NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) - A British scholar examining Christ's tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre said on Wednesday that he has determined that it contains original stone pieces dating from the time of Jesus.

      Oxford professor Martin Biddle said the current consensus among scholars was that the present-day tomb dates to changes made in the 19th century. "We are sure now that inside here are the remains of three successive houses and the original stone-cut tomb," Biddle said. He said he had conducted a 10-year analysis of models of the tombs, pilgrims' diaries dating back centuries, and other evidence. He was not allowed to conduct any excavations at the site.

      He said he believed that parts of the outer walls of the shrine dating from the fourth, 11th, and 16th centuries and stones from the original first century tomb were still inside. The study may be instrumental in providing guidance for a restoration planned for the tomb by the various religious groups that control the church.