Tell me about the Muslim family that holds the keys to the church of the holy sepulcher

 

Grok Conversation

Tell me about the Muslim family that holds the keys to the church of the holy sepulcher

For over 850 years, two Muslim families, the Joudeh Al-Husseini and the Nuseibeh, have been entrusted with the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, one of Christianity’s holiest sites, believed to be the location of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. This tradition, rooted in historical efforts to maintain peace among Christian denominations, reflects Jerusalem’s complex religious tapestry.The practice began in 1187 when the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin, after recapturing Jerusalem from the Crusaders, assigned the Joudeh Al-Husseini family as custodians of the church’s keys to ensure its protection and neutrality. The Nuseibeh family was tasked with operating the church’s doors, opening and closing them daily. This arrangement was designed to prevent disputes among Christian sects—such as the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox—who share control of the church under the 1853 Status Quo agreement. A Muslim holding the keys avoids implying ownership by any single Christian denomination.The Joudeh family holds two iron keys: one, over 850 years old and now broken, and a functional 500-year-old key, about 12 inches long with a triangular handle and square tip. Each morning, a Joudeh family member, such as Adeeb Joudeh Al-Husseini, delivers the key to a Nuseibeh family member, like Wajeeh Nuseibeh, who unlocks the church around 4 a.m. The process reverses in the evening to lock the doors. This daily ritual, sometimes involving a ladder passed through a trap-door window for ceremonial openings, is a symbol of coexistence.Both families view their roles as a profound honor. Adeeb Joudeh, a current keyholder, has described it as a family heritage and a privilege for all Muslims, a sentiment echoed in interviews, such as one with CNN in 2016. Wajeeh Nuseibeh, who took over his role in 1986, emphasized the neutrality of Muslims in this context, noting in a 1999 Catholic News Service interview that their involvement prevents any Christian group from claiming dominance. The families’ duties persisted through changes in Jerusalem’s control, including Ottoman rule, which formalized their roles with written decrees.This tradition underscores a rare example of interfaith cooperation in a region often marked by tension, with the families maintaining their responsibilities despite political and religious shifts over centuries.
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