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The Stone of Unction sits just inside the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Old City of Jerusalem. It’s shared by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Apostolic churches.
The Stone of Unction is a polished red stone on the spot where Christians believe Jesus’ body was placed after being removed from the cross. It was then washed and anointed by Joseph of Arimathea, who was in charge of preparing the body for burial. The lamps hanging over the stone are contributed by the Greeks, Latins, Armenians, and Copts.
The Stone of Unction often bubbles with oil. Faithful Christians bring white cloths to collect the oil to take home. The current stone was added to the church during a reconstruction in 1810.
Wall
The wall behind the stone was built by the Greek Orthodox, also during the reconstruction. It was meant to be a temporary addition to support the arch above it, which was damaged during a fire in 1808.
The wall sits atop what used to be the tombs of four 12th century Crusader kings, including Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin I. It has two balconies with beautiful blue and gold mosaics on their underside. The wall is not structurally necessary, but it blocks the view of the Rotunda and separates the entrance to the Catholicon.
A three part mosaic was added to the wall in 1990. It depicts from right to left the Descent from the Cross followed by the anointing of Jesus’ body and the Burial of Christ.
