{"id":643,"date":"2016-12-12T22:08:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-12T22:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/2016\/12\/12\/jerusalem-temple-mount-western-wall-garden-tomb-home-of-caiaphas-and-garden-of-gethsemane\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T04:59:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T04:59:44","slug":"jerusalem-temple-mount-western-wall-garden-tomb-home-of-caiaphas-and-garden-of-gethsemane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/2016\/12\/12\/jerusalem-temple-mount-western-wall-garden-tomb-home-of-caiaphas-and-garden-of-gethsemane\/","title":{"rendered":"Jerusalem: Temple Mount, Western Wall, Garden Tomb, Home of Caiaphas and Garden of Gethsemane"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\nNov 24, Thu: <\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\nJerusalem-Temple
\nMount-Western Wall-Garden Tomb-Home of Caiaphas-Garden of Gethsemane<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span><\/span><\/b>We
\nawoke with the realization that it was Thanksgiving Day in America and so, at
\nbreakfast, we wished each other. <\/b>After
\na lovely breakfast in Hotel Arthur<\/i>
\nthat included smoked salmon on toast\u2014my particular favorite\u2014and good coffee, we
\nset out for our exploration of Jerusalem. By the end of the day, we would be
\nquite astounded by what we would see\u2014indeed this day proved to be the most
\nmemorable one for me on our entire trip.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nDiscovering Old Jerusalem:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>The drive from our hotel took us
\npast modern Jerusalem and its impressive official buildings including the Parliament
\nHouse (or Knesset) where we were quite taken by the development of the city.
\nWhen we arrived at the Old City, it was indeed a strong contrast and something
\nof a revelation. Moti led us on a walking tour past the massive main walls
\nbuilt by Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Great into the maze of streets that form
\nthe heart and soul of this mysterious city. We passed through Jaffa Gate
\n(so-called because it faces the old city of Jaffa) and went down many low steps
\nthat led through the market and on to the main square of the Old City. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nWe
\nwere able to see remnants of some of the old walls in the huge stones scattered
\naround the periphery of the Old City. He explained to us (and we were able to
\nsee a model of the original city of Jerusalem in the Israeli Museum on the day
\nof our departure) that Jerusalem had been built by the great Hebrew King
\nSolomon in the 10th<\/sup> century BC. It was a massive city, beautifully
\nwell-constructed and built in keeping with Roman principles of design and urban
\ndevelopment. In the center, at one end, surrounded by the great high city
\nwalls, was the Arc of the Covenant in which was concealed the original twin
\ntablets containing the Ten Commandments as given to Moses by God. When the
\nMuslims vanquished the city during the Crusades, they destroyed it and, in
\nkeeping with Hebraic scripture, indeed \u201cleft no stone unturned\u201d. They ransacked
\nthe Arc, pillaged and plundered and took away the Ten Commandments with
\nthem\u2014they are assumed to be destroyed. The one wall that stands today on the site
\nof one of the original walls of Solomon\u2019s city is on the Western side\u2014it is,
\ntherefore, known as the Western Wall (in common parlance, it is also called the
\nWailing Wall as Jews make a chanting sound when praying against it. However, it
\nmust be noted that Jews find the use of the term \u2018Wailing Wall\u2019 derogatory and
\nprefer \u2018Western Wall\u2019). As we looked upon the scene of so many centuries of destruction
\nand rebuilding, we also became cognizant of well-dressed Jews hurrying towards
\nthe Western Wall as a large number of bar mitzvahs were scheduled to occur that
\nmorning.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nViewing the Western Wall:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>A little later, Moti led us towards
\nan elevated walkway with gave us our first glimpse of the Western Wall.
\nAlthough it was still early in the morning, Jews had already assembled to start
\npraying there. They were clad in flowing white robes with stoles in dark blue
\nand head gear that was draped either shawl-like around their heads or as caps.
\nThere was a long partition that ran the length of the open courtyard in front
\nof the wall and in that partition, we saw Jewish women begin the act of prayer.
\nThe genders were well segregated with women peering over to the men\u2019s side as
\nthe morning lengthened and crowds swelled. We took pictures from the elevated
\nwalkway as we made our way to the Dome of the Rock.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nThe Dome of the Rock:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>The Dome of the Rock is the name of
\nthe ornate shrine built in Byzantine style on Temple Mount in Jerusalem on the
\nsite of what used to be the Temple of Solomon and the old Jewish Second Temple.
\nIt is characterized by an octagonal base completely covered with Turkish Iznik
\nceramic tiles mainly in yellows, whites, greens and blues and topped by a
\nglorious gold dome that is visible from almost every corner of the city. Extracts
\nfrom Koranic scripture in cobalt-blue calligraphic design were all over the
\ndoors and arches. At different times in history, the structure and the site
\nwere under the custody of differing authorities\u2014the Jews, then the Muslim
\nSaracens, then the Christian Crusaders, then the Muslims again. At the top of
\nthe dome has been a cross in past centuries\u2014today, there is a crescent. As an
\narchitectural Islamic monument, it has few equals and I was just enthralled by
\nthe many aspects of Islamic decorative design evident all over it\u2014aspects that
\nwe have seen at the Al-Hambra Palace in Granada, Spain (the macarabi or
\nhoneycomb design that was popularized by the Nazarids) and the striped red and
\nwhite arches that we had seen at the Grand Mosque in Cordoba in Spain (an
\naspect of Moorish design).   <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nIt
\nis currently under the control of the prelates of Islam and is considered the
\nsecond most revered edifice in the world by Muslims after the Kaaba in Mecca.
\nNon-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering the building. All we could do
\nwas admire it from the outside. At any rate, since it was not a Friday, there
\nwas no prayer activity anywhere in the vicinity. The place comes into its own
\non Fridays when the neighboring Al-Aqsa Mosque which is right opposite it, is
\nfilled with Jerusalem\u2019s Muslims at prayer. Right next to the main building, is
\na smaller domed structure\u2014probably the spot at which ablutions are performed
\nbefore entering for prayer. As befits such a significant monument, the entire
\narea surrounding it has ancient structures in Islamic style\u2014arches, domes,
\nminarets, cupolas. It is a fantastic site for the avid photographer for at every
\njuncture, you feel tempted to shoot. Because Islamic strictures prevent public
\ndisplays of physical contact between the genders, we were allowed to pose for
\npictures as a group and as couples but without any parts of our bodies
\ntouching! Once we finished taking pictures, we climbed the stairs leading to
\nthe Dome of the Rock and had fabulous views of the surrounding buildings of
\nJerusalem from this heightened vantage point. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nBack to the Western Wall:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>Once we had soaked in the splendor
\nof Islamic Jerusalem, we made our way back to the Western Wall. Crowds had
\nswelled enormously and the place was simple mobbed with people\u2014male and
\nfemale\u2014either in traditional Jewish prayer robes or dressed to the nines as
\ninvitees of the various bar-mitzvahs that were being held. We met an American
\nwoman from New Jersey who had arrived in Jerusalem for her son\u2019s bar mitzvah
\nwhich was to take place today. As it turned out, some members of our party ran
\ninto her. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nMoti
\ninstructed us on how to get to the wall and following the movements of the
\nJewish faithful all around us, we too placed our petitions on small slips of
\npaper in the prayer niches all around the wall. Hundreds of such petitions had
\nbeen left in similar fashion. The Jewish women (as we were in the women\u2019s
\nsection) beat their heads against the wall or placed their right hands against
\nthe wall and recited prayers\u2014either singly or in groups. Meanwhile, over on the
\nmen\u2019s side, we saw large numbers of Jewish men of various ages surrounding
\nJewish priests as their children took part in religious services. There were
\nstill and video photographers all around recording these events. Moti explained
\nto us that the people were not praying to a  <\/span>sacred wall\u2014they were facing the Arc of the
\nCovenant and since only this portion of the original wall of the city remains
\nand the Arc used to be right beyond the wall, that is where they position
\nthemselves. We took a lot of pictures at this spot and were thoroughly taken by
\nthe fervor of the religious rituals taking place around us.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nA Stop for Tea and Refreshments:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>By this point, we were quite
\nfatigued and needed refreshment. Moti led us out of the narrow lanes and steps
\nthrough which we had passed in the morning (but which were now filled with
\nhuman activity as the shops had opened for the day) and into a small tea shop
\nwhich was packed with people. There we had mint tea or coffee and a variety of
\nsnacks and sweetmeats that Moti organized for us from the neighboring vendors.
