Good Friday

On Good Friday, I was very curious to see what the Christians were doing in the Old City. It's interesting to be in another religion's holy place for a major holiday.  We went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, believed to be the location of the crucifixion, death, and tomb of Jesus, and also walked along Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus walked in his final hours after being condemned to death.  Both were packed with people. There were many parades of people singing and carrying huge wood crosses through the street.  Inside the church was also extremely crowded.  Upon entry, you see the Stone of Anointing, which is believed to be where the body of Jesus was prepared for burial.  There was a line of people waiting to touch it, kiss it, and pray at it.  We followed the flow of the crowd into the room that houses the Holy Sepulcher, the tomb of Jesus.  We then joined the crowd waiting to go upstairs to Calvary, also known as Golgotha, believed to be the site of the crucifixion.  Underneath the alter is a hole where the cross is said to have been raised.  There was a long line of people waiting to go under the alter and kiss the star that marks this spot.  I loved seeing what goes on in the Old City during such an important time for Christians.  It was a very interesting experience. 

Pictures:

1st:  Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  Commissioned by Constantine and completed around 335 C.E.

2nd: Stone of Anointing, where the body was prepared for burial

3rd: Sepulcher believed to house the tomb of Jesus

4th: Calvary/Golgotha, where the cross was raised

5th: One of the many parades on Via Dolorosa