Jerusalem Continued

Today is Monday, November 7. Our day began as most days on the trip: wake up at 6:30, breakfast at 7, leave at 8. Departing the hotel we made our way to The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu - a Roman Catholic church located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion, just outside the Old City. According to tradition, this was the place of the palace of high priest Caiaphas, where Jesus was brought to jail after his arrest. On the basement of the church is an array of caves. These were cut into the rock under the houses of the ancient city. According to the tradition, these caves included a jail where Jesus was held after his arrest. On the north side of the church is an ancient staircase that leads to the valley of Kidron. It is perhaps the passage from the upper city to the lower city Jesus walked during his night of persecution. The church takes its name from the Latin word "Gallicantu", meaning cock-crow. This is in commemoration of Peter's triple rejection of Jesus "... before the cock crows thrice." (Mark 14:30)

During our visit to the church we visited the caves and the pit. Reading various scriptures in the church, the pit, and the courtyard provided us with material for reflection and meditation.

Leaving the church we made our way to the Garden tomb located north of the Damascus gate. Entering the gardens we entered a world of quiet and peace in the midst of the noisy world surrounding the garden. Our tour guide was British – appropriate since the Garden Tomb Association is a British private charity. His name was Roy. He was quite engaging. He and his wife spend 3 months volunteering in Jerusalem. He pointed out a barren knoll next to the Garden that fits the description of Golgotha. In 1885, British General Charles Gordon recorded after visiting the place that he saw what looked to him like a knoll in the shape of a skull. In the garden is a tomb carved out of solid rock. We visited the tomb. Inside, it had a wailing room and two chambers. Roy told us that when Joseph of Arimethea came home and told his wife that Jesus had been buried in their tomb, she said, “How could you allow this to happen? Our tomb?” He replied, “Don’t worry, it’s just for the weekend!”

After visiting the tomb, we made our way to an area where we could observe communion. We began by singing a verse of “Because He Lives” followed by a verse of “The Old Rugged Cross”. A service had been put together by Mike Watts. Phill and Jim Bross carried out the service – sharing the elements – and sharing words from scripture and from the Didache. We closed by holding hands and singing “Bless be the Tie” as well as other favorites.

We had lunch together at the Ramat Rachel Hotel (Jerusalem’s version of Morrison’s). You could get chicken schnitzel or various other meats, a salad, etc. It was very good. We had a relaxing meal which gave us the opportunity to meet some of the folks we have been traveling with.

Following lunch it was off to the Mount of Olives - East of Jerusalem and across the Kidron Valley from the Temple Mount. At our drop-off point – there was an opportunity to ride a camel – some did it! It appeared the camel was not very happy.

Going down a rather steep hill, we arrived at an area where we could have a seat – the Temple Mount was in front of us – the Kidron Valley below. Peter shared information about the area and quizzed us on locations we had previously visited – most of them we could see from where we were sitting. He also shared a reading from a book by Jonathan Sacks.

According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear here and bring the dead back to life. Therefore, the hillside became the holiest cemetery. The hillside is covered by thousands of grave stones. In front of the Golden Gate which has been closed with bricks is the Muslim cemetery.

Jesus went up onto the Mount of Olives many times. He would have traveled over it making his way to Bethany. The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry (Luke 19:28-44) begins on the Mount of Olives. It is also here that Jesus wept for Jerusalem. On the site is the Church of Tears commemorating this moment. On the outside of the church there are tear jars – one in each corner. The church is also made of chalk – the discoloration makes the church appear to be crying. Leaving the church, we walked downhill on the road called the “Hosanna Road” – in commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry. This road took us to the Garden of Gesemane.

Gethsemane literally means “oil press”. Even though we call it a garden, it really was an olive orchard, as it is today. Some of the olive trees we saw were hundreds of years old! It was in this garden that Jesus prayed, “if it be your will, let this cup pass from me, but not my will but Thy will be done.”

At the Garden of Gethsemane is The Church of all nations or the Basicilica of Agony. The Catholic church enshrines a section of stone at the altar that is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest (Matthew 26:36). The Basilica of Agony was built with funding from 12 different countries which gave it its nickname. The church was dark inside. The stainglass was alabaster. Above the altar the mosaics portrayed the feeling of being in an olive orchard.

Leaving the Basicilica we made our way back to the hotel with dinner at 7 then off to bed after another long day.

Shalom! Pray for Jerusalem.