Holy Souvenirs from the Holy Sepulchre
Besides seeing the amazing architecture and artistic decorations of the church itself, visiting religious sites always gives me the opportunity to learn about cultural practices. Major destination churches teach me what it means to be a pilgrim by watching how people interact with the place. Maybe more so than regular tourists or travelers, pilgrims understand the personally transformative aspect of their trip and want share it with others after they have returned home.
Candle holder just after the Chapel of Golgotha within the Holy Sepulchre. These thin beeswax candles are an important part of Orthodox worship.
The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is a holy place for all Christians and as a result, you have a lot of unique worship practices and customs coming together there. Still, everything is rooted in a deep faith and desire for connection to the divine in the church, no matter what language was spoken. Whether through prayers or “making” souvenirs, I also saw a deep commitment from all pilgrims to bring the holy experience back home with them.
Daydream Tourist 