Update: Shalom from Jerusalem

On our health, I felt good enough for breakfast, and to start on the morning sightseeing the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. Did ok til noon, then faded, so Emmett got me a cab back to hotel. Not 100% yet, but I will get there. May do the half day again tomorrow. I really think I just missed my afternoon naps!😅

Our day began at the top of the Mount of Olives where you have this iconic and stunning view of old Jerusalem. We have an excellent guide, Avi, who have us the lay of the land and pointed out the landmarks. Our Pastor Guide Kurt has given us great Biblical insight and background on the events that happened there, and will continue at each important sight.

From here the Dome of the Rock dominates, built over the top of Mt Moriah, the site where Abraham, in obedience to God, brought Issac to be slain, a great testament to his faith. (Spoiler alert: God approved of his obedience and spared Issac, in case you don’t know the story. ) It is on this site that Solomon built his temple and the 2nd temple was constructed after the Babylonian destruction of the 1st. The 2nd was destroyed by the Roman’s in 70 AD. Today it is called the Temple Mount and is a Muslim Holy site, where they say Mohammad ascended.

We also see the Grey Dome to the left of the Dome, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We visit there tomorrow. The Eastern or Golden Gate, the Gate the Lord will return thru was sealed by the Sultan Suliman the Magnificent in the 13th century, to prevent the Lord’s return. ( he didn’t know much about the Lord’s return, obviously, if he thought THAT would keep Him from returning) .

We walk thru the area of the Garden of Gethsemane. There are 24 chapels for every event in Biblical History on this Mount. As you move down the Mount of Olives, we move thru the last week of Christ’s life. We walked today where Jesus walked, literally. We walked down the Palm Sunday road, the route Jesus took on the Donkey triumphantly entering into the city of Jerusalem. We visited chapels where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, Dominus Flavit, Gethsemane, the olive Grove, and a garden where Jesus prayed and where the disciples slept while he prayed on the night he was betrayed.

We then traveled to Mount Zion, across the Kidron Valley, along the way Jesus was taken by the soldiers, for trial at the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas. This is the place that Peter denied Christ 3 times before the cock crowed. St Peter in Gallicantu chapel, a modern Chapel is built over the ruins of what may be the high priest’s home. There is a pit there, possible the pit where Jesus was placed for some hours the night of His arrest. We sang there and read a scripture. There is a first century stairway there, certainly traveled by Jesus between Kidron Valley and Moint Zion.

My energy was fading, so I took a taxi back to the hotel for a bowl of soup, some jello ( thank you to my sweet honey) . The group, along with Emmett went on into the Jewish quarter of the old city of Jerusalem and on with the itinerary.

More pictures of this morning’s adventure are posted here
https://susandemaggio.smugmug.com/Mount-of-Olives–