Its now just over a week since we arrived in Jerusalem after a full on day that took in farewell to Galilee, the Jordan River, Masada, the Dead Sea and Jericho!
The next morning - Wednesday, a week today - we set out to 'do' Holy Week and I've already blogged about some of it but not all...
As I told you, we started early, in fact we so early we were the very first group into Pater Noster church. I loved the way Khalil described as being like a French embassy - the land belongs to France so the flag flies there.
Khalil is full of pearls of wisdom and little sayings that capture the essence of something. This morning's gem was - Jerusalem is a mosaic of peoples. The more you experience the city the more it becomes patently true. From there we took our palm crosses and started our journey following Christ's last week in a day. From adulation to agony and beyond pain. It was hot and the path very steep - so not an easy route to take. We had Mass under the olive trees in Gethsemane... Another privilege.
The way of the cross or Via Dolorosa was not as crowded and bustling as it had been last time but still you could get an impression of what it must've been like carrying the cross. Through the heat and heckling, being jostled and jeered. To 'escape' that and find yourself on the top of Calvary (in the shape of the Orthodox Ethiopian church) is in many ways a relief. You know journey is nearly over...
We ended up (as usual) on the roof of the church of the Holy Sepulchre and in the Ethiopian part of the church. When our devotions were over, and the obligatory group photo had been taken, two of us stayed on to attend Vespers in the Ethiopian church. Its rather hard to explain the wonderful deep tonal chanting in a way that will do it justice but observing the ritual was a truly uplifting experience. They lean on their wonderful wooden 'crutches' that tuck neatly under their arms, occasionally stopping to have a little conflab about who will do the next bit... or so it seemed - though i could be wrong. it was simple but beautiful. Now great choir or musical accompaniment but just delightful worship.
The Ethiopian church is clearly not as affluent as its close neighbours. There is also someone on each of the three levels - the roof, the upstairs chapel and the ground level one. All three 'guards' - because that is how they appear - sit there silently or quietly reading the Scriptures all day every day. I know that their vows drive them but I suspect there is also a need to protect property... and to try and ensure that their building isn't used as a thoroughfare at the most inappropriate times. Its a shortcut to the church of the Holy Sepulchre that sadly gets rather abused as people rush to see the 'main show'!
I was happy to just 'be' there
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
unpacking!
Its fascinating hearing myself reply to the variations of "how was your holiday"?
For a start it didn't feel like a holiday at the time and even more so now on my return. It was draining but then I expected it to be. However, I still feel like I want to grumpily refute the contention that it was a holiday. Yes - I got on a plane. Yes - I stayed in lovely hotels in great locations. Yes - I visited a lot of special sites, some more tourist-y than others. But I never once saw it as a holiday, nor did it feel like one.
The other popular question is did you enjoy it more than last time? The answer to that is quite simple... there is no way that I can compare the two. One was virtually all new and fresh. The other was mostly familiar. The two groups I travelled with were similar, with some common pilgrims but even so the dynamics were different.
So it was a pilgrimage, definitely not a holiday, and it was not comparable with the previous trip.
The next question is invariably "what was best"? Now that one has caused me to chew it over even more. All sorts of ideas came to mind but only one stuck there. The best part of the last few days were the "A" team. Our driver, Riyadh, and our guide Khalil. They both made our journey so special and so illuminating. Yet both were - are - Muslims... however, there was not one person on our journey who didn't agree with that evaluation.
Pilgrimages are about journeys and the companions we find along the way. Often it is those people, those friends who make or break the journey. The "A" team made it and were undoubtedly were the best feature!
By the way - the physical unpacking of clothes and other sundry bits - still has to be attacked but that will eventually get done once I get back home - to Norwich...
For a start it didn't feel like a holiday at the time and even more so now on my return. It was draining but then I expected it to be. However, I still feel like I want to grumpily refute the contention that it was a holiday. Yes - I got on a plane. Yes - I stayed in lovely hotels in great locations. Yes - I visited a lot of special sites, some more tourist-y than others. But I never once saw it as a holiday, nor did it feel like one.
The other popular question is did you enjoy it more than last time? The answer to that is quite simple... there is no way that I can compare the two. One was virtually all new and fresh. The other was mostly familiar. The two groups I travelled with were similar, with some common pilgrims but even so the dynamics were different.
