Good Friday

Hello,

Today is Good Friday in Jerusalem. There is not a better place to be. Our hearts are full.

We started out this morning with a walk on the ramparts of the Old City Wall. Quite amazing! We started at the Jaffa Gate. The Damascus Gate and the Jaffa Gates are named because if you turn right as you come out of the gate, you will head to those cities. We wondered what you would find if you turned right at the Dung Gate. Anyone want a tile that says, "Dung Gate" to place over your bathroom door? They're available. The next pictures are some of the 360 pictures I took while walking on the ramparts (defensive area on top of the Old City Walls).

On the way to the ramparts, as we passed through the Old City we saw many processions of people carrying the cross down the Via Delarosa, (The way to the cross). We will walk it before we leave.

The people in the second picture are on their way to this procession.

We came back to the Hotel because we were waiting for a call from our host family's friends in Jerusalem. They said they would call about noon, but we never heard from them. So, we took a walk to the "Garden Tomb". To me, this is the most memorable place we have visited. A sense of peace pervaded as we entered. I will give you a little of the information on the brochure we were handed as we entered.

"This garden has been carefully preserved as a Christian holy site because many believe it could be the garden of Joseph of Arimathea in which Jesus was buried after His crucifixion. As you stand on the platform at the far end of the Garden you will find yourself overlooking a bus station. This area was part of an ancient stone quarry. According to tradition the quarry was used by the Jews as a place of execution by stoning and by the Romans as a crucifixion site. We cannot be sure, but it is interesting to see the features of a human skull in the rock face to the left of the quarry. The photograph, (which I have included) shows how that image looked about 120 years ago, when the hillside was already known as "Skull Hill'. The Bible aslo states that, 'at the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.' (John 19:41) In the garden there is a cistern, Jerusalem's third largest rain water cistern holding over 200,000 gallons. Its discovery, suggests that the garden was orginially an extensive vineyard, possibly that of a rich man."

"It is remarkable that all the features mentioned in the Bible's account of the tomb of Jesus can be seen here.

-It is cut out of the solid rock and was not a natural cave. (Matthew 27:60)

-It was sealed by a large rolling stone, as indicated by the channel outside the front wall. (Matthew 27:60)

-Inside there would have been space for several mourners to stand inside the large weeping chamber. (Luke24:1-3, 10)"

We were unable to go inside the tomb today because it was Good Friday. We will send some photos later.

I was unprepared for the emotions that overtook me as we entered the Garden. This is a place of meditation and quiet. People were not talking and were sitting quietly in many areas. I know the pictures can't evoke the mood, but I will try.