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The Mount of Olives (also Mount Olivet, Hebrew: ª?ª¨ ª?ª?ª?ª?ª?ª, Har HaZeitim; Arabic: ?¬?¨?? ?§???²????????, ?§???·???±???, Jebel ez-Zeitun, Jebel et-Tur, “Mount of the Summit”) is a mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalem. It is named from the olive trees with which its sides are clothed. At the foot of the mountain is the Gardens of Gethsemane where Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, according to tradition. The Mount of Olives is the site of many important Biblical events.
In the Book of Zechariah the Mount of Olives is identified as the place from which God will begin to redeem the dead at the end of days. For this reason, Jews have always sought to be buried on the mountain, and from Biblical times to the present day the mountain has been used as a cemetery for the Jews of Jerusalem. There are an estimated 150,000 graves on the Mount, including those of many famous figures. Just a few of these include the tomb of Zechariah (who prophesied there), Yad Avshalom, and a host of great rabbis from the 15th to the 20th centuries including Abraham Isaac Kook, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel.
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December 5th, 2006
Gethsemane (also spelled Gethsemani) was the garden where, according to the New Testament and Christian traditions, Jesus watched and prayed the night before he was crucified and suffered for the sins of the world (see Atonement). According to Luke 22:43???44, Jesus’ anguish in Gethsemane was so deep that “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Gethsemane was also where Christ was betrayed by the disciple Judas Iscariot.
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December 5th, 2006
It? is the English-language name given to the hill on which Jesus was crucified. The hill is described as outside Jerusalem, but its location is not certain. Calvaria in Latin, ????±?½?¹???? ?¤???????? (Kraniou Topos) in Greek and G?»lgalt?¢ in Aramaic all mean ’skull’, referring to a hill or plateau containing a pile of skulls or to a geographic feature resembling a skull.
The New Testament describes Calvary as close to Jerusalem (John 19:20), and outside of its walls (Hebrews 13:12). This is in accordance with Jewish tradition, as Jesus was also buried near to the place of his execution.
Roman emperor Constantine the Great built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on what was thought to be the sepulchre of Jesus in 326 - 335, nearby the location of Calvary.
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December 5th, 2006
There are three or four places which claim to be the ‘Cana’ of the New Testament. Cana, which lies 4 miles along the road from Nazareth to Tiberias, is the most favoured one. Cana is known throughout the entire Christian world, as it was the scene of Jesus’ first miracle when he changed water into wine. Two churches are built in Cana commemorating this first miracle.
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October 22nd, 2006
To the Greek Orthodox Christian community this church celebrates the Annunciation. It’s a much smaller, much more modest affair than the grand Basilica, and while it may not be as immediately impressive it’s much older and has a lot more character. The marble crypt is built on the spring that serves Mary’s Well and inside it’s darkly lit with numerous icons and murals. There’s a nice service on a Sunday.
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October 22nd, 2006
The thing about religion is that everyone has a different version. Some people believe that the Annunciation actually took place here, about 5 minutes walk from the Basilica site, at “Mary’s Well”. The spring under the well has served Nazareth for over 2000 years and the story goes that Mary was collecting water when she was visited by the Angel Gabriel. The spring is actually underneath the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of St Gabriel.
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October 22nd, 2006
This huge building and dome dominates the skyline of Nazareth. It stands on the site where it is thought Mary’s home once stood and where Catholics believe she was visited by the Angel Gabriel and told she would bear the son of God. The actual building doesn’t stretch back quite as far - in fact it was only built in 1969! Considering its importance the site was quite slow to becoming a major pilgrimage site - the first shrine here was built over 400 years after Jesus’ birth. It’s the largest basilica in the whole of the Middle East, and built on two levels. The lower church was the home of Mary and contains the remains of numerous old Byzantine churches and a museum. The upper level is the modern local church and the vast interior is decorated with mosaics. The huge dome illuminates the church with natural light.
October 22nd, 2006
Magdala, the “Tower of Greatness”, is located 4 miles north of Tiberias. Today it is a small village of fishermen. At the time of Christ it was a city of considerable importance. According to Josephus, it had 40,000 inhabitants and a fleet of 230 boats. Josephus fortified the city before he deserted to the Romans. When the city fell to Titus, 6,700 Jews were killed, 6,000 of the strongest were sent to Nero to dig the Corinth Canal and 30,000 were auctioned off as slaves. Magdala became famous as it is the birthplace of MAry Magdalene, the woman Jesus healed from evil spirits and infirmities. Mary Magdalene then became one of the most devoted and faithful of Christs’ followwers. She followed Him to His death on Calvary. She was the first to come to the tomb on the day of His resurrection and the first to see the Risen Lord.
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October 22nd, 2006
The Sea of Galilee is 13 miles long, 7 miles wide, 130-157 feet deep, 32 miles in circumference and 686 feet below sea level. The lake has been known by various names - Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, and Kinneret which comes from the Hebrew word for harp, as the sea is shaped like a harp. The sea is abundant in fish - carp, mullet, sardine, catfish and combfish. As in ancient times, the fish are still caught in nets. The water is pure and generally calm. Here, Jesus commanded the violent storm to be still; walked on the stormy water and healed great multitudes.
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October 22nd, 2006
The name comes from the Greek word Heptapegon meaning seven springs. It is a place with a plentiful supply of water. Traditionally, this is the site where Jesus fed 5,000 with 5 loaves and two fish. Two successive Byzantine churches were built here in the 4th and 5th centuries. In 1932, the remains of a Byzantine church were discovered with the best preserved mosaic in all Israel. On the stone which served as the altar, there is a mosaic of a basket of loaves flanked by two fish. The floor is covered with a beautiful mosaic of birds, fish, beasts and flowers of the lake region. In 1934, a new church was built over the site of the Byzantine church. 200 yards away is the church of the Primacy, built in 1934 in basalt over a massive rock called the “Mensa Christi.”
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October 22nd, 2006
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