Model of Ancient Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple
The Holy City of Jerusalem dates back to the 4th Millennium BC, when it was first settled. It is sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Old City is divided into four sections or quarters (although they are not mathematical quarters in size) - Jewish, Armenian, Christian and Muslim.
Jerusalem has been destroyed twice - in 586BC by Nebuchadnezzar and then in 70AD by the Romans. The city has been captured and recaptured 44 times in its history.
The eastern slopes of the Upper City an area were densely occupied by smaller tightly packed houses.
Jerusalem is a fascinating walled city - with three main walls- and one you could return to a number of times to really appreciate its part in our salvation history.
Thanks to our guide ( and an early start) we were the first group at the model for the day. Our guide located all the main sites for us in the story of Jesus and provided us with some of the interesting historical facts. The Temple really was a very impressive building. The Holy of Holies must have been amazing - especially since they used to tie a rope to the High Priest's leg ( to ensure they could pull him out if he died from excitement) when he entered this area to ring the bells once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Jerusalem is a fascinating walled city - with three main walls- and one you could return to a number of times to really appreciate its part in our salvation history.
Thanks to our guide ( and an early start) we were the first group at the model for the day. Our guide located all the main sites for us in the story of Jesus and provided us with some of the interesting historical facts. The Temple really was a very impressive building. The Holy of Holies must have been amazing - especially since they used to tie a rope to the High Priest's leg ( to ensure they could pull him out if he died from excitement) when he entered this area to ring the bells once a year on the Day of Atonement.
The Shrine of the Book and
Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea scrolls, located in clay jars, were discovered in 1947 in a cave in Qumran ( by the Dead Sea) by a young Bedouin shepherd. The scrolls date from the 3rd century BCE (before the common era) to the 1st century CE (common era). Two copies of the Book of Isaiah are kept in the Shrine as well as the Aleppo Codex, the oldest complete Bible in Hebrew.
Thanks to our wonderful guide, Raime, we were very fortunate to have the whole area to ourselves before it was open to the public. For many years I have been fascinated by the story of their discovery. To think that these ancient documents, so lovingly recorded and stored had survived more than two millennia!
The line outside for public entry was amazing when we left!
Thanks to our wonderful guide, Raime, we were very fortunate to have the whole area to ourselves before it was open to the public. For many years I have been fascinated by the story of their discovery. To think that these ancient documents, so lovingly recorded and stored had survived more than two millennia!
The line outside for public entry was amazing when we left!
Qumran caves - seen on our way to Masada
photo courtesy of creative commons
photo courtesy of creative commons
The Book of Isaiah in the centre of the dome and ...
The Aleppo Codex down the stairs
From here we travelled on the road to ...
The Israeli walls around Bethlehem and the
Occupied Palestinian Territory - construction of the 6-8 metre high and 750 kilometre long wall - commenced in 2002 as a Separation Barrier between the West Bank and Israel to prevent suicide attacks on Israeli citizens. This has made life unbearable for the Palestinians, led to the confiscation of their land and separated families. Palestinians are denied the opportunity to earn a living; move about freely to reach their schools, university or work place; access adequate water resources or reach essential health care.
The media reports have focused on one side of the conflict - there are always two sides to any story.
The walls speak for themselves!
Do we ever hear the other side? What do we know about it? Do we care?
Can we see:
the dignity of the human person?
respect for human life?
the principle of participation?
the principle of solidarity?
human equality?
Occupied Palestinian Territory - construction of the 6-8 metre high and 750 kilometre long wall - commenced in 2002 as a Separation Barrier between the West Bank and Israel to prevent suicide attacks on Israeli citizens. This has made life unbearable for the Palestinians, led to the confiscation of their land and separated families. Palestinians are denied the opportunity to earn a living; move about freely to reach their schools, university or work place; access adequate water resources or reach essential health care.
The media reports have focused on one side of the conflict - there are always two sides to any story.
The walls speak for themselves!
