Christian Travel to Jerusalem
Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
by Tomer Harel
Key Scouts
Most Christian have a desire to visit the Holy Land some day. Because much of their faith has deep roots in this area, it is a place where Christians can learn more about the culture of Bible days, meet people of that culture, and walk where Jesus walked.
Jerusalem holds special significance for Christians who come from all over the world. Although tourists of many faiths visit Jerusalem annually, the majority of the vacationers are Christian people, desiring to learn more about their faith and their God. Christians will find that many of the tours, attractions and souvenirs are designed with their interests in mind.
The Western or Wailing Wall is the last remnant of the Jewish temples and was built more than 2,000 years ago. This wall provides the boundary between the Temple Mount of the Muslim Quarter and the Jewish Quarter. Many Christian tourists visit here, due to the historical and holy significance, where prayers have been placed into the cracks of the wall. This is a place where many will stop to meditate, reflect and pray to God, with some leaving their own prayer request within the wall.
If you are interested in history and archeology, you will want to be a part of the Western Wall Tunnel Tour, which goes through the underground parts of the Western Wall. This tour shows the progression of the Temple Mount from the first temple period to today. The Temple Institute is another amazing place to visit where most of the ritual tools used in the holy temple have been reconstructed. Here you will find a book store, museum and a short movie describing the temple instruments.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered the holiest Christian site in the world. The church is located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City and is the location of the Via Dolorosa, or The Way of the Suffering. The Garden Tomb is located here and also, you will find a trail of fourteen Stations of the Cross, said to be the path that Jesus walked from the time of his arrest until the time of his resurrection. Inside the Church of Resurrection are the last five stations. Walking in the path of Jesus is something that Christians thoroughly enjoy and remember for a lifetime.
In the Armenian Quarter of Old Jerusalem is a fortress inside the city wall beside the Jaffa Gate called the Citadel. It has been used as a means of protection for centuries and excavations show that it may date back to the time of Herod. The St. James Cathedral, also in the Armenian Quarter, is one of the most beautiful of all the churches in Jerusalem. Built over the tomb of James the Apostle, it was built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. During the vespers service, the Armenian Orthodox seminary students chant each afternoon from 3:00 - 3:30 PM, producing a moving and beautiful tone that is unforgettable. The inside of the building is lit by hundreds of oil lamps hung from the ceiling. There are no seats, but the floor is laden with thick Oriental rugs.
Dating back to the takeover of the Babylonians in 586 BC, the City of David has the ruins of the most ancient area of Jerusalem. Here, you will find 13th century BC walls, along with fragments of King David's palace. The Mount of Olives contains many interesting places to visit, with recommendations to travel to the top of the mount by taxi and slowly make your way through the points of interest as you make your descent. A few places you can visit on the slopes of the Mount of Olives is the Church of the Pater Noster, Cave of Gethsemane, Tombs of the Prophets, and the Mosque of the Ascension.
There are places to eat and stay within each of the four quarters of Old Jerusalem and also within Modern Jerusalem. There are hotels of every size, shape and cost in Israel to meet the traveling needs of everyone. There are many choices of hotels in Jerusalem, making this an easy task. Regardless of where you decide to lodge, however, you will not be disappointed in the Christian spiritual journey you find awaiting you in the city of Jerusalem.
--------
Planning your trip to The Holy Land? Looking for hotels in Israel? To find a hotel in Jerusalem and book a room at discount price please visit Israel-A-La-Carte today!
This Article has been viewed 112 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.