Pictures

Dome of the Rock

 

Shaaban let Riane and me try on Bedouin dresses

 

Gate from the Armenian quarter into the Jewish quarter of the Old City. The Gates are made of right hand turns to make it difficult to enter and force possible attackers to slow down and turn a corner against their sword arm.

 

Dome inside the Church of the Sepulchre. There were a LOT of tourists so I will take more pictures another day. The lower dome that you see in relief is the shelter that was built to protect the tomb Jesus was buried in. The tomb was located by Constantine's mother, Helena, who was sent to locate all the holy sites - and amazingly found every one of them on her list. Too bad modern archaeologists don't have the same luck in their endeavors! The larger church housing the shelter is quite old and is maintained by a number of denominations. It was built in the Eastern tradition which focuses less on the cross and death and more on the resurrection and the reclaiming of life. The entrance to the church is very bright and well lit with multiple chandaliers and lamps but as you progress through the halls and sanctuary back to the tomb it becomes increasingly darker till the only light is that which comes in through this dome.