tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82106545374455536242024-03-13T23:32:13.937-05:00The Absent-Minded Professor's TravelsKent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-64764837259465120202020-04-10T01:00:00.000-05:002020-04-14T20:52:37.180-05:00BOOK EXCERPT: Walking the Via Dolorosa<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2Y3DkvkT5VuKG-2AWtfAi0h0Gv-7FBXPl4hZRTjS6MmN7G68nljuTgt8MrOtuAb0pFZZFZZTiRn0xctBJIRVuZc_-q8_jaTLBwteXWO5FAJZ7snNGTEfOTWu3ryJkcgOR-6E6PVeECqB/s1600/35+Map+of+Via+Dolorosa_395x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2Y3DkvkT5VuKG-2AWtfAi0h0Gv-7FBXPl4hZRTjS6MmN7G68nljuTgt8MrOtuAb0pFZZFZZTiRn0xctBJIRVuZc_-q8_jaTLBwteXWO5FAJZ7snNGTEfOTWu3ryJkcgOR-6E6PVeECqB/s320/35+Map+of+Via+Dolorosa_395x600.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book, Figure 36</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; text-indent: 0in;">For this very unusual Good Friday during the
Pandemic of 2020, when for the first time in centuries the streets of Jerusalem
may well be almost empty of pilgrims, I decided to share the account of my own
walking the <i>Via Dolorosa</i> during my pilgrimage to the Holy Land in August
2018, as recounted in my new book, <i>Holy Ramblings: Travelogues,
Commentaries, and Meditations on Pilgrimages Far and Wide</i>, available
through links at </span><a href="http://www.holyramblings.com/" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">www.holyramblings.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; text-indent: 0in;">.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">It was our last day on the ground, in the
afternoon, after spending the day walking down the Mount of Olives from the
site of the Ascension to the Basilica of the Agony (also called the Church of
All Nations), lunch and a short tour of the Holy Shroud exhibit at the Notre
Dame Centre, and entering the Old City of Jerusalem through the Lions’ Gate and
visiting the Church of St. Anne and the adjacent ruins of the Pools of
Bethesda….</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">[Most of the following illustrations are not
in the book itself.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">+ + +<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjxypSeBc8_O7wP1Qjn2coU9vTOpyRwo4PnamKi9lToa9uGtivqcgiXVOrlpVkA7TYL6YGrU4s9wjnsEdbgSWGTIu9hrVzk6EE4IPxRt00sfHSVeo5pG8cuoOVuBqBd4ya003g4Y6Ef_6/s1600/33+Map+of+Jerusalem+Old+City_774x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="774" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjxypSeBc8_O7wP1Qjn2coU9vTOpyRwo4PnamKi9lToa9uGtivqcgiXVOrlpVkA7TYL6YGrU4s9wjnsEdbgSWGTIu9hrVzk6EE4IPxRt00sfHSVeo5pG8cuoOVuBqBd4ya003g4Y6Ef_6/s320/33+Map+of+Jerusalem+Old+City_774x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Figure 33</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Exiting Bethesda through the courtyard fronting St.
Anne’s, we went a short distance further up Lions’ Gate Street, and began the <i>Via
Dolorosa</i>, the Way of Sorrows, an extended walk of about a quarter-mile
which is obviously not a “site” per se, but rather a route through the narrow
streets of the Muslim Quarter into the Christian Quarter, with various
individual locations traditionally associated with the Stations of the Cross
formally marked by black disks bearing Roman numerals mounted to the walls of
buildings. Other identifications ranging from simple to ornate often accompany
those formal disks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Historically speaking, most scholars consider it doubtful
that the traditional “pilgrims’ route” of the <i>Via Dolorosa</i> traces the
actual route upon which Our Lord carried the Cross to his place of execution.
Jerome Murphy-O’Connor sums up the case quite well.</span><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> For one
thing, it is far more likely that the “Praetorium” in which Pilate would have
judged Jesus should be identified with the palace built by Herod the Great, the
modern Citadel just inside the Jaffa Gate, than at the Antonia Fortress
overlooking the Temple, which was a military barracks and base focusing on
keeping a close eye on the troublesome Jews. An abundance of ancient evidence
places the Jerusalem residence and headquarters of the Roman procurators at Herod’s
Palace, including contemporary Philo of Alexandria, who puts Pilate there on
the occasion of an earlier dispute with the Jews, the matter of the golden
shields.<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Condemned there, on the opposite side of the Old City from the traditional
spot, Jesus would have carried his Cross on a path coinciding with the
traditional route only toward its end – converging on Calvary or Golgotha, now
inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. Secondly, the tradition placing the
Way along its present path only developed during the fourteenth century, as the
Franciscans formalized an overall systematic circuit of the holy places that
was based more than anything else on servicing the pilgrimage industry most
efficiently. Nevertheless, Murphy-O’Connor concludes, “The Via Dolorosa is
defined not by history but by faith.”</span><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> That
faith itself – of millions, at least, who have through the last seven centuries
walked the present route, which is, even if modern scholars are correct,
nonetheless within a few hundred yards of the historical route and ends at the
same destination – hallows the religious exercise <i>qua</i> religious
exercise. For simplicity’s sake, going forward, I refer to various Stations as
“marking the spot where such-and-such happened” and ask that the reader bear in
mind the problematic state of such identifications, which I will belabor no
further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Pilgrims’ <i>Via Dolorosa</i>, as well-walked as it
is, is nevertheless not a dedicated way, by which I mean that the streets are
part of the everyday life of the Old City, with all the hustle and bustle of
the inhabitants going about their business even as pilgrims make their way
along it. Shops, markets, and so forth open directly onto the streets. It is as
if a way were marked through the middle of Natchitoches, and we were able to
walk it devotionally – which we do, of course, every Good Friday – but without
the police blocking traffic for us and with considerably narrower streets and
greater crowds than we experience back home. In the midst of it all, we walked,
carrying small crosses to remind us of the Cross He bore, praying the Rosary,
stopping at each Station as Padre led us in the meditations as written by St.
Alphonsus Liguori, and praying, “We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, –
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world...”:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">I.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Station:
Pilate Condemns Jesus to Death</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – A further hundred yards or so along the
Lion’s Gate Road from the entrance to St. Anne’s Church, to the left, the First
Station is commemorated in the courtyard of the El-Omariya Elementary School
for Boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the
elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound
Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. … And having scourged
Jesus, [Pilate] delivered him to be crucified. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Mark 15:
1, 15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Established in the early twentieth century and named for
the seventh-century Muslim conqueror of Jerusalem, the El-Omariya School rests
atop the site of the Antonia Fortress. It is not often open to pilgrims, never
when students are present, and otherwise only at the sufferance of the
caretaker, so instead, we turned to the right …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">II.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Station:
Jesus Takes Up His Cross</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Across the street from the El Omariya
School is a Franciscan Friary. We passed into a courtyard which gave access to
two chapels, dedicated respectively to the Flagellation and Condemnation of
Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers
plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple
robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him
with their hands. … [T]hey took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross,
to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(John 19:
2-3, 17)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">In the Chapel of the Flagellation, colorful stained glass
depicts the Flagellation and the Crowning with Thorns, Pilate presenting Jesus
to the Jews and Barabbas going free, and Pilate washing his hands; the Chapel of
the Condemnation marks the spot where Jesus is said to have taken up his Cross.
It also contains the “<i>lithostratus</i>,” long assumed to be the flagstone
pavement on which Jesus stood. In reality, the flagstones date from about a
century later, a product of the same building program as produced a landmark
that is not explicitly one of the stations but is associated with the Passion.
The flagstones are of direct interest to the Passion, however, in that they
contain scratched game-marks inscribed by Roman soldiers such as those who
“cast dice” for Our Lord’s seamless garment as he suffered on the Cross (John
19: 23-24).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Perhaps somewhat out of sequence, a bit further along the
street is one of the iconic images of the Via Dolorosa, the <i>Ecce Homo</i>
arch, commemorating when Pilate presented the scourged Jesus – beaten and
bloodied, crowned with thorns – to the Jews (“Behold the man!”) and gave them
the choice to free Jesus or Barabbas. They chose Barabbas. We passed under the
arch, which is commonly misrepresented as surviving from the Antonia Fortress
but was really built by the Emperor Hadrian a century later, in AD 135, after
the Second Jewish War (the “Bar Kochba War” of 132-135) left the Jews utterly
crushed and expelled from Jerusalem for good, the city being rebuilt as a Roman
city, Aelia Capitolina. We continued slightly downhill as the street became
very congested with vendors and shops on both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">We turned sharply to the left (south) onto El-Wad Street,
which to the north leads through dense markets to the Damascus Gate, and to the
south generally parallels the western edge of the Temple Mount. At that turn,
we saw a small Israeli Security kiosk, manned by (I believe) three heavily
armed police, although they seemed at ease. At the time, I thought visible
security at that intersection would make sense because I was under the
impression that we were passing from the Islamic Quarter to the Christian
Quarter, that El-Wad indeed marks the boundary. It does not. So, I am not sure
what garners that intersection special attention that is even visible on Google
Maps’ Street View (date-stamped Sep 2011) in the form of barricades stacked
against the wall, ready for use. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLkLOkyYJUVaReEJebaOVMYUI0QRhWZYiiuod9rHcuVzZLwsLutz1TOWiu1uR4ohLNTlMxhzYba1vV52KW2LhccSnIEk7WmB6X04WDkqOnOrHa5NkwO5gqPmKTmoloHfiMwjIcTEOg5rX/s1600/Station+03_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLkLOkyYJUVaReEJebaOVMYUI0QRhWZYiiuod9rHcuVzZLwsLutz1TOWiu1uR4ohLNTlMxhzYba1vV52KW2LhccSnIEk7WmB6X04WDkqOnOrHa5NkwO5gqPmKTmoloHfiMwjIcTEOg5rX/s320/Station+03_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">III. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Station:
Jesus Falls for the First Time</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Immediately after turning left onto El-Wad
Street, we hooked back to the left into a small Armenian Catholic chapel,
passing under a stone relief of Jesus falling. Then, in the entrance hallway,
we beheld a stunningly crafted shrine with basically the same image in statue
form, backed by a painting of ranks of angels watching and praying in grief. I
imagine them waiting and ready for a command to intervene that would not be
given. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Third Station is the first of several traditional
Stations of the Cross which are not backed up by Scripture. That is not to say
that they did not happen, of course. There is robust and early tradition for
some; there is the quite simple human likelihood in the case of others, such as
this one. Beaten, scourged, abused, doubtless sleep-deprived, by this time
undoubtedly dehydrated and weakened by loss of blood – and bearing upon himself
the burden of mankind’s sin – now forced to carry, very likely, a crossbar
weighing close to a hundred pounds – it is near certain that Jesus would have
fallen, probably several times. If not there, then somewhere along the route.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvAvf8AAABSbaA_kCm3Bg9GZUQRDSfqaW11onG4_ZAlfWM3hCGahe9PSOlADiLzsb0btOWHlPLqSO9PlTgul1-9b3hrbsywf-cAp8aTayRTwsEnxGi3B3SNVhH8Y2rWzV2tuSIxSUHtsv/s1600/Station+04_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvAvf8AAABSbaA_kCm3Bg9GZUQRDSfqaW11onG4_ZAlfWM3hCGahe9PSOlADiLzsb0btOWHlPLqSO9PlTgul1-9b3hrbsywf-cAp8aTayRTwsEnxGi3B3SNVhH8Y2rWzV2tuSIxSUHtsv/s320/Station+04_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">IV. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Station:
Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Although this next station was long
commemorated a few dozen yards further along the street, it has, in recent
years, been moved to the immediately adjacent Armenian Catholic Church of Our
Lady of the Spasm. We observed this Station in a courtyard below an elaborately
carved monument with a cross, “In Memory of the Armenian martyrs of 1915.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNwZaOIbc8t22l10atqxV3le_azZWnMQcqa9HanPecAxkJPbQ299KJneTd32MEZln5Z_jvZk9bgjpAKZqFaR1H-uN-BUB-DH8k_k1TJkF-eqwWFnmmdTj_lAJv7DrCwYBzaJqvJq6GVrp/s1600/Station+04-2_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNwZaOIbc8t22l10atqxV3le_azZWnMQcqa9HanPecAxkJPbQ299KJneTd32MEZln5Z_jvZk9bgjpAKZqFaR1H-uN-BUB-DH8k_k1TJkF-eqwWFnmmdTj_lAJv7DrCwYBzaJqvJq6GVrp/s320/Station+04-2_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Spasm” refers to the intensely emotional sob of grief
any mother would suffer at the sight of her child so abused. As prophesied by
Simeon in the Temple so many years before (Luke 2: 34), a sword of grief did
pierce Our Lady’s heart as she accompanied Jesus to his death….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPUghu6CZgnVQ1WdQU-ozBwJ2jE7103IFo_F7YyhnvNeLhO-VTDlS3GvgH1uYLh2Eo-zwISrC0U2QN1W5m6G4V5eDtCkLNWh_6YsxBvTe4Tu03VahE70G2V4llVWc5DWAHnJ7Jv0YiUAf/s1600/Sation+05_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPUghu6CZgnVQ1WdQU-ozBwJ2jE7103IFo_F7YyhnvNeLhO-VTDlS3GvgH1uYLh2Eo-zwISrC0U2QN1W5m6G4V5eDtCkLNWh_6YsxBvTe4Tu03VahE70G2V4llVWc5DWAHnJ7Jv0YiUAf/s320/Sation+05_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">V. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Station:
Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Twenty-five yards further
on, the Way of the Cross turned to the right, onto Via Dolorosa Street.
Immediately on the left, a Latin inscription on the lintel above a door marked
the Fifth Station: “<i>SIMONI CYRENAEO CRUX IMPONITUR</i> – THE CROSS IS PLACED
UPON SIMON THE CYRENEAN.” All four Gospels record this event, but here I quote
only one: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of
Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry
it behind Jesus. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Luke 23: 26)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">The door enters the first Franciscan house in Jerusalem,
dating to 1229. Having turned the corner, we began the gradual ascent to
Golgotha along the stepped street, which got narrower and was covered in areas
by awnings and arches. We proceeded about a hundred yards or so….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">VI. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Station:
Veronica Offers Her Veil to Jesus</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – A wooden door with studded metal bands
marks the Greek Melkite Catholic Church of St. Veronica. Another of the several
Stations based on tradition rather than Scripture, this church commemorates the
brave woman who stepped out of the crowd and wiped Jesus’ face, by this time
battered, bloodied, dirty, giving him what comfort she could in the instant
before the Roman soldiers would doubtless have shoved her back from the
procession. The cloth she still held was then found to bear the imprint of
Jesus’ face. The “legend” of St. Veronica and the Holy Face of Jesus long
predates the fourteenth-century development of the Stations of the Cross; the
Cloth of St. Veronica has been in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome since the
eighth century. Rationalists have long taken the “coincidence” of the name
“Veronica” with the Latin <i>vera</i> “true” plus Greek <i>icon</i> “image” to
indicate the legendary status of the tale, but such a bilingual “folk
etymology” makes no sense, and the name could just as easily be a Latinized
Hellenistic Jewish form of the Greek name Berenice – which was borne by other
Jewish women of the age, most famously the sister of King Herod Agrippa II who
became the concubine of the Roman general Titus during the Jewish War a
generation later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">VII. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Station: Jesus
Falls for the Second Time</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Seventy-five yards further uphill, at the
junction of the Via Dolorosa with the Souq Khan al Zeit (the Oil Market – and
the <i>real</i> boundary between the Christian and Islamic Quarters), we paused
at what was in the first century the site of the Gate of Judgment, passing
through the western wall of the city in the north. It was called the Gate of
Judgment because the names of the accused and their sentences were posted here
for all to see. The marker appears by an intricately designed red and black
door entering a pair of chapels, one above the other. Although we did not go
in, the lower chapel is open; the upper chapel is closed to the public. There
we commemorated the Seventh Station.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">At this point, as I understand it, the traditional
pilgrims’ Via Dolorosa we were walking converged with the more likely
historical way of the Cross argued by scholars. Either way, Jesus would have
passed through the Judgment Gate. Perhaps, and I am just guessing, the <i>titulus</i>
bearing the statement of his crime would have been posted here –in this case
with a duplicate being given to affix to the Cross itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x6TFJCx8oN7C4erjBBNlzGhXJSRLGzpdbamJs7z_h_Q3mlz94peuL0SmEKW3oYhFlLQAX-lyvZCLCkYbTdkVboSvXG0FQls8jWSeMqut5VIUScw4aeGnZZb8hq63tL5FjXsXOrU93BNz/s1600/34+VIII+Station+Via+Dolorosa_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x6TFJCx8oN7C4erjBBNlzGhXJSRLGzpdbamJs7z_h_Q3mlz94peuL0SmEKW3oYhFlLQAX-lyvZCLCkYbTdkVboSvXG0FQls8jWSeMqut5VIUScw4aeGnZZb8hq63tL5FjXsXOrU93BNz/s320/34+VIII+Station+Via+Dolorosa_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Figure 34</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">VIII. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus
Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Twenty yards further along, outside the
city wall of Jesus’ time but still passing through a dense mass of humanity
seemingly oblivious to the significance of the events that played out here, in
this place, near two thousand years ago, we found the eighth station via a
round stone embedded in the rough-hewn stone wall of the Greek monastery of St.
