Bethlehem - 2009 Vacation Part 10

We have visited the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is under the Palestinian control so our tour guide from Jerusalem had to leave the bus before the gate. A new tour guide was with us in Bethlehem.
Entrance to the Church of Nativity. Door is built low and small to prevent donkeys from getting in.
Inside of the church. We were all waiting in line to see the birth place of Jesus.


Decoration of the entrance to the lower level where Jesus was born.
This is the place where Jesus was born.
The hall of the church.
Stained glass on window.
A sculpture depicted birth of Jesus.
Out side in the court yard.
In the court yard of the Church of Nativity.
Walking in the street of Bethlehem.

Jerusalem - 2009 Vacation Part 9

Our cruise ship left Haifa and docked at Ashdod - the largest port for Israel. We got on a tour bus going to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Standing on the Mount of Olive, we see the old town of Jerusalem with the new town afar.
We have visited the Church of All Nations. It is just next to the Garden of Gethsemane. It enshrines a section of bedrock where Jesus has prayed before his arrest.
Garden of Gethsemane.
The right aisle.
Center section
The bed of rock where Jesus prayed on before his arrest.
The main doom ceiling of the Church of All Nations.
Dung Gate
The Western Wall
The Western Wall
Via Dolorosa - the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion.
Station V.
Walking through Via Dolorasa
Station VI
Station VII
Outside of the Via Dolorosa
Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Under the table is the rock where Jesus was crucified. The altar at the traditional site of Golgotha.
Ceiling of the church.

Rock where Jesus was wiped after his death.
Tomb of Jesus
The Ceiling above.
Door way of the church.
At Jaffa Gate
Tower of David

Sea of Galilee - 2009 Vacation Part 8

The tour bus came to the Sea of Galilee after leaving Nazareth. We first arrived Mount of Beatitudes. This is where Jesus delivered Sermon on the Mount.The exact original location is not known but the Church of Beatitudes has 1600 years history. Pope John Paul II celebrated a mass here in 2000.

Church is not very big. Decoration is simple but powerful.
Standing in the garden of the church, one can see the Sea of Galilee.

Church of Beatitudes.
Capernaum (ancient name was Capharnaum). This was the home town for Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as Matthew.
Statue of Peter.
House church in Jesus time.
Capernaum has a long history. This is the ruin of a Roman town.
The oldest synagogue.


Roman ruins
Leaving Capernaum, we came to Tabgha and visited the Church of Multiplication.
At the courtyard of Church of Multiplication.
Mosaic on the ground of the church. The church and mosaic were done in the 5th century.
The stone under the table is where Jesus performed miracle dividing 5 loaf of bread and 2 fish feeding 5000 people.
Another piece of mosaic on the ground.
There is a lily and koi pond in the yard.
Driving to the Jordan River, we had a good view of the Sea of Galilee.
Outside of the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized, there are versus from Mark 1:9-11 in all languages. I was standing next to the Chinese one. It was contributed by Rev Li from Hong Kong.
Jordan River
Beautiful sunset at the Sea of Galilee.