An Account of the Churches of Bethlehem and Jerusalem by the Priest Iachintus

A rare, early description of the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre emerges from the fragmented text by Priest Iachintus, providing the earliest known detailed account of the second Edicule in Jerusalem. This structure, built over Christ's supposed tomb, was destroyed in 1009 and later rebuilt before the eleventh century. Through paleographical, literary, and historical analysis, researchers have narrowed Iachintus's travel dates to either the first years of the twelfth century or the mid-eleventh century, offering a valuable but previously underutilized source for understanding medieval Holy Land architecture and pilgrimage narratives.

Kuefler, M. (2017). An Account of the Churches of Bethlehem and Jerusalem by the Priest Iachintus. Manuscripta, 61(2), 161–209. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.mss.5.114631