Monday, March 24, 2014

Sacred Sites in Jerusalem

Located on top of Mt. Zion, just outside the walls of Jerusalem, is a place referred to as Coenaculum, translated  “dining room”, the location of the Last Supper.

Tradition tells us that Jesus celebrated the Passover with his apostles in Jerusalem, and we celebrate his last meal on Holy Thursday.   

As you can well imagine, Coenaculum was on our list of important places to visit while in Jerusalem. 

Finding the stairway that led to the upper room  wasn’t all that easy, though.  It is located on the top floor over the tomb of King David.  

No worries here!    We were in Jerusalem….where help is always within arm's reach, even if you don't need it….for just a small price.

We had just visited the tomb of David where protocol demands that all heads, male or female, must be covered in order to enter the room.  If you recall from my earlier blog, women and men have separate entrances to see David's tomb.  I merely pulled my scarf over my head to act as a covering.  Marty, on the other hand, was wearing a knit cap on his head which apparently didn't cut it as a head covering.  At least that is what he told me the Arab at the door told him. 

In order to enter the tomb, he needed to wear a head covering that was approved by the Arab standing at the door.  (Are you surprised by this?)

For just 2 shekels, Marty was able to “borrow” a cap from the Arab.   (I shudder to think who was wearing it before he popped it on his head).  After a quick peek in the tomb, upon returning the cap, the Arab was excited to lead us personally to the hidden steps that led to the upper room.

Now I ask, how lucky was that?


Although the present interior is from the Crusader Church built on this site, archeological evidence on the lower floor revealed an early Roman level that supports the possibility that this was indeed the location of the room of the Last Supper.

The room itself, over time, has been a Byzantine Church, a Crusader Church , and a mosque.




The mosque influence is reflected in these gorgeous windows, built during the Ottoman empire




  and  a prayer nitch,  dedicated to King David,  is carved into one of the walls.


 This room is also believed to be the spot where the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles during the first Pentecost.

But on this day,  the most fascinating aspect of the room was this cat


 who continued to stay fast asleep on this bench, despite the coming and going of tourists through the place.  He must have been pretty comfy to not even twitch at all of the commotion going on in the room. 

When we walked out of the door and down the stairs, I heard someone telling their family,  "the entrance has to be here somewhere!"   I have to admit, it made me feel good to know that we weren't alone regarding our difficulty in finding this place.  I wonder if the Arab was able to help them?

If we step back in time to Jesus' Passover Supper and the subsequent events that followed,  the location of this upper room fits right in with the geography of the area.  He would merely have walked with his disciples a short distance, down a hill


through a valley and into the Garden of Gethsemane.


Marty and I made the walk ourselves.  As we got closer to the garden entrance, we could see the Arabs lurking in the street, eager for the opportunity to sell us a rosary or a scarf, or help us whichever way possible…...for a price, of course. 

This is where our past experience with tour groups came to our advantage.   We weren't far from the entrance when a tour bus pulled up in front of the nearby church.

Now, how lucky was that?

The group disembarked from the bus, we tagged onto the end, and within a few minutes, we were through the entrance….Arab free!    Success!  

We were in the Garden of Gethsemane surrounded by ancient olive trees.



We made our way past the tour and wandered over to a large rock, near the garden, nestled in a corner near the church.


I found myself drawn to this rock, and as I got closer, could make out the carving.


It was a small sculpture of Jesus, praying in the garden, cut into this stone.  There was no explanation as to who carved it, or why it was in this particular stone.  It was located within short distance of the olive trees in the garden.  

Turning around, I could easily imagine the apostles falling asleep under those nearby trees. 

Mark 14: 32: "And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray".

In fact, as I stood at this spot, I had a strong sensation that I was in the place where Jesus would have prayed.  I felt lured to the spot, and an unusual calmness came over me.  I was perfectly content to just sit and take in my surroundings.  It was certainly an unexpected reaction on my part.   Considering how many religious sites that we had visited, I had not anticipated that this particular site would be any different than the others.  But there was definitely something calling to me here.

Marty and I sat for quite awhile on the adjacent stone bench, comfortably enjoying the solitude on this glorious day.  

Suddenly, I realized that the tour groups weren't flocking in this direction.

How very odd.  This was contrary to every tour experience that we had been privy to while in Jerusalem.

Let me assure you that I’m not complaining…….I was happy to have the solitude to reflect upon Jesus’  Agony in the garden.  This was an opportunity that would never come again and I wanted to soak up the feeling so that it wouldn't be forgotten.

It wasn't long before we decided that we should move on, so we worked our way through the tour groups to the entrance of the Church of the Agony.


The front of the church features a magnificent mosaic on the front.


I'm not certain how clearly you can see the detail, but if you are able to look at my flickr photos, it will be much clearer. Jesus is in the middle, weeping over the fate of Jerusalem.  Above him are two Greek Letters that stand for the Alpha and the Omega.  Revelation 1:8

On the left side, a man holds a tablet with the inscription Ignoratio, meaning Ignorance, symbolizing that the people of Jerusalem were ignorant of their fate.

