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| From Mount of Olives |
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| From Mount of Olives |
Our first stop was the Auguste Victoria (also spelled Augusta). A German hospital, guest house, and church ("Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension"). The pictures didn't turn out super great so I recommend seeing some excellent ones at this site.
This picture is of the ceiling of the church. The figures around the buildings that represent Jerusalem are crusaders.
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| From Mount of Olives |
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| From Mount of Olives |
We climbed up to the bell tower (quite a hike, especially since some of our friends had already walked a couple of miles just to meet us there) and found some really great views. It really is a very strategic spot to see many sides of the city.
This pic is looking north towards Mount Scopus and Hebrew University (see the university tower). It was such a beautiful morning.
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| From Mount of Olives |
Here are a couple of pictures looking east to the West Bank. You can just make out the separation wall.
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| From Mount of Olives |
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| From Mount of Olives |
The west side of Jerusalem.
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| From Mount of Olives |
The old city (can you make out the walls?) and the new city beyond.
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| From Mount of Olives |
Looking south now to Mount of Olives (and another church of the Ascension, we didn't make it to that one).
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| From Mount of Olives |
And me, next to the bell!
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| From Mount of Olives |
This is the Chapel and Mosque of the Ascension. A holy site to both Christians and Muslims (again, better pictures and more history see go here).
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| From Mount of Olives |
What do you think? Footprint of Jesus as he began his ascension? Apparently Ignatius Loyola visited here with his Franciscan Brothers after some difficulty with the Muslims that were in control of the Chapel/Mosque. But they say Ignatius forgot which way the footprint was facing and just had to come back that night. So he bravely snuck in to see. His Brothers were not very happy with him after they found out. I have no idea which way the footprint is facing. Do you?
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| From Mount of Olives |
Next stop was the Pater Noster convent. Again, I really have to recommend this site for photos and a better job with the history. Straight ahead in this picture you can kind of see the back of our tour guide, Dr. Kirsten Stoffregen Pedersen. Our soft spoken Sister has written many books and articles about the Christians here in Jerusalem.
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| From Mount of Olives |
A few Our Father's we found interesting:
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| From Mount of Olives |
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| From Mount of Olives |
Aramaic? Perhaps the language Jesus spoke it in.
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| From Mount of Olives |
After this, Dr. Pedersen showed us the Benedictine convent where it seemed she lived and we saw their chapel there. Many of these nuns specialize in making icons. Dr. Pedersen talked about how the Mount of Olives used to be a heavily Christian area, but the in the last several decades the Christians have moved away. What we saw was an economically depressed neighborhood as well.
By noon we were all very tired and said goodbye and thank you to Dr. Pedersen. The fastest way to get back to the university was actually taking a bus to the Damascus gate and then take another bus up north from there. But, once we got to the gate, we felt like getting something to eat in the old city. We made our way down a few streets and found a place with mirrors on the walls. There were serving falafels and shawarma, which we were all ready for. We ordered hummus and pitas which were served with pickles and olives. The girls ordered falafels (with shredded cabbage, pickles, and tomatoes) and the boys ordered shawarma (here you can find them with either chicken or lamb).
Later that day, after a good nap and an iced tea, we visited a reformed baptist congregation where the sermon was in English and translated into Russian for most of the members were Russian. What a full day!
A note of caution: Be meticulous about where you buy a shawarma sandwich.
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