Held Up by Iron
Image idea: the Edicule wrapped in its old iron frame.
An earthquake in 1927 badly shook the church. By 1947, the shrine around the tomb was cracking and bulging, so the British authorities, who then ruled the area, wrapped it in an iron frame.
The frame was meant to be a short-term fix. It stayed for almost 70 years and became an ugly part of the shrine’s look.
Pilgrims grew used to seeing steel beams and bolts around the holy shrine. For many people, the frame became a sad reminder that the churches could not agree on proper repairs.