Jerash

Our last day started with Mass at Our Lady of the Mountain shrine.  Jesus and Mary slept in the cave behind the altar on their journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. 

Then we headed to Ajlun Castle.  This ruin was built by Saladin in his fight against the Crusaders. It sits on a lovely promontory overlooking the Jordan Valley. 

The final stop was Jerash, the ancient city of Philadelphia.   It was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 but the ruins of the Roman city were well preserved by the sands until being excavated slowly over the last century.  

Tomorrow we head back to Atlanta. 

Petra

We spent the day exploring Petra.  The Nabataeans left behind remarkable carvings in the walls of the canyon.  The facades mark the tombs of the people, great and small.  

The pictures only scratch the surface of the scope and beauty of the place. The tomb facades are amazing and immense.  The various churches and temples are lovely.  

 

Jordan

We crossed over from Israel to Jordan today.  First stop was Bethany beyond the Jordan.   This is the officially recognized site of Jesus's baptism.  It also commemorates the Ascension of Elijah.

Then we went up to the top of Mount Nebo where Moses saw the Promised Land, but never got to enter it.  The overcast day spoiled the view, but otherwise one could see for miles. 

The Franciscans have a church there whose mosaic floors go back to the Byzantine period.  

Finally we stopped in Madaba, the City of Mosaics. We saw a demonstration of how they are done and then visited St. George Orthodox church.  It's 6th century mosaic floor is a mosaic map of the Holy Land.  

We are headed to Petra for the night and visit that ancient city tomorrow.  

Quiet walk

I took the day off from the tour to have a quiet day in Jerusalem for prayer and walking.  This is a lovely city.  I got up early in the hopes of Mass in Holy sepulcher.   It was grand to concelebrate up on Calvary at Station 11.  

After breakfast I visited St. Peter Gallicantu church, commemorating Peter denying Jesus three times.  

Then I sauntered down the Kidron valley to Gethsemane.   Fascinating archeological digs are going on dating back to the First Temple period ( around 1000BC).  There are also fine vistas of the Mount of Olives which is one enormous Jewish cemetery... also dating back hundreds and thousands of years.  

On the way back from Gethsemane,  I went through the Lion Gate in order to visit the Church of St. Anne.  It's on the site of the home of Sts. Joachim and Ann, the birth place of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   

Around Jerusalem - afternoon

Having walked the Via Dolorosa, we got back to the bus for the short trip to the Mount of Olives.  We had a quick lunch across the street from the chapel commemorating the Ascension.  Then we went over to Dominus Flevit, the church where Jesus wept over Jerusalem.  There are lovely views of Temple Mount from there.  

We continued downhill to the Garden of Gethsemane.   The Franciscans still have an olive grove there.  

We then wrapped up the afternoon with the Tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 It was a lovely and profound encounter today.  Thanks be to God!

Around Jerusalem - morning

We toured all around the Old City of Jerusalem today, taking in the sites commemorating the Paschal Mystery.  We started the morning on Mount Zion near the Church of the Dormition.  It is currently closed for renovation. 

Then we stopped at the Cenacle, the Upper Room, where Jesus ate the Last Supper and later the disciples gathered there both on Easter and Pentecost. 

Then we headed below to the Jewish shrine of the tomb of King David.  Next we headed across and through the Zion Gate into the Old City.   We went to Holy sepulcher first, getting ahead of the crowds that did follow.  It was profound to pray at the place where Jesus died and was buried. 

Having prayed where Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, we went outside to walk the Way of the Cross and visit the Western Wall. 

Up to Jerusalem

Another pretty day as we left Nazareth and headed up to Jerusalem. We stopped by the Jordan river where John allegedly baptized Jesus.  

We then went into Jericho and saw Zaccheus' sycamore tree.  

From there we went up to Jerusalem  and Bethlehem.   The Church of the Nativity was home to St. Jerome for many years and has his tomb.  The joyful culmination today was going down into the cave below the church where Jesus was born!