Holy City
Sites connected with Jesus’ life and death can be found through Jerusalem such as where Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection took place. Having been to a Catholic school when I was little, it was quite interesting to walk along the footsteps of Jesus and pass by the 14 stations of the Cross. One of the most amazing sites for me was The Church of the Holy Sepulchre as this is where Christians believe to be the place where Jesus rose from the dead. There are over 30 chapels and worship spaces inside the church. It currently is the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and control is shared between different religious groups including Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Oriental Orthodoxy. The guardians of the main door of the church are actually the descendants of two 12th century Muslim families. It is interesting how each religion involved is responsible for a specific part of the church and co-exist in the same church.
We came across many groups of pilgrims, from Ethiopia (the country apparently sponsors devoted followers to visit Israel once in their lifetime) to India. I especially love the Christ Pantocrator mosaic and despite the crowds and echoes in the church, I was awashed with a sense of peace inside this church. Some of the most important Christian relics are found in this church, including the anointing stone, on which Jesus’ body was laid before his burial and it is a tradition for pilgrims to bring objects and say their prayers at this spot.
More on the rest of Israel in my next blog!
Sites connected with Jesus’ life and death can be found through Jerusalem such as where Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection took place. Having been to a Catholic school when I was little, it was quite interesting to walk along the footsteps of Jesus and pass by the 14 stations of the Cross. One of the most amazing sites for me was The Church of the Holy Sepulchre as this is where Christians believe to be the place where Jesus rose from the dead. There are over 30 chapels and worship spaces inside the church. It currently is the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and control is shared between different religious groups including Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Oriental Orthodoxy. The guardians of the main door of the church are actually the descendants of two 12th century Muslim families. It is interesting how each religion involved is responsible for a specific part of the church and co-exist in the same church.
We came across many groups of pilgrims, from Ethiopia (the country apparently sponsors devoted followers to visit Israel once in their lifetime) to India. I especially love the Christ Pantocrator mosaic and despite the crowds and echoes in the church, I was awashed with a sense of peace inside this church. Some of the most important Christian relics are found in this church, including the anointing stone, on which Jesus’ body was laid before his burial and it is a tradition for pilgrims to bring objects and say their prayers at this spot.
More on the rest of Israel in my next blog!
