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Home , Church of All Nations, Church of the Visitation, Ecce homo, Ecce Homo (exhibition), Russian Compound, Via Dolorosa

Walk to Spring 2021 Week 8 March 22-28 We had another great week this week. We had36 participants and walked 1280miles. Over the past 8 weeks we have had 60 participants and we walked a grand total of 8854 miles! The map below shows our progress through the end of week seven (purple line). We reached Jerusalem last week but didn’t have the time to do any exploration.

Jerusalem has more sacred places in one place than anywhere else in the world and the city’s holy sites are the biggest attractions in . Many of the places are important to several major religions. Jews, every denomination of Christians, , Muslims – all of them hold Jerusalem dear. Did you know that Muslims consider to be a great prophet? This week, I have arranged the sightseeing by days and where possible linked the days’ activities to the days of . For example, we will follow Jesus’ footsteps on Friday by following the , the week before . The Via Dolorosa is the road in the of Jerusalem where Jesus was lead in agony, carrying the crucifixion cross. The exception I made was for when we participated in the procession of palms re-enactment. On the earlier days of the week, we will visit other important sights. Monday On our sightseeing pilgrimage in Jerusalem, we stopped first at the , which is south of Jerusalem and overlooks the old city. Separated from the Eastern Hill (the and the ) by the Kidron Valley and Kidron Brook, the Mt. of Olives has always been an important feature in Jerusalem’s landscape. From the 3rd millennium B.C. until the present, this 2900-foot hill has served as one of the main burial grounds for the city. The two-mile long ridge has three summits each of which has a tower built on it. There was a nice shady place for us to rest, picnic and get an overview of Jerusalem. Jesus made many visits to the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37). In fact, it was typical for Him to go there when in the vicinity of Jerusalem (Luke 22:39). Every time Jesus visited Lazarus and Mary and , He was on the Mount of Olives, for their village of was situated on the eastern slope. The road from Bethany to Jerusalem lay over Mt. Olive. The records Jesus’ visiting the Mount of Olives three times in the last week of His earthly life, and each time something of significance happened. The first visit was recorded in :1—25:46., Mark 13:1–37 and Luke 21:5–36. Here Jesus responds to the disciples’ question “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?". Mount of Olives in current times Jesus’ teaching primarily concerned the future tribulation period and the of Christ at the end of the tribulation. His discourse included about those who wait for the Master’s coming—the wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45–51), the five wise virgins (:1–13), and the good servant who uses his resources wisely (Matthew 25:14–30). Jesus spent the first several days after Palm Sunday in the temple teaching people and calling out those who were sinful. Some of the Jewish leaders of the priests and scribes were unhappy with Jesus’ teachings and sought a way to get rid of Jesus (Luke 22:2–6). We will discuss the other two times Jesus visited the Mount of Olives on the appropriate day, with the second visit being discussed on Palm Sunday. Next, we visited The of the Sepluchre of Saint Mary, left, also called Tomb of the Virgin Mary, a Christian tomb in the Kidron Valley – at the foot of Mount of Olives– believed by Eastern Christians to be the burial place of Mary, the mother of Jesus. At right is a picture of the inside of the tomb. Roman Catholic teaching holds that Mary was "assumed" into heaven in bodily form, the Assumption; the question of whether or not Mary actually underwent physical death remains open in the Catholic view. On 25 June 1997 John Paul II said that Mary experienced natural death prior to her assumption into Heaven. A narrative known as the Euthymiaca Historia (written probably by Cyril of Scythopolis in the 5th century) relates how the Emperor Marcian and his wife, Pulcheria, requested the relics of the Virgin Mary from Juvenal, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, while he was attending the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. According to the account, Juvenal replied that, on the third day after her burial, Mary's tomb was discovered to be empty, only her shroud being preserved in the church of . In 452 the shroud was sent to Constantinople, where it was kept in the Church of Our Lady of Blachernae. Burial chamber is pictured left. Also in the area is the Church of , a located on the Mount of Olives, directly across the Kidron Valley from the Temple Mount and near the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. The church was built in 1888 by Tsar Alexander III and his brothers to honor their mother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. The church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, the companion of Jesus. According to the sixteenth chapter of the of Mark, Mary Magdalene was the first to see Christ after his resurrection (Mark 16:9). She is usually considered a crucial and important disciple of Jesus, and seemingly his primary female associate, along with , whom some believe to have been the same woman. The church is part of the Convent of St. Mary Magdalene, a sisterhood established in 1936 by an English convert and working under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

