Sunday in the Holy City

Wow, what a day. While the rest of the group was on an optional tour, seeing the Holocaust Museum, The National Israeli Museum, The Samaritan Inn, and a diamond cutting place, I was off seeing those areas of the city that I wanted to pray at. (The reason I didn't go is because I already had been to these places and both the Israeli and Holocaust museums are mentally and emotionally exhausting.)

Once we had Mass in the motel and a little needed rest. I went to the upper room once again to pray. After that, I want to Dormition Abbey, the place where Mary fell asleep, to later be assumed body and soul into heaven. I spent most of my time in the crypt below the Church where they have a beautiful depiction of Mary asleep.

Above the body
are all the women in the OT
 who prefigured Mary. 

The Valley I traveled across - The Kidron Valley

The next walk was quite a bit longer. From here I went from Dormition Abbey across the valley to the Church of all nations to pray. Even though Mass was going on, it was a very peaceful place. And once Mass was done, I had the opportunity to pray next to the stone of Jesus' agony again.

St. Stephen's Greek Orthodox Church was the next stop. Here they had this very beautiful depiction of Stephen's martyrdom.

 Then I began walking on the Via Dolorosa - starting at the Churches of the condemnation and flagellation.

Below, is what is known as the Ecce Homo arch, or Behold the Man arch where Pilate condemned Jesus to death.

 The 3rd Station, the first fall. Look at all the angels in the background bemoaning Jesus' fate.

As you exit the chapel at the third station, you see this paining that encourages you to pick up your cross and follow the Lord.

The 4th Station - Jesus meets his mother

Most of the other stations have no chapels so I will not include pictures of numbers on a wall. But once your reach the Holy Sepulchre, you go up to Golgatha. This is the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross.

 The station where Jesus dies on the cross, I mentioned in a previous post, where you can actually touch the rock of the mountain on which he died. Last of all there is the tomb itself.

This last picture I took today, recalls the pilgrims who have been coming here for centuries. Before they would leave, they would put some sign up that they were here. While it is a form of vandalism it is also surprisingly moving to see all those of the past whom we are following to this place. On the way to the main Armenian chapel, many of them would carve crosses into the bricks before they would leave. 

Tomorrow will be our last full day of pilgrimage. After that, it will be an early, early, early morning flight back to the United States.