Old Jerusalem

Church of All Nations

We spent a half day in Old Jerusalem, but it was quite a trek.  Up and down hills and stairs, all around winding streets like a maze.  This top picture is supposedly where Jesus agonized over his impending death in the Garden of Gethsemane.  This church was put over that spot.  I am not sure who determined that was the spot.  But it various churches throughout the centuries have decided what happened where and have built a church throughout the landscape of Israel, especially in Old Jerusalem.  Which is whee the Via Dolorosa is located as well.  The Via Dolorosa is the way of the cross, where Jesus was condemned to his tomb.  There are 14 stations of the cross, and I have only a few pictures here as it was so busy and crowded that it was difficult to stop and take a good picture.  

#2-Chapel of the Flagellation

#4-Jesus Meets His Mother

#5-Simon Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

#7-Jesus Falls for the Second Time

#10-14-Church of the Holy Sepulcher

I had taken pictures inside the Holy Sepulcher, but they were blurry.  Before we got there I stopped and bought a delicious and nutritious pomegranate juice, and even though I had finished it by the time we got to this last stop, there were no garbage cans around.  So I dutifully carried it inside and attempted to take pictures with one hand.  Thus,. there are no good pictures of inside due to want of a rubbish bin.  I later realized that there were no garbage cans anywhere, yet it was relatively clean.  They must clean the areas often, for I saw people leave their rubbish here and there.  Even so, you can go into this church and touch the rock where Jesus was crucified and the rock where He was buried.   

Western Wall

This is what is left of the Great Temple.  Jews come here to pray and stick little bits of paper inside with their prayers on them.  I did that too.  It looks bigger than the picture, it is also behind that structure.  Men and women are separated here, I don't know why.  This was the most meaningful part of my day.  I'm not sure why, I guess the other sites I don't know what archaeological evidence there is that that is the spot.  I do believe the Bible, but I don't know enough about the evidence. I guess the point is not that that matters, but whether it is meaningful to people, and to know that Jesus was here, and we are walking where Jesus walked.  I liked the Western Wall because I can see and feel the evidence that the Temple was there 2000 years ago.