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Thursday 16 May 2013

HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE: First Impressions - Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, High Priests House and Western Wall

Holy Land Pilgrimage - First Impressions. 


We  started at the Mountof Olives with the intention of walking down via Dominus Flevit to The Garden of Gethsemane. Fierce wind and some rain, so organisers decided against the walk.  So next to the church of St. Peter in Galicante -The High Priest’s House. Church on three levels. Beautiful church with shoes left at the approach by Christians from another persuasion. I was asked to read the denial of Peter at the chapel beneath the church where there were three panels showing the denial, Peter weeping and then the forgiveness by Jesus on the beach.

Then to the improbably supposed site of the Upper Room near the Church of the Dormitian. Very busy and Said, our very competent guide, was vexed by a large group of pilgrims who had annexed one end of the room and were singing a worship song so loudly that other groups were not able to hear their guides. A few tense moments that were, in a very minor way an illustration of the difficulty of Christians working together: some of our group would have liked to stay and sing.

By this time we were definitely ready for lunch which was at Bulghourji restaurant in the Armenian quarter. Our ignorance of the Armenian genocides which began in 1915 and took between 1 and 2 million lives at the hands of the Ottomans was common with everyone in our group. It is recognised as one of the disasters of the twentieth century eclipsed only by the Holocaust. Jerusalem was a refuge for the persecuted. Turkey today still does not recognise the events as a genocide.

The next stop was the Western Wall which is the western wall of the third temple (immediate successor to the second and fused with it in descriptive terms). The lower courses are the original wall of Solomon's temple and the upper courses built up to make a platform for the second temple. Tradition has it that this is the site in which the foundation stone of the world is to be found, where Adam was brought to life and where Abraham set out to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount. This is also where Christ's second coming and there is competition for graves in the Jewish cemetery with high prices being paid $25000 for a grave which only lasts 35years!

Most of our party went to pray at the wall but I preferred to each from a distance. At that distance it was interesting to note that the custom of walking backwards from the wall after praying was honoured far more by the women than the men at least today. The custom of praying at the wall,was revived in 1967 after the second Arab Israelmwar when the Morroccan quarter was demolished to make access to the wall simpler.

Fairly weary by now, we returned to the top of The Mount of Olives to walk down to the Garden of Gethsemane via the church of Dominus Flevit (The Lord wept). That visit became more poignant later in the day. Beautiful window in the church looking across the City. I would like to use the patterning for a cosmic theme.

At the bottom we sat outside The Church if the rock not quite aware that we were sitting on the rock where Jesus is believed to have prayed somewhat to the consternation of a group of Russian Orthodox who wanted to venerate the stone! The ancient olives are fascinating even though not dating back to the time of Christ - but they are still pretty ancient.

We returned to the hotel and heard a considerable commotion interspersed with loud bangs. By now we knew today to be the anniversary of what the Palestinians refer to as The Catastrophe and assumed the noise to be firecrackers thrown by angry Palestinians and their sympathisers. However, at evening prayer on the rooftop of the hotelier learned the bangs had been tear gas canisters being fired. The Lord still surely weeps over this city!
Evening Prayer on the hotel roof: walls of Jerusalem in background and tear gas being fired along the road below

Move on to Day 2
OR REturn to main pilgrimage index

Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos

Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos
Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos

Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)

Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)
Cascade of Stars and Gases. This image will take you to the meditation 'Deep Silence'

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)
The Imaginary Butterfly Nebula . Anything like this would be a real Curiosity! The image will link you to the reflection titled 'Curiosity' which is actually a celebration of the achievement of landing the Mars Rover of that name

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe
It is currently thought that the Universe has at least 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars! Hence the use of the word ‘scintilla’ for a mere ten thousand billion.

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)
Cross and Particle Accelerator. The words of 'A Prayer for Understanding' can be viewed by clicking on this image

Nebula (Embroidery)

Nebula (Embroidery)
Nebula (Embroidery) to accompany the poem 'Invitation' which can be found by clicking on the image.

Nativity Star (CGI)

Nativity Star (CGI)
Nativity Star: This image will link you to the collection of new Carols on this site. Also, the image can easily be copied onto an overhead acetate and used as a window decoration. Easy for children to achieve. Note the cross at the centre of the star.

