I was deeply touched by the warm greetings from staff and students that I encountered on my return from my trip to the Holy Land.

The main foci of our group’s travels and study were:

• To gain a richer understanding by visiting where Jesus travelled in Jerusalem
• To study Mark’s Gospel with particular focus on women and children in the Gospel.
• To gain a better understanding of Judaism and Islam in the context of the Holy land and within their sacred spaces.

Our base in the Old City of Jerusalem was the Ecce Homo Convent of the Sisters of Sion.  Beneath this multi-level site lies the “Lithostrotos” (meaning Stone Pavement) which are important remains from Roman times. Since the Crusades, Christian tradition has placed the beginning of Jesus’s “Way of the Cross” at this location. Here we recall Christ’s suffering at the hands of Roman soldiers and his trial by Pontius Pilate. The name “Ecce Homo” ‘Behold the Man” refers to John 19:5 “Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them: “Ecce Homo” (Behold the Man).

In the Old City we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on what is believed to be the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.  This church is a very holy site to many of Christian faith with control of the church itself shared amongst a number of denominations including Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Apostolic.

We visited the Mount of Olives, overlooking the old city and where Jesus wept for Jerusalem; and the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus’ passion began and where he was betrayed by Judas.

We attended a Friday evening Shabbat service at a local, less traditional synagogue, where much of the service was sung in Hebrew. Very early one morning, we visited the Western Wall, the only remaining wall of the second Temple built by King Herod and which was destroyed by the Romans in about 70CE.  This is a holy site for those of the Jewish faith and where I offered our class prayers to God by inserting them into some crevices in the wall. We also learned much about Judaism through our local tour guides as well a number of guest speakers who addressed us.

On our three-day trip to Galilee we saw the remains of the ancient city of Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene, which was only discovered in excavations in about 2011.  An ancient synagogue was found in these excavations and as it was a familiar stomping ground for Jesus, there is a very high likelihood that Jesus preached at this synagogue.  It was amazing to be at such a place.

Also, around the Sea of Galilee, we visited the synagogue at Capernaum and Peter’s mother-in-law’s house where Jesus stayed.   We visited the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the famous Sermon on the Mount – teaching us how to live. We went on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, swam in the sea and saw the remains of a 2000 -year old fishing boat, found in low water during a drought in 1986 and which took 10 years to safely remove and preserve intact.

Many Palestinians also live in the Old City of Jerusalem, in fact 30,000 of the 40,000 inhabitants of the Old City are Palestinian, most of them are Muslims but a relatively small number are Palestinian Christians.  The Temple Mount, containing the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of the holiest sites to those of the Islamic faith.  The Dome of the Rock can be seen all over Jerusalem with its distinct blue mosaic outer and its massive gold plated dome. Such a beautiful and sacred place for many.

Throughout the experience, the Sion Sister’s charism taught us to see Jesus as a faithful Jewish man of his time and the Jews as his brothers and sisters. We honour both those of Jewish and Muslim faith and respect our common roots and the God we hold in common. 

Lots of people of Jewish faith visit the Western Wall to pray.  The women and men pray on separate sides of the fence.

One of the Stations of the Cross or the Via Dolorosa.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed to be on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.

The preserved remains of a 2000 year old fishing boat.  This gives us a clear picture of what boats were like in the time of Jesus.

The site of the ancient synagogue in Magdala. It is very likely that Jesus taught in this synagogue.

The slab of rock on which the body of Jesus was laid.

The place of the crucifixion

The “Lithostrotos”, pavement from Roman times, under the Ecce Homo convent.

The whole pilgrimage was an enriching and life-changing experience for me. Through it all, I was deeply affected by the nearness I felt to the Scripture stories that I have known but that now have a very special significance.

I would like to leave you with this Blessing.

A Holy Land Blessing

May the Babe of Bethlehem

Bring you peace

May the Child of Nazareth

Bring you joy

May the Man of Galilee

Bring you Strength

May the Christ of Calvary

Bring you courage

May the Risen Jesus

Bring you hope

And the Ascended Christ

A Foretaste of His Glory

God Bless,

Mrs Tanner