AMAZING!

Have you ever just been walking down the street, minding your own business, and had something absolutely amazing happen to you?! Well, it happened to me today.

Earlier today, I was strolling down the Via Dolorosa, just basking in the sunshine and enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the Old City (Jerusalem). It was a pleasant stroll. As I would walk by, the various shopkeepers sitting in their storefronts would call out to me, "Come Amo(Uncle). You're welcome here. Enjoy a drink of juice or coffee with us." I would politely decline, perhaps banter a bit, and then continue along my way. Suddenly, a young man, about my age, appeared out of a small gate and invited me in to the garden. Wary, I asked what he was inviting me to, and first chatted with him in the middle of the street. It turns out that he was employed as the guard of two churches and was bored out of his mind. There was a Jewish tour group inside and he was in no mood to pay them any mind. I entered, and was given my own private tour. It was fabulous. In these past four years, how many times had I strolled down the Via Dolorosa, and had never given any notice to that small gate?! What an amazing surprise! These two churches that I had happened upon were the Church of the Flagellation (where Jesus was scourged and beaten) and the Church of the Condemnation. The latter was rebuilt in the early 20th century on the site of the ruins of a 13th century chapel. The Church of the Flagellation itself was first built in 12th century by the Cruisaders and was eventually given to the Fransiscans in 1838. It has been amazingly well maintained. The emotion I felt in those two churches is something undescribable. There is an amazing power there, just given the history. Here are a few of pictures of the two churches. It's certainly not the same as being there, but it is better than nothing.

Inside the Church of the Condemnation

Pieces of an ancient wall (from the original ruins) outside the Church of the Condemnation


Inside the Church of the Flagellation

The ceiling above the altar in the Church of the Flagellation. It is made to look like a crown of thorns.

The Church of the Flagellation as viewed from the courtyard and garden.

Via Dolorosa

Honestly, it's pretty amazing walking around the Old City as an Arab, and not as a tourist (despite actually being a tourist). Everyone is so nice and so friendly. People here are incredibly welcoming. To them, I am a daughter come home. I appreciated the friendliness of everyone. Apart from inviting me in for coffee/juice/tea, they would also offer to help in any way that they could. "Can I direct you to something?" And they were always inquisitive as to just where I was from. To them, especially from the older generation, it was thrilling to meet someone born and raised in the States who speaks Arabic - never mind that I likely have the heaviest American accent they've ever heard. Crazy as it sounds, I actually felt like I belonged in the Old City, today. It was pretty amazing.