After 15 years of delays, officials at the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem are allowing the public to view the remains of the palace where Jesus is believed to have been tried before His death.
The Washington Post is reporting on the long awaited exposition of the archeological site discovered 15 years ago under an abandoned building located adjacent to the Tower of David Museum.
“Now, after years of excavation and a further delay caused by wars and a lack of funds, the archaeologists’ precious find is being shown to the public through tours organized by the museum,” the Post reports.
More than one million Christians visit Jerusalem every year, many of whom participate in the traditional walk of the Stations of the Cross, or Via Dolorosa, which takes them to the place where the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, held the trial and sentenced Jesus to death. But where exactly this took place is still the subject of debate.
“Questions about the location stem from various interpretations of the Gospels, which describe how Jesus of Nazareth was brought before Pilate in the ‘praetorium,’ a Latin term for a general’s tent within a Roman encampment,” the Post explains. “Some say Pilate’s praetorium would have been in the military barracks, others say the Roman general would probably have been a guest in the palace built by Herod.”
This palace is widely believed to have been located on the western side of Jerusalem where the Tower of David Museum and an Ottoman-era prison currently stand.
Shimon Gibson, an archaeology professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, says most historians and archeologists believe Jesus’ trial occurred somewhere within Herod’s compound. In fact, in John’s gospel, the trial is described as taking place near a gate and on a bumpy stone pavement – a description that fits with archeological findings at the site.
“There is, of course, no inscription stating it happened here, but everything — archaeological, historical and gospel accounts — all falls into place and makes sense,” Gibson said.
Does this mean the path of the famous Via Dolorosa will once again change to accommodate the new site?
“I don’t think that will happen anytime soon,” said Rev. David Pileggi, minister of Christ church, an Anglican congregation situated near the Museum.
“What makes a place holy is the fact that people have gone there for hundreds of years, prayed, cried and even celebrated there, so I don’t think there will be changes to the route anytime soon. . . ”
However, visitors to Jerusalem will now be able to visit the site.
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