So it was a pilgrimage, definitely not a holiday, and it was not comparable with the previous trip.
The next question is invariably "what was best"? Now that one has caused me to chew it over even more. All sorts of ideas came to mind but only one stuck there. The best part of the last few days were the "A" team. Our driver, Riyadh, and our guide Khalil. They both made our journey so special and so illuminating. Yet both were - are - Muslims... however, there was not one person on our journey who didn't agree with that evaluation.
Pilgrimages are about journeys and the companions we find along the way. Often it is those people, those friends who make or break the journey. The "A" team made it and were undoubtedly were the best feature!
By the way - the physical unpacking of clothes and other sundry bits - still has to be attacked but that will eventually get done once I get back home - to Norwich...
Monday, 11 June 2012
Inappropriate clothing!
One of the things that you're constantly aware of in the Holy Land is making sure you're wearing the right clothes. Knees should be covered - for men and women, I've seen some rather fascinating innovations in terms of sarongs on men. Shoulders should also be covered and sleeves should really reach your elbows - or at least approach them. In some cases heads have to covered with hats - that's mainly aimed at women though.
Yesterday when we visited Temple Mount I was very aware of all that and wore full length light linen trousers, a long sleeved knee length shift and a beautiful hand-embroidered shawl I'd bought the evening before at the hotel over my head. I sort of felt I looked the part - rather Middle Eastern!
However, the title of this post refers to my dress today!! We landed safely at five minutes to midnight last night and I'd booked into a hotel at Luton airport. I eventually turned the light off at 1.30 am but was wide awake at 6.30 so got up and came into work.
The problem was what to wear! I had to attend a meeting with the Minister this morning so nothing too 'casual' would do. But all I had in my case was attire suited to hot weather and its the monsoon season in the UK at present. I got some funny looks from people in boots and winter coats as we waited for the train on a blustery Luton station. They clearly queried my sanity as I stood there in summer clothes, a thin cardigan and sandals!!
I am truly the most inappropriately dressed person in London today!
Yesterday when we visited Temple Mount I was very aware of all that and wore full length light linen trousers, a long sleeved knee length shift and a beautiful hand-embroidered shawl I'd bought the evening before at the hotel over my head. I sort of felt I looked the part - rather Middle Eastern!
However, the title of this post refers to my dress today!! We landed safely at five minutes to midnight last night and I'd booked into a hotel at Luton airport. I eventually turned the light off at 1.30 am but was wide awake at 6.30 so got up and came into work.
The problem was what to wear! I had to attend a meeting with the Minister this morning so nothing too 'casual' would do. But all I had in my case was attire suited to hot weather and its the monsoon season in the UK at present. I got some funny looks from people in boots and winter coats as we waited for the train on a blustery Luton station. They clearly queried my sanity as I stood there in summer clothes, a thin cardigan and sandals!!
I am truly the most inappropriately dressed person in London today!
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Beginning the long journey home!
The alarm went off at a reasonably sane time this morning - 07:30 hrs. If anyone asks me how my 'holiday' was I may get a little grumpy! Pilgrimage is hard work - though the 'partying ' is optional the early starts and exacting schedules to ensure you get the most out of the precious time here means you need stamina in bucket loads!
Today will be a long one, we land just before midnight UK time which will be 02:00 hrs in our current time zone and for many its work and school tomorrow morning! I am staying at the airport over night and going straight to the office - luggage and all! It will be a very stark contrast!
Last night we continued our engagement with people who live here. On Wednesday night my friend Alice and her boyfriend Moritz told me/us about their work for UNRA (I hope I've got the acronym right!) and the Holocaust Museum respectively. Moritz is sponsored by the German Roman Catholic Church to work in the museum - pretty powerful stuff there. Alice works with schools in Gaza.
Then Friday night Donald McIntyre (spelling? hope that's right too) the Independent's Jerusalem correspondent came to share his own views of this complex land having lived here for eight years. Fascinating insights from a journalistic point of view.
Saturday night Abigail a young Israeli woman originally from London came to share her own experience having moved here recently. She lives in Jerusalem but lectures at the university in Haifa where her students are both Israeli and Palestinian. Her fresh insights were fascinating.
So plenty to chew on there then!!!
Must sign off - church beckons... and so begins the long journey home... or is home where we have been?
