We started off on the Temple Mount. There are a lot of political and religious tensions surrounding this area - our guide called it "Israel's biggest powder keg." The Temple Mount is currently under Muslim control and the Muslim shrine is built over the Foundation Rock (where Abraham bound Isaac) and the site of the Holy of Holies...so you can see why it's complicated. We weren't allowed to bring our Bibles with us and even crosses, prayer books, or any religious paraphernalia other than Islamic items are strictly prohibited. Non-Muslims are only allowed to go in a single entrance, and everyone has to go through security. If a group looks Jewish, they are given a police escort to ensure the status quo is maintained - only Muslims can worship on the Temple Mount. That's not to say it was scary or noticeable tense when we were walking around, but they took several precautions to make sure that everyone has access to the area. The Muslim shrine was absolutely beautiful. Of course, we could only see the outside but that was enough. It was the first grand Islamic structure built. Prior to its construction, Muslims were a nomadic group that built modest shrines relatively quickly. We were informed that the marble stones used on the outside were likely stones from the previous Jewish Second Temple floor. They like reusing stones here. I didn't realize this but Muslims do not have any images of people, plants, or animals in their places of worship to strictly adhere to the idolatry laws in the Quran, so their decorative style is almost exclusively patterns.
Muslim shrine on Temple Mount
Picture taken before our legs went numb
Some of the patterns used to decorate the outside of the shrine
After the Temple Mount, we walked the stations of the cross (Via Dolorosa) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We even got to see a recently excavated portion of the road from Jesus' time! The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. It's currently under "joint custody" of the Roman Catholic, Armenian, Greek Orthodox, and Coptic religious groups. Unlike the Church of the Nativity that we saw yesterday, this one isn't as neatly portioned off for each faith. They each take their own bits and pieces of the important places. I would try to describe it but I don't think I could do it well. My biggest takeaways were that these four faiths have (mostly) peacefully agreed that this site is worth sharing. We were able to see the spot where they believed Jesus' cross was stuck in the ground and stood about ten feet from it. That was...surreal? Humbling? Awe-inspiring? It was a lot of things. Then, we got to see the spot believed to be Jesus' burial cave, although it's now a giant marble building. We went into a preserved cave that would have been the same as the one Jesus was buried in though! Also surreal and humbling and awe-inspiring.
Original road from Jesus' time
Rocks from what's believed to be Golgotha
The marble shrine built over what's believed to be Jesus' burial site
Finally, we went to the Garden Tomb. This is also a place suggested for the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus but has less archaeological and traditional evidence than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Doesn't mean it's not though! It was this beautiful, lush, green garden with flowers and trees everywhere you turned. I think I'm missing Missouri the teeny tiniest bit. There's a lot of stone and marble here! We had a short communion service as a group and took a moment to reflect on the day - we had just seen where Jesus defeated death! After rushing around for the past few days, it was a needed moment of reflection.
I just like these pictures
We were supposed to have the afternoon free to roam around Jaffa but the freezing rain convinced us to choose the indoors instead. I think we're going to try the Jerusalem marketplace tonight if it's not too cold! During the day, it's a grocery/farmer's market type place but after 6pm, it's a popular nightlife scene. Should be fun! Tomorrow, we leave Jerusalem and head to the Dead Sea!
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