Charalambos, an early martyr. Below the marker, a Latin cross with the letters <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IC XC
NI KA</i></b> in the four quadrants proclaims via an abbreviation for the
Greek, “Jesus Christ Conquers.” Such an outcome would not have seemed likely
when the women wailed and lamented him….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,
do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Luke 23:
28)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">At that point, for some reason that was not explained,<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
we backtracked a short way, then followed what was long ago the Roman Cardo
Maximus, the “Main Street” integral to every planned Roman settlement from army
camps to full-blown planned cities, such as Roman Jerusalem was after the
Jewish city suffered utter destruction in the First and Second Jewish Wars (AD
66-70 and 132-135). We did not go all the way to the excavated portion of the
Roman street, only so far as a flight of 28 steps to the right, then up a
winding lane to what then would have been within sight of Golgotha, today is a
Coptic chapel marked with a column built into the door – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">IX. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus
Falls for the Third Time</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – The Coptic chapel of St. Helena, the
mother of Constantine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9HUPmUmDhKyqIIJ6Ed3b9z6EU9dooTxJgPO_HaBLPC8XRrUW8O0JJ36AlDix1smtTrFnUYDbFRy3zZSYcEsZ4ldkMxZVmv238_QAT_4oyPElWGUlBnhTt6CAfjS-hR6JQQuFCfXeJQyn/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+outside_449x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="449" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9HUPmUmDhKyqIIJ6Ed3b9z6EU9dooTxJgPO_HaBLPC8XRrUW8O0JJ36AlDix1smtTrFnUYDbFRy3zZSYcEsZ4ldkMxZVmv238_QAT_4oyPElWGUlBnhTt6CAfjS-hR6JQQuFCfXeJQyn/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+outside_449x600.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Then, again, we backtracked, made our way a few more
yards up the street, then turned right once more and were on St. Helena Street,
leading to the courtyard of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, rightfully
called the holiest place in Christendom. The last five of the fourteen Stations
are inside that massive church, which encompasses what remains of the mount of
Calvary on which Jesus “was crucified [and] died,” as well as the Tomb in which
he “was buried ... [and] On the third day, … rose again from the dead...” (The
Apostles’ Creed). The sites of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection are really
within just a few yards of each other (contrary to most people’s – and my own,
until recently – mental image), and all beneath one roof within the walls of
this great church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUcoGcYlehIcm6KWbugilbeK9Du2AR2dxlA2EVRLFS3o6qA_NtAaCfGYEhA5HbhyhhX3vtT-IKdgPFB-G9Vt7pwyRmWCWmKerOaWUdLgycuvbDhsm39P9F1K154xHL-D0vpa4BhuFGcNq/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+the+ladder_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUcoGcYlehIcm6KWbugilbeK9Du2AR2dxlA2EVRLFS3o6qA_NtAaCfGYEhA5HbhyhhX3vtT-IKdgPFB-G9Vt7pwyRmWCWmKerOaWUdLgycuvbDhsm39P9F1K154xHL-D0vpa4BhuFGcNq/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+the+ladder_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Speaking historically, it is as certain as certain can be
that this is indeed the site of Golgotha/Calvary and the Tomb. It was revered
as such from a very early period – at least the second century, when, according
to the early church historian Eusebius, the Roman Emperor Hadrian built a
temple dedicated to the goddess Venus atop the site to preempt Christian worship
there. Two hundred years later, the first Christian Emperor Constantine the
Great ordered the temple to be replaced by a church – during which construction
his mother, St. Helena, is said to have rediscovered the tomb and the True
Cross, celebrated on 03 May as the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross. Much
of the rock of Calvary and around the tomb was removed to isolate the two sites
and level the ground. Constantine’s church (actually two adjacent chapels in
one complex) was damaged by wars, attacks, and earthquakes through the
subsequent centuries: the Persians in 614 when they captured and carried off
the True Cross (recovered and restored by the Emperor Heraclius in 630,
commemorated in the 14 September Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross); long
centuries of Muslim rule from 638 – until 1009 when the Mad Caliph Al-Hakim
ordered it destroyed completely and helped provoke the First Crusade before the
end of the eleventh century despite a meager rebuilding negotiated by the
Byzantine Emperor and Al-Hakim’s son at mid-century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNopHpJsiCK82kftHXx8E4cLbo-IQ6xzjxMs6EYRkSkILAMMUyWHF4LrZY40YT_8dw0o39sv-i_yehTxlRVFrJ6Ds-ZzppVIIwSrFes5BGAJNWF-ViD0cU9uxKJ-fsO8-ppvTNS9RrJ_Zx/s1600/36+Layout+of+the+Holy+Sepulcher_356x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNopHpJsiCK82kftHXx8E4cLbo-IQ6xzjxMs6EYRkSkILAMMUyWHF4LrZY40YT_8dw0o39sv-i_yehTxlRVFrJ6Ds-ZzppVIIwSrFes5BGAJNWF-ViD0cU9uxKJ-fsO8-ppvTNS9RrJ_Zx/s320/36+Layout+of+the+Holy+Sepulcher_356x600.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Figure 36</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">The current building is perhaps the most magnificent
monument to the First Crusade, called in 1095, at least in part to restore the
Holy Sepulcher. Their capture of Jerusalem on 15 July 1099 inaugurated most of
a century, the twelfth, of Christian rule over the Kingdom of Jerusalem. By
1187 when Saladin took the city, the great church as it exists today was more
or less in place although there have, of course, been extensive repairs,
renovations, and even expansions through the following centuries. Like the
Basilica of the Nativity, management of the Holy Sepulcher is a complicated
“cooperative” between religious communities – Catholic and multiple Orthodox –
with even more jealously guarded claims, rights, and privileges giving rise to
sometimes ridiculous oddities such as the workman’s ladder which has stood in
one place beneath a window overlooking the courtyard for over a century and a
half because to remove it would violate one or the other denomination’s rights!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(As an aside, in this case also, there is an
“alternative,” however. Protestants generally prefer what is known as “the
Garden Tomb” some distance away, “rediscovered” in the nineteenth century by
British Major-General Charles Gordon. No reputable scholar today, Catholic <i>or
</i>Protestant, disputes the location of the Holy Sepulcher, however. Even the
Protestant trust overseeing the Garden Tomb refrains from promoting it as the
very site, instead emphasizing it as a better representation of the site
described in the Bible. Perhaps it is. But it is <i>not</i> the spot.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5ApcZpgBstOiiDjluCcjq9kCIl-PTcHOnV6SwuUaa-0Fm_junnrcd6mbTPwE_qfv53b29RA7yl3VBA3MXBO91tYQCWnkCAfl3L8yVj9fSsH2e5YRH2UJif873rm91EE0uELj9HKQRaoT/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+entering+from+courtyard_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5ApcZpgBstOiiDjluCcjq9kCIl-PTcHOnV6SwuUaa-0Fm_junnrcd6mbTPwE_qfv53b29RA7yl3VBA3MXBO91tYQCWnkCAfl3L8yVj9fSsH2e5YRH2UJif873rm91EE0uELj9HKQRaoT/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+entering+from+courtyard_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Inside the Holy Sepulcher, one can ascend to the top of
Golgotha and the site of the Crucifixion and touch the actual rock; one can
venerate the Stone of Unction, where Jesus’ body was laid out for hasty preparation
before entombment; and one can view the Tomb, which underwent renovation to
much fanfare in 2016. But one cannot do these things quickly. We were in the
Church for a long time just standing, awaiting our turn to do these things.</span><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Our
praying of the last five Stations of the Cross broke down simply because of the
press of people, the bustle and the noise. There was no way for us to stay
together as a group and pray. Or rather, we did pretty much stay together, but
there was no way to pray as a group. We all therefore prayed the remaining
Stations individually. Those Stations do, however, make a good organizing
scheme for our time in the Church. So, to continue … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7CaT_cCn_eyfldc9TnDfua1r1nSUPmSJD0hEnTmgTf60uehD6efK17aSyLbQIreBwDIrpY4qWpBZ10zHX3G3bicUGxyA7Ol86M0YfZZdKZQZiSPkPhjF4YECNqzyjHaAFEgmp3a2YVoH/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+10+Chapel+Divestiture_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7CaT_cCn_eyfldc9TnDfua1r1nSUPmSJD0hEnTmgTf60uehD6efK17aSyLbQIreBwDIrpY4qWpBZ10zHX3G3bicUGxyA7Ol86M0YfZZdKZQZiSPkPhjF4YECNqzyjHaAFEgmp3a2YVoH/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+10+Chapel+Divestiture_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">X. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus is
Stripped of His Garments</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – We made our way in through the left door –
the right is sealed shut – noted the people crowded around, kneeling, and
venerating the large flat Stone of Unction set into the floor beneath a
half-dozen ornate hanging lamps, turned right, and entered a steep, narrow
curving staircase up to a cluster of small chapels on Golgotha, Calvary itself.
