Holy Land Pilgrimage: Carrying our Cross

 

I couldn’t believe it! It’s been almost a year since I wrote this blog. Aside from the many things that happened, I’ve been focusing on my faith blog and didn’t have the chance to finish this. But I always say God’s timing is perfect. Things happen when He wants them to happen. It is with both gratitude and sadness that I reminisce on our Holy Land trip. Gratitude for the chance to visit the place where Jesus walked before all the hostilities happened. Sadness because of the war going on in Israel right now. I pray for peace, that the Israelites and Palestinians will learn to live in harmony. I also pray that the holy sites may not be affected so that many more people will still get to see them and remember that it was here where God sent His only son to live among men.

 

With that being said, let’s continue the journey.

 

VIA DOLOROSA

On the 8^th day of our pilgrimage, we not only followed Jesus’ footsteps, but we also carried His cross. Our whole morning was spent in Jerusalem tracing the Via Dolorosa, a processional 600-meter route in the Old City of Jerusalem from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After entering the city through Herod’s gate,

 

we made our way to the Church of Flagellation, site of the 1^st Station, where we were given a wooden cross to carry. Each group took turns in carrying it as we prayed the Stations of the Cross around the streets of the Jerusalem market.

 

 

“As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.” – Matthew 27:32

 

A sob almost escaped my throat when we took our turn at the cross. Unlike Simon of Cyrene, we were willing to carry this burden. Connecting with Jesus by carrying His cross made me emotional. Experiencing how Jesus was rejected by the people cut deep. Before we started, Bro Arun Gogna told us to take note of our surroundings. It is exactly as it was in Jesus’ time – a marketplace where people ignored his suffering as he carried the cross. True enough, we too were ignored. People passed by without throwing a glance at our group, sometimes shoving us a bit in their rush to overtake us.

 

Along the bustling streets of the Old City, we solemnly made our way passing the 2^nd to the 8^th Stations:

• 2^nd Station – Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross
• 3^rd Station – Armenian Polish Catholic Church
• 4^th Station – Armenian Church of Our Lady of the Spasm
• 5^th Station – Franciscan Chapel of Simon of Cyrene
• 6^th Station – Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Face
• 7^th Station – Franciscan chapel
• 8^th Station – Chapel of St. Charalampos

 

At the entrance to the Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery (Deir Al-Sultan) and the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Saint Anthony where the 9^th Station marker was, we had to leave the cross. These 2 churches together form the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Monk guarding the entrance to the Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery at Deir Al-Sultan

 

We descended from the roof and followed a circuitous route through the bazaar to reach the Parvis or the courtyard facing the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The 10^th Station is in the Chapel of the Franks (also called Chapel of the Torment, Chapel of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Our Lady of Sorrows) which was accessible from the Parvis.  

 

We then entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (also known as Church of the Resurrection or Church of the Anastasis). It is a magnificent edifice shared by different Christian denominations. The main building has chapels run by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic (called Latins in Israel) and Armenian Apostolic churches. The Coptic Orthodox (Egyptians), Syriac Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox churches occupy other parts of the church. An interesting trivia about this set up is that the key is kept by a Muslim to keep the peace.

 

Joining a throng of pilgrims, we climbed the stairs to Calvary where the 11^th to the 13^th Stations were located:

• 11^th Station - Catholic Chapel of the Nailing to the Cross

Above the altar: 12^th century mosaic of Jesus being nailed to the cross

• 12^th Station - Greek Orthodox Chapel of the Crucifixion’s Altar where the rock of Calvary is encased in protective glass

• 13^th Station – Catholic altar of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

Finally, we made our way down to the 14^th Station at the Edicule, a 19^th century shrine where the empty tomb of Jesus is enclosed. It is in the Rotunda under the Dome of the Anastasis.

 

The spot that intensified the sense of Jesus’ suffering for me was the Stone of Anointing or Stone of Unction where Jesus’ body is said to have been laid after He was brought down from the cross and anointed before burial. As I gazed at the 3-part mosaic depicting the Descent from the Cross, Anointing of Jesus’ Body, Burial of Jesus on the wall beside the slab, I was one in sorrow with the Blessed Mother and His disciples.

Stone of Anointing

 

Our morning tracing the Via Dolorosa made us keenly aware of what Jesus suffered for our sake.

 

I’ll tell you about the other places we visited on our 8^th day in my next blog as I feel Christ’s Passion deserves to be experienced on its own even virtually by my readers. 

Holy Land Pilgrimage: Footprints in the Holy Land

 

 As I was preparing this blog about the 7^th day of our Holy Land Pilgrimage, I prayed for inspiration on how I can make a cohesive thread for the places we visited. At first glance, our itinerary for Jerusalem seemed quite random. God inspired me to write this poem by following the path we took.  

Jesus left His footprints for us to follow. 

He taught us to keep Our Father’s name hallow.

Under the olive trees, He poured out His sorrow.

Still, He gave His life and saved our tomorrow.

Deny not His friendship lest life be hollow.

 Then I saw how clearly He had ordered that day.

Jesus left His footprints for us to follow.

