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Anonymous Greek Document cited in Papadopoulos-Kerameus (1898)

Excerpts

Ambraseys and Karcz (1992:259) provided a translation from Papadopoulos-Kerameus (1898: vol. 3 p. 40) who cites an anonymous Greek document, written in Jerusalem in the early 19th century and deriving from earlier source. Ambraseys and Karcz (1992:259) noted that the churches of Adelphotheou or Adelphopoeitou and of St Tessarakonta were chapels in the compound of the Holy Sepulchre next to the bell-tower.
English translation from Ambraseys and Karcz (1992)

in the year 1545 (sic.) 14 January there was a frightful earthquake in the Holy City and throughout Palestine which caused the top of the beautiful bell-tower of the church situated between those of Adelphotheou and of St Tessarakonta to fall and destroy the dome of the church; also in Bethlehem the earthquake destroyed the bell-tower, the only one left standing by the Agarini [i.e. the Arabs] (Papadopoulos-Kerameus 1898, iv. 40)

Machine translated English from Greek from Papadopoulos-Kerameus (1898)

This dome and the canopy of the Holy Sepulchre, which had not been destroyed before by the Arabs, he also renovated with marble columns. It solidified and faded and [is] covered with lead, as it appears today. On the 12th [probably 14th] of January, the Holy City and all of Palestine became fearful, because the tower of the beautiful 5 bell tower collapsed, (over) falling on the tower of the church, in the middle of the two churches, that of Adelphotheos and Saints Tessarakontos, along with it was demolished and the bell tower in Saint Bethlehem remained under the Agarines, as it is said, at that time it was unaffected by the earthquake, but it collapsed 10 feet.

Greek from Papadopoulos-Kerameus (1898)

Ούτος ο αοίδιμος και το κουβούκλιος του Παναγίου Τάφου δν συντετριμμένον πρό τερον υπό των Αράβων ανεκαίνισε και με στύλους μαρμαρίνους έστερέωσε και εκαλλώπισε και με μόλυβδον εσκέπασεν , ώς φαί νεται την σήμερον . ' Εν δε τώ αφμε ' έτει Xγ ιανουαρίου ιδ ' σει σμός εν τη “ Αγία Πόλει και πάση τη Παλαιστίνη εγένετο φοβε ρώτατος , υφ ' ου κατεκρημνίσθη το τούρλαιον του ωραιοτάτου 5 καμπαναρείου , ( όπερ ) επιπεσών επί το τούρλαιον της εκκλησίας , της μέσον των δύο εκκλησιών , της του ' Αδελφοθέου και Αγίων Τεσσαράκοντα , συν αυτώ κατηδαφίσθη προς δε και το εν τη αγία Βηθλεέμ καμπαναρείον εναπομείναν και αυτό υπό των Αγαρηνών , ως είρηται , τότε ανεπηρέαστον υπό του σεισμού όμως έκρημνί 10 σθη .

Chronology
Year Reference Corrections Notes
14 January 1545 CE 14 January 1545 CE none Ambraseys and Karcz (1992:259) indicate that the year (1545 CE) is questionable by using the abbreviation sic.
Seismic Effects
  • there was a frightful earthquake in the Holy City and throughout Palestine which caused the top of the beautiful bell-tower of the church situated between those of Adelphotheou and of St Tessarakonta to fall and destroy the dome of the church
  • also in Bethlehem the earthquake destroyed the bell-tower, the only one left standing
Locations
  • Palestine
  • Jerusalem
  • Bethlehem
Notes and Further Reading
References