Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-21
3rHuH ann Gta Utntfa
BY HENRY DANIEL-ROPS
Chapter Is

The place to which Jesus was led to
His death Is called In the four Gospels the
skull" or Calvary" and three Of them
tnot Like) translate this by the Aramaic
word Golgotha. Calvarius In Latin means
q bare hill like skull.
It may be supposed that conforming to
the old Mosaic precept that executions
should be as public as possible, that all the
people shall hear and fear" hill near
the gates Of the city was chosen high
enough to expose the spectacle and not too
high for the cross to be conveniently
erected. In the old Arab toponymy OF Je-
rusalem this quarter was called Ras, and
the word Is still used In Abyssinia to denote
heights
The place which Is today venerated as
the spot where Jesus was crucified is to the
northwest Of Jerusalem, at the foot of the
hill Of Gareb. Tradition says that the
Emperor Hadrian, who about the year los
rebuilt Jerusalem on the ruins of the city
destroyed by Titus, planted the site Of
Calvary with grove of trees sacred TO
Venus.
It Is doubtful whether the exact place Of
the execution was remembered by the de-
scendants Of those who had carried 1t out.
When. in the fourth century, Constantine
and the Empress Helena built basilicas
COMMUNICATING the sites both Of Calvary
and the Holy Sepulcher they chose the spot
for Calvary which Is stin venerated today.
Much later the Crusaders built the
Church Of the Holy Sepulcher, commemo-
rating both spots, a building in composite
Arab-Romanesque style. and still bearing
on It's facade the shields OF the French
chivalry. There is considerable body of
archaeological authority supporting the
authenticity of this site To the left Of the
Church, in a Corner, Is a slightly raised
chapel, thick with the odor of burning
candles and this today is Calvary.
DiscOncerting Splendor
The modern visitor to the Holy Places,
with innumerable artistic representations Of
the hill Of Golgotha in his mind, Is some
what disappointed by this bump Of rock,
with low-vaulted roof, approached by a
massive stairway with worn treads be-
meath battery of silver lamps, plated
globes and gilt-bronze grapes Three affairs,
respondent with precious marbles extend
along the wall at the end and a great
golden reliable, glowing with thousand
lights and surmounted by colossal cruci-
hx, marks the actual place where the Cross
stood; Pilates contemptuous inscription,
1.-The King of the Jews" is picked out in
glittering diamonds
Confronted with this disconcerting mag
nificence, it is difficult to feel any real emo
ton; here, as almost everywhere else in
this city so overcharged with historical
memories, the ill-considered extravagancies
Of Christian piety make 1t difficult to recall
Christ
They would indeed be an insurmount-
able obstacle were 1t not that, among the
fervent crowds ascending the marble stair
way on their knees, one sometimes catches
sight Of face lit by the unquestioning
radiance Of faith and love.
Cruci6xtion was Roman, not Jewish,
punishment. 1t is thought to have origi-
mated in the East and it was practiced by
the Persians, the Carthaginians and the
PhoenicianS, though it was introduced into
the Greco-Roman world at an early date
1t was the usual punishment and nobody