“During one of these visits we sat for a while on a bench by the wall of the Church not far from the entrance to the Holy Sepulchre. It was interesting to note the diversity of costumes and to watch the difference in the behavior of the tourists and pilgrims of the various nationalities.”1 And: “Palestine appeared to us to be a land where history and tradition were so curiously mixed that it was difficult to know where history ended, and tradition began.”2
As noted by author Robert Jacob in the above passage from his 1907 book, A Trip to the Orient, the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, captured here by Félix Bonfils, showcases a diverse array of people and costumes. Priests, worshippers, tourists, and pilgrims come together, displaying traditional Palestinian clothing, such as Jubbas and headdresses, alongside modern Western attire, like suits.