# Destruction of the Holy Sepulchre (1009)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1009-destruction-of-the-holy-sepulchre
Location: Jerusalem
Themes: Persecution

The Fatimid caliph al-Hakim orders the Church of the Holy Sepulchre destroyed. At this point in the timeline (1009), the Bishop of Rome was Pope John XVIII (25 December 1003 – 18 July 1009).

## Why it matters
Destruction of the Holy Sepulchre mattered because it shows how Christians and others suffered for faith and how violence shaped the church's memory and identity.

Pope at the time: [Pope Sergius IV](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-sergius-iv)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Hakim_bi-Amr_Allah)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Destruction of the Holy Sepulchre](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Destruction+of+the+Holy+Sepulchre)
- [Wikipedia — Medieval Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church#Middle_Ages)