Shalom. Greetings from Israel. It's marvellously sunny over here - so much so that some of us are sunburnt!
We had a very easy journey though yesterday, arriving Jerusalem late yesterday evening for some reason the computer has gone into Hebrew mode and I can't 'do' all punctuation - sorry. Also all the instructions are in Hebrew - so anything could happen
Today has been a full day with much walking a seeing and praying. We have explored Jerusalem and been out to Ein Karem
Our morning began with an early start (8am) and a walk down from the Mount of Olives We started up at Pater Noster Church - where they believe Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer. How lovely to be on this site together. It is a fairly quiet place so early in the day, but our early morning singing did have to compete with another group. I couldn't quite work out what they were singing - but we carried on regardless (!) with Lord Jesus Christ. Such a fine hymn to begin the journey through this Holy Land
The we paid a brief visit to the Church of the Ascension, which stands very much cheek-by-jowl with the Mosque of the Ascension. We had moeny changing going on with the grounds, fluffy toy camels that brayed (or did whatever camels do) as well as an opportunity to see the place which is reputed to be the final footprint of Jesus before he ascended into heaven
Following these visits we began our walk down the Palm Sunday road - in all likelihood not the exact route Jesus took (and certainly not on tarmaced roads) but it would have been that hill that he walked down, when covered with olive trees and crowded around by the people singing Hosanne to him
Wesaving our way through the crowds - of which there were many, we popped into the Church - Doins Flevit (God wept) which is the place where Jesus paused and looked ver to Jerusalem and wept tears over its future. It is a simple church that, unusually, faces west. This is so that when the people are in a service of Holy Communion, they can look through the clear window and look towards Jersualem
The morning continued with a visit to the Church of All Nations - and then onto St Peter's in Gallicantu. Reputed to be the site of the High Priest's House - the Church one enters first was built only a century ago - and is airy, light and beautifully decorated. On walking down into the lower levels of the Church, one reaches the chambers from the time of Christ - where he was possibly kept after his arrest. The Holy Pit (where e might hve beenkept) it cold and gloomy - and very dark if the lights are turned off. We didn't do that today - but I have experienced it in the past
Lunch at the Scottish Guesthouse was very much needed as we had been out walking for a good five hours by then. And after that we were straight off to Ein Karem where we visited the Church of John the Baptist with the Grotto that stands over the palve where he reputed to have been born, in addition to the Church of the Visitation high on the hill (very high on the hill!) that overlooks that valely. This is a lovely church, with a lovely feel about it. It is a place to feel simple and pure joy at being in this Holy Land, in the place where Jesus was born and in which he died
I was a source of much interest to a group of Brazilian Pilgrims who wanted to take my photograph! I tried to charge then 10 shekels a piece, but got nowhere
Tomorrow we go to Bethlehem - another full and rich day
We had a very easy journey though yesterday, arriving Jerusalem late yesterday evening for some reason the computer has gone into Hebrew mode and I can't 'do' all punctuation - sorry. Also all the instructions are in Hebrew - so anything could happen
Today has been a full day with much walking a seeing and praying. We have explored Jerusalem and been out to Ein Karem
Our morning began with an early start (8am) and a walk down from the Mount of Olives We started up at Pater Noster Church - where they believe Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer. How lovely to be on this site together. It is a fairly quiet place so early in the day, but our early morning singing did have to compete with another group. I couldn't quite work out what they were singing - but we carried on regardless (!) with Lord Jesus Christ. Such a fine hymn to begin the journey through this Holy Land
The we paid a brief visit to the Church of the Ascension, which stands very much cheek-by-jowl with the Mosque of the Ascension. We had moeny changing going on with the grounds, fluffy toy camels that brayed (or did whatever camels do) as well as an opportunity to see the place which is reputed to be the final footprint of Jesus before he ascended into heaven
Following these visits we began our walk down the Palm Sunday road - in all likelihood not the exact route Jesus took (and certainly not on tarmaced roads) but it would have been that hill that he walked down, when covered with olive trees and crowded around by the people singing Hosanne to him
Wesaving our way through the crowds - of which there were many, we popped into the Church - Doins Flevit (God wept) which is the place where Jesus paused and looked ver to Jerusalem and wept tears over its future. It is a simple church that, unusually, faces west. This is so that when the people are in a service of Holy Communion, they can look through the clear window and look towards Jersualem
The morning continued with a visit to the Church of All Nations - and then onto St Peter's in Gallicantu. Reputed to be the site of the High Priest's House - the Church one enters first was built only a century ago - and is airy, light and beautifully decorated. On walking down into the lower levels of the Church, one reaches the chambers from the time of Christ - where he was possibly kept after his arrest. The Holy Pit (where e might hve beenkept) it cold and gloomy - and very dark if the lights are turned off. We didn't do that today - but I have experienced it in the past
Lunch at the Scottish Guesthouse was very much needed as we had been out walking for a good five hours by then. And after that we were straight off to Ein Karem where we visited the Church of John the Baptist with the Grotto that stands over the palve where he reputed to have been born, in addition to the Church of the Visitation high on the hill (very high on the hill!) that overlooks that valely. This is a lovely church, with a lovely feel about it. It is a place to feel simple and pure joy at being in this Holy Land, in the place where Jesus was born and in which he died
I was a source of much interest to a group of Brazilian Pilgrims who wanted to take my photograph! I tried to charge then 10 shekels a piece, but got nowhere
Tomorrow we go to Bethlehem - another full and rich day
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