The Way of the Cross

We began Saturday morning by walking the Via Dolorosa. There are 14 stations of the cross along this route chosen in the 14th century. Some were made up and the group did not really stop much along the way. Except when we stopped at the Church of the Flagellation which is near the site that Jesus was believed to be whipped and flogged prior to his crucifixion. I thought the church was the most beautiful one that we saw on the trip. A simple golden crowned Jesus figure was at the center of the altar with a grimace on his face. A beautiful stained glass depiction of Jesus' suffering encircled the church. A glorious crown of thorns was painted on the ceiling.

The final stations are all in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. On an interesting note the church is divided into different denominations and they can't agree on much. After we returned we heard of a fistfight between priests on the orthodox Palm Sunday. While we were there we saw a ladder outside of one of the windows on the second floor of the church that we heard has been there for decades. The church leaders cannot agree who should move it. The church was trying to be reverent but looked more Hollywood. The church is said to have been built on the site of the quarry that Jesus was crucified on and the tomb he was laid in. These things were almost unrecognizable although most scholars believe that this is the actual site. The quarry was outside some windows near at the top of a staircase near the entrance of the church. The tomb was in a wooden shelter in the middle of the church. You needed to wait in a long line to enter the tomb's "house." As we waited we were cut in front of by a number of Europeans...which became a regular daily annoyance at different places on the trip. Only a few of us made it in. When people asked what it was like I didn't know what to say. I couldn't figure out what I had just seen.

Because of this there arose a much more adored site of a proposed crucifixion and tomb site named Gordon's Calvary. In the 18th century Charles Gordon, a British explorer, discovered this area which has a mountainside that looks like a skull and does contain some tombs. Again almost no one believes this is the true place of crucifixion. It is a gorgeous area, a serene garden. It was peaceful except for when the group of women entered into the tomb site and began wailing and wailing- which was echoing out of the mouth of the tomb. I appreciate that they felt a connection with Jesus in this place. We had group communion and sang together. This was drowned out by the riotous tongue speaking of the group that was having their communion service just below us.

During this Wechsler commented that the last bread of the passover feast was traditionally a hidden piece which has the translated title "come again." Jesus ends the passover meal with the promise of the hope of the resurrection.

Following this we went to Bethlehem. We needed to switch drivers and guides and buses to do so because our Jewish guide and driver were not allowed into Bethlehem. This was an uncomfortable feeling because throughout our time we switched guides three times. Our first stop was a souvenir shop filled with gorgeous olive tree carving...gigantic nativities that sell for thousands of dollars. I am frustrated that I did not take picture of them because they were beautiful. I loved the carving of Jesus washing feet. It was great. It was $8000.

We moved onto a Herodian fortress on a mountain above Bethlehem. This gave a perspective of the distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It was pretty close. This means that when Herod sent his people to kill the babies in Jerusalem there would not have been a huge escape period if Joseph and Mary had delayed. This fortress might be the final resting place of Herod and they are currently studying that possibility.

We ended our time in Bethlehem with a trip to the Church of the Nativity. I am glad we came here because for a while groups were not allowed. Across from the church is manger square which fills on Christmas Eve. Today it had some type of seemingly militant gathering with banners of armed shoulders hanging over the square. This was the most nervous I had been on the trip.

The church is nondescript. To enter you bow through a door that is about a five foot rectangle cut into the wall. The door is fittingly called "The door of humility." I love that symbolism.

The church is old and falling apart. Holes in the floor reveal old mosaics underneath. The look inside is garish. Plastic ornaments hang everywhere. I laughed at the thought of priests driving to FIM and buying a box of Christmas ornaments to hang at the church. "These would look nice" I imagine them saying. We offended the religious leaders of the church by laughing while waiting in line to go to the basement to see the supposed site of Jesus' birth. Above the stairs into the basement hangs a golden picture of Mary and baby. Downstairs there is a manger on one side and a simple silver star on the floor marking the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. I know many hated it. I thought it was brilliantly simple.

We board the bus to go back. For some reason we switch guides again and we get nervous. To cross the border we are abandoned at the end of a dead end street with no directions. Fortunately a nice kid pointed to the ramp that would take us up and over the border and back into Jewish Israel. We return to Jerusalem for our final night.