Today will be a long one, we land just before midnight UK time which will be 02:00 hrs in our current time zone and for many its work and school tomorrow morning! I am staying at the airport over night and going straight to the office - luggage and all! It will be a very stark contrast!
Last night we continued our engagement with people who live here. On Wednesday night my friend Alice and her boyfriend Moritz told me/us about their work for UNRA (I hope I've got the acronym right!) and the Holocaust Museum respectively. Moritz is sponsored by the German Roman Catholic Church to work in the museum - pretty powerful stuff there. Alice works with schools in Gaza.
Then Friday night Donald McIntyre (spelling? hope that's right too) the Independent's Jerusalem correspondent came to share his own views of this complex land having lived here for eight years. Fascinating insights from a journalistic point of view.
Saturday night Abigail a young Israeli woman originally from London came to share her own experience having moved here recently. She lives in Jerusalem but lectures at the university in Haifa where her students are both Israeli and Palestinian. Her fresh insights were fascinating.
So plenty to chew on there then!!!
Must sign off - church beckons... and so begins the long journey home... or is home where we have been?
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Behind the wall...
Today we have spent the whole day in Palestine, visiting the Shepherds Fields and the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and then finally, a trip to Aida refugee camp. Quite a varied programme and one that will continue to resonate in me for a while yet. We spoke of living stones at the end of the afternoon as we were driving away from the checkpoint... The stones are we have seen and experienced have been both hewn from the ground and also human stones. We've learnt so much about the rich fabric that it the Holy Land. Its cultures, its peoples, its history, its theology. We have one more person to meet tonight, Abigail a friend of Fr Brian's who is an Orthodox Jew. Then tomorrow we prepare to come home but not until we've been to Mass at St George's and then visited the Western Wall and the Temple Mount.
Apparently we're a 'lucky' group. It certainly seemed so today as we arrived early for our Mass 'slot' at Shepherds Fields and were able to start straight away and then after lunch we virtually walked straight into the cave where the place that mark's Christ's birth is to be found. Shepherds Fields was the most emotional moment to date for me. We sang a modern version of O Little Town of Bethlehem - I wasn't the only one struggling to sing as the tears welled in my eyes. We looked out and saw how much had been built in the valley since we were there two years ago. The settlements advance inexorably. However, we learnt that the Palestrina's have taken to building new dwellings on their land, especially that land on the border, though that might not always work. We heard yesterday about the demolition of homes at little or no notice.
We spent a lot of time and almost as much money (between us) in the Bethlehem Co-operative - they hand make beautiful goods and they are a group of Christian families who are desperately trying to make sufficient to stay in the Holy Land. It is clear that there are fewer tourists. This could be for a number of reasons - its getting hot, too hot for many Europeans. The impact of the economic collapse cannot be ruled out either. Finally, some may be put off by what is happening close by in Syria.
I will post more about the rest of the afternoon later but it was an incredible experience to meet people who are working on what they call "The Beautiful Resistance".
Apparently we're a 'lucky' group. It certainly seemed so today as we arrived early for our Mass 'slot' at Shepherds Fields and were able to start straight away and then after lunch we virtually walked straight into the cave where the place that mark's Christ's birth is to be found. Shepherds Fields was the most emotional moment to date for me. We sang a modern version of O Little Town of Bethlehem - I wasn't the only one struggling to sing as the tears welled in my eyes. We looked out and saw how much had been built in the valley since we were there two years ago. The settlements advance inexorably. However, we learnt that the Palestrina's have taken to building new dwellings on their land, especially that land on the border, though that might not always work. We heard yesterday about the demolition of homes at little or no notice.
We spent a lot of time and almost as much money (between us) in the Bethlehem Co-operative - they hand make beautiful goods and they are a group of Christian families who are desperately trying to make sufficient to stay in the Holy Land. It is clear that there are fewer tourists. This could be for a number of reasons - its getting hot, too hot for many Europeans. The impact of the economic collapse cannot be ruled out either. Finally, some may be put off by what is happening close by in Syria.
I will post more about the rest of the afternoon later but it was an incredible experience to meet people who are working on what they call "The Beautiful Resistance".
Last day...
Where has the time gone to? These days in Jerusalem have just flown by!
Yesterday we sang Mass in St Anne's church which has the best acoustic ever! The echo resonates for approximately 20 seconds or more. Everyone wants to try it out but other groups respected our devotions and didn't sing while we were worshipping.
