Jerusalem Part 1 - Day 5

DAY 5

The Church of St Peter in Gallicantu



The Church of St Peter in Gallicantu is a remembrance of Peter denying Christ, but also of Christ being led to torture and crucifixion for the sins of the world. Picture by Zhu Ping Loh.



                                                                Pictures by Zhu Ping Loh.




If you look closely enough, you will be able to see the faint scratchings of the middle cross on the layer just above the dark hole. Picture by Zhu Ping Loh.



This is the Dungeon area of Caiaphas's house - where Jesus would have been tortured and beaten before being crucified. It is probably also where both Peter and John would have been beaten for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.



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Next we visited the Upper Room. The Upper Room actually means a guest room - it was a spare room used for guests. It doesn't really have special connotations.

In the Bible, the Upper Room is also known as the room where the last supper of Jesus and His disciples took place (Matthew 26:26-35). This is also where the disciples were gathered together praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon them on Pentecost after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:13-16).

The Upper Room is located just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem in Mount Zion. It was rebuilt by the Crusaders after it was razed to the ground by the Muslims. Therefore you will be able to see quite a bit of the Crusader influence in the architecture of the building. The floor below the Upper Room is the traditional burial place of King David (Tomb of King David).



Upper Room. Picture by Zhu Ping Loh.




The Olive branch is used as a symbol of faith in that room because it was non-offensive to all religions - Muslim, Jews and Christians.



Upper Room entrance/exit


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After visiting King David's tomb downstairs of the Upper Room (we weren't allowed near the actual coffin because it was barred away but we could see it), we visited the Tower of David Museum. This museum features the history of Jerusalem from its first Canaanite inhabitants to the current Middle Eastern populace in it today. Pictures are by Zhu Ping Loh.





Scaled life-sized model of Jerusalem in the 2nd Temple Period.



Tower of David Museum - gorgeous isn't it? It's magnificient. I would really have like to have seen King David/Solomon's palace in those days and what the splendour of that place would have been like!





Statue of David after cutting off the head of the giant Goliath




Map of Jerusalem in the Byzantine empire


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SO NOW WE COME TO THE GARDEN TOMB!

The Garden Tomb is believed to be the tomb and site of Jesus Christ's resurrection. There are several sites proposed to be possible sites of Christ's tomb, but this one seems the most likely for several reasons. Firstly, there is a large cistern located underneath the garden which indicates that this could be the garden of Joseph of Arimathea. Secondly, there is a very strong resemblance of the rock face on which the tomb is built to resemble a skull. The Biblical account tells that Jesus was crucified in 'Golgotha' (translated literally, it means 'place of skull'). Also, the Biblical account tells us that Jesus was crucified by a wayside (those who passed by wagged their heads and blasphemed Jesus). The Romans crucified people at the wayside as a message/deterrance to others, and this place is located by the main roadside where many would have passed by. In fact, the place has been converted to a busport today! Again, pictures were taken and shared by Zhu Ping Loh.



Our tour guide through the Garden Tomb. I believe his name is Phillip.




There was a group of people from Congo there making a joyful shout and song to God - rejoicing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was pretty hilarious really, because our tour guide could barely be heard over them. He tried unsuccessfully to quieten them down several times - all to no avail! And there was even someone who looked like a cameraman for a news station there. You can see him in this picture carrying a clunky camera around with him!



That small hole in the rock is the entrance to the tomb.



The place where Jesus would have been buried if this was His tomb.



This is the interior of the tomb. It was very small. As you can see, it's EMPTY!


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RANDOM PICTURES OF THE DAY AGAIN:



Just a random window in Jerusalem that I really liked. Picture by Zhu Ping Loh.



Both my right and subsequently my left sole fell off halfway in the trip!! So I had to make do with rubber band until I found super glue to glue it back together! I'm SO glad for super glue - it's one of the BEST things man invented. Picture by Zhu Ping Loh.