(Old City Jerusalem)
Western (Wailing) Wall
The Western Wall in the midst of the Old City in Jerusalem is the section of the Western supporting wall of the Temple Mount which has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple (70 C.E.). It became the most sacred spot in Jewish religious and national consciousness and tradition by virtue of its proximity to the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies in the Temple, from which, according to numerous sources, the Divine Presence never departed. It became a center of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and Israel's exile, on the one hand, and of religious - in 20th century also national - communion with the memory of Israel's 
former glory and the hope for its restoration, on the other. Because of the former association, it became known in European languages as the "Wailing Wall".
We entered the Western Wall area through men and women entrances. There is a man-made dividing wall to keep men and women separate as they pray at the wall. Some young boys were having their Batmitzphas while we were there. The female members of the family stood on chairs to see over the dividing wall. We also noticed thousands of scraps of paper with prayers written on them shoved into the crevices of the wall.
Dome of the Rock
Built atop the earlier location of the Temple, the Dome of the Rock was erected by the Muslim ruler Abd el-Malik in 688-691. Because of its situation on bedrock, the numerous earthquakes over the centuries have not caused significant damage to the structure (unlike its neighbor Al Aqsa mosque). This shrine was covered by a lead dome from 691 until it was replaced with a gold-colored covering in 1965. Because of rust, the anodized aluminum cover was again replaced in 1993 with a gold covering.
This is a Muslim controlled area and covers 32 acres. Because the Muslims control this area, their rules apply. The women of our group were instructed to cover their shoulders and knees. We were instructed to not hold hands and not to laugh. Pastor Rick’s wife, Cathy, was wearing a v-neck top which didn’t pass ‘inspection’ so she borrowed Shannon’s sweater to provide more cover. Pastor Rick looked at Cathy and said “you’re just flaunting yourself.” We all thought that was funny.
Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa is the Way of the Cross, traditionally believed to be the route followed by Jesus from the Praetorium (the Roman Judgment Hall) to Calvary, which was the scene of the Crucifixion. The Via Dolorosa begins in the Muslim Quarter, in the northeast corner of the Old City, and winds its way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter. As we walked along, we passed shop after shop with the shop keepers inviting us to shop (for spices, meat, linens, beads and trinkets, etc.). Rimon also reminded us that there are more ‘stations’ today than what is recorded in the Bible – some are assumed like Jesus falling under the weight of the 
cross.
You can enter the Sanctuaries of the Flagellation and the Condemnation, where Jesus was scourged and judged. In the sanctuaries are some of the original paving stones of the Lithostrotos. The Sanctuary of the Condemnation marks the first Station of the Cross. As you leave the sanctuary to follow the Via Dolorosa, keep in mind that each Station of the Cross is marked by a small sign or a number engraved in the stone lintel over a door. Paving stones on the Via Dolorosa itself have been set in a semicircular pattern to mark those stations directly on the street.
The following is a quick guide to the Stations of the Cross:
Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death.
Station 2: Jesus receives the cross (at the foot of the Antonia).
Station 3: Jesus falls for the first time (Polish biblical-archaeological museum).
Station 4: Jesus meets his mother.
Station 5: Simon the Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.
Station 6: Veronica wipes Jesus' face.
Station 7: Jesus falls the second time (at bazaar crossroads).
Station 8: Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.
Station 9: Jesus falls the third time (Coptic Monastery)
The five remaining Stations of the Cross are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Station 10: Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Station 12: Jesus dies on the cross.
Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross and given to Mary.
Station 14: Jesus is laid in the chamber of the sepulcher and from there is resurrected.
We stopped for lunch at Rami's Pizza, 131 HaYehudim Steert. The owner advertised it as the first restaraunt to make pizza in Old Jerusalem. We sat with Pastor Rick and Cathy Cole and Stan and Chris Brown. Cathy Cole told us the story about the wedding of her son Nate and his bride. We shared two personal size cheese and mushroom pizzas and two cans of coke between us the three of us. Shannon thought this was the best meal of the trip. After lunch we continued down the Via Delorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher at Golgotha
The church is divided among the six oldest Christian sects: Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syrian Orthodox. Each denomination has its own space -- right down to lines drawn down the middle of floors and pillars -- and its own schedule of rights to be in other areas of the church at specific times. The decor, partitioned and changed every few feet, is a mixture of Byzantine and Frankish Crusader styles.
You can observe the various stations inside the church -- the marble slab at the entrance is the Stone of Unction, where the body of Jesus was prepared for burial; the site of Calvary on the second floor; the early 19th-century marble tomb edifice enclosing the actual cave of the sepulcher.
