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Jerusalem

Machane Yehuda market, formerly called “the shuk” dates back to the Ottoman period and was the place where farmers brought their produce and merchandise to sell. Today it still has produce and many food products as well as bars and restaurants where you can sit and watch those passing by – as we did!

 

The Old walled city of Jerusalem with its distinct quarters – Muslim, Jewish, Armenian and Christian – is a fascinating place to visit. A population of 40,000 inhabitants live in the one sq.km. area. Around the hilltop town and outside the city walls are various places of biblical significance – the Church of Gethsemane being one of them.

  • Church of Gethsemane
  • Cemetery

Inside the walls.

  • Part of Jerusalem’s cardo
  • Fresh pressed pomegranate/ orange juice
  • Al Aqsa mosque
A mezuzah is a piece of parchment, known as a klaf, contained in a decorative case and inscribed with specific Hebrew verses from the Torah. These verses consist of the Jewish prayer Shema Yisrael, beginning with the phrase: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One” They are at doorways to hotel rooms and homes.

 

Walking the via Dolorosa with the 14 stations of the cross marked, is a transformative experience – even though it looks different today than it did then with walls and buildings now where open space was before.

  • Pilgrims

The 14 Stations: 

  • The First Station: Jesus is condemned to death. 
  • The Second Station: Jesus takes up His cross. 
  • The Third Station: Jesus falls the first time. 
  • The Fourth Station: Jesus is met by His Blessed Mother.
  • The Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross. 
  • The Sixth Station: The face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica.
  • The Seventh Station: Jesus falls a second time. 
  • The Eighth Station: Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.
  • The Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time. 
  • The Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments. 
  • The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross. 
  • The Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross. 
  • The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the arms of His Blessed Mother. 
  • The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb. 

According to 4th century traditions, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre contains two noteworthy Christian sites – the tomb of Jesus and the crucifixion site. The four last stations of the cross are within the church structure.

Control of the church itself is shared among several Christian denominations – mainly Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Syriac, and Ethiopian Orthodox. This creates complications as all have to agree on any changes. See story of the ladder below.

The church was built over two holy sites – a rotunda where it is believed Jesus was buried, and a basilica where it is believed He was crucified. The church was consecrated in 335. There has been much damage and reconstruction over the years.

  • A ointment slab
  • Twelfth ststion

The immovable ladder! Read this account. Our tour guide also shared this story.

 

Why the Ethiopians? According to the Ethiopian tradition, there is an ancient bond between the Ethiopian people and the Land of Israel. It dates back to Queen Makeda (Queen of Sheba) and King Solomon. The queen who visited Solomon in Jerusalem became pregnant, and their son, Menilek, was the father of the imperial dynasty of Ethiopia. Centuries later, the first Ethiopian Christian was also baptized in the Land of Israel (On the way between Gaza and Jerusalem). The event is described in detail in Acts 8:27-38 “So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian….Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him“. Ethiopian presence in Jerusalem dates back to the 4th century. The history of Ethiopian presence in Jerusalem is very complicated.

The Ethiopian chapel and monastery

 

The Western or Wailing wall was busy with Bar Mitzvahs taking place.