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Published: February 23rd 2016
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Today we were on the bus early but there was so much traffic in and around the hotel that we couldn't go anywhere....so my favorite vendor got on the bus to sell Jerusalem crosses. They were so beautiful!! They are made by Armenian nuns. We headed out to the temple and old Jerusalem. We went through the stages of the Via Delorosa. The place that touched me most was where Pilate question Jesus and finally turned him over to the Jews to be crucified. The pavements where we were standing were the actual pavements where Jesus walked.. Where he put his feet.... Where his blood was shed. I touched them... I took pictures.. But nothing can describe what I was feeling there. Just around a corner is a beautiful mosaic of Jesus bearing the weight of the cross... The look of agony that was on his face.
Our next stop was the church of the holy sepulchre. This is the church that claims to have been built on the site where Jesus hung from the cross. It is a beautiful church with lovely mosaics, tapestries, and paintings. It is very emotional to think that you may have touched the place
whereJesus was crucified.
The Garden tomb was the next stop. It claims to be the tomb in which Jesus was laid. The guide gives you so much info that you can't help but believe it is the actual site, but honestly does it really matter if you were in the exact spot or is if enough that you were in the holy land... The land of Jesus. At the garden tomb we took communion. Luanne(from South Carolina) and I were asked to sing. We started with In The Garden, then the entire group joined in singing Let us break Bread Together, Sanctuary, and Amazing Grace. What an emotional communion for everyone in our group!
Following lunch we went to the Teaching steps...these were the steps mentioned in the Bible where Jesus did his teaching. It was really weird because here we are in this hoy site and a group was setting up for some kind of concert. It just didn't feel right! We went on to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. There we could join many and go to the wall and offer prayers. Millions of people have written prayers on slips of paper
IMG_6574
Teaching steps and stuck them in the crevices of the wall. I did the same thing with all the prayers I wrote or people gave me.
During our trips to the Temple, the teaching steps, the Via Dolorosa, and the western wall we took side trips throughout the old city of Jerusalem. The streets are very narrow and there is much activity there. It was so interesting to just watch the people and all that was going on there.
After a quick dinner at the hotel we went to the Israel Museum to view the Dead Sea Scrolls. By that time we were all tired and very slap happy!! Everyone knew the group fro the Gray Bus was there and having a good time!!
Nite all!
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