The last three weeks of program were all about Easter. The first week we celebrated Holy Week, the second we read about it in class, and the third we went to the sites on field trips. April 1 we went on the Palm Sunday procession. This commemorates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Christians from all over the world came to participate.
This church is the traditional site of the Last Supper, the Cenacle.
The upper room was turned into a mosque for a while. Muslims venerate this place because they believe Jesus was one of the prophets.
Today's Gethsemane is an olive grove across the valley from the Old City.
St. Peter of Gallicantu is supposedly where Peter denied knowing Jesus 3 times. You can't see the weather vane very well but it's shaped like a rooster.
Early pilgrims thought the Via Dolorosa was the route Jesus took to Golgotha. Modern pilgrims continue to walk this road, stopping at each of the 14 stations of the cross along the way.
There are 2 probable sites for Golgotha/Calvary. The first is in the middle of the Old City at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This building was commissioned by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. (Sorry, no interior shots. I think those photos were erased).
Another candidate is just north of the Old City where the cliff face looks like a skull. (Look straight up from the van in the foreground). This is near the Protestant site for the Garden Tomb.
Of course, it doesn't really matter where the events of Easter happened because the message is still the same:
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