Tuesday Mary meets Elizabeth, at the Church of the Visitation, Left and Church of the Visitation, center On Tuesday we headed to , southwest of Jerusalem, which is famous for the Church of the Visitation, commemorating St. Mary's visit to St. Elizabeth to see her cousin after being told by the Holy Spirit that Elizabeth was pregnant and the Church of St. , commemorating St. John's birth: “In those days

Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Lk. 1:39-40).

Church of St. John the Baptist, left We also went to visit the of Jerusalem also known as the Wailing Wall. In the picture at left, the Western Wall is directly in front of you as you look at the picture. The Wailing Wall or Western Wall is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the "Western Wall". The wall was originally erected as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple begun by , which resulted in the encasement of the natural, steep hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount, in a huge rectangular structure topped by a flat platform, thus creating more space for the Temple itself, its auxiliary buildings, and crowds of worshipers and visitors. The Western Wall's holiness in Judaism is a result of its proximity to the Temple Mount. Because of the Temple Mount entry restrictions, the Wall is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray, though the Foundation Stone, the most sacred site in the Jewish faith, lies behind it. Of the four retaining walls, the western one is considered closest to the former Holy of Holies, which makes it the most sacred site recognized by Judaism outside the previous Temple Mount platform. The Western Wall has also been called the "Wailing Wall", referring to the practice of Jews weeping at the site over the destruction of the Temples. During the period of Christian Roman rule over Jerusalem (ca. 324–638), Jews were completely barred from Jerusalem except to attend Tisha B'Av, the day of national mourning for the Temples, and on this day the Jews would weep at their holy places. The term "Wailing Wall" was thus almost exclusively used by Christians, and was revived in the period of non-Jewish control between the establishment of British Rule in 1920 and the Six-Day War in 1967. The term "Wailing Wall" is not used by religious Jews, and increasingly not by many others who consider it derogatory.

Wednesday Aerial view of the Temple Mount, left On Wednesday we returned to the same area to explore further. For Christians, the Temple Mount is significant because the Jewish temple located here was where Jesus prayed daily & later preached with his disciples. The Temple Mount is a large, ancient, elevated platform in the Old City of Jerusalem with a multifaceted (and sometimes contentious) religious significance. Historically, it took its shape from the construction of the First and Second Jewish Temples. At its center today is the of the Rock, an ornate Islamic shrine was built in 691. The marks the spot of Abraham’s offering of Ishmael and the Prophet Mohammed heavenward ascent. It also covers the Foundation Stone, itself considered the holiest site in Judaism. The Dome of the Rock is adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, below left, also part of the Temple Mount. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. The mosque was built on top of the Temple Mount, known as the Al Aqsa Compound or Haram esh-Sharif in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad was transported from the Great Mosque of Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led towards this site until the 16th or 17th month after his migration from Mecca to Medina, when Allah directed him to turn towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Next, we went to see The Ascension Ædicule, pictured left, The Chapel/Mosque of the Ascension ’s second holiest site (after the Holy Sepulcher) is a very simple construction on the Mt. of Olives. The building marks the spot where Jesus ascended to Heaven. Jews believe it is the burial site of the prophetess Hulda, Muslims believe the mystic woman Rabia Al Adawiyeh is buried here, and Christian tradition says it is the tomb of St. Pelagia. Most Christian denominations agree that this is the site of Jesus’s ascension, but at least four other churches nearby claim the same honor: the Russian Church of the Ascension, The of Viri Galilei, the Roman of Pater Noster, and the Lutheran Church of the Ascension (in the courtyard of Augusta Victoria hospital).

Thursday: And Jesus spent the first several days after Palm Sunday in the temple teaching people and calling out those who were sinful. Some of the Jewish leaders of the priests and scribes were unhappy with Jesus’ teachings and sought a way to get rid of Jesus (Luke 22:2–6, 47-53).

As we went to the various places on Thursday, we entered via the shown left. Since old Jerusalem is a walled city, we entered via one of the five gates in the walls. We visited , the site of some especially important events in the Gospel, including the , the Institution of the Eucharist, and the Pentecost. It was in the Upper Room in this complex, or the Coenaculum, where “… he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise, the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk. 22:19-20). However, there is some dispute about whether this is the site or not for the Last Supper. Room of the Last Supper. Room of the Last Supper, Coenaculum, below left.

Jesus’ third visit to the Mount of Olives during the week of His passion was on the night He was betrayed. That evening began with the Last Supper in Jerusalem and ended in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. During that last Passover meal, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and then revealed there was a betrayer among those at the Passover meal (:1–30). At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus established the New Covenant and instituted the Lord’s Supper (:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Then He took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, below left, located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. There Jesus prayed in agony as He contemplated the day to come. So, overcome by the horror of what He was to experience in the crucifixion the following day that His sweat was “like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44) and sent an from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43). After Jesus prayed, arrived with a multitude of soldiers, high priests, , and servants to arrest Jesus. Judas identified Jesus by the prearranged signal of a kiss, which he gave to Jesus. The mob arrested Jesus and took Him to face trial, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives. Early Christian pilgrims located the Garden of Gethsemane, at the bottom of the slope of the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple Mount. Byzantine, Crusader, and a modern church were built on the site where it is believed that Jesus prayed to the Father hours before his crucifixion. It was during his time that some disciples could not stay awake, and that Jesus told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times before the cock crowed. The church of All Nations, also known as the Church of the Agony, left. The current church rests on the foundations of two earlier ones, that of a 4th-century Byzantine , destroyed by an earthquake in 746, and of a small 12th-century Crusader chapel abandoned in 1345. In 1920, during work on the foundations, a column was found two meters beneath the floor of the medieval crusader chapel. Fragments of a magnificent were also found. Following this discovery, the architect immediately removed the new foundations and began excavations of the earlier church. After the remains of the Byzantine-era church were fully excavated, plans for the new church were altered and work continued the current basilica from April 19, 1922 until June 1924 when it was consecrated. The modern Church of All Nations has a beautiful mosaic on its facade. Adjacent to the Church of All Nations is an ancient olive garden. Olive trees do not have rings and so their age cannot be precisely determined, but scholars estimate their age to anywhere between one and two thousand years old. It is unlikely that these trees were here in the time of Christ because of the report that the Romans cut down all the trees in the area in their siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. After the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection, Jesus once again stood on the Mount of Olives. During His final post-resurrection appearance, Jesus led His disciples “out to the vicinity of Bethany, [and] he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 22:50–52). Friday: Since we were in Jerusalem ending on Palm Sunday, we decided to walk the Via Dolorosa on Friday, the week before Good Friday. The Via Dolorosa is the road in the old city of Jerusalem where Jesus was lead in agony, carrying the crucifixion cross. There are a total of 14 stations along this path, based on events that occurred on the way to Golgotha or , on which the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built. Eight stations are marked along the old city road, while 6 additional stations are places in the compound of the church. You will note this diagram of the path taken by Jesus on the way to his crucifixion contains an n additional two stations beyond the 12 currently used in Catholic Churches.

The Via Dolorosa starts from the place where Jesus was tried and convicted. It ends in the crucifixion place, Golgotha, where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is on the west side of the old city. The path is shown (in a bright blue dots) on the diagram above. The Via Dolorosa is based on the model of the Byzantine city, with the numbers representing the . Following this path was very moving and we saw many more important sites than can be posted here. Of course, we started with Station one. Stations 1 and 2 commemorate the events of Jesus' encounter with , the former in memorial of the biblical account of the trial and Jesus' subsequent scourging, and the latter in memorial of the speech, attributed by the to Pilate. On the site are three early 19th-century Roman Catholic churches, taking their names from these events: the Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross, Church of the Flagellation, (pictured left), and Church of Ecce Homo. A large area of Roman paving, beneath these structures, was traditionally regarded as the pavement described by as the location of Pilate's judgment of Jesus. Originally there were three arches across the road, but these have been incorporated into the buildings beside the road. First Station: Franciscan friars begin the Friday observance in the courtyard of the Al-Omariyyeh College left. About 1000 feet west of St Stephen’s or Lions’ Gate, steps lead up to the courtyard of Umariyya School. Here the First Station is commemorated. The southern end of the courtyard offers a view overlooking the Temple Mount. Station One: Jesus is condemned to death. The chief difficulty in determining Jesus’ path to Calvary is that nobody really knows the site of Pontius Pilate’s , where Jesus was condemned to death and given his cross to carry through the streets. There are three possible locations: 1) Herod the Great’s or Citadel, which dominated the Upper City. The remains of the Citadel complex, with its (erected long after King David’s time), are just inside the present . This is the most likely location. 2) The , a vast military garrison built by Herod the Great north of the Temple compound and with a commanding view of the Temple environs. The Umariyya School, now the location of the first Station of the Cross, is believed to stand on part of its site. 3) The Palace of the Hasmoneans built before Herod’s time to house the rulers of . It was probably located midway between Herod’s Palace and the Temple, in what is today the Jewish Quarter. In the immediate area of the Antonia Fortress is the Ecce Homo Arch, reaching across the Via Dolorosa. It is named after the famous phrase (“” in ) spoken by Pilate when he showed the scourged Jesus to the crowd (:5). But the arch was built after Jesus stood before Pilate. Second Station: Jesus takes up his cross, in Chapel of the Condemnation (Tom Callinan/Seetheholyland.net) Then we moved on to Station Two: Jesus takes up the cross.

Second Station: Ecce Homo Arch over Via Dolorosa, with Sisters of Zion convent at right Adjacent to the arch is the Ecce Homo Convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Zion (the entrance is near the corner of the Via Dolorosa and a narrow alley called Adabat el-Rahbat, or The Nuns Ascent). Second Station: Roman soldiers’ game in Lithostrotos pavement under Zion Sisters convent (© Custodia Terrae Sanctae)

Underneath the convent, we visited visit stone pavers which were once claimed to be the stone pavement, where Pilate had his judgement seat (John 19:13). Across the street from Umariyya School is a Franciscan compound containing the Chapel of the Flagellation and the Chapel of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross.

Interior view: Imposition of the Cross above the altar, left in the Chapel of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross.

The Chapel of the Flagellation is notable for its stained-glass windows behind the altar and on either side of the sanctuary. They show Pilate washing his hands; Jesus being scourged; and expressing joy at his release. On the ceiling above the altar, a mosaic on a golden background depicts the pierced by stars. Jesus takes up his cross, in Chapel of the Condemnation (Tom Callinan/Seetheholyland.net) left

We continued to Station Three: Jesus falls the first time. The site of the first fall is located at the west end of the eastern fraction of the Via Dolorosa, adjacent to the 19th-century Polish Catholic Chapel—below right); this chapel was constructed by the Armenian Catholics, who though ethnically Armenian, are based in . The 1947– 48 renovations, to the 19th-century chapel, were carried out with the aid of a large financial grant from the Polish army. Above the entrance, a stone relief of Jesus falling with his cross marks the Third Station. Inside, a similar image is watched by shocked . Next, we proceeded to Station Four: Jesus meets his mother.

Sculpture depicting Jesus meeting his Mother. The Fourth Station is now commemorated adjacent to the Third Station. Until 2008 this Station was commemorated a further 82 feet along Al- Wad Road. We all recognize the pain and suffering of Jesus during his beatings, then hauling the cross and his crucifixion, but this picture reminds us of his mothers’ suffering also. The stone relief marking the Station is over the doorway to the courtyard of an . In the crypt are a strikingly attractive adoration chapel and part of a mosaic floor from a 5th-century church. In the center of the mosaic is depicted a pair of sandals, said to represent the spot where the suffering Mary was standing.

We continued walked along the route to the Fifth Station: Cyrus of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross. Pictures below from the Franciscan Chapel dedicated to Simon od Cyrene.

Along Al- About 80 feet further along Wad Road, the Via Dolorosa turns right. At the corner, the lintel over a doorway of the Chapel of Simon the Cyrenian. A Latin inscription marking the site where Simon, a visitor from present-day Libya, became involved in Jesus’ Passion. The Franciscan chapel here, dedicated to Simon the Cyrenian, is on the site of the ’ first house in Jerusalem, in 1229. An inscription, in the lintel of one of the Chapel doors, references the event mentioned in the according to Mark, Mathew and Luke.

We continued onto Station Six: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. The Via Dolorosa now becomes a narrow, stepped street as it wends its way uphill. About 328 feet on the left, a wooden door with studded metal bands indicates the Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church of St Veronica. According to tradition, the face of Jesus was imprinted on the cloth she used to wipe it. A cloth described as Veronica’s veil is reported to have been kept in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome since the 8th century.

Sixth Station: Column imbedded in wall recalls tradition that Veronica wiped Jesus’ face here.

We continued along the route to the Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time.

Seventh Station: Relief depicting Jesus’ second fall, in one of the chapels at the Station (Seetheholyland.net)

About 245 feet further uphill, at the junction of the Via Dolorosa with Souq Khan al-Zeit, two Franciscan chapels, one above the other, mark the Seventh Station. Inside the lower chapel is a large stone column, part of the colonnaded Maximus, the main street of Byzantine Jerusalem, which ran from north to south. The position of this Station marks the western boundary of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time. It is believed he left the city here, through the Garden Gate, on his way to Calvary.

We then moved on to Station Eight: Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem. Across Souq Khan al-Zeit and about 65 feet up a narrower street, is the Eighth Station.The Eighth station commemorates an episode described by the , alone among the canonical gospels, in which Jesus encounters pious women on his journey, and is able to stop and give a sermon. However, prior to the 15th century the final station in Jesus' walk was believed to occur at a point earlier on the Via Dolorosa, before this location would have been reached. The present eighth station is adjacent to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Charalampus; it is marked by the letters IC XC / Nika carved into the wall, and an embossed cross. On the wall of a Greek Orthodox monastery, beneath the number marker is a carved stone set at eye level. It is distinguished by a Latin cross flanked by the Greek letters IC XC NI KA (meaning “Jesus Christ conquers”). The eighth station is recounted only in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 23:27-28). Jesus tells the daughters of Jerusalem to weep for themselves and not for him. The eighth station is marked by the Greek word Nika (victory) carved in the wall with a cross. It is next to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Charalampus. Painting of Saint Charalampus seen in the Greek Orthodox Monastery named for the Saint, left.

Next, we continued to Station Nine: Jesus falls the third time.

We retraced our steps back towards the Seventh Station and turn right along Souq Khan al-Zeit. Less than 380 feet on the right is a flight of 28 wide stone steps. At the top, we made a left turn along a winding lane for about 262 feet which leads to the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, where the shaft of a Roman pillar to the left of the entrance marks Jesus’ third fall. Nearby is the Coptic Chapel of St Helen. The ninth station is signified by the black disc on the wall (see pictures left and closer view , right). In the background is the entree to the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate. The alley is parallel to and south of the Via Dolorosa. To the left of the pillar, three steps lead to a terrace that is the roof of the Chapel of St Helena in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here, in a cluster of primitive cells, live a community of Ethiopian Orthodox monks. Chapel of St Helena Interior views of the Chapel of St. Helena

The last five Stations of the Cross are situated inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Station Ten is where Jesus was stripped of his garments. The church has been a major destination since its creation in the fourth century, as the traditional site of the resurrection of Christ, thus its original Greek name, Church of the Anastasis ('Resurrection'). Today, the wider complex around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre also serves as the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, while control of the church itself is shared among several Christian denominations and secular entities in complicated arrangements essentially unchanged for over 160 years, and some for much longer. The main denominations sharing property over parts of the church are the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic, and to a lesser degree the Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox churches. We proceed to go on the terrace and entered the second small door on the right which leads into the Ethiopians’ upper chapel. Steps at the back descend to the lower chapel, where a door gives access to the courtyard of the Holy Sepulchre basilica. As we proceed, we return along the winding lane and stone steps to Souq Khan al-Zeit, turning right after about 130 feet into Souq al-Dabbagha. After about 262 feet, bearing to the right, is a small archway with the words “Holy Sepulchre” which leads into the church courtyard. To the right inside the main door of the church, 19 steep and curving steps lead up to the chapels constructed above the rock of Calvary. The five Stations inside the church are not specifically marked.

