Tag: Jerusalem
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The Tombs of the Virgin Mary
There are four (that I am aware of) different tombs for the Virgin Mary located in five different countries, plus two places marking her death. The most venerated is in Jerusalem, in the Kidron Valley a few steps away from the Garden of Gethsemane. This location is a grotto and named Church of the Sepulchre… Read more
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The Gates of Jerusalem
First a brief history of the walls. There are eight gates into the walled city of Jerusalem including one gate that is blocked up. The current city walls were built (in 1538 AD) by Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1556 AD) and thereafter maintained by the Ottoman Turkish Empire until 1917. The current walls do not completely… Read more
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The Potter’s Field Where Judas Iscariot Hung Himself
The traditional site as identified by St. Jerome (about 345-420 AD) as the Field of Blood (Matthew 27:8) and the Potter’s Field (Acts 1:18-19) where Judas Iscariot hung himself after betraying Jesus Christ near the Garden of Gethsemane. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought… Read more
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The Mocking of Jesus by the Soldiers: The Roman Game of Kings
The King Game (known as Basileus in Greek) was commonly played throughout the Roman Empire by soldiers. The soldiers preferred to play using a condemned prisoner, but it is thought that a non-violent version of the game could be played amongst the soldiers themselves when a prisoner was not available. In the double-square, sheep knuckles… Read more
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The Garden Tomb is Empty on Easter Morning
Christ the Lord is Risen “Then took they [Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus] the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein… Read more
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Good Friday Crucifixion at Golgotha/Calvary
Why do we refer to this day as Good Friday? Because on this day our Lord and Savior died on the cross for us. Some people mistakenly believe that the entire atonement took place at Gethsemane. The atonement continued, and the Lamb of God’s sacrifice on the cross for us is an essential part of… Read more
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The Last Supper in the Upper Room
On Thursday night (beginning of Friday by the Jewish reckoning) of Holy Week, “Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John , saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. …[in] a large upper room furnished.” Luke 22: 7-8, 12. Toward… Read more
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Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday
Jesus Christ and his disciples came from Bethany, on the east side of the Mount of Olives. “Then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village in front of you [Bethphage], and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.” Matthew… Read more
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The First Trial of Jesus Christ at Caiaphas’ House
The Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (Gallicantu means “cock-crow” in Latin), on Mount Zion, is over the ruins believed to be the site of Caiaphas the high priest’s home (Caiaphas was High Priest from 18 to 36 AD). The identification is strongly supported (but not proved) by archeology. A church existed here during the… Read more
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Garden of Gethsemane
On the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron (a.k.a. Cedron) brook, are the remains of very ancient olive trees. Hebrew University botanists date the trees to be between 1,800 and 2,300 years old. The only way to be sure would be to cut one down and count the rings, which is an horrific idea. Josephus… Read more