JERUSALEM — The massive doors of one of Christianity’s holiest sites were shut, the bolts secured from the outside—and for several hours, an Associated Press reporter found herself spending the night inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre alongside clergy and pilgrims.
But this was no accidental lock-in.
The overnight stay is part of a little-known practice at Jerusalem’s ancient basilica, where registered pilgrims can remain inside after the church closes to the public. From roughly 9 p.m. until dawn, the vast, centuries-old complex becomes dramatically quieter, with priests, nuns and a small number of pilgrims left inside for prayer, worship and rest.
The doors are closed through a centuries-old ritual involving a Muslim family entrusted with the church’s keys. The AP reporter watched as a representative reached the upper bolt using a small wooden ladder before the entrance was secured for the night. The arrangement is part of an unusual tradition in which Muslim families have played a role in guarding and operating the church’s entrance despite the site being one of Christianity’s most sacred places.
Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre After Dark
Once the doors were locked, the atmosphere changed completely.
The daytime crowds disappeared, leaving behind a dark, labyrinthine complex illuminated by oil lamps and candles. Priests and nuns continued their routines while pilgrims were able to pray in relative solitude.
Among them was Brazilian pilgrim Peter Stängle, who knelt in prayer at the Stone of Unction—the stone traditionally associated with the preparation of Jesus’ body for burial.
Stängle said the quiet gave him an opportunity to reflect deeply on his life, faith and salvation.
The overnight experience also offered rare access to some of the church’s most revered locations, including the Holy Edicule, the marble shrine built over the traditional site of Jesus’ tomb, and the chapel of Calvary, where Christians traditionally believe Jesus was crucified.
Around midnight, the church became the setting for a series of nighttime religious services. Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Catholic and other Christian traditions follow established schedules governing when and where their clergy can worship inside the complex.
Why So Many Churches Share One Sacred Site
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is unusual not only because of its religious importance, but also because several Christian denominations share responsibility for the site.
The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic churches have major roles within the complex, while Coptic, Ethiopian and Syriac Orthodox communities also have defined rights and worship spaces under Jerusalem’s long-standing Status Quo arrangement.
That arrangement reflects centuries of negotiations, disputes and compromises over access, worship schedules and maintenance.
Yet the overnight experience described by AP also revealed something less commonly seen: cooperation.
Franciscan, Greek Orthodox and Armenian clergy performed their respective rites in succession during the night, with incense filling the area around the Holy Edicule.
Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land Rev. Francesco Ielpo described the current relationship among the Christian communities as a particularly positive period of cooperation, calling it a potential sign of peace in a region marked by conflict.
The Muslim Family Behind the Church’s Ancient Door
One of the most remarkable details is who controls the key.
For centuries, Muslim families have been entrusted with responsibilities connected to the opening and closing of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Historical accounts trace the key-custodian tradition back to the medieval period, while another Muslim family has traditionally handled the actual opening and closing of the doors.
The tradition has become an unusual example of interfaith cooperation in Jerusalem, where religious communities have often competed over access to sacred places.
Inside the church, however, the arrangements are governed by an intricate system that determines which denomination can use particular spaces and at what times.
A Holy Site Changed by War
The nighttime calm inside the basilica stands in sharp contrast to the conditions surrounding Jerusalem’s Old City.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other major religious sites faced significant restrictions earlier in 2026 amid the war involving Iran and Israel. During Holy Week, access restrictions even prevented senior Catholic leaders from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass inside the church, triggering international criticism. Authorities cited security concerns, while church officials argued that the restrictions were disproportionate.
The church later reopened to limited worshippers, but the broader impact on religious tourism remained severe.
Reuters reported the reopening of the Holy Sepulchre in April after wartime restrictions, while recent reporting from Jerusalem shows that tourism in the Old City remains substantially below normal levels. Local shopkeepers have described dramatically reduced visitor numbers, with fewer flights, high fares and security concerns continuing to discourage international travelers.
The Washington Post similarly reported during Easter that Jerusalem’s Old City was unusually quiet, with pilgrimage accommodations that would normally be packed during Holy Week left with empty rooms.
Then Came the Morning
For the pilgrims and clergy inside the church, the night eventually gave way to dawn.
After hours of prayer, religious services and quiet reflection, the doors were opened again and daytime worshippers could return.
For the AP reporter, the experience offered something most visitors never see: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre without the crowds, noise and constant movement of daytime Jerusalem.
Instead, there was darkness, candlelight, incense, centuries-old stone—and the sound of different Christian traditions continuing their rituals under one roof.
The church remains a place where history, faith and politics collide.
But behind its locked doors, for one night, the noise of the outside world largely disappeared.
And what remained was a remarkably intimate glimpse into one of Christianity’s most sacred places.
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