Another field trip! Woo hoo! We just went around the Old City to various sites associated with Christ. One of the big stops was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is one of Sham Sham’s favorite places. In that church it has all of the sites that Helena determined to be the sites of the burial, crucifixion, condemnation, and other such things. It is an incredible church
with incredible, old, old, old mosaics all over the place.
There were some fun little caves too. Woo hoo for caves!
Then we went to this church where Father Angelo, a cool dude, told us cool things about his life. I think said something like doing what he does means you have no money, no wife, and there’s nothing you can do about it. But I’m not sure if he said that or not. Somebody did at some point because I heard it somewhere… :)
Father Angelo showed us how Orson Hyde, one of the early apostles, had carved his name on this door in one of the rooms.
Then we went in to another church and Brother Skinner (or maybe Brother Huff) taught us about the “eye of the needle.” Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into Heaven. The stones near this arch are Herodian stones, 2000 years old. That opening on the side is called the eye of the needle. It was there for people to get through when the gate was closed. Perhaps that is what Jesus was referring to, because it would be extremely hard for a camel to get through this opening, especially with their awkward movements.
Can you see a camel getting through here? Not really. I guess it must be pretty hard for rich people to get into Heaven then.
Also at this church were paintings of Czar Nicholas and his family. There was a painting of Princess Anastasia. I LOVE THAT CARTOON! Anyways, the Romanovs stayed in this room for a while. I went in this room. Cooooooool beans.
The next church was Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, when I had gone to mass about two months before. It was awesome going in there again, because we got to sing my favorite song… “SHINE! JESUS! SHINE!” We sang that song when I first went there and when we came here for the field trip and Bro. Skinner asked if anyone had a song they wanted to sing, I yelled out, “671!!!” Oh I love Shine, Jesus, Shine. Best song ever.
After the churches, a group of us went and learned about the Shroud of Turin, which is possibly the cloth that Christ was covered with in the tomb. There’s a lot of evidence that’s supports it, but that’s kinda crazy. It was really cool learning about it though. I am learning so much here. I don’t want to leave.
We were so blessed to be able to celebrate Palm Sunday in the very place that Christ’s triumphal entry occurred. We did the procession and walked from Bethphage into Jerusalem on the same path that Christ would’ve ridden the donkey on.
We got there pretty early, and I don’t know why we were there like an hour early, to just stand around and wait.
Kara, Lindsay, and Marianne waiting around for the procession to start. It was sooooooo sooooo hot. And we just had to stand around and wait in the heat, not very fun.
Then people started coming through with little boy scouts and monks and friars and other such religious leaders.
This dude was wearing his baseball cap with his robes, interesting combination.
This guy had an awful haircut. I don’t really understand it.
This girl, who also joined with the thousands of people walking in the procession, had a wicked wicked long crazy braid.
There were palm leaves all over. Little kids would sell them all to people.
Palestine!
Here’s me with my little leaf that I found on the ground. Again, it was so so so so so so so hot. I couldn’t handle it. And the walk was going so so so so so slowly. I just wanted to be done.
Me and my two favorite Jerusalem girls. We walked with thousands of other people from Bethphage to St. Anne’s Church just inside the city walls. It was so hot and there were so many people, but still good.
Once we had finally escaped from the crowd and the people, Kara, Marianne, and I went and got some hummus and pitas. Yay! Hummus and pitas!
I love Palm Sunday, especially in Jerusalem. What an opportunity to be able to walk the path of Christ’s triumphal entry. I love Jerusalem.
