Who is Buried Under Parking Space 23?

     One of the great reformers during the period of the Reformation was John Knox. He is known as the father of the Scottish reformation and the Scottish Presbyterian Church. Just like in other parts of Europe, where the Reformation was spreading, it was a difficult process to see reform in the church take hold. This was primarily because there was no separation of church and state at this time and the royals resisted relinquishing control over the church. Through the brave leadership of John Knox and the support of a number of Scottish nobles, the church in Scotland was firmly established and it functioned independently of the royal family in England.

     The last years of Knox’s life was spent pastoring at St. Gile’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. He pastored there from 1560 until his death in 1572. Where is John Knox buried? You will find his burial plot underneath space 23 in a parking lot which is part of Parliament Square. It originally was the church yard next to St. Giles Cathedral. There is a small plaque, remembering him, in front of the parking space. The plaque states, “The above stone marks the approximate site of the burial in St Giles graveyard of John Knox, the great Scottish divine who died 24 Nov 1572.” The irony for us, when we visited this site, was seeing a car parked in space 23.

     Even though John Knox’s burial site is obscure, his fame is not. He is remembered in a number of ways in Scotland with statues and even the grammar school he attended bears his name. He is also part of the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland. Knox spent a period of time in Geneva, under the ministry of John Calvin. He was there during his exile from Scotland, having escaped after Mary Tudor ascended as queen.

     In spite of the strong foundation Knox established for the church in Scotland, it has experienced decline over the last century. Today, only 3% of the population attend church in Scotland. Just like John Knox’s burial site, the Christian faith has become marginalized, being overshadowed by a secular culture. This is not the end of the story. Genuine Christian faith is making a comeback in Scotland. There are two churches in Edinburgh I am aware of because of the partnership my home church has with these Scottish churches. These churches are Take Hold Church and Hope City Church. In recent weeks these two growing churches have seen attendance grow to the point that they both moved into larger venues to accommodate the people coming to their church. This is not unique to these two churches. There are other churches in Edinburgh experiencing a similar move of God in their midst.

     The gospel is not dead in Scotland. The message of hope and salvation in Christ is resonating with more and more of the people. John Knox’s body may be found under a parking space, but the gospel he proclaimed and suffered for is alive and growing in Scotland.

     Thank you to Adam Groh, from our tour group, who provided some valuable insights which made the trip more meaningful.