The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has suffered many vicissitudes. A Constantinian foundation, it was twice destroyed and rebuilt before the Crusaders took it in hand. Respected by Saladin at his conquest, the church remained much as the Crusaders left it, until in 1808 a fire broke out and spread through the whole building. In 1927 a severe earthquake shook Jerusalem causing widespread damage to the structure, so that for forty years afterwards the southern façade was supported by steel scaffolding.No one has probably had such a close knowledge of the church, from foundation to roof top, as Father Coüasnon, who, among others, was instrumental in drawing up the restoration plan agreed upon in 1959 by the various churches owning different parts of the complex of buildings. In his Schweich Lectures delivered at the British Academy in 1972, Father Coüasnon describes the history of the church in detail, revealing the fresh discoveries which have enabled the site to be planned with a new authority.
