On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at around 8:00 PM, two young Israeli women—described as being “dressed for a nightclub”—were reportedly seen by eyewitnesses attempting to light a joint in the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This was reported on X by Kegham Balian, a Jerusalemite Armenian.
“You can’t smoke this here; this is the holiest site in Christianity,” one witness reportedly told the women.
After briefly leaving the premises, the pair entered the Church and made their way to the Chapel of Saint Gregory The Illuminator—a 12th-century Armenian chapel located beneath the main sanctuary—where they allegedly tried again to light the joint.
They were firmly and respectfully asked to leave by an Armenian priest and a bystander.
This attempted act of desecration, committed despite verbal warnings and in a site sacred to millions, warrants a full investigation and strict legal action by the local authorities.