Our morning was spent in the Mount of Olives. First stop was the Chapel of the Ascension. It is believed to be the spot where Jesus ascended into heaven.

 

Inside this small chapel is a slab of stone called the Ascension Rock. Pilgrims venerate this rock because it is said to bear the impression of Jesus’ right footprint.

 

He taught us to keep Our Father’s name hallow.

Next, we visited the Church of the Pater Noster.

 

Tradition holds that Jesus taught His disciples the Our Father in this grotto under the church.

 

The church’s cloister displays colorful ceramic plaques on the walls bearing the Lord’s Prayer in 140 languages and dialects including one in Tagalog.

 

Then we made our way down the extremely steep Palm Sunday Road. This is where Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem took place. (Tip for super senior pilgrims: make sure you have an able-bodied companion who can help you walk down safely. A very helpful community brother had to hold on to Papa’s leather belt so he wouldn’t do a Jack and Jill tumble down the hill.)

 

Under the olive trees, He poured out His sorrow.

Midway down the road is a quaint teardrop-shaped church called the Dominus Flevit (Latin for “The Lord wept”) where we heard mass.

 

Jerusalem with the imposing Dome of the Rock
as viewed from the Dominus Flevit picture window right behind the altar

At this spot, Jesus wept over the future destruction of Jerusalem. The shape of the church was designed in remembrance of the tears of Jesus.

 

Dominus Flevit ct www.HolyLandPhotos.org

After mass, we continued the walk downhill to the Sanctuary of Gethsemane where the Garden of Olives is located. There we saw 1,600-year-old olive trees and one planted by Pope Paul VI during his visit.

 

It was here, at the Basilica of the Agony (also known as The Church of All Nations) that the Agony in the Garden happened. In front of the altar is the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed:

“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.”  - Matthew 26:39

 

Top photo: Church of All Nations or the Basilica of the Agony
Bottom photo: Rock of Agony

In one of his talks at The Feast, Bro Arun Gogna, our tour leader, mentioned that Jesus could have escaped because there were places He could hide in the garden and exit unnoticed. Yet, He chose to be captured for our sake.

 

Still, He gave His life and saved our tomorrow.

After lunch, we headed to Mount Zion and visited the Church of Dormition where Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary died and was assumed into heaven. 

 

In its crypt is the reclining statue of Mary.

We also got to see King David’s Tomb.

 

In an upper room in the same building is the Room of the Last Supper or the Cenacle.

 

It doesn’t look like much, but it is one of the holiest places for Christians because this building is believed to be on the site where the Holy Eucharist was instituted – a foreshadowing of Christ giving up His mortal body and pouring out His blood for mankind.

Deny not His friendship lest life be hollow.

“But he denied it in the sight of them all, saying, 'I do not know what you are saying.'” - Matthew 26:70

The last church on our itinerary is most unique being the only church in the world with a rooster above the cross on its roof. The Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (cockcrow in Latin) was built on the site of High Priest Caiaphas’ palace to commemorate the denial of Jesus by St. Peter.

 

But more than Peter’s disgrace, the church is a memorial to a great apostle’s repentance and reconciliation with the Lord. The golden rooster is a reminder that even if we commit the gravest sin, we can still repent and live according to God’s will.

 

Beside the church are the Holy Steps, an ancient staircase that leads down to the Kidron Valley. Many Christians believe Jesus followed this path down to Gethsemane on the night of His arrest. 

 

We ended the day by viewing the dungeon in the underground caves where Jesus must have been incarcerated. Tracing the footsteps of Jesus is not an easy path to follow but it leads to a full and fulfilled life.

Holy Land Pilgrimage: The Paean that is Petra

The iconic Treasury in Petra, Jordan

Petra. A pre-historic Nabataean caravan city half-built, half-carved into pink sandstone cliffs. It is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site. And, for those who enjoy adventure movies like me, it’s also interesting to note Petra had a stellar role in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Petra was not part of our pilgrimage because it was not mentioned in the bible as a place Jesus walked through. Britannica, however, mentions in their website that “It was purported to be one of the places where Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth.” It was included in our itinerary because we were already in Jordan, and we couldn’t miss seeing this wondrous sight. It may not be a religious site, but still, it is a paean to God’s majesty. Gazing upon those cliffs sculpted by wind and water, I could only feel awe for God’s work.

Bro Arun Gogna, our tour leader, gave us a mantra during our pre-departure orientation: “We are pilgrims, not tourists.” But for this trip to Petra, he said we can be tourists. His suggestion though was for us to offer the long hike as a sacrifice for the people who requested prayers from us. From time to time, I strayed from our group and offered my aching leg muscles as my sacrifice for family and friends back home. It felt good to take thoughts of them with me on that trek.

And it was a long trek. From the Wadi Musa Visitor’s Center, we trudged through Bab As-Siq, a 2-kilometer dusty trail.

 

Bab As-Siq

I was tempted to just ride the carriage with Papa and the rest of the group not fit to walk the distance.

 

Carriage to Petra

But I’m glad I decided to walk. Otherwise, I would not have been able to relish the sight of the interesting structures along the way

 

Carved buildings along Bab As-Siq

like the Obelisk Tomb.