Tenth Station: Interior of Chapel of the Franks, where the Tenth Station is located After ascending the steps inside the door, immediately on the right was a window looking into a small worship space called the Chapel of the Franks (a name traditionally given to the Franciscans). Here, in what was formerly an external entrance to Calvary, the Tenth Station is located.

XI: Jesus is nailed to the cross The Catholic Chapel of the Nailing to the Cross, in the right nave on Calvary, is the site of the Eleventh Station. On its ceiling is a 12th-century medallion of the — the only surviving Crusader mosaic in the church. Next, we headed to the Catholic Chapel on Calgary floor to see the Eleventh Station which commemorates the Nailing of Jesus to the cross. A painting behind the Franciscan altar in the chapel commemorated the event since Calgary is outside of the city walls.

Next, we went to see the Twelfth Station representing Jesus’ death on the cross. The much more ornate Greek Orthodox Chapel of the Crucifixion, in the left nave of Calvary which commemorates Death which also would have happened on Calgary. A silver disc beneath the altar marks the place where it is believed the cross of Christ stood. We were able to touch the limestone rock of Calvary through a round hole in the disc. Twelfth Station: Close-up of figure of Christ in Chapel of the Crucifixion)

XIII: Jesus is taken down from the cross Between the Catholic and Greek chapels, a Catholic altar of , depicting Mary with a sword piercing her heart, commemorates the Thirteenth Station.

According to tradition, the body of Jesus was laid on this stone after removed from the cross. As per John 19: 40: “Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury”. In the photo below: the stone of anointing (unction) greets the visitors, who kneel, pray, and kiss the stone. Above the stone are lamps, each donated by one of the denominations.

And finally, we arrive at Station Fourteen; Jesus is laid in the tomb We headed to another flight of steep stairs at the left rear of the Greek chapel which led us back to the ground floor. Downstairs and to the left, under the center of the vast dome of the church, is a stone monument called an aedicule (“little house”), its entrance flanked by rows of huge candles. This is the Tomb of Christ, the Fourteenth Station of the Cross. This stone monument encloses the tomb (sepulchre) where it is believed Jesus lay buried for three days — and where he rose from the dead-on Sunday morning. While our walk itself was not all that long in terms of actual steps, walking the Via Dolorosa was emotional taxing. Each of us needed some time to process the day and so we left, each to do what would help us most in processing this day.

Saturday On Saturday, we spent time exploring various sites of the cities. We first went to the . Running south from the Citadel, Armenian Patriarchate Road is the main street of the Old City's tiny Armenian Quarter. Within the narrow lanes here are the St. James Cathedral and St. Mark's Chapel, which receive much fewer visitors than others in the Old City. Armenians have been part of Jerusalem's community for centuries, first arriving in the city during the 5th century. Many more arrived during the Ottoman era and after the Armenian massacres in Turkey during the early 20th century. This is the Old City's most tranquil corner to explore and was a good place to wander if the press of pilgrims gets too much. Next, we headed to the Citadel (Tower of David) and Surrounds. Citadel (Tower of David) and Surrounds, pictured left. The Citadel, popularly known as the Tower of David, has no connection with David, having been erected by King Herod to protect the palace he built in approximately 24 BC. His original citadel had three towers named after his brother Phasael, his wife Mariamne, and his friend Hippicus. After ' conquest of the city in AD 70, the Romans stationed a garrison here, but later the citadel fell into disrepair. It was successively rebuilt by the Crusaders, 's Mamelukes, and Turks, during their years of reign over Jerusalem. The building we saw now was built in the 14th century on the foundations of the original Phasael Tower. Inside is the Tower of David Museum, which relays the story of Jerusalem. A permanent display of archaeological exhibits can be viewed, along with temporary exhibitions that explore facets of Jerusalem's culture and heritage. We climbed up to the citadel's rooftop, we were rewarded with one of the best Old City vistas in town. We headed back there in the evening for a Sound and Light show, with visuals projected onto the city walls.