After the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made Christianity the religion of Rome in A.D. 326, his mother, Queen Helena, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and located what was believed to be the tomb from which Jesus rose. Further excavation nearby uncovered the True Cross, which became the most sacred relic of the Christian world until it was carried off by the Persians in A.D. 614. It was over this tomb that Constantine built the first Holy Sepulcher Church, a complex of classical structures, which was enlarged by Justinian 200 years later. Fire, earthquake, the 7th-century Persians, and a mad 11th-century Muslim caliph destroyed much of the great, classical church, but the Crusaders rebuilt it in the 12th century -- a mixture of Byzantine remnants and medieval Frankish reconstruction that was far less grand than the original. The church has been restored many times and is currently being renovated. In 1997, the renovated interior of the great dome covering the sepulcher was unveiled. It is bright, fresh, and to some visitors, a bit incompatible with the antiquity of the place. Its design motifs had to be neutral, avoiding incorporating any of the special traditions of the branches of Christianity that control different areas of the building.
St Anne’s Church
The Church of St. Anne is a beautiful 12th-century Crusader church, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. It is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.
The Church of St. Anne is a beautiful 12th-century Crusader church, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. It is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.
St. Anne's Church was built between 1131 and 1138 to replace a previous Byzantine church. Shortly after its construction, it was enlarged by moving the facade forward by several meters. In 1192, Saladin turned the church into a Muslim theological school, which is commemorated in an inscription above the church's entrance. Eventually abandoned, the church fell into ruin until the Ottomans donated it to France in 1856. It was subsequently restored, but most of what remains today is original.
The church is right next to the Bethesda Pool, believed to be the site where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-15). Here you can see ruins of a Roman temple to the god of medicine and remains of a Byzantine church built over the temple.
As the church is just a few hundred feet east of the Sanctuaries of the Flagellation and the Condemnation, at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa, you might want to visit it before following the Stations of the Cross.
Saint Anne's acoustics, designed for Gregorian chant, are so perfect that the church is virtually a musical instrument to be played by the human voice. Pilgrim groups come to sing in the church throughout the day, and you, too, are welcome to prepare a song of any religion--only religious songs are permitted. The church's acoustics are most amazing when used by a soprano or a tenor solo voice. As our group sat inside the church, we sang ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’ and we were good.
Western (Wailing) Wall
The Western Wall in the midst of the Old City in Jerusalem is the section of the Western supporting wall of the Temple Mount which has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple (70 C.E.). It became the most sacred spot in Jewish religious and national consciousness and tradition by virtue of its proximity to the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies in the Temple, from which, according to numerous sources, the Divine Presence never departed. It became a center of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and Israel's exile, on the one hand, and of religious - in 20th century also national - communion with the memory of Israel's 
former glory and the hope for its restoration, on the other. Because of the former association, it became known in European languages as the "Wailing Wall".We entered the Western Wall area through men and women entrances. There is a man-made dividing wall to keep men and women separate as they pray at the wall. Some young boys were having their Batmitzphas while we were there. The female members of the family stood on chairs to see over the dividing wall. We also noticed thousands of scraps of paper with prayers written on them shoved into the crevices of the wall.
Dome of the Rock
Built atop the earlier location of the Temple, the Dome of the Rock was erected by the Muslim ruler Abd el-Malik in 688-691. Because of its situation on bedrock, the numerous earthquakes over the centuries have not caused significant damage to the structure (unlike its neighbor Al Aqsa mosque). This shrine was covered by a lead dome from 691 until it was replaced with a gold-colored covering in 1965. Because of rust, the anodized aluminum cover was again replaced in 1993 with a gold covering.This is a Muslim controlled area and covers 32 acres. Because the Muslims control this area, their rules apply. The women of our group were instructed to cover their shoulders and knees. We were instructed to not hold hands and not to laugh. Pastor Rick’s wife, Cathy, was wearing a v-neck top which didn’t pass ‘inspection’ so she borrowed Shannon’s sweater to provide more cover. Pastor Rick looked at Cathy and said “you’re just flaunting yourself.” We all thought that was funny.
Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa is the Way of the Cross, traditionally believed to be the route followed by Jesus from the Praetorium (the Roman Judgment Hall) to Calvary, which was the scene of the Crucifixion. The Via Dolorosa begins in the Muslim Quarter, in the northeast corner of the Old City, and winds its way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter. As we walked along, we passed shop after shop with the shop keepers inviting us to shop (for spices, meat, linens, beads and trinkets, etc.). Rimon also reminded us that there are more ‘stations’ today than what is recorded in the Bible – some are assumed like Jesus falling under the weight of the 
cross.You can enter the Sanctuaries of the Flagellation and the Condemnation, where Jesus was scourged and judged. In the sanctuaries are some of the original paving stones of the Lithostrotos. The Sanctuary of the Condemnation marks the first Station of the Cross. As you leave the sanctuary to follow the Via Dolorosa, keep in mind that each Station of the Cross is marked by a small sign or a number engraved in the stone lintel over a door. Paving stones on the Via Dolorosa itself have been set in a semicircular pattern to mark those stations directly on the street.
The following is a quick guide to the Stations of the Cross:
Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death.
Station 2: Jesus receives the cross (at the foot of the Antonia).
Station 3: Jesus falls for the first time (Polish biblical-archaeological museum).
Station 4: Jesus meets his mother.
Station 5: Simon the Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.
Station 6: Veronica wipes Jesus' face.
Station 7: Jesus falls the second time (at bazaar crossroads).
Station 8: Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.
Station 9: Jesus falls the third time (Coptic Monastery)
The five remaining Stations of the Cross are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Station 10: Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Station 12: Jesus dies on the cross.
Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross and given to Mary.
Station 14: Jesus is laid in the chamber of the sepulcher and from there is resurrected.
We stopped for lunch at Rami's Pizza, 131 HaYehudim Steert. The owner advertised it as the first restaraunt to make pizza in Old Jerusalem. We sat with Pastor Rick and Cathy Cole and Stan and Chris Brown. Cathy Cole told us the story about the wedding of her son Nate and his bride. We shared two personal size cheese and mushroom pizzas and two cans of coke between us the three of us. Shannon thought this was the best meal of the trip. After lunch we continued down the Via Delorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher at Golgotha
The church is divided among the six oldest Christian sects: Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syrian Orthodox. Each denomination has its own space -- right down to lines drawn down the middle of floors and pillars -- and its own schedule of rights to be in other areas of the church at specific times. The decor, partitioned and changed every few feet, is a mixture of Byzantine and Frankish Crusader styles.You can observe the various stations inside the church -- the marble slab at the entrance is the Stone of Unction, where the body of Jesus was prepared for burial; the site of Calvary on the second floor; the early 19th-century marble tomb edifice enclosing the actual cave of the sepulcher.
After the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made Christianity the religion of Rome in A.D. 326, his mother, Queen Helena, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and located what was believed to be the tomb from which Jesus rose. Further excavation nearby uncovered the True Cross, which became the most sacred relic of the Christian world until it was carried off by the Persians in A.D. 614. It was over this tomb that Constantine built the first Holy Sepulcher Church, a complex of classical structures, which was enlarged by Justinian 200 years later. Fire, earthquake, the 7th-century Persians, and a mad 11th-century Muslim caliph destroyed much of the great, classical church, but the Crusaders rebuilt it in the 12th century -- a mixture of Byzantine remnants and medieval Frankish reconstruction that was far less grand than the original. The church has been restored many times and is currently being renovated. In 1997, the renovated interior of the great dome covering the sepulcher was unveiled. It is bright, fresh, and to some visitors, a bit incompatible with the antiquity of the place. Its design motifs had to be neutral, avoiding incorporating any of the special traditions of the branches of Christianity that control different areas of the building.
St Anne’s Church
The Church of St. Anne is a beautiful 12th-century Crusader church, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. It is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.The Church of St. Anne is a beautiful 12th-century Crusader church, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. It is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.
St. Anne's Church was built between 1131 and 1138 to replace a previous Byzantine church. Shortly after its construction, it was enlarged by moving the facade forward by several meters. In 1192, Saladin turned the church into a Muslim theological school, which is commemorated in an inscription above the church's entrance. Eventually abandoned, the church fell into ruin until the Ottomans donated it to France in 1856. It was subsequently restored, but most of what remains today is original.
The church is right next to the Bethesda Pool, believed to be the site where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-15). Here you can see ruins of a Roman temple to the god of medicine and remains of a Byzantine church built over the temple.As the church is just a few hundred feet east of the Sanctuaries of the Flagellation and the Condemnation, at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa, you might want to visit it before following the Stations of the Cross.
Saint Anne's acoustics, designed for Gregorian chant, are so perfect that the church is virtually a musical instrument to be played by the human voice. Pilgrim groups come to sing in the church throughout the day, and you, too, are welcome to prepare a song of any religion--only religious songs are permitted. The church's acoustics are most amazing when used by a soprano or a tenor solo voice. As our group sat inside the church, we sang ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’ and we were good.
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