Caminante, no hay camino: The Mount of Olives

Our bus left us at the top of the Mount of Olives. One or two of the group have trouble with hills! The tour began at the Church of Bethphage, which commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into the Holy City (Luke 19:29-40) There are records that note that the Palm Sunday procession has begun here since the late 4th century.

From the church Bethany can be seen - unfortunately on the other side of the Separation Wall, so it's quite difficult to get to even though it's only a couple of kilometres away. One would have to cross a checkpoint similar to the one we cross to get to Bethlehem (which is a stone's throw from Tantur).

The Minaret is in Bethany - dwelling of Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Inside the church is the remains of a decorated Crusader column. The modern church is built on the remains of the Crusader era church, which was built over the remains of a Byzantine church...

Above the sanctuary

The remains of the Crusader Era Column

Crusader decorations

From here it's a short walk to the Chapel of the Ascension. This chapel was built over the rock identified in 327 by St Helena, mother of Constantine, as the one from which Jesus ascended to heaven. It was destroyed, rebuilt by the Crusaders, destroyed by the Moslems, converted to a mosque. In the 12th Century this mosque was moved to a neighbouring property and Christian visitors allowed into the site by the Moslems after they saw how important it was to the Christian pilgrims.

Inside is the Ascension rock - which has an indentation said to be the imprint of Jesus' foot.

The donations basket is a later addition!

A little further on down the Mount of Olives is the Pater Noster Church - said to be built over the place where Jesus taught his disciples the Our Father.

The Grotto where Jesus is said to have taught the Our Father to his disciples. The papers are prayers thrown into the grotto by pilgrims.

The entrance to the partly reconstructed Byzantine Church

Participants of the programme listening to the Gospel passage in the grotto

The Our Father in English - there are many, many languages displayed.

Some views down the Mount of Olives back toward the Holy City.

The Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magadalen and behind it Dominus Flevit (Lord Wept)

The grey domes beyond the Dome of the Rock are the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The City of David (the original, original old city!) - the ridge just above the green part.

The Jewish cemetery and an olive grove!

Dominus Flevit is a chapel that commemorates the moment when Jesus, upon glimpsing Jerusalem, wept. Its shape resembles a tear.

With Maureen (Australian Mercy), Maina (Kenyan Priest from Chicago)

The view from behind the altar

Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalen

On our way down we visited the Tombs of the Prophets. These are typical tombs in caves used for thousands of years where the dead were buried. About the time of Daniel and Maccabees, when belief in life after death grew, the bones were collected and stored in stone urns. This type of burial was usual at the time of the death of Jesus.

One of the caverns in the Tomb of the Prophets. Burial niches to the right

Typical stone urns

The last stop was the Church of the Agony - also called the Church of all Nations (so called because it was built by international collection) We're celebrating Mass there tomorrow.

Very old Olives - reputed to be the seven olive trees that witnessed the agony in the garden.

Recently pruned

The entrance - rebuilt over a Byzantine Church.

Main Altar

Judas' kiss

The High Priest's servant about to lose an ear

In front of the main altar area is a large rock - portrayed in the mosaic over the main altar. This is were Jesus is said to have passed the night in prayer. It's impossible to know if these sites are the actual ones where the events commemorated really took place. What is certain even if they aren't the actual spot, thousands and thousands of pilgrims have made these places holy by their prayers and presence and devotion to what Jesus went through in his passion, death and resurrection.

Sunday. Photos from our celebration of Mass at the Church of the Agony