The Mount of Olives in Israel is an object whose importance for world culture is very difficult to overestimate. This monument of history and architecture is also a sacred place for representatives of several religions at once.
Mount of Olives (Israel) and its geography
In terms of orography, this is not even a mountain, but a ridge of hills stretching along the northeastern, eastern and southeastern tip of Jerusalem. It consists of three separate peaks, the highest of which reaches an absolute height of 826 meters.
On the south side of the ridge is bordered by a mountain of grief (or death). The Mount of Olives is separated from the city by the Kedron Valley. Below, on the western slopes, is a place called Gethsemane. It is here, according to the scriptures, that Jesus Christ prayed before his arrest.
Since ancient times, these hills were planted with olive trees, in connection with which the mountain received its second name - Oilseed. The eight oldest olives grow within the Garden of Gethsemane today.
Sacred meaning of the mountain
The Mount of Olives is revered by both Jews and Christians of various rites. In Judaism, it is the place where David worshiped God. It is with the Mount of Olives that the coming of the end of the world and the Jewish prophet Ezekiel connects .
In Christianity, the Mount of Olives is considered the site of Christ's last prayer before his arrest. Here he ascended to heaven.
The Garden of Gethsemane is also mentioned in the sacred texts . In particular, the Gospel says that it was here that Jesus often came with his disciples to pray. Here he was betrayed by one of them - Judas.
Mount of Olives (Jerusalem): Major Attractions
A huge number of architectural monuments, sacred places and sights are concentrated on the slopes and three peaks of the ridge. Among them:
- ancient Jewish cemetery;
- tomb of the Virgin Mary;
- cave of the prophets;
- Temple of all nations;
- Catholic Church Our Father;
- Ascension Monastery;
- Church of Mary Magdalene;
- Gethsemane and others.
Ancient jewish cemetery
If you look at the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem, you will immediately be struck by the huge number of tombstones that literally dotted its western slopes. All these are the graves of the ancient Jewish cemetery. Here there are at least 150 thousand!
It is here, according to the book of the prophet Zechariah, the resurrection of the dead will begin at the end of the days of our world. On the mountain is the so-called Cave of the Prophets, in which there are 36 burial niches. Among them is the grave of the prophet Zechariah.
Scientists date the first burials on Mount of Olives to the 9th-10th centuries BC. Now in this place is the Arabian residential district of Silouan. Later, the cemetery began to expand and occupied the slopes of the ridge. In the middle of the twentieth century, when the Mount of Olives belonged to Jordan, many graves and tombstones were destroyed, ravaged or desecrated.
Tomb of the Virgin Mary
The tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Virgin Mary) is one of the most important Christian shrines. It is located in Gethsemane, a cave church of the Assumption of the Virgin is built above it. Representatives of several faiths have access to worship in this temple.
It is here, according to the sacred texts of the apostles, the Virgin Mary, elevated to the rank of saints by the Christian church, is buried.
The temple is underground. Entering it, the pilgrim falls on a wide staircase, consisting of 48 steps. The coffin of the Virgin Mary is located in a small chapel - a room measuring 2 by 2 meters. The total length of the underground church is 34 meters, and the width is only 6. Immediately behind the chapel, in a pink marble case, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God is stored, which is highly revered by the Orthodox.
Visiting the underground church of the Assumption of the Virgin and Muslims who also venerate the Virgin Mary.
Church of All Nations
The Basilica of the Agony of the Lord, or the Church of all nations - this is perhaps the most famous temple on the Mount of Olives. The temple was built in the 1920s on the spot in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus performed his last prayer in freedom.
The author of the basilica was the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi. The temple was erected by donations from twelve states of the world. That is why it is decorated with 12 domes.
The temple of all nations is Catholic, but representatives of other faiths can perform their services at the open altar near the church.
Church of Mary Magdalene
Another beautiful temple that adorns the slopes of the Mount of Olives is the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene. It was built at the end of the 19th century. Several relics are stored here, in particular, the miraculous icon "Hodegetria", as well as the relics of Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna and nun Barbara, who died in a martyrdom in 1918 at the hands of the Bolsheviks.
The temple, built of white and gray local stone, is an excellent example of Russian architecture. The construction has seven domes and a small bell tower. In the interiors of the church, tourists and pilgrims are amazed by the beautiful floor made of colored marble, as well as the iconostasis decorated with bronze ornaments.
Finally...
Thus, the Mount of Olives (Mount of Olives) in Jerusalem is a sacred area with a huge number of attractions. Every true believer dreams of visiting her, touching the holy relics of ancient temples.