A very full day in Jerusalem

We had a beautiful hike in the valley bellow out hotel with more carved rock formations and even naturally carved tunnels we walked through.


The trip to Israel was uneventful and we arrived at St. Georges guest house around 11pm.
The next day was certaiy not uneventful! Christopher said it was one of the fullest in his life. We started our day with a Eucharist service with a bunch of Anglicans from england and Australia, and it was very moving to share the same worship and sing Jesus Christ is Risen Today. Grounded in our own tradition we then went out to experience the multitude of ways that people from around the world worship God. We started at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus' crucifixion and Burial are commemorated. We could kneel under this altar and touch the stone that held the cross.


We witnessed a Greek orthodox mass taking place at the Sepulchre.


Then we stopped in a shop selling antique pottery and glass and got to see and touch some exquisite vessels that are thousands of years old. The shop owner was very nice and very knowledgeable.

From there we headed to the Western Wall which is open to all, though it seems that most of the people praying there are Jewish as they are reading Hebrew scriptures. We had to go to separate areas for our prayers as the men and women are separated, but I think we were both very moved by praying while touching this wall that held the Temple at which Jesus prayed. People write their prayers on little pieces of paper and stick them into the little cracks in the wall- some of them minuscule.


Having gone to the holiest sites for Christians and Jews we then ventured up to the temple mount, which used to hold the Jewish temple but now holds a couple of mosques including the Dome of the Rock, which is covered in gold. Even though it is currently controlled by Muslims, it is still very significant in our tradition too.


Then we spent a couple of hours exploring an archeological museum and site at the base of the temple mount that really helped us imagine what this area was like for the last couple thousand years. We pretty much had the place to ourselves which was a welcome contrast to the crowds earlier, and it was also wonderful to look out at the surrounding hills and think of Jesus knowing this area so intimately.

We were so excited to talk to Harper, Simon, Mimi and Pop from outside the Joffa gate. Can you spot Daddy?


We miss you!

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