 

Obelisk Tomb

Further down, we entered a winding gorge called Al Siq which is the main entrance to the city.

 

Al Siq

Within this narrow canyon, we beheld more wonders: unusual rock formations like the one that looked like an elephant, tombs carved into the cliffside, giant cube sentinels, partly eroded sculptures and remains of clay pipes that used to bring water to the city.

 

Remains of a Sculpture

I also got the chance to photograph some of the denizens of Petra like the soldiers in ancient Nabataean garb 

Nabataean Soldiers

and a Bedouin playing the rebab (a violin-like musical instrument) and his daughter.

Bedouin playing a rebab and his daughter

 

I can’t fully describe how amazed I was as I stepped out of the canyon and beheld Al-Kazneh or the Treasury, Petra’s most famous icon. That majestic structure, a 45-meter-high temple, was ornately carved into the cliff as a tomb for Nabatean King Aretas III.

 

Al-Kazneh

But that was not all. Along the Street of Facades there were similar structures, though not as grand. We didn’t have much time to linger but we still got to view the tombs in the Theater Necropolis and the Petra Theater, an amphitheater carved out of solid rock.

 

The tombs of Theater Necropolis

Not to be outdone by these structures carved by man was the natural grandeur of the cliffs that rose to kiss the blue skies.

 

A youth serenely enjoying his lofty perch on one of the cliffs of Petra

How glorious it is when God and man create things together. Petra is a song of praise to God. My heart exultantly joined in that paean as I thanked God for bringing me to this wondrous place and on my birthday at that. 

Holy Land Pilgrimage: Beyond the Jordan

Serpentine Cross in Mt. Nebo, Jordan

As a travel bug, it’s such a treat for me to add countries I’ve visited to my list. In this pilgrimage, I ticked off 3 more countries: Israel, Jordan, Palestine.

On the 5^th day of our pilgrimage, we crossed the border at Sheik Hussein Bridge to Jordan.

The first important site that we passed was Tell Al-Kharrar, also known as Jabal Mar-Elias, (Elijah’s Hill). Tradition holds it was here Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind in a chariot of fire. Along the road stands a mural to commemorate this together with another of Pope John Paul II with his message to the people of Jordan when he visited in the year 2000.  

Tell Al-Kharrar 

 

Then we moved on to our main destination for the day: the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized.

 

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, in order to be baptized by him.” - Matthew 3:13

 

Our Jordanian guide told us there’s a debate about the exact location of Jesus’ baptism. Both Israel & Jordan claim it happened on their side of the river. However, Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al Maghtas or Bethabara) has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage site authenticating Jordan’s claim. UNESCO’s website says it “is considered by majority of Christian Churches to be the location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.” The early church fathers had built churches on that side, and it was here where Pope John Paul II made a visit. That blessing by the Vatican gave the Jordanian claim added weight. 

Bethany Beyond the Jordan or Al Maghtas

We trekked through a winding dirt trail amidst bushes that looked as parched as we were and passed ruins of ancient churches.

 

The 15-minute walk brought us to the Jordan River to the spot where John baptized Jesus.

Baptismal Site along the Jordan River in Al Maghtas

 

Right in the middle of the murky waters of the Jordan River a demarcated barrier had been set up and no one is allowed to cross to the other side. Both countries have their own spot for pilgrims to experience the baptism. Bethany Beyond the Jordan exuded a more serene atmosphere with its simple wooden structure. Across the Jordan, the Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site on the Israeli-occupied side had a more commercial vibe to it.

Qasr-al Yahud Baptismal Site and the murky waters of Jordan River

We felt blessed to be where we were. Some of us became emotional as Bro Arun Gogna, our Feast Builder and tour leader, poured water on our heads during the baptism. I couldn’t explain why I became teary-eyed when it was my turn. I guess I was overwhelmed that I was going through the same rite Jesus went through at the same spot where the heavens opened, and God declared Him as His beloved son. I felt I, too, am God’s beloved.

Our last stop for the day was Mount Nebo (Khirbet al-Mukhayyat) where a beautiful church has been built as a memorial for Moses. On the path leading to the church there’s a huge sculpture called the Road of Peace. It is another commemorative marker for Pope John Paul II’s visit.

Road of Peace sculpture in Mt. Nebo

An imposing metal cross with a serpent entwined around it towers on the spot where Moses was shown the Promised Land. The Serpentine Cross visually merges the healing bronze serpent of Moses and the Crucifixion of Jesus. I was blessed to get a beautiful shot of it at sunset. (Cover photo)

 

Inside the Memorial Church or the Basilica of Moses on Siyagha (highest point) are the archeological remains of a Byzantine basilica. Its Diakonikon Baptistery houses some of the best mosaics in Jordan.

Basilica of Moses, Mt. Nebo, Jordan

Bro Arun gave us an interesting insight about why Moses did not enter the promised land. He might have opted not to go because he was already comfortable where they were. After all, they had been there for 40 years. Bro Arun also said, “Blessings are disguised as responsibilities. If you are willing to receive blessings, you must go out of your comfort zone.” 

View of the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo