At the Church of the Holy Sepulcher there is a room where tradition says Adam was resurrected at the time of Christ's resurrection. This has become known as the "center of the world" according to my Church in the East prof. This is the dome above that place.
At the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a rock where tradition says Jesus was prepared for burial. The eggs above the rock all symbolize the different Churches that have a presence in the Holy Sepulcher: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Ethiopian, Coptic, and Armenian.
Saint Anthony's Church is adjacent to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It is a beautiful Coptic Church that smells richly of incense. When you enter the sanctuary you can actually see the smoke like a thin fog throughout the whole area.
On Thursday, A few friends and I went to the Dormition Abbey by our school. The Dormition Abbey was built in 1906 by Kaiser Wilhelm of all people. Tradition holds that this is the place where Mary died and was brought into heaven. This is its belltower.
The Armenian Church holds this spot to be the home of Caiphas.
Views of the Old City and Mount of Olives from the Dormition Abbey
Statue of Mary, mother of Jesus.
Above that statue is a beautiful mural of Jesus and many righteous women from the Bible and the Apocrypha. They include: Eve, Judith, Ruth, Miriam, and others.
Altars at the Dormition Abbey
I really enjoy these places. I think that since I've arrived here, I've begun to appreciate a variety different faith practices both within and without Christianity. I find myself drawn to places of spiritual significance. It's a beautiful thing when people attempt to draw close to their God and with the faith of their fathers- whether it be at the Wall, the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock, or a tiny church in semi-rural Pennsylvania.
No comments:
Post a Comment