Jerusalem – last afternoon

May 14, 2012

Next to the Bethesda pool is the Church of St. Anne.  Just inside the door is a sculpture of St Anne with a young Mary.

This Church of St. Anne is renowned for its acoustic.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, our pilgrimage theme song has been “Dona Nobis Pacem”.  Our tour guide recorded us singing this in the Church. When Adrian sends it I will upload the recording to this blog.  One group of pilgrims hearing us sing this a few days ago asked Adrian, ‘where is this choir visiting from?’  

Digital cameras have become passe for pilgrims.  ipad 2’s everywhere.  

It is a bit difficult to read the sign, but here are Mary, Mary and Monika at “The Nun’s Ascent,” alongside the ‘first station of the cross’.

Beneath the Sisters of Zion convent, on the site of the old Antonia Fortress are the ancient water cisterns and parts of the original street that were probably part of the way of the Cross for Jesus.


en route to lunch, through the streets of the Armenian Quarter of the Old City

and to lunch



The last Jerusalem group photo taken just before Mass at the Ecce Homo Church.

1 Comment

  1. Dear John,

    Hi! Thanks for sharing your pilgrimage with me. It truly is the Holy Land. You are looking well. God Bless!

    Love and prayers,

    Jane

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

Ascension

Ascension

Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.

touching the sacred

touching the sacred

A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.

every which way

every which way

A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.

in the room

in the room

Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey.  While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link.  You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.

During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.

disciplined discipleship

disciplined discipleship

As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.