Keys of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Madain Project (en)

Keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

By the Editors of the Madain Project

The Keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are a set of two iron-keys, dating back to the medeival period. Since 1187, from the time of Salah ul-Dun Ayyubi the custody of the door and the key for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is entrusted to two Muslim families Nuseibeh and Judeh.

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Overview

The key to the main entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre The key at the top is the "newer" one and dates back some 500 years, and the key at the bottom is said to be 850 years old and broke after centuries of use.

Key Holder Families

circa

Opening the Gate
A member of the custodian families, unlocks and opens the gate early in the morning. Saladin entrusted the custody of the doors of the Holy Sepulchre to the leading and most renowned Shaikh Ghanim ben Ali ben Hussein al-Ansari al-Khazrajy.

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