sabbatical 2019 - way of the cross

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We walked the ancient and original Way of the Cross with prayers and Scripture readings at each of 14 stations today through the streets of Jerusalem, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre situated on the stone of Golgotha where the 3 crosses are believed to have been and next and including the tomb where we think Jesus was laid. Whoa!!!! Pilgrims have been coming to this site since the 4th century and still today - we had to wait in line with hundreds of other pilgrims over an hour to see the tomb in which Jesus body was laid... An Orthodox Church from America sang chants while they were in line. We read the Passion reading on the rock of the crosses. And then the Holy Saturday reading for the Easter Vigil outside the tomb and ended with 3 loud "Alleluia! Christ is Risen!" Pictures are 1. Becky receiving a Baptismal Blessing with oil we spread on the stone slab believed to be the place where Jesus body was wrapped in cloths before being put in the tomb. 2 Our pilgtim group walking the way of the cross with Holy Sepulchre spire in the distance. 3 the doors of Holy Sepulchre church. (Look closely at the stone support next to the door and you will see many crosses etched into the stone that could be 100 or 1000 years old. 4 The front of Holy Sepulchre Church and its courtyard including parts of the 4th century and 12th cientury buildings.

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