Jerusalem and the Last Week of Jesus

Our Jerusalem day began on the Mount of Olives with a beautiful overlook of the city. The golden Dome of the Rock now sits on the site of the former Jewish Temple. We walked down the road toward the Kidron Valley, following the path Jesus took into the city on Palm Sunday, stopping at the Church of Dominus Flevit (the Lord Wept) and the beautiful modern chapel built there.

Continuing down the hillside we reached the Church of All Nations built over the older Byzantine Church at Gethsemane and set in small garden of olive trees like that where Jesus prayed to be spared his fate. A small church once commemorating the burial of the Virgin Mary was nearby and we descended into its depths.

We the walked across the boot of the Valley, seeing the monumental Tomb of Absolom that dates to the first century CE. Climbing up e other slope of Mount Moriah, we entered the ancient walled city through the Lion Gate, stopping at the St Anne’s church and the site of the Pools of Bethesda in the Gospel stories. Nearby, we say the Lithostratos (pavement) of the Antonia fortress where Jesus was tried by Pilate and the traditional Eccentric Homo Arch.

We enjoyed a nice quick lunch and then joined throngs of pilgrims in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Golgotha, waiting in line to enter the newly restored Edicule built over and around the ancient burial place of Jesus.

Lots of walking, lots of sites, lots of fun with one another….And even some Old City Shopping!!!