Celeste Fegan, Cincinnati

Time to go back

first day after arriving in Jerusalem, I talked with Miriam about desires: that as something he longs for, is it - sooner or later, most often in a surprising way - it meets.

After the first visit in 2009, very wanted to come back here - and it's longer. Only I had completely no idea how to do it sensibly. And then I came across a blog Miriam for information about volunteering i. .. I felt like I found what I was looking for, but I did not know that it was that I seek.

my stay in Jerusalem is fulfilled desire.

It was an amazing time.

Completely I jumped from my daily framework. I quickly got to Jerusalem (for example, learned how to effectively sneak the crowd in the narrow streets of Old Town). With time, it's also a little accustomed to me (for example, when I was walking to or from "work", some vendors greeted me in Polish, no longer insisting that I entered their shop, so giving me a little bit like her).

with any journey will not came back so full of impressions. In fact, almost any of the events that happened to my participation here, it would suffice for the whole month. I tried to tell you about it, I took thousands of pictures, and even so I have a feeling that both words and photographs in just a tiny part of Jerusalem convey my experience, which made me think very hard to comprehend.

There were moments when it was difficult for me, but if something I regret, it's probably just that I did not take more warm clothes and even some shoes to skirts.

little sad I'm leaving, but ... "Everything has its time, and is the designated hour for all things under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3, 1). So now it's time to return to Warsaw. And despite the sadness of parting from the Holy City I am happy at the thought of returning.

The more that I have for you, and - above all! - To whom to return. Throughout Your virtual presence - expressed in the statistics of the blog comments, emails and sms-s - it was very important to me. Without you I would not be the same. Thank you! Well, I found out how much I miss you.

But my gratitude also to those who accompanied me here. Above all, Miriam and Grazyna.

to Jerusalem leads 8 gates (I could not describe them in detail.) All of them leave behind the open (well, except maybe to long walled up the Golden Gate, though, and it certainly would be forced into any gap.) To return.

And for the passage of time ...

DEO (AND PEOPLE - I do not know how to write in Latin) Gratias!

And at the end of 4 more my favorite pictures from all over the lot, which I did here:

poppies in the ruins of Sheep Pond

before the Wailing Wall

on the street in the new Jerusalem

observing children tested in the new Jerusalem tram

See in Poland!

Ps. Yesterday Grazyna and sisters invited me to pożegnalno-birthday (because I had a birthday - podorowałam yourself to not make my stay here, and ... another bag of Jerusalem) dinner. It was pizza, watermelon and melon with ice cream in various flavors. Pride. And that's a nice atmosphere, though few understood primarily from the ongoing conversation in Italian.

Early Monika Roccaforte

Zion

is beautiful Zion (now located behind the walls of old Jerusalem, next to the Zion Gate). And monumental. And there is special here - some such mystical - atmosphere:

First of all, it is here The Upper Room is located:

entrance

inside the entrance

interior overlooking the entrance

this place now belongs to the Jews, so entering, pass a Jew who was guarding the jarmułce. But the interior is, and all traces of the erstwhile owners, ie the Muslims - the so-called. mihrab, or prayer niche:

front and cast in bronze stands an olive tree with three branches, which can be interpreted "as a harbinger of peace between the followers of three religions, which took origin from a single stem of divine revelation" (the Guide):

round building in the Zion is a church of the Assumption of Our Lady. In the lower part there is a colonnade, under which lies roughly life-size statue of the Virgin on the bier, before you burn candles (it makes an impression ...):

colonnade on the vault and you can admire the mosaic depicting Jesus surrounded by biblical women (remember, Gaffciu? Is such nowofeministyczny accent):

the colonnade surrounding the small side altars and goes to the Polish accent - Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish surrounded by saints

Blessed Sacrament was placed in a small alley:

And in the depths of the altar :

with a beautiful mosaic depicting Pentecost:

visit Zion and the Jews - because of the biblical King David. Its considerable size statue of a lyre is almost at the foot of the church and opposite the entrance to the Upper Room:

Jews, however, aim primarily to the symbolic tomb of King , being its separate entrances for women and men. This input for Women:

and the "feminine" part of the tomb:

There may also enter non-Jews, so that women must be adequately clothed (hold arms and knees covered), and men, men must put Kipe. If necessary, at the entrance of women to borrow scarves, and men handed Paper skullcaps.

But get up in Zion, as well as less holy atmosphere:

below - on the hillside - just a church. Peter in Gallicantu. Mentioned here is to deny Jesus before Peter. "The Church commemorates the betrayal?" - I thought at first. And then I came to the conclusion that's not treason it is all just about knowing what to do when you betray. Because Peter looked into the eyes of Jesus, then wept bitterly (see Luke 22, 1962-1962). I was sacred:

view of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount

the environment Church overlooking the Mount of Olives

the branches of a big tree growing here

I particularly liked a church floor. He's so ... "Prayer":

sides of the altar is set to large icons showing the relationship of Jesus and Peter

"I do not know him."

"Lord, you know everything ..."

the lower church of the stairs (you can see them here in the middle of the image):

enter into the tiny chapel of the Blessed Sacrament:

Within the church there are also - what I have written on the occasion of Christmas - an ancient cistern, which he could be imprisoned, and the stairs that he walked with his disciples the Mount of Olives, then carried him after the capture in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And finally, some more producing plants from the vicinity of the church (emphases fillets - especially for the Martha B.):

in Zion spent several wonderful hours.

Only przyczepił there for me, some guy - he identified himself as an Armenian, who wants to show me everything here, and he said to me "sister" (I managed to finally get rid of it.) Then Miriam said to me: "Be careful, because like what, no one can help you, you're Christian. "Then I was struck by the thought that my religion would be a" sign of contradiction ".