Days 29 & 30: July 28-29, the Dome of the Rock and Ein Kerem

To be honest, I am very sad writing this because I will very much miss being here in Israel.  The only consolation are the friends that I have waiting for me in Houston, which has truly become my home.  So let me tell you about two of the most beautiful places that I have visited.  I will post some pictures for these sites later but I was not able to at this moment. 

First, the Dome of the Rock is one of the Holiest sites in Islam and so provides a lot of intrigue for people of other religions, mostly that it is the most visible building in Old Jerusalem.  You can see from everywhere and it is what you see in postcards and pictures....so I have been wanting to go up onto the Temple mount, the courtyard where you can find the Dome of the Rock. The history of the Temple mount is simple although long...it is the site where the ancient Jewish Temple was...first there was a 1st temple somewhere in the area but was destroyed by foreigners...then a 2nd temple was built...by Herod during the time of Jesus and it was supposedly twice the height of the Dome of the Rock.  This was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and ever since that area has been a site of mourning and holiness for the Jews. Then the Dome of the Rock was built in 680 AD, so it is quite old and built exactly over the spot where the ancient Jewish temple was. 

The inside is quite exquisite but very different from most churches.  In Islam they forbid making images of people or animals and so all you see are intricate designs, pattersn, pictures of plants, and a lot of colorful stained-glass window. The structure is very impressive and we were lucky to get inside since non-muslims are not allowed anymore as of 2001.  Wait until you see those pictures!!!! 

Now onto Ein Kerem.  This is the little town just outside Jerusalem where Zacharias & Elizabeth (Mary's cousin) lived.  So most people come here to visit the church of the Visitation, although the actual town itself is so beautiful.  There are plenty of pine trees around and hills, which makes the town feel like you are in Europe.  The climate is a bit cooler because of all of the shade, and everything is built a bit more compact and closer together than Jerusalem.  We spent all morning and a bit of the afternoon there so that we could have some time for reflection.  This was the last official day of our stay here and so we were given 2 hours to pray and spend some time in silence. 

Let me say this, this trip has been one of the hardest for me to leave because Jerusalem and Israel are one of the most beautiful places you can go to on Earth.  They are beautiful...not just physically...because in fact many other places in the world are more beautiful...but they are beautiful for the people that are here...for the struggle that is still going on here...and most importantly for all the siginifcant things that God has done here...especially for me a Catholic...Jesus having been born, living, and dying here.  So for that...it continues to be a pleasure to share all the things I have come to see.