The first we entered, in the custody of the Franciscans and named for its place
in the sequence of events during the Passion, was the “Chapel of Divestiture.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments
among them by casting lots. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Matt. 27: 35)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">From this point, it was slow progress, moving with the
crowd of pilgrims from all over the world. But, straight ahead, we could see a
sizable mosaic dominating the far wall behind an altar, depicting:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHrkZV-ZqHxiDFhq3P5p0UoDmk13SU3umwkYVGQmIHDWzIULYo11CIXUujxcT5LdQ5s8mMwX0VjnVbzYdSEOB-o4z94dNQZMbQymx4vJjh600IlwEPOn-IJ3f8VFSYchASacALGrMMHMN/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+11+Chapel+Nailing-1_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHrkZV-ZqHxiDFhq3P5p0UoDmk13SU3umwkYVGQmIHDWzIULYo11CIXUujxcT5LdQ5s8mMwX0VjnVbzYdSEOB-o4z94dNQZMbQymx4vJjh600IlwEPOn-IJ3f8VFSYchASacALGrMMHMN/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+11+Chapel+Nailing-1_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">XI. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus is
Nailed to the Cross</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – The ceiling of this “Chapel of the Nailing
to the Cross,” which is also in the custody of the Franciscans, contains the
only surviving Crusader-era mosaic in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,
depicting the Ascension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCbL5vhyphenhyphenvxHocOMkho-c98V-ptIqVlVCeHv2uazsbSg5O5ETQ-pglEv-Cg9XlKFOQqMIYZjyMEqTrmNJezXPEWu0NyipktNXhayo43n0yirtdal8F7_lO-BwQYIPEQZYCL9c7KWgd7_cf/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+11-12+Our+Lady+of+Sorrows_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCbL5vhyphenhyphenvxHocOMkho-c98V-ptIqVlVCeHv2uazsbSg5O5ETQ-pglEv-Cg9XlKFOQqMIYZjyMEqTrmNJezXPEWu0NyipktNXhayo43n0yirtdal8F7_lO-BwQYIPEQZYCL9c7KWgd7_cf/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+11-12+Our+Lady+of+Sorrows_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Passing through an arch and by a Catholic altar and
statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, with a sword piercing her heart, we entered the
Greek Orthodox custody and were standing atop Calvary, Golgotha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">XII. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus Dies
Upon the Cross</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Before a large depiction of Christ on the Cross,
flanked by the Beloved Disciple on his left, his grieving Blessed Mother on his
right, mostly of silver except for the depictions of flesh and wood, there
stands an ornate altar, itself flanked by glass boxes on the floor. These
latter allow viewing of the rock of Calvary. Through the glass on the right a
fissure is visible, said to be the crack left by the earthquake that occurred
when Our Lord died. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up
his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to
bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Matt. 27:
50-51)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Each pilgrim, in turn, knelt beneath the altar which
covered a narrow shaft down which one could stick one’s arm pretty much up to
the elbow – and touch the naked rock of Golgotha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">It was a powerful moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HAkM8lNpmcyGBF35cDbulmboiw6CLf9TCk7sy7SEvjeMK6fQQk1M4ffRtWAfg1gvybnMbZUot52PX7HAbWbIbt518Pk-yigx6138RgcgdtT4Rh9sOEFwF2MAxHOl-7CVC-eSmzV4nbMd/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+12-1+Golgotha_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HAkM8lNpmcyGBF35cDbulmboiw6CLf9TCk7sy7SEvjeMK6fQQk1M4ffRtWAfg1gvybnMbZUot52PX7HAbWbIbt518Pk-yigx6138RgcgdtT4Rh9sOEFwF2MAxHOl-7CVC-eSmzV4nbMd/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+12-1+Golgotha_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8VETF8Am6vFKsLWy72VcOLncw2F6TtAD3_utIMVUqNaEoe3QlgYc63KA5KDar-DzWOAVhSnpXe7y2Th5R53pMe44pLAhLoPRTYA4VvDkR6d5kDn0UZAmQMJJ9WTRVZ3Ud0A-I9Cri7po/s1600/37+Golgotha_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8VETF8Am6vFKsLWy72VcOLncw2F6TtAD3_utIMVUqNaEoe3QlgYc63KA5KDar-DzWOAVhSnpXe7y2Th5R53pMe44pLAhLoPRTYA4VvDkR6d5kDn0UZAmQMJJ9WTRVZ3Ud0A-I9Cri7po/s320/37+Golgotha_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Figure 37</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz-aglrPdUPvFfPPZhCxSjZE12uOIL2CngM1xO0zt3BYfPhFt66ZbAwf4W4YQqafyymWhudU_luQYRa5qEZ5BfTpoIE7iQYfeNVr_KUKkhN1Th9ilRWgtcvtSw2c1f_i6Fauz-l3cCXMR/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+12-2+Golgotha+rock_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz-aglrPdUPvFfPPZhCxSjZE12uOIL2CngM1xO0zt3BYfPhFt66ZbAwf4W4YQqafyymWhudU_luQYRa5qEZ5BfTpoIE7iQYfeNVr_KUKkhN1Th9ilRWgtcvtSw2c1f_i6Fauz-l3cCXMR/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+12-2+Golgotha+rock_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL24FhL7AbwiDKMYTSiXsW-rHSs-eHmzATDrrRyPwLqKLe7kwPa6ErxGb8T7xUoRmZgT486bNqkM-_UhbASRh8O1_pTdZH5Z8fQsbpARk-6hiY-ihJtUNWk50mL1tj5nPFPUz62Z7wHdIs/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+12-3+touching+Golgotha_400x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL24FhL7AbwiDKMYTSiXsW-rHSs-eHmzATDrrRyPwLqKLe7kwPa6ErxGb8T7xUoRmZgT486bNqkM-_UhbASRh8O1_pTdZH5Z8fQsbpARk-6hiY-ihJtUNWk50mL1tj5nPFPUz62Z7wHdIs/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+12-3+touching+Golgotha_400x600.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn-4i-XACsU0uJDLOD9jev6_oxepeSonF_V-r1kdskXq08CCL6x4qfbTUis9H6Hcbil2QCn2xqoqU3oUoy0k-s9bbE7dXd_WkjySxcxgzuAqp3QQFpfdSci6soMwuNcCiw9Nf3dGy7LeC/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+12-4+Our+Lord_400x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn-4i-XACsU0uJDLOD9jev6_oxepeSonF_V-r1kdskXq08CCL6x4qfbTUis9H6Hcbil2QCn2xqoqU3oUoy0k-s9bbE7dXd_WkjySxcxgzuAqp3QQFpfdSci6soMwuNcCiw9Nf3dGy7LeC/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+12-4+Our+Lord_400x600.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1PWNFdGo8VPl43K5BYsHVb3MvQpuNidkXHGN1mFY7KBu9jVCRlBmdCYg8OcLdouwl-wUmJbOfKujsYEeknPbsKqv7px2ECbFRQiqP9mBsgCAxfBjoGYrozVsIOZr-ctFyMv2D4H4rnnp/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+12-5+Our+Lady_400x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1PWNFdGo8VPl43K5BYsHVb3MvQpuNidkXHGN1mFY7KBu9jVCRlBmdCYg8OcLdouwl-wUmJbOfKujsYEeknPbsKqv7px2ECbFRQiqP9mBsgCAxfBjoGYrozVsIOZr-ctFyMv2D4H4rnnp/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+12-5+Our+Lady_400x600.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Greek Chapel of Calvary is open at the rear,