\nIt was quite an interesting lot of rather unusual and unfamiliar eats and we
\ndid justice to them as they were all very tasty.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>This tea shop happened to be right
\nadjacent to the Via Dolorosa which is the Way of the Cross. In fact, we found
\nthe third, fourth and fifth stations to be right across\u2014so we stepped in the
\nShrine of the Fifth Station (where Jesus meets his Blessed Mother). But Moti
\ntold us not to linger in the area too long as we would be returning here
\ntomorrow to actually participate in the Stations of the Cross at 3.00 pm when
\nthey begin. Instead, he led us on a long walk through Old Jerusalem and the
\ncity walls out of Damascus Gate to our next port of call, The Garden Tomb.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nVisiting the Garden Tomb:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>The Garden Tomb was not on our
\noriginal itinerary and we are very fortunate that Moti was obliging enough to
\ninclude it when Llew requested him to do so as his colleague had told him not
\nto miss it. None of us had any idea what to expect and it was thanks to an
\nAnglican guide called Martin, inside the complex that was in the Muslim Quarter
\nof Jerusalem, who explained the discovery of the venue and its significance to
\nAnglicans that we understood what it means to some Christians and how fortunate
\nwe were to go there.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n <\/span>It turns out that in the middle of the 19th<\/sup>
\ncentury, Protestants began to challenge the location of what Catholics believe
\nto be Golgotha or the Mount on which Christ was crucified. A large segment
\nbelieved that they ought to look for a \u2018Skull Hill\u2019 and when one was found that
\nmet the description in the Bible of the site of Christ\u2019s crucifixion and
\nburial, Anglicans began to accept this tomb as being the actual site. However,
\nscholarly opinion has discounted this possibility as the use of the cave as a
\ntomb dates to the 6th<\/sup> or 7th<\/sup> century after Christ\u2019s
\ndeath! <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nControversy
\napart, the Garden Tomb is a lovely place to visit. It is set in the midst of a
\ntypical English garden (if such a thing is even possible in the arid
\ndesert-soil conditions of Israel). After a wonderfully animated lecture by
\nMartin which completely grabbed our attention as well as laid out complicated
\nconcepts in a very accessible fashion (how I wish all guides were like him!),
\nwe were taken into a rock-cut cave tomb through a rather narrow entrance.
\nInside, we found two stone-hewn platforms, one of which is supposedly the last
\nresting place of Christ. We also saw a large round stone which replicates the
\nkind that was used in Jewish burial in Christ\u2019s day to close up a human tomb
\nafter burial. I must make it clear that this Anglican belief is completely
\ndifferent from that of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches that regard the
\nChurch of the Holy Sepulchre as the spot of Christ\u2019s death and burial.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nVisit to an Armenian Ceramist:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>The visit to the Garden Tomb done,
\nMoti led us on foot through the Muslim Quarter and back to Damascus Gate to
\ntake us for a slow climb up a hill towards the Christian Quarter to the shop of
\nan Armenian potter who makes ceramic objects by hand. We entered the quarter
\nthrough a stone wall and once inside, did admire the artisan\u2019s work. However,
\nfew of us felt tempted to buy although some members of our group looked
\nspecifically for mugs with the loaves and fishes motif on them.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nLunch at Radolin Caf\u00e9:<\/i><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>By this point, a few members of our
\ngroup were hungry and wished to eat lunch and a few wanted to wander around and
\nget some shopping done. Moti led us to the main shopping square where we
\nseparated with each group getting the kind of meal they desired. Llew and I
\njoined Ian and Jenny at Radolin<\/i>, a
\nlocal Israeli chain of restaurants where Moti joined us. We ordered soup and
\ncheese toasts which were quite tasty and just substantial enough without being
\ntoo heavy. Cheri-Anne managed to find the time and a fine place to do some
\nsubstantial shopping and ended up buying and shipping home a tableau of The Last Supper<\/i> at a store where the
\nprices were half of those in the olive-wood carving shop to which the
\nPalestinian guides had taken us! When we all got together about an hour later,
\nMoti told us that we were headed to the House of Caiaphas.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nVisit to the House of Caiaphas (The
\nChurch of St. Peter in Gallicantu):<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nBefore
\nwe entered what is known as The Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, Moti led us
\nto the back of the church and to a stone promontory from where we had a very
\ngood view of the city of Jerusalem with its stone walls, the domes of the Al-Aqsa
\nMosque and the Dome of the Rock. We also saw the many grave stones of the Mount
\nof Olives and the new Jewish settlements that have mushroomed there.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nThe
\nChurch of St. Peter of Gallicantu is constructed in Byzantine style\u2014both inside
\nand out. It has an arched entry way and a single side spire. Its doors are
\nparticularly interesting. Hewn of wrought-iron, there is a figure of Jesus
\n(clad in blue) on one side and a figure of Peter (clad in red) on the other,
\nsurrounded by the other apostles. Because the church is built on the site of
\nwhat was supposed to be the House of Caiaphas (where Jesus was brought to be
\nsentenced after being identified in the Garden of Gethsemane), the main
\naltarpiece features Jesus in ropes being jeered at by rowdy crowds on both
\nsides\u2014created through a mosaic in Byzantine fashion. I was struck by the fact