Next, we wandered into the Muslim Quarter. The most bustling and alive district is the Muslim Quarter, which is home to the best souk shopping in the Old City. This district roughly runs from through the northeast chunk of the Old City. Plenty of fine surviving remnants of Mamluk architecture line the streets here, including the 14th-century Khan al-Sultan (Bab al- Silsila Street), where we climbed up to the roof for excellent views across the higgledy-piggledy lanes. Then we wandered down Antonia Street, where we came to the beautiful Crusader-built St. Anne's Church (believed to be built on top of the site of the house of the Virgin Mary's parents) and the Pool of Bethesda next door. The picture right is of the central apse and the main altar. St. Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary. Built between 1131 and 1138 to replace a previous Byzantine church, and shortly thereafter enlarged by several meters, the church is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.[2] The three-aisled basilica incorporates cross-vaulted ceilings and pillars, clear clean lines and a somewhat unadorned interior. The nave is separated from the lower lateral aisles by arcades of arches. We spent some time there in prayer. Next, we headed to the central city. From the Old City's Jaffa Gate, and entered Jerusalem's modern central city district with running northwest to Bar Kochba Square and Zion Square. Northeast from Bar Kochba Square, we could see the Russian Compound, dominated by the green-domed Russian Orthodox Cathedral. This area grew up in the late 19th century as a large walled complex for Russian pilgrims. On the northeast side of the complex were the Russian consulate and a hospice for women, to the southwest were a hospital, the mission house, and a large hospice for men that lies beyond the cathedral. The buildings are now occupied by various government institutions. North from there was Ethiopia Street, where we found the Ethiopian Church. The reliefs of lions above the doorway recall the style of Lion of Judah borne by the Abyssinian dynasty, which traced its origins back to the Queen of Sheba. Further north from Ethiopia Street is the district, home to a community of ultra-orthodox Jews. There modest dress (covering arms and legs) was mandatory and taking photographs of inhabitants was not allowed. The people of Mea Shearim still wear their old East European dress and speak mostly Yiddish. Some extreme groups refuse to recognize the state of Israel because it was not established by the Messiah and regard themselves as a ghetto of true orthodoxy within the Jewish state. South from Jaffa Road was the Time Elevator (Hillel Street), a child-friendly introduction to Jerusalem's history, and the Museum of Italian Jewish Art & Synagogue, with an extensive collection of Judaica. It was a good day to see more of the city. Sunday, Palm Sunday: This entry is not sequential to the other visits to the Mount of Olives because Palm Sunday is really before the start of Holy Week, not at the end of Holy week. Since our week in Jerusalem start on Mondays, we see this second visit by Jesus to Bethany on Palm Sunday and it is called the triumphal entry. The donkey Jesus rode that day was found near Bethany and Bethphage, on the east side of the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:29–30). Then, “when he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen” (verse 37). While still on the Mount of Olives, Jesus looked at the vista in front of Him, wept over the city, and pronounced a judgment against it (verses 41–44). On Palm Sunday we joined in the annual re-enactment of the procession of Palms in Jerusalem. We started our day at the picturesque village Ein Kerem, where we had seen the Church of Visitation and the Church of John the Baptist at the very beginning of our week. This is where Jesus acquired the donkey colt. We walked to the Mount of Olives where we joined the annual Palm Sunday procession that follows the steps of Jesus down the Mountain and through the Kidron Valley to the ancient city of Jerusalem. All of us along with the other participants carried palm branches which we laid down in front of Jesus. This was the traditional way of welcoming a king into the city. We and the other participants kept crying out:” Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord. Blessed is the Kingdom of our father David that is to come. Hosanna in the highest. Along the way, we passed the remarkable, tear-shaped Church of Dominus Flevit, the Garden of Gethsemane, and Basillica of Agony. We entered the Old City through the Lion’s Gate, and the procession continued along the Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus is said to have walked between his condemnation by Pontius Pilate and his Crucifixion and Burial. The procession ends at the Church of St. Anne, which we saw yesterday in the Muslim District. Afterwards we attended Mass in English at the Notre Dame Center. Later that evening we headed to the airport for a flight home to Columbia. I hope you have enjoyed our pilgrimage and we join us on future events. Your Tour Director, Kathy Scharer