Orange Galaxy

Orange Galaxy
'Orange Galaxy' posted to accompany 'Bounded and Boundless'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth
Cosmic Ikon 8: Moth Nebula(imagined-acrylic) The Gold field of deep space is intended to convey the Lordship of Christ over the whole of the Cosmos

Surprise garden rose (Photo)

Surprise garden rose (Photo)
This beautiful head of roses in our garden, which are giving off a delightful perfume in the morning sun, seems a fitting picture to link to the sonnet 'Evolution and Beauty'. Let the picture take you there. It is a surprise because it is growing high on a bush of otherwise pure yellow roses: amazing!

Cross and Vortex

Cross and Vortex
'Cross and Vortex' to accompany 'Stars and Planets Sing Your Glory'. Click on the image to go to the poem/hymn.

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)
Gaseous Cosmic Threads: Mixed media - acrylics and painted threads

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)
Warm Umbrian Hills: Click image to take you to the poem St Francis' Sky

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower
Cosmic Icon 7 - Summerflower Nebula (Acrylic)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)
'Cosmic Labyrinth' - This icon is a symbol of the path through the near reaches of the Cosmos with its 'Havens' where current advances in science (2012/13) are celebrated. By clicking on the picture you will be taken to the latest version of the poem of the same name.

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)
Time, perhaps to consider a restorative break before the approach of Advent/ Christmas. Let this image take you to 'On Drawing Apart'.

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)
On the South shore of Iona is a bay which shows the industrial scarring of a beautiful place. Read of it by clicking on the picture

Celtic cross candle (Photo)

Celtic cross candle (Photo)
Celtic Cross and candle' linked to the poem 'Awesome, Wonderful Creator'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)
'Light of the world' posted to accompany 'To Light'. Find the poem by clicking on the image.

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)
Iona from Fionnphort. At this point of the Isle of Mull, the end of a pilgrimage or trip to Iona is in sight. Click on this picture to take you to the poem 'IONA - The Pilgrim Way'

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy
This is the mask which was moulded to my face to ensure the radiotherapy I had in April 2017 was precisely targeted. You can read more by clicking on the image

Double Celebration

Double Celebration
Pam, who has been magnificent in caring for me since my Cancer diagnosis in October and I celebrate the end of Radiotherapy and our 36th Wedding Anniversary (Note the return of some hair!). Click on the image to read about the treatment - and waiting.

St Neots Sunset (Photo)

St Neots Sunset (Photo)
Surrounded by beauty: Whie 'Evolution and Beauty' became one of the most viewed poems on this blog, Pam, my wife took this gorgeous picture of a sunset over the flatlands of Cambridgeshire UK. Click on it to go to the poem

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015
Gabriel began the Christmas story with his visit to Mary. The story is told in our Christmas collection in the Carol, Go to Nazareth My Great Messenger. Click on this image to take you there.

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)
IMAGINARY IMAGE TO CELEBRATE CANADA DAY: Click on this his imaginary 'Maple Leaf Nebula' to take you to a poem entitled 'Nebula' (image not to be confused with NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula which is also known as the Maple Leaf)

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016
Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)
First posted here on Adomnan’s day (23rd September) 2015. An imagined natural phenomenom that could be seen to resonate mystically with the idea of Iona being a ‘thin place’ where heaven brushes earth.

Assisi Sunset

Assisi Sunset
Assisi Sunset

Thinking about the Brain

Thinking about the Brain
This image is formed from a small section of neural pathways posted by the Koch Institute, clipped, part inverted and stitched together. It is intended to impart a sense of our extensive, but still partial understanding of what goes on in that awesome part of our bodies, our brains. By clicking on the image, you will be taken to a celebratory poem/song ‘For Amazement by Beauty’ about all of our senses.

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)
Source: Expand the image to reveal its heart

Rainbow spiral (CGI)

Rainbow spiral (CGI)
'Rainbow Spiral' to accompany 'Darkness,Illuminator' . Find the poem by clicking on the iImagined mage

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)
Cross and simple prayer rope: make one like this to use as an aid to using ‘The Jesus Prayer'