Jerusalem -- Day Three

In Israel, one must plan around the Sabbath as virtually everything closes on Friday afternoon, at least in much of Jerusalem. Of this I had been sufficiently forewarned. However, a corollary to this advice is that many places close a day early when there is a major Jewish holiday, such as, say, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks, a.k.a Pentecost). Which was this past Thursday!

So I began the day by learning that the Yad Vashem (Holocaust museum) would be closed. Throughout the day I ran into other closed sites such as the Dome of the Rock and the Ramparts walk. However, there were still plenty of places to visit.

I enjoyed my visit to the Garden Tomb, an alternative site for the death and resurrection of Jesus that looks more like what we Protestants would expect -- a tomb carved out of a rock that you can enter, as well as a more peaceful and beautiful garden setting. Even though I don't think this location has as much going for it as the "downtown" site of Jesus' resurrection, it did allow me to envision what such a place may have looked like before it was paved over with cathedrals. See below.

You've got to love my hat!
































I also visited the Jerusalem Archaeological Park and Temple Mount excavations, where I got to wander around just below the Temple Mount where the Temple of Israel once stood. A favorite moment was getting to walk along the ramparts of a short part of the Jerusalem wall and imagining what it may have been like to be a soldier on patrol looking down through the turrets to the valley below.

I also visited the Tower of David, a museum that provided a great overview of the history of Jerusalem. From the roof, I got my best view of the old city of Jerusalem.

















Of course, my day would not have been complete without getting lost (for my third day straight) in the Bazaar that winds its way through Jerusalem's narrow streets. I finally had to tip a boy to show me the way to the Damascus gate.

For three straight days, I have also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It is the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection located in the old Jerusalem city that is now covered over by what I can only call a cathedral complex -- a hodge-podge of buildings that are shared/divided by the Greek Orthodox, Catholic, Coptic (Egyptian), Syrian Orthodox, Armenian and Ethiopian Churches. During my visits, I have been pondering the death and resurrection of our Lord, the power of those events for humankind and for me, and the tragedy of the divided Church throughout history. I have enjoyed exploring the various segments of this vast edifice as well as sitting in various parts of the cathedral (inside and out), taking in the art, and watching the pilgrims who have traveled from all over the world to be here.

On my third visit, I witnessed a beautiful and poignant work of art created by God himself:

Light From Above