In medieval Christian thought, Jerusalem was considered to be the center of the world (Latin: umbilicus mundi, Greek: Omphalos), and was represented in various medieval maps. Byzantine hymns speak of the Cross being “planted in the center of the earth,” and the imagery is tied to the concept of the Death and resurrection of Jesus being for the benefit of all humankind. Medieval maps of Europe usually placed the East (“orient”; Jerusalem) at the top, and this arrangement led to the use of the term “to orient” to mean to align a map with actual compass directions. The magnetism of Jerusalem has not diminished over the years. The city spreads in golden splendor across the Judean hills, reaching up to the heavens and
JERUSALEM “On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.” (Psalms 87:1-2) “Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst.” (Zephaniah 3:14-17). For over 3000 years, ever since the rule of King David, Jerusalem has been set apart from other cities. No other place on earth has been so central to man’s dreams and aspirations. No other city is described with so much love and devotion, and no other city has been subject to so much killing and bloodshed. For Christians, Jerusalem’s place in the life of Jesus gives it great importance. Jesus was brought there as a child, to be presented at the Temple (Luke 2, 22) and to attend festivals (Luke 2, 41). According to the Gospels, Jesus preached and healed in Jerusalem, especially in the Temple courts. An account in the Book of Mark (11, 15) relates Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple by chasing various traders out of the sacred precincts. At the end of each of the Gospels, there are accounts of Jesus’ Last Supper in an “upper room” in Jerusalem, His arrest at Gethsemane, His trial, His crucifixion at Golgotha, His burial and His resurrection and ascension. In Christianity, the Jewish connection with the city is considered as the account of God’s relationship with His chosen people - the original covenant - and the essential prelude to the events narrated in the New Testament, including both universal commandments (e.g. the Ten Commandments) and those specific to Judaism- the “old order.”
gathering in unto itself the long lines of pilgrims of all faiths and all nations that converge in this one place. A holy city, a city of the spirit and the soul, where the voice of God can be heard whispering in the ancient stones. The pilgrim to Jerusalem undergoes a deeply moving experience. It is a visit with enormous historical and religious content. At least three or four days are necessary to see the holy sites, and greater the joy if the pilgrim has some time in hand simply to wander down the narrow lanes. Jesus visited Jerusalem several times during His lifetime, and the events of His final visit to Jerusalem, which took place during the fateful week of Passover in the year 30 AD, led to His crucifixion. The places marking His triumphal entry, the Last Supper, the Gethsemane arrest, the Betrayal by Peter, the final passage along the Via Dolorosa and the execution and burial are maintained by Christian communities of various denominations. Over the centuries churches have been built and rebuilt on or by them, and periods of history are layered one upon the other, making the city a true living museum. Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter grew up around the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - Golgotha, according to Catholic tradition. The church contains the final five stations of the Via Dolorosa - the 14 Stations of the Cross. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a vast, confusing, and in many ways overwhelming building, set at the very heart of Christendom. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are drawn every year to this church, which has been a place of worship almost constantly for nearly 2000 years. The first Jerusalem Christian community worshipped here until at least 66 AD (when it became impossible to do so), despite the fact that around 42 AD the site
26
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker