long hair, beautiful robes, the singing, praying, and such things, made up a service that reminded me of the days of Solomon and the old priesthood.

The demonstration of the “holy fire” takes place in this church once a year, and there are thousands who believe that the fire passed out from the Chapel of the Angels really comes from heaven.  This occurs on the Saturday afternoon preceding Easter, and the eager, waiting throng, a part of which has been in the building since the day before, soon has its hundreds of little candles lighted.  As the time for the appearance of the fire approaches the confusion becomes greater.  Near the entrance to the sepulcher a group of men is repeating the words:  “This is the tomb of Jesus Christ;” not far from them others are saying:  “This is the day the Jew mourns and the Christian rejoices;” others express themselves in the language:  “Jesus Christ has redeemed us;” and occasionally “God save the Sultan” can be heard.