Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Adamnan's De Locis Sanctis (Author: Adamnan of Iona)
Chapter/toc 12
CONCERNING A CHURCH OF THE HOLY MARY EVER
VIRGIN, CONTAINING HER TOMB, WHICH IS BUILT IN
THE VALLEY OF JOSAPHAT
A sedulous frequenter of the holy places, the holy Arculf used to visit
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the church of the holy Mary in the valley of Josaphat. It is two-storied,
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and the lower story, which has a stone ceiling, is built with wondrous
roundness. In the eastern portion of it is an altar, and at the right-hand
side of the altar is the empty stone sepulchre of the holy Mary, where
she was once laid to rest. But how, or when, or by what persons her holy
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remains were removed from this sepulchre, or where she awaits the
resurrection, no one, as it is said, can know for certain.1 People who
enter this lower round church of the holy Mary see on the right, inserted
in the wall, the rock on which the Lord prayed on bended knees in the
garden of Gethsamani before the hour of his betrayal, on that night on
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which he was betrayed by Judas into the hands of sinners. Now the
imprints of his two knees are visible in this rock, deeply implanted as on
the softest wax. So our brother Arculf, a visitor of the holy places, stated
to us, who saw the things that we describe here with his own eyes. Then in
the upper church of the holy Mary, likewise round, 4 altars are on view.