Holy Week: St James Armenian Cathedral

 This weekend, for billions of Christians around the World is the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday, where Jesus was welcomed into the holy city of Jerusalem. Inside the old Jerusalem, one of the quarters we visited was the Armenian Quarter where the St James Cathedral, also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is located. This Cathedral and Monastery was built during the 12th Century and still standing strong in the present time in the 21st Century. This is the religious home of the Armenian Orthodox Church with their patriarch, senior leaders and monks. The Cathedral is dedicated to two Christian saints: St James the Apostle and St James, brother of Jesus. During our visit to Jerusalem, we were blessed to attend their afternoon prayer session.  The Cathedral's interior was richly decorated with byzantine lamps, centuries old religious icons and paintings. It was such a beautiful and serene place. A perfect place to reflect and pray together with the monks. This Holy Week is our time to renew our soul and reflect on the passion, death and resurrection of our saviour, Jesus Christ. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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He Is Risen: Happy Easter!

 A pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one of the most important and transforming in my life as this is the most sacred in Christendom, the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, laid down for preparation for burial, his Tomb and Resurrection. All of these major events in Jesus Christ's life all happened on this location. This Holy Church, managed by the Franciscans(Roman Catholic), Orthodox and Coptic religions was built by the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine between AD 326 and 335 at the suggestion of his mother, St. Helena. Pilgrims come here to remember and show respect to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave his life up for us. 

Franciscan friars every day climb the stairs all the way up to Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the site of the Crucifixion.  

 

Golgotha, known in Hebrew as the Place of the Skull is the site of Jesus Crucifixion. 

 

 

   

 The rock of Golgotha. 

Burial chamber bed where his disciples laid his body and prepared for burial. 

 

Pilgrim kneel down here to touch and say a prayer on this burial chamber.

 

Dome on top of the Tomb of Jesus Christ. 

 

Here is a Coptic Friar who went inside the tomb to bless it. We pray for the Coptics and the Syrian Orthodox Christians who are the most presecuted in Egypt, Syria and Iraq. 

 

A Syrian Orthodox monk. 

 

 

 Tomb of Jesus Christ. 

 

Known as the Catholikon Dome which represents the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

He is risen! 

 

Happy Easter! 

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From The Passover To The Last Supper

 One things I learnt when we visited Jerusalem is that all of the major religions are inter-related. No matter the conflicts, division, hate and misunderstandings between these religions, their histories, beliefs and practises intersect and are inter-related. One example is the disputed place of the Last Supper. According to the Latin Christians (Roman Catholics) and Orthodox Christians (Greek and Syrian Orthodox Churches), the real sight of the Last Supper was at St. Mark's house which is now known as St. Mark's Orthodox Monastery in Old Jerusalem. Then according to the Israelis, the real site for the Last Supper was at Mount Zion. We visited both places to learn about their stories. Of the two places, we felt the spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit at St. Mark's. It is really up to you which one you believe and which one touched your soul.

During our visit at St. Mark's we met this lady who is the guardian of the place. She was a teacher in Syria. Now she is living here in the Monastery. She shared with us the history of the place, the story of her life, her country and the story of the visitors that have passed by here just like we did. 

 

Chapel was designed in the Orthodox style on 79 A.D. 

 

Down stairs is the Last Supper room which was known as the Upper Room during Jesus' time. As you know, every thing below used to be street level over 2000 years ago. This room which is now below, could have been considered Upper Room over 2000 years ago.

 

 

 Above is the ancient sign in Jesus' language of Aramaic stating that this is a Holy Place. 

 Mount Zion. 

This room is what the Israelis consider as the Upper Room where the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles was held. 

 

 

As you can see here the intersection of Christian history (Last Supper) with Islamic mosaics in the window and the Jewish menorah below. 

Jewish Menorah. 

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Way Of The Cross At Via Dolorosa

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 This Week, Christians all over the world, will begin the commemoration of Holy Week with Palm Sunday, when Jesus was welcomed in Jerusalem. It is the time of remembering Jesus Christ's passion and death on the cross. Last October, my family and I  finally walked the Via Dolorosa, the "way of sorrow" in Old Jerusalem. This whole stretch of road inside Old Jerusalem celebrates the 14 Stations of the Cross because along this route were the actual places that Jesus was sentenced, imprisoned, flagellated then carried the cross towards his final destination, his death, in Mount Calvary, known as Golgotha, now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christian pilgrims walk this route to pray the Way of the Cross to commemorate Jesus' suffering and death. 

Station 1: The Ecce Homo Arch is connected to the Church of Ecce Homo where Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate. 

Church of Flagellation where Jesus was tortured and crowned with thorns. 

  

 

Station 2: From prison, Jesus carried his cross. 

 

Station 3: Jesus Falls the first time. 

 

Station 5: Simon helps Jesus carry the cross. The wall is where Jesus placed his hands when he fell. 

 

Towards these stations, we only saw the doors as these chapels were closed for prayers and lunch break. 

 

Station 6: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. 

 

Station 7: Jesus Falls the second time. 

 

 

Station 8: The Women weep over Jesus. 

 

Imagine Jesus Christ carried the cross up these stairs along the Via Dolorosa. 

Stations 9 to 14: Inside the Church of Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was stripped of his garments, Jesus was nailed to the cross in Cavalry and Jesus died on the cross. 

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Jesus was taken from the cross and lastly, Jesus was laid in the sepulchre. 

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