Walking into the church, my eyes were immediately drawn to the huge mosaic featuring Jesus praying on a rock, flanked by Olive trees.



Here's a closeup of the mosaic on the wall.


At the foot of the altar, there is a large, flat rock on the floor.  Pilgrims were kneeling, bending over and touching the rock in prayer.  Suddenly, I understood why the tours were not being guided near the spot outside that had captured my attention.  

This rock near the altar has been designated as the spot where it is believed that Jesus prayed.  
Obviously, historians must have some evidence to substantiate this claim.  And I don't dare to suggest that I possess some sort of ability to predict whether or not Jesus did pray on this spot.

But, having just experienced the intense attraction that I had outside near the garden, and absolutely no reaction at this spot, I will dare to say that I am skeptical.  

Let me just clarify here that I did not go into this pilgrimage with the intent of having some intense religious experience.  As a matter of fact, I found it very difficult in most places to actually reflect upon the events as Jesus would have lived, primarily due to the masses and the annoying Arabs around every corner.

I can only convey my emotions, and I can quite honestly tell you that when I sat outside near the rock with the carving, I experienced an indescribable emotion…..sorrow….yet comfort.  Sadness…but joy.  I've never had such an intense feeling before.  And it was certainly NOT happening inside that church.  

But the rock certainly seemed to offer a significant religious experience to the many pilgrims who ventured to pray there.  And that in itself, is worth noting.  

Continuing through the church, there is a mosaic on the left side of the altar that features Jesus' betrayal by Judas.


On the right , the mosaic features Peter cutting off the Roman Soldier’s ear



This Church of the Agony is also recognized as the Church of All Nations since many countries contributed to its building.  In the ceiling are 12 capes, each dedicated to one of the nations that contributed to its construction.




The seals of the various countries are located in the corners of these capes. Here you can see the emblem for the United States among the Olive tree branches. 



Really, one could stand there for quite some time looking up at the beauty of the ceiling, except a crook in the neck would be inevitable.

The outside of the Basilica  is impressive in size


and its setting is perfect….at the foot of the Mount of Olives, among gardens filled with Olive Trees.





Truly a memorable and unforgettable experience.  

Looking past the tour busses and the crowds of people wearing colored hats and white sneakers, this really is the unspoiled land from the time of Jesus.  There are no skyscrapers or modern buildings to divert one's attention.  

This is holy ground, and Marty and I had the privilege of standing on it.  Certainly a memory not soon forgotten.

Walking back out of the gardens, it was easy to spot St. Peter-in-Gallicantu Church on Mt. Zion,  once the Palace of Caiaphas where Jesus would have been taken after his arrest.

It was from here that Jesus would be taken into Jerusalem for his final walk to Calvary.














Sunday, March 23, 2014

Climbing the Hills of Nazareth

I'll admit, that title does sound a bit dramatic.  But if you were in Nazareth, you'd agree with my choice of words.

High atop a hill, overlooking the Old City of Nazareth, is the Basilica of Jesus the Adolescent.


Can you see the tallest building,  at the top of the hill, nearly at the center of the photo with the roof looking as if it is nearly touching the clouds?

When we arrived on Monday,  we decided that it was worth at least trying to hike up the hill to check out this basilica together.  Not being the least bit familiar with the city, this type of adventure was way out of this gallivanting gal's league.

So, we grabbed the map of Nazareth that the hotel receptionist had given us, walked down to Paulus VI Street, and attempted to figure out the best route to the top of the hill.

The map featured a blue dotted line that zig and zagged its way back and forth, starting near where we were standing, and ending near our destination.  It was marked on the map as the Pilgrim Route. 

Well, that seemed like a plan!  You could consider us Pilgrims……right?

So, we began walking up hill through the maze of narrow streets lined with high stone walls on either side, confident in our direction as we passed one landmark after another that was printed on the map.

Then we came to a spot where we just weren't certain which way to go.  We noticed that one set of steps featured a hand rail with a distinctive blue pattern along the walls.  


Since the route on the map was blue, it certainly made sense to us to follow this path and hope that it led us to our destination.

After several sets of stairs, each getting subsequently steeper, it was obvious that this hike was not going to be easy as the map implied.  Even Marty made the comment that the trail looked great on paper….that was FLAT!

I had to stop and catch my breath at several stops along the way.  Just when I was sure that we were near our destination……there would be another set of steps, leading left or leading right.

We were nearly at the top when I spotted this unusual plant on a porch along the pilgrim route. I used the excuse of taking a photo to catch my breath for a few minutes.


Isn't that unique?  I'd never seen anything quite like it, and I found it interesting that the bloom would be so large in comparison to the small pot.

We were finally at the top of the Pilgrim Route, but we still had  a bit of a climb to the entrance of the Basilica grounds. 


Passing through the gate, we found ourselves in front of a school dedicated to Don Bosco, the founder of the Salesian order who built the church.  The school was once an orphanage, built in 1902.    Several  years later, a Frenchman by the name of Caron donated a large sum of money for the construction of a church next to the orphanage, thereby establishing the Basilica.


It was even more impressive up close than from a distance!

We headed up the stairs to the entrance way only to find the doors locked!

