Today we started in Mt. Zion - classic example of how the 3 main religions work together here. At this one spot, because of the layers of history, it is thought that David's tomb was located and in the same spot,(in the basement) the Upper Room where the Last Supper was held. The Christians wanted the Upper room, the Jews wanted David's Tomb - the Jews bought the place from the Christians that owned the church, when the Pope at the time found out he told them to get it back - of course they did not want to give it back, they had a contract...so they went to a muslim judge, who ultimately said it was a stalemate and took it over using eminent domain. So, the both sites are now in a Mosque.
When Pope John Paul II came to visit he said he wanted to see the site of the last supper and he brought a beautiful art piece with him - an Olive tree with three main branches representing the 3 religions and with a wheat chaff and a grape vine wrapped around it symbolizing the Lord's Supper.
We next went to the Garden of Gethsamane - a grove of olive trees where Jesus went to pray - his disciples fell asleep on him - still not fully understanding what was to come. We had a short worship service here where we were asked to go pick a spot in the garden to pray and take a partner and pray for them. Very moving. Our group usually ends up in tears.
We next went to the Pools of Bethesda - people went to these pools because they thought they had healing powers when the water started bubbling up. There was a crippled man who went to the pools for 38 years - when the water bubbled up, he was never able to get to the water. Jesus came to the pool and asked the man if he wanted to be well - he told him to get up and pick up his mat. He was healed.
We have crossed the Via Dolorosa a number of times - it is the street that Jesus traveled, forced by Roman Soldiers, from where he was found guilty to where he was entombed. We have seen a number of the 14 Stations of the Cross in our travels but not in order! Each one of the areas where the events took place have got churches or chapels over them. Sometimes there are conflicting ideas of where the events took place.
Did you know (or ever wonder if) Jesus had grandparents!! He did! And of course where Mary's parents lived has been enshrined by a church - called the church of St. Anne - named for Grandma Ann - imagine how much she loved that little boy growing up!
We had lunch in an Austrian Monastery, which used to be an Austrian Hospice place (There were a lot of people who, in their final days would want to come to the Holy Land to die). Lunch was a nice change - Spaetzel and cheese with fried onion crisps on the top (mac and cheese) and a big old Austrian Apple Strudel! After lunch we went up on thee roof to take in the views (and may have started a group buying spree in tthe gift shop.
After lunch, we went through the Damascus gates and drove to the Garden Tomb.
Walking through the old town is an amazing experience - the streets are lined with market stalls, with everything from souvenirs, fruits and vegetables, clothes, candy, etc. The roads are narrow and crowded - and amazingly cars travel on them...you literally have to put your back to the wall to let them through.
The Garden Tomb is run by a nonprofit group of volunteers that takes care of the place and take people on tours. Beautiful gardens and great volunteer guides. We were taken to the place, Golgotha (skull) where Jesus was crucified between two others. It was a well trafficked area (which the Romans would have liked - after all, crucifixions were a way of keeping everyone in line) and had a mountain that looked like it had a skull - can you see the two eyes in the picture below? (some of the mountain has recently fallen away)
Nearby they found a number of tombs - this is the one that Jesus's body was prepared, wrapped in linens and placed on the slab. There was a round stone that covered the entrance of the grave, just like described in the Bible. (you can see that people have dropped slips of papers with prayers on them - they are everywhere in Jerusalem).
After we visited the tomb we went to a small chapel, sang, and shared communion.
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