Holy Sepulchre opens for Good Friday

**Rough cut, no reporter narration**

Christian pilgrims and local worshippers gathered at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on Good Friday, eagerly waiting for the church doors to open.

Followers of the Christian faith believe the church stands on the site of Christ's crucifixion, burial and resurrection. It marks the last five stations of the cross on the Via Dolorosa, which is walked by pilgrims who arrive from all over the world to take part in Good Friday processions.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ESTEET WASIN, PILGRIM FROM PHILIPPINES, SAYING:

"As a Catholic it is a really special thing for me. It's not only that you are commemorating that day but you are also walking those steps, or those ways that he took during his times."

The pilgrims watched as a Muslim man who holds the keys to the doors of the church arrived ceremoniously down a set of stone steps before climbing a ladder to hand the keys to clergymen inside, after which the doors were unlocked and opened to worshippers.