Crowded, chaotic, cacophonous, cavernous, and confusing: so the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem seems at first glance. Determined pilgrims jostle one another as they push through the narrow entrance, form snaking lines or climb narrow stairs and duck into impossibly small spaces. Priests in vestments, sumptuous or plain, weave their way through the great sanctuary, seemingly heedless of the throngs.
But if a visitor watches quietly and looks carefully, a different picture emerges. Incense perfumes and stills the air; songs of praise in multiple languages echo through the great domed space. Mammoth Byzantine capitals high overhead seem to stand guard. Armenian mosaics, Crusader sculpture, and Ethiopian paintings are all here.
Join Barbara Drake Boehm, the Paul and Jill Ruddock curator emerita of the Met Cloisters, to explore this remarkable place, where the rhythms of history and intersecting circles of faith have given shape to an extraordinary artistic monument and a unique and vital place of worship worthy of close attention.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
Patron Information
- If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
- Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
- Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
- Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
- View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
