A wooden ladder has remained immobile for 250 years on the façade of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in Jerusalem 🪜. You can see it under the right window of the church.
Several hypotheses exist about its appearance under the window 💭.
To understand why no one has the right to move this ladder, read the article in the first comment 👇👇👇.
This church is considered one of the major sites of Christianity.
Its various parts are currently held by the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Coptic Orthodox Church.
In 1757, a status quo was established, stating that no modifications can be made without the agreement of the six denominations.
Thus, moving this ladder would require a consensus that is almost impossible to achieve.
No one knows exactly when the ladder was installed, but it has become a symbol of the fragile harmony between these religious communities.
Several hypotheses exist regarding its purpose.
Some believe that the monks of the Armenian Church used it to lift food and water.
Other theories suggest that the monks grew herbs on the cornices.
And the last theory claimed it was used to access the cornice during religious holidays when many believers gathered in the church courtyard.
Today, as long as the ladder remains in place, it serves as a testament to the respect of the status quo.