overlooking the entranceway we had come through a half an hour earlier (it
seemed longer), the Stone of Unction, and the entrance to the Rotunda where is
the Holy Sepulcher itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsvBsCwl4y9qptMdUpcdlBZjN4o8pjep5GzWO0uvGlSJdyRrqcAPkECum5jzCQbg0F4zOKBOuXANjLiCndDwmYLI_iZEGZHAt5R0MODuhyphenhyphenzHUKKo7S56NPt9mVCidYIp83X_S9riBGzyT/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+13+mosaic_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsvBsCwl4y9qptMdUpcdlBZjN4o8pjep5GzWO0uvGlSJdyRrqcAPkECum5jzCQbg0F4zOKBOuXANjLiCndDwmYLI_iZEGZHAt5R0MODuhyphenhyphenzHUKKo7S56NPt9mVCidYIp83X_S9riBGzyT/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+13+mosaic_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">XIII. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus is
Taken Down From the Cross</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Descending stairs at the rear of the
chapel opposite where we had ascended, we paused a moment to venerate the Stone
of Unction beneath a long mosaic depicting three scenes in order, from right to
left: Jesus’ Body being taken down from the Cross; the Blessed Mother and her
companions washing and anointing His Body; and His Body being carried into the
tomb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">When it was evening, there came a rich man from
Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And
Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in
his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to
the door of the tomb, and departed. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were
there, sitting opposite the sepulchre. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">(Matt. 27: 57-61)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">XIV. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus is
Placed in the Sepulcher</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Finally, we continued into the large
Rotunda, at the center of which is the cubical Edicule in which are two tiny
chapels – the Chapel of the Angel and that of the Tomb itself. A marble slab
now covers the shelf on which His Body would have lain, but we were allowed in
to pray before it ... after a wait for almost exactly two hours in what can
only very generously be called a “line”; it was, in reality, a mob inching
around the periphery of the Rotunda, a mass of people pressing to get through a
small door for a few seconds in that holiest place in Christendom, where Our
Lord was dead and rose again to life. It was hot; people were rude (especially
a group of Russians, one woman of which kept pressing to push me out of the
way, and when I held firm she looked at me and either hissed or spat; I looked
back at her and retored, “<i>Pfft</i> to you too!” Not my finest moment, but
tempers were short all around). Our slow progress stopped entirely twice, once
when the Franciscans sang what we took to be Vespers,</span><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"> and once
to accommodate a group of Knights of the Holy Sepulcher who can show up
unannounced and immediately gain precedence and private access to the tomb for
thirty minutes. But Tony assured us we were actually lucky – imagining the
circuit of the Edicule as a clock with the entrance at twelve o’clock, we began
our wait at about four o’clock; Tony said he had seen the “line” filling the
Rotunda, extending out through the plaza and into the street, with a wait
lasting many hours. When I commented that Disney World could give them some
pointers on crowd flow management, he replied that the various groups sharing
custody of the church would never be able to agree on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">At about six o’clock of the circuit, I – or rather
Jennifer, because there was no way I could maneuver my way there in the crowd!
– lit the last of the many candles I set all across the Holy Land for my
Jerusalem-born friend Angel and her family, in a small chapel at the opposite
end of the Edicule from the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher. It was incredibly
ornate, filled with candles. At the time, I was given to believe the chapel was
Armenian. Every reference I have seen since, however, lists it as a Coptic
chapel. Oh well. It is the same God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFOmwgMcBXNa7VDAAzC0gp3BqxwK_exiJ6NVZ9Dj5KSEXZFma8l23QqUSKkyuiFxV42U-g45K34-rc_Zzl79pl4g3ZXnXhM-OL_y1nlObATgLE6IWcPUWiMECHvLs8pGfOIWxBj-5n2VK/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-1+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFOmwgMcBXNa7VDAAzC0gp3BqxwK_exiJ6NVZ9Dj5KSEXZFma8l23QqUSKkyuiFxV42U-g45K34-rc_Zzl79pl4g3ZXnXhM-OL_y1nlObATgLE6IWcPUWiMECHvLs8pGfOIWxBj-5n2VK/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-1+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6FUbp-ZcR16Pu7cbZhyphenhyphenxweTJ_EMzo9-4fHHCXrKtlU7TgoqL9DzCwrNG_w3pe-GaF2IMF1SHl7vb4WqPteigYaP7FUni5-O8Dlgrm-HPDdRgk7MbDxlk-a5UpeSLyCmMkDznE_4QOVC_/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-2+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6FUbp-ZcR16Pu7cbZhyphenhyphenxweTJ_EMzo9-4fHHCXrKtlU7TgoqL9DzCwrNG_w3pe-GaF2IMF1SHl7vb4WqPteigYaP7FUni5-O8Dlgrm-HPDdRgk7MbDxlk-a5UpeSLyCmMkDznE_4QOVC_/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-2+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UjLYjTet_SV3avdySAQPwo8325WX07RRVtpkW1IczpC4xHv0bffkLWxU69JsDbEb-bKyrbTjQdy_wznVMWBx5eGLxiGt6ZTqy6aKlRyYPZiCarV63_rZqOJDrULsLJaiAGOchOYDpb42/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-3+Coptic+chapel+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UjLYjTet_SV3avdySAQPwo8325WX07RRVtpkW1IczpC4xHv0bffkLWxU69JsDbEb-bKyrbTjQdy_wznVMWBx5eGLxiGt6ZTqy6aKlRyYPZiCarV63_rZqOJDrULsLJaiAGOchOYDpb42/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-3+Coptic+chapel+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nvklXeBR1dXP5JueogsPAinRVJiabawpeLpaIrn3aoOuylpmi8oSlLdTBIPcA_VHJr03FPAsTIoADK15DPvQ4heLryYLxg0H5pvvBKqGC9iuhVDllQTDWk9nrwZA_4Qajqw34shhUr94/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-4+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nvklXeBR1dXP5JueogsPAinRVJiabawpeLpaIrn3aoOuylpmi8oSlLdTBIPcA_VHJr03FPAsTIoADK15DPvQ4heLryYLxg0H5pvvBKqGC9iuhVDllQTDWk9nrwZA_4Qajqw34shhUr94/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-4+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuV_E7UxpH60rtspbS-A3GXD2G6B97DBHlpCccch1KnOnLiPO79STkOa9xjB6K1LLMB8IBXpzXjrhlNitPoohUdnDTp7XB5AIXpiiYZrvJBS48SZ7mSFkPVHe19DyljcoC9QFcAf_8kbd/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-5+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuV_E7UxpH60rtspbS-A3GXD2G6B97DBHlpCccch1KnOnLiPO79STkOa9xjB6K1LLMB8IBXpzXjrhlNitPoohUdnDTp7XB5AIXpiiYZrvJBS48SZ7mSFkPVHe19DyljcoC9QFcAf_8kbd/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-5+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv135DvCIe5gFBnKNejXjBwo82O6OOP7DAar9xpZ884AvKaoYDsGerOSgvBSTBtJSH5p4tBvYZCU0FG9QHxkRXvm_Nvl1j4FdiGVUjoN0DRFajEYAERK8MV7l6NAdVsn2GX9hKeGqg7Fn/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-6+waiting_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv135DvCIe5gFBnKNejXjBwo82O6OOP7DAar9xpZ884AvKaoYDsGerOSgvBSTBtJSH5p4tBvYZCU0FG9QHxkRXvm_Nvl1j4FdiGVUjoN0DRFajEYAERK8MV7l6NAdVsn2GX9hKeGqg7Fn/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-6+waiting_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxdbjRMaBY2kvidO4mAzzf9L7eGlz7eBUzlEPI-cCv-CkRI87j28_Se3kdbUxX9kUCcgY4IbPNChThOk-PJF-N-0J_80iwBxweeHgYxd60ZPPldDY7TvR_66saKGe9ouzaCbQZ6mi2j5u/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-7+waiting_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxdbjRMaBY2kvidO4mAzzf9L7eGlz7eBUzlEPI-cCv-CkRI87j28_Se3kdbUxX9kUCcgY4IbPNChThOk-PJF-N-0J_80iwBxweeHgYxd60ZPPldDY7TvR_66saKGe9ouzaCbQZ6mi2j5u/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-7+waiting_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">At last, we were allowed to enter through the single
small door to the Edicule, passing through the outer chapel and into the Tomb
to pray for a few seconds kneeling before a marble slab covering the rock-hewn
shelf whereon lay Our Lord’s Body in death through Friday evening, Saturday,
and into Sunday – then to be herded back out by one of the friars, who was
young but very no-nonsense. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">That </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">was a thankless job, I’m sure!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Those few seconds were, however, a spiritual highlight of
our pilgrimage. We were <i>there</i> – in that <i>place</i> – where occurred
the most significant single event in history – the Resurrection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwt6PD9vM1Gk30CrxYKc0-97J9eb9JkCgTVEvqFELNhynzrLuR0R8_jO8yf4hBembj4PXIU2R4czBDRU1bFBwanDrK1K9aC2yJakLj4vQtu0p7fc1EngG6mr6m5XU3_a_KJHCAIdmr2DD/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+14-8+from+internet_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwt6PD9vM1Gk30CrxYKc0-97J9eb9JkCgTVEvqFELNhynzrLuR0R8_jO8yf4hBembj4PXIU2R4czBDRU1bFBwanDrK1K9aC2yJakLj4vQtu0p7fc1EngG6mr6m5XU3_a_KJHCAIdmr2DD/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+14-8+from+internet_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Internet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day
of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. And
behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from
heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was
like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the guards
trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be
afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for
he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">(Matt. 28:
1-6)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">That we did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Exiting the Holy Sepulcher, we were to gather in the
courtyard. Passing by the Stone of Unction we found that the crowd had thinned
considerably, and some of our number venerated it again without the hustle and
bustle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfL-WJTEMcKWwQXR8fc_KVJvD56FMeoP3upNKU6WIt2h-1HZLirXSXzvExad5H97e0R_d1xMVHHwLjs79-qaoxxdAk5-qjwkv4GI7HH3uh-rM2-dWvVAeeXyRIY5HmqqQXbRW2RwY_7JD/s1600/Holy+Sepulchre+rock+of+anointing_800x576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="800" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfL-WJTEMcKWwQXR8fc_KVJvD56FMeoP3upNKU6WIt2h-1HZLirXSXzvExad5H97e0R_d1xMVHHwLjs79-qaoxxdAk5-qjwkv4GI7HH3uh-rM2-dWvVAeeXyRIY5HmqqQXbRW2RwY_7JD/s320/Holy+Sepulchre+rock+of+anointing_800x576.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">+ + +<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">From there, it being past 19:00 and the narrow streets of
the Old City quickly darkening, we made our way out of the Old City through the
Jaffa Gate where our bus awaited us, back to our hotel in Bethlehem, and
prepared for our departure early the next morning. My (hopefully just the
first) pilgrimage to the Holy Land c</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ame to its end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