Following the Footsteps of Our Lord: August 2011

Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity, and the Ruins of Herodion - August 12, 2011 - (Matthew Mac Donald)

On our final day in the Holy Land, we spent some last moments at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem before we left our hotel.

Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity

The Church of the Nativity, under the custody of the Greek Orthodox Church

The Gate of Humility - The front entrance to the Church of the Nativity

Columns in the Church of the Nativity with faded Mosaics

The Main Altar and Iconostasis in the Church of the Nativity

Stained Glass Window in the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (The Latin Rite Church of the Nativity)

Before heading to Ben Guiron Airport in Tel Aviv to catch our flight to Rome, we toured the ruins of the palace of Herodion. This was the main palace and burial place of King Herod the Great. It was destroyed by the Romans in 71 AD.

Ruins of Herodion

The Surrounding Countryside

Ancient Roman Ruins

Fabritzio explaining the site

Exploring and underground watershaft

The Basilica of Bethany and Masada - August 11, 2011 - (Matthew Mac Donald)

On August 11, after we moved form Jerusalem to the Casa Nova in Bethlehem, we started off the day by having mass at the Basilica of Bethany. The Basilica is built close to the spot of the Tomb of Lazarus, where Jesus resurrected him from the dead in Jn 11:1-46. Secondly, it is also ascribed to be where the house of Martha and Mary, Lazarus' two sisters, are located and which Jesus visited in Lk 10:38-42. Thirdly, it is also the location where Jesus begins his triumphal procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Mk. 11:1; Lk:19:29) as well as the place where Jesus stayed during Holy Week leading up to His passion (Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:11-12). Finally, it is also noted as the place where the house of Simon the Leper was located where Mary anoints Jesus (Mt. 26:6-13; Mk. 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-8). The Basilica at Bethany was designed by the Italian Architect Antonio Barlutzzi and is under the custody of the Franciscans of the Holy Land.

Fabritzio explaining the Basilica

Fr. Fabian Lopez celebrating Mass

A Plaque commemorating Pope Paul VI visiting the Basilica during his visit to the Holy Land in 1964

After visiting the Basilica, we proceeded to visit the Fortress of Masada which overlooks the Dead Sea. It was built by King Herod the Great in 37 and 31 BC as a place where he could flee from possible revolts against his authority. In 66 AD, Jewish rebels known as the Sicarii seized control of the fortress and used it as a place from which they could lead raids against the Romans. The Romans under the command of Lucius Flavius Silva started to the fortress between 72 and 73AD by building a siege ramp. The Romans finally breached the walls on April 16, 73AD and found that the 960 remaining Jewish rebels all committed mass suicide. It is a major tourist attraction and symbol of Israeli Patriotism.

The Mountaintop of Masada

A Model of the Original Fortress

A Cable Car going to the top of the mountain

Fabritzio explaining the history of the siege to us

Ruins of the Roman Siege Ramp

Ruins of the Roman Camps

Ruins of the Columbarian Tower where messenger doves were kept

Ruins of Roman Style Baths

Afterward we spent the remainder of the day swimming in the Dead Sea

Dormition Abbey, The Ramparts of Jerusalem, the Crusader Church of Saint Anne - August 10, 2011 - (Matthew Mac Donald)

On Wednesday, August 10th we did our final touring of the city of Jerusalem. We started the touring at Dormition Abbey, which commemorates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven body and soul at the end of her life. It was built during the end of the 19th Century with funds from the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. Construction of the Church started in 1900 and it was dedicated by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1910. It is right around the corner from the Franciscan Church of the Caenaculum and the room where the Last Supper and Pentecost occurred. It is under the custody of the Benedictine Order.

Dormition Abbey (Hagia Sion)

Fabritzio explaining the history of the church

The Mosaic of the Theotokos over the Altar

The Place of the Assumption

We then walked the Ramparts of Jerusalem. These are the walls that cover the boarders of the Old City that were built in 1538 by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and they lead up to all the gates that surround the old city.

Outside Jaffa Gate

The Latin Patriarchate

The Muslim Section of New Jerusalem

Then before departing Jerusalem, we had mass at the Crusader Church of Saint Anne, which is under the custody of the White Fathers. It is built over a Byzantine Church that was built over the ruins of the spot of the house of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary.