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Culture and Heritage Family Travel Historical Travel Inspiration Middle East Religious and Spiritual Travel Travel Tips Travelog: Our Personal Travels Uncategorized

Places in Jerusalem where Easter comes alive

Easter Sunday is the most joyous day in the Christian calendar.  The day marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ who died on the cross at Calvary as a sign of love for all people so that they can also be resurrected from sin.

On a recent trip to Israel we had the pleasure of visiting numerous sites throughout the country that really brought the Bible to life for us.  In Jerusalem, we visited several places that were poignant reminders of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.  To say that we felt God’s presence and experienced powerful biblical history is an understatement.   In celebration of this important holiday we are pleased to share just a few reflections from our lens.  Happy Easter and Passover.

Mount Scopus overlooking Jerusalem
We enjoyed a panoramic view of Jerusalem as we stood on Mount Scopus overlooking the Mount of Olives. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick
Garden of Gethsemane and Church of All Nations
We reflected on Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’s last night with his disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick

As we walked the 1-mile length of the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) through the Old City of Jerusalem, we thought about the phyical challenge that Jesus felt as he carried the cross along the hilly terrain to his death on Calvary.

id=”attachment_11186″ align=”alignleft” caption=”There are 14 Stations of the Cross that depict images of Jesus carrying the cross. This 6th Station identifies a Jerusalem woman who wiped the face of Jesus. The cloth she used reportedly took up the image of Jesus. The Greek translation of this event is called Vera Icon, meaning ‘true image’, thus the woman becomes known as Veronica. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick”

 

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of the Resurrection or Church of Anastasis, is considered to be the holiest church in the world because it is the place where Jesus died on Calvary and tomb where He was resurrected.  The Church, which is located in the Christian side of the Old City, contains the last few Stations of the Cross, the Calvary (Golgotha) Altar, the Stone of Anointing, the Aedicule that holds the Holy Sepulchre and the Tomb.

 

Court yard of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

id=”attachment_11186″ align=”alignleft” caption=”Calvary (Golgotha) altar. Visitors can feel the hole where the cross was erected. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick”
id=”attachment_11186″ align=”alignleft” caption=”A mosaic depiction of Christ’s body being prepared after his death, opposite the Stone of Anointing. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick”
id=”attachment_11186″ align=”alignleft” caption=”Visitors kneel down to kiss the Stone of Anointing. This is where Jesus’ body is said to have been anointed before burial. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick”
id=”attachment_11186″ align=”alignleft” caption=”The Aedicule. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick”

 

For Christians, traveling along the Via Dolorosa and visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are high points on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Experiencing biblical history during our travels through the Old City and New Jerusalem is one of the most transformative travel experiences we have had.  Certainly, our visit was reminder that Easter is much more than chocolate bunnies and colored eggs.

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Archaelogogical Tourism Culture and Heritage Middle East Uncategorized

Israel – the ancient melting pot of religion and culture

There are many places steeped in history that you must have visited and felt in awe. However, there is one place which even leaves history awe-struck. It is Israel- a country where every stone is saturated in history, it’s past and present scarred by war and yet revered for being the most holy place for three main religions of the world – Islam, Judaism and Christianity.  Many people secretly or publicly dream of visiting this country and standing at the old city of Jerusalem to walk in the footsteps of history.

Israel is a country that has kept its history alive.  History doesn’t reside in the books; in Israel you can meet it at every corner. While walking through the lanes of Jerusalem, you can imagine how Jesus Christ must have walked on those same stones, thousands of years back. A visit to the Western Wall or the view of the Dome of the Rock will make you feel how these places have attracted people through the ages for pilgrimage.

Western Wall.  Photo:  Edgardo W. Olivera

You cannot talk of Israel without thinking about the wars it has survived. Take for example Masada. Overlooking the Dead Sea, the mountain fortress of Masada stands tall with its glorious history. It tells the story of 1,000 people who preferred to give their lives instead of bowing down before their Roman enemies. Such tales of glory and bravery make the air of Israel heavy.

Man reads while floating in the Dead Sea.  Photo:  Arian Zwegers

Israel also tells stories of gory bloodbath. The largest Holocaust museum of the world at Yad Vashem will throw you into a vortex of emotions. Apart from these places that move us and leave us speechless, Israel has the Dead Sea, a water body that we all have read about in our geography books and dreamt of viewing one day. A float on the Dead Sea is must to revive the geography lesson. The view of the sea is also something that you will never forget. Israel is blessed with natural beauty that many travelers find alluring. The Galilee region is very popular with the tourists because of its sweeping green fields and picturesque highlands. It also has history associated with it that can give you goose bumps. This region contains the Sea of Galilee which is famous for Jesus Christ and his walk on top of the water.

For a break from history lessons there are places around Israel where you can just have fun. For example, The Eliat, a resort site known for its water sports. Scuba diving, snorkeling and dolphin watching are some of the popular activities that will keep you busy there. It is not possible to tell you about Israel in one article. You may hear thousands of stories about Israel but it is impossible to understand the full weight of the words or develop a full appreciation for Israel until you visit and experience the country for yourself.

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Authors Corner Middle East Uncategorized

Walking Israel: An Author’s Perspective

The reason I wrote “Walking Israel” is that the view of Israel in the media is too narrow. So many people ask whether it is safe to visit Israel. Then a week after arriving they call and say, Wow, this is such a great place, I had no idea. That’s what I wanted to write about: that great place about which people have no idea.