Jesus tomb
This is probably not the exact tomb but very close. All the major Christian religions from Greek orthodox, catholic, Armenian and even ethiopian have a little area they own around this. They all fight over who owns what and this means that sometimes basic repairs like changing a lightbulb are never carried out. They fight so much sometimes the police have to come and break it up and a Muslim family have to come and open the church.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
I touched the rock that held up the cross that Jesus was crucified on.
Jesus’s handprint
From when he carried the cross. We walked down the viadelarosa the real stations of the cross.
Notes can also be emailed or tweeted.
Kids with Guns
The sites, smells, people and sounds are mixed up. Islamic music and drumming, ethopian patriarchs, orthodox Jews in hats and kids touting pretend machine guns. This is really a place of high intensity.
The Temple Mount
Here is where the foundation stone of the creation of the world is. It is also the place where Adam was created, I think all the religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) believe this. Only Levi’s (Ben) were allowed in the temple.
Now a mosque covers the temple but Jews still go to the Western Wall of the remains of the old temple to pray.
This is just an amazing place. It does feel like the centre of the world.
Synagogue
Synagogues only able to be built lower than mosques. They rationalised that the Talmud says from down below I call to you so they built massively underground.
One of the most sacred Jewish sites. Graeme Treister
Great to meet this man whose father had lots to do with my father. He thinks I look like my dad. Hope to catch up again before the trip is over.
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