From there it was up to the City of David. Lots of on-going excavations greeted us and the whole complex has been added since I was last here two years ago but some of us went down the dry tunnel that connects the city with the water supply. The main feature of yesterday was the incredible heat and the seemingly endless steps up and down.
In the afternoon we visited the birthplace of John the Baptist - lots more heats and steep inclines to negotiate. But more of that later as the bus is waiting... to take us to Bethlehem and later a refugee camp!
Yesterday we sang Mass in St Anne's church which has the best acoustic ever! The echo resonates for approximately 20 seconds or more. Everyone wants to try it out but other groups respected our devotions and didn't sing while we were worshipping.
From there it was up to the City of David. Lots of on-going excavations greeted us and the whole complex has been added since I was last here two years ago but some of us went down the dry tunnel that connects the city with the water supply. The main feature of yesterday was the incredible heat and the seemingly endless steps up and down.
In the afternoon we visited the birthplace of John the Baptist - lots more heats and steep inclines to negotiate. But more of that later as the bus is waiting... to take us to Bethlehem and later a refugee camp!
Friday, 8 June 2012
Too early!
I set the alarm on my mobile phone for 03.10 hrs today.... I haven't reset the time for Jerusalem but even in the right time zone, 05.30 is an early start. But it was my own choice. I had agreed to go to the church of the Holy Sepulchre with Jim and Aoife, possibly John. (In the end all four of us made it!) It was worth it. Being one of the first people in that amazing place was quite awe inspiring. Listening to the tonal chanting of the monks as we visited the holy sites was almost other worldly.
Being in the Old City so early was also a revelation as we witnessed the city waking up. The old women who sell herbs were already setting out their wares. The odd little cafe was open, religious folk were making their devotions and as we walked back to the hotel people were beginning to pace the pavements on their way to work.
I haven't got time to catch up with Wednesday, let alone begin to do justice to Thursday... but I'm making lots of notes so as not to lose the essence of what we're finding out.
However, in a nutshell yesterday started to introduce us to some of the peoples of this land in a much more immediate fashion. We visited the orphanage in Bethany and saw the real improvements that had been made to the place since we last visited two years ago. We also went to the traditional site of Lazarus' tomb. Some of our party were literally at the bottom of the cave on their hands and knees crawling into the 'tomb' when the electricity was cut! Pitch black is quite scary when you don't expect it. After a delicious lunch in the Armenian Quarter we went on an eye-opening trip guided by a Rabbi for Human Rights. These people put their necks on the line in the name of justice. They challenge injustice wherever they see it and try and provide for needs. We saw a 'temporary' school that they had built for the Bedouin children and the tunnel under the road that allowed them safe passage. But I'll tell you more about their work when I can find more time...
Must stop - but not before I mention that Jim was chosen to be the Sultan at last night's Sultan's Feast! There was mush merriment and its still resonating this morning at breakfast! Our group really party well!
Being in the Old City so early was also a revelation as we witnessed the city waking up. The old women who sell herbs were already setting out their wares. The odd little cafe was open, religious folk were making their devotions and as we walked back to the hotel people were beginning to pace the pavements on their way to work.
I haven't got time to catch up with Wednesday, let alone begin to do justice to Thursday... but I'm making lots of notes so as not to lose the essence of what we're finding out.
However, in a nutshell yesterday started to introduce us to some of the peoples of this land in a much more immediate fashion. We visited the orphanage in Bethany and saw the real improvements that had been made to the place since we last visited two years ago. We also went to the traditional site of Lazarus' tomb. Some of our party were literally at the bottom of the cave on their hands and knees crawling into the 'tomb' when the electricity was cut! Pitch black is quite scary when you don't expect it. After a delicious lunch in the Armenian Quarter we went on an eye-opening trip guided by a Rabbi for Human Rights. These people put their necks on the line in the name of justice. They challenge injustice wherever they see it and try and provide for needs. We saw a 'temporary' school that they had built for the Bedouin children and the tunnel under the road that allowed them safe passage. But I'll tell you more about their work when I can find more time...
Must stop - but not before I mention that Jim was chosen to be the Sultan at last night's Sultan's Feast! There was mush merriment and its still resonating this morning at breakfast! Our group really party well!
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