Passion

10/08/11

The Old City of Jerusalem visiting the rest of the places that make up the Easter story – Cenacle (room of the Last supper), Caiphas’ house where Jesus was held after his arrest,  Church of St Peter Gallicantu (remembering Jesus’ denial of Jesus), birthplace of mary, Bethesda, Ecce Homo Convent, via dolorosa and a mass in the Holy sepulchre.

First stop was the wailing wall, were thousands of people come to pray. This is where Abraham offered his son as a sacrifice to the Lord. Christians believe the second coming will happen around here and the Jewish people believe this is where the Messiah will appear. We even had to enter and split up into the women and men sections. Quite a cultural experience hearing and seeing those of different faiths say their prayers.

Room of the last supper – this area would have been where Jesus shared the last supper with the disciples and washed the disciples feet. We were in a crusader era room but it still adds to the mental picture I can now create.

The birthplace of Mary had amazing acoustics and we were reminded of the part Mary played in Jesus’ life – to see her son go through the passion must have been unbearable for her – not to try and protect her son, know the suffering he must endure.

Additionally we visited Caiphas’ house – where Jesus was imprisoned. This area may actually be the original area –we descended down into the pits below, seeing the hole Jesus may have been lowered down into and reading through psalm 122 which closely correlates what may have happened. Outside where the steps that connect the Kidron Valley to Jerusalem, the very steps Jesus would most likely have ascended and been scourged upon. These original sections really speak to me more clearly than some of the recreated sections.

We also visited the remains of the pools of Bethseda where Jesus healed the paralysed man.

Later in the afternoon we entered the Old City via the Lion’s Gate or St Stephen’s gate – the very place Stephen was stoned to death becoming the first martyr.

This led us to another pilgrimage highlight – completing the via dolorosa (way of sorrow) a similar route to which Jesus would have taken with his cross to Golgotha. This route is now some 5 metres above the Roman roads as the city has been built and rebuilt upon itself. One of the early station we were able to go underneath and see some the actual paths from 2000 years ago, inscribed with games the soldiers would have played and the road Jesus may have stumbled through.

 I was privileged to finally carry the pilgrim staff through 5 or 6 stations and was thinking this would have been more like what Jesus would have done – carry one part of his cross. I didn’t realise how closely the stations were located to each other. From station 9 onwards they are all contained in the Holy Sepulchre church – some very sacred places so close to each other – the stone Jesus’ body would have lain in preparation for burial, the very rock of Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, we even got to touch some of the rock. This was an especially moving few minutes spent on our knees, remembering the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us at this very spot. Finally perhaps the very tomb Jesus was buried and rose again from, although it was only about a one minute stop off in this holy site. We then celebrated a very special mass in a chapel at the Sepulchre – such a special mass so close to these sites of Jesus’ crucifixion Burial and resurrection.

Where Jesus was prepared for burial

Calvary

the tomb

Afterwards a few of us ran through the streets to find our antique shops and buy a few more Jerusalem souvenirs – some jew ellery and ancient coins. They even opened up shop again for us as he remembered us from the day before and I was happy to buy another widow’s mite, a coin from Constantinople’s reign some 1600 years old with great clarity and detail and a silver ring with a coin from Felix’s time around 44AD.

In the evening we came together to reflect on some of our stories and highlights so far before heading up to the wine and cheese bar to see the city lights of Jerusalem one last time.

Although I didn’t want it to end, now it has I will always have these special memories of peoples and places that will shape and form me and become part of who I am.

A tourist comes and goes to many different places, a pilgrim becomes different from the many places and part of these places.  A tourist transfers to many different places, a pilgrim is transformed by the places.

Shared how special it was to be on Sea of galilee on day celebrate walking on the water, transfiguration .- on the feast day and in Bethlemhem on the day of the Australian census.