\nthat all the writing in the church was in French (Le Signe de La Croix<\/i>\u2014The Sign of the Cross, etc). It is possible that
\nthe church was constructed under the patronage of the French Catholic Church.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nVisiting the Underground Prisons:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>When we had prayed in the church,
\nMoti led us deep downwards through winding spiral staircases into the
\nunderground recesses which were supposed to be jails in which prisoners were
\nheld before sentencing. Modern-day interpretations of the space have led to the
\ncreation of light sconces in the shape of nails and thorns (in imitation of
\nJesus\u2019 instruments of torture). There are also scraps of rope hanging from the
\nceiling to suggest where and how He might have been held during the night He
\nspent on these premises. According to the Bible, He was first brought to
\nCaiaphas, the high priest, by the mob. But because Caiaphas did not want to
\ntake a decision, he sent Him on to Pontius Pilate (who, as we know, also did
\nnot quite know what to make of the situation). Pilate said that he could find
\nno guilt in the prisoner and, therefore, washed his hands of Him by turning the
\nprisoner over to the mob. In order to appreciate the significance of this
\nvenue, it was important to envision exactly how Jesus would have been brought
\nto Caiaphas and exactly what sort of night he might have passed on these
\npremises. I was beginning to realize that if the church authorities believe
\nthat these sites were actually where Jesus spent time, they have built a church
\nthere to denote its importance. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nOn to the Garden of Gethsemane and
\nthe Basilica of the Agony (Church of All Nations):    <\/span> <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span><\/span><\/b>The
\nGarden of Gethsemane, where Jesus retreated after sharing what we now call \u2018The
\nLast Supper\u2019 with his closest friends, is today reduced to a small sand-filled
\ngrove with eight olive trees that date from the past hundred years\u2014this is
\nevident in the width of their trunks which are wider than I have ever seen on
\nany other olive trees. Jesus is said to have spent hours praying while
\nrequesting his friends to keep watch over him. He is depicted in art as having
\nknelt by a large rock before being betrayed by Judas. A church known as the
\nBasilica of the Agony has been built upon this rock\u2014in fact, the rock is part
\nof the altar and is encircled by a beautiful wrought-iron barricade (to prevent
\nworshippers from stepping on to it). Hence, visitors genuflect in front of the
\nrock or kneel down to kiss it. The Church is also known as the Church of all
\nNations. There are mosaics all over the walls of the church and above the altar
\n\u2013the main one, appropriately, depicts the Betrayal of Jesus by Judas.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>When we discovered that Mass was
\nabout to begin, Cherie-Ann asked Moti if we had the time to stay for it. He did
\naccommodate her request and we ended up sitting at the front pews awaiting the
\nbeginning of Mass. At that point, one of the nuns invited us to come over to
\nthe sanctuary and to take seats right up at the altar. We were amazed and
\nthrilled to have been accorded such an honor. Although the Mass (sermon and
\nlast prayer) was in Italian and the prayers and hymns in Latin, it was still a
\nprivilege to be part of the Mass. To our amazement, the priest asked Fleurette
\nwhere we were from and when she told him we were from America, he actually
\nthanked us (in English) for participating and apologized  <\/span>that the Mass was in Italian! Needless to say,
\nwe were quite delighted to have been singled out in that fashion. After the
\nMass, each one of us was able to kneel at the Rock and worship before it. This
\nchurch is also said to be the Church of the Annunciation of our Lord and
\nappropriately, there is a large mosaic outside the church (on the pediment) that
\ndepicts this Biblical occurrence.   <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\nHappy Hour at Hotel Arthur<\/i> and Dinner at Kohinoor<\/i>:
\n     <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>By this time, night had fallen over
\nJerusalem and we had a chance to see the city all illuminated by lights. It was
\nquite spectacular indeed!<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>We made our way back to the hotel
\nwhere we caught daily Happy Hour\u2014a selection of snacks and fruit were offered
\nwith wine and juices. We then tried to find an Indian restaurant called Kohinoor<\/i>\u2014I guess by this time everyone
\nwas missing their desi khana<\/i>! With
\nmuch difficulty, we found the place (with a new name!), but that did not stop
\nus from having a very nice dinner with Biryani and a couple of curries which we
\nate Family Style. Our dinners were always a great time to catch up on the
\nwonders of the day and to indulge in some good-natured bantering. Right after
\ndinner, we marched into a gelato parlor and had really great desserts before
\nbed.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nov 24, Thu: Jerusalem-Temple Mount-Western Wall-Garden Tomb-Home of Caiaphas-Garden of Gethsemane             We awoke with the realization that it was Thanksgiving Day in America and so, at breakfast, we wished each other. After a lovely breakfast in Hotel Arthur that included smoked salmon on toast\u2014my particular favorite\u2014and good coffee, we set out for our exploration… <\/p>\n

Read<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1905],"tags":[661,662,664,663,665,677],"class_list":["post-643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-musings","category-israel","tag-garden-of-gethsemane","tag-garden-tomb","tag-home-of-caiaphas","tag-jerusalem","tag-temple-mount","tag-western-wall"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=643"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4854,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions\/4854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}