Do we ever hear the other side? What do we know about it? Do we care?
Can we see:
the dignity of the human person?
respect for human life?
the principle of participation?
the principle of solidarity?
human equality?
Barbed wire fencing between Bethlehem and the settlements as viewed from the University
How does this challenge the underpinning vision of Catholic Social Teaching, which is the unique dignity of the human person, made in the image and likeness of God?
...and our response?
'The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the followers of Christ.
GAUDIUM ET SPECS POPE PAUL VI 1965
A delicious lunch was provided for us by the Hospitality students of the University and then we watched a DVD about one of the students, Berlanty Azzam, who had not been able to complete her studies because of the Israeli persecution.
Go to Berlanty Azzam
for more on this story.
Some of the students then answered our questions and spoke briefly about how they cope with the current situation. They are courageous and hopeful of a change for the better! The students are an inspiration! The abnormal is normal to them!
Go to Berlanty Azzam
for more on this story.
Some of the students then answered our questions and spoke briefly about how they cope with the current situation. They are courageous and hopeful of a change for the better! The students are an inspiration! The abnormal is normal to them!
Hole in University wall left by Israeli missile
Memorial to dead students
The Chapel
The Holy Innocents
The Holy Innocents
The Shepherd's Field
is to be found just outside Bethlehem.
The design of the church represents a shepherd's tent and the light that enters through the glass openings in the dome recalls the light that shone on the shepherds with the appearance of the angel.
In this beautiful church we gathered to sing The First Noelle - with harmony!
"There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night out in the open, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them."
Notice in the painting that the sheep have been shorn. I wonder what time of the year Jesus was really born? If it was December, winter, would the shepherds have been out watching their flocks? Probably not. There is a suggestion by some that Jesus may have been born around the month of May. The December date was a Germanic festival and as there was an attempt to convert people to Christianity this was introduced as the date to celebrate Christmas. In the Julian Calendar, December was the 10th month of the year and March was the first month. The Gregorian calendar was introduced across the known world from 1582 until more recent times.
Our last but significant stop for the day...
Church of the Nativity
The church in Bethlehem was built by the Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother St Helena in 326AD. This first church was octagonal and placed directly over, what was recognised by the tradition of the time, as the birthplace of Jesus. The narrow stairs led to a small grotto and we had the opportunity to touch the silver star located over the place of Jesus' birth.
A fire destroyed the church in 529AD and the Emperor built a new church much as we see today. The church was spared from destruction by the Persians in 614AD as there was a mosaic in the church of the Magi in Persian dress. The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.
A fire destroyed the church in 529AD and the Emperor built a new church much as we see today. The church was spared from destruction by the Persians in 614AD as there was a mosaic in the church of the Magi in Persian dress. The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.
Manger Square where crowds gather on Christas Eve to sing carols before the midnight services.
The church is entered by the smallest of three doorways - the Doorway of Humility.
The large rectangular doorway was reduced from the original by the Crusaders and this was reduced again in 1515 to the current Humility door to prevent horses and looters entering with carts.
Forty-four Corinthian columns down either side of the church many decorated with Crusader paintings of saints, the Virgin and child.
Golden mosaics date from the 12th century
Floor mosaic from the first church
The main Basilica is maintained by the Greek Orthodox church. The Iconostasis is built over the grotto of the Holy Manger.
photo courtesy of creative commons
Byzantine icon of the Madonna and child
Grotto of the Holy Manger - place of the Nativity
14 pointed silver star and 15 lamps hang above the star - 6 belong to the Greeks, 5 to the Armenians and 4 to the Latin church.
Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary
The Roman Catholic Chapel of St Catherine
adjoins the main Basilica. It is from here that Bethlehem's annual midnight mass is broadcast all over the world. St Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin and wrote the famous Jerome's Biblical Commentary, lived here for over 30 years in the 5th century.
The stained glass window above the door
We wondered how someone could work in this cold, dark area for so many years!
Tomb of St Jerome
Statue of St Jerome in the garden
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