Really?  I had just huffed and puffed my way up a ridiculous zig-zagging trail, and the doors were locked?

You can be darn certain that I was NOT happy!   Particularly since I had made certain of the visiting hours, and we were well within the time period when it should have been open.  

But what were we to do?

Might as well take some photos of the exterior


And the view over the city from the top of the stairs.


Is that amazing or what?  You are gazing upon the hills of Nazareth.  The view in itself was worth the effort.

While I was still grumbling about our luck, Marty spotted a workman on the grounds and asked him if it was possible to go into the church to pray.  He directed us around the back of the building, and said something about walking through a long hall in order to get in the back entrance.

We were finally able to figure out that the man had directed us to walk through the school, and down a hall to the side entrance of the church. School was not in session, so there was no problem with us entering the building and making our way down the very long hall to the open door leading to the church.

I walked through the door, looked up, and was immediately awed by what I saw.


You need to see it closer to really appreciate it.


Actually, I think that you had to be there to really appreciate it, but let's face it, this will have to suffice for now.

On the opposite wall, above the doors, beautiful glass windows gleamed in the sunlight.



leaving the church, I spotted this lovely window above the side door.


We headed back out of the building the way that we had entered.

We certainly could not pass on the opportunity of taking a photo together overlooking the hills of Nazareth.


And, of course, we needed one with the Basilica behind us to prove that we actually made the hike.


Walking back down the blue Pilgrim trail offered views that I missed while panting on the way up.


And I noticed that the alleyways on the way back down looked far more enchanting than on the climb up to the top!


We had managed to make the hike, no worse for the wear.

By now, it was nearly time for dinner, so we set out to find a place to eat.

That was when we discovered that even in Israel, some restaurants celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  I honestly don't think that the people have a clue regarding the story of St. Patrick.

But, really, why should we care?  It was certainly an interesting experience, and if you read my earlier blog about the festivities,  you must agree that the evening was extremely entertaining!











Thursday, March 20, 2014

St. Peter in Gallicantu

As Marty and I were making our way to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem,  I spotted the sign for St. Peter in Gallicantu along the way, and was curious as to what it could be.  Since it was Sunday, the church was closed, but we decided that we would head out to see it early on Monday, prior to departing from Jerusalem.

The church is actually located on Mt. Zion, across from the Dormition Monastery, outside the Old City Walls of Jerusalem.


Are you curious about the name, St. Peter-in-Gallicantu?

According to tradition, this church sits on what was once the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas,  where Jesus was brought to jail right after his arrest.

The name Gallilcantu translates "cocks crow" and the church is named after the event where Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, before the cock crowed twice. 

Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

There certainly is no denying the symbolism related to the name of this church: The cupola is adorned with a gold rooster


Upon entering the grounds, the direction of the entrance is portrayed by a rooster


and there is a statue in the plaza that depicts the scene involving Peter.


The inscription reads a part from Luke 22: 57: "But he denied him, saying: Woman, I know him not".

The lower crypt is built into the rock where the palace would have stood, and beneath it are caves, one of which is believed to have been the prison where Jesus was held after his arrest.   We were able to walk down into this area to view the site personally, but there was a tour in front of us, and another behind us, so time was limited.

The lower church, surrounded on three sides by the original rock, features icons representing the denial by Peter.


Here you see Jesus arrested, the denying Peter and the cock in the background.


Peter weeping after he realizes what he has done


And, finally, this icon represents Jesus asking Peter if he loves Him.  John 21:17.


As simple as the lower crypt was, the upper church was quite the opposite, covered with mosaics from top to bottom.

The cupola ceiling featured an awesome stained glass cross 


I zoomed in on the middle circle since it doesn't photograph well from a distance.


The sanctuary features the arrest of Jesus at the palace.


 Here is a closer shot at the detail


and take note of the top of this mosaic


You see the cross, held up by angels, with a haloed figure, holding his head in sadness.

 A mosaic on a side altar shows Jesus being presented to Caiaphas.



Even the exterior of the building featured mosaics that represented that fateful day.


I found it quite interesting that this church separated the two events, with Peter's denial being recognized in the crypt church, and the presentation of Jesus at Caiaphas' Palace in the main church.

Separate, but the same.  Quite telling, for sure. 

Now, there is an interesting aspect about this visit that cannot be ignored.

Would you believe, that as we were walking past this church on Sunday,  a rooster was crowing?  

I kid you not.

That was what caught my attention to begin with.  I heard the sound, turned my head, and spotted the church. At the time, I had no idea what Peter in Galliantu meant.  I had presumed that it meant Peter in Chains, pertaining to his arrest. 

So, no one was more surprised that I to find out the real meaning behind the word.

And then, as we approached the church on Monday, we heard the cock's crow, loud and clear, as we walked down the pathway.  We actually thought it was pretty funny that, somewhere nearby, lives a rooster that brings to life the whole event that happened over 2000 years ago. 

Now, some may scoff at this, or call it coincidence, but I can assure you that at no other time during our visit to Jerusalem did we encounter a rooster.  It certainly makes the entire experience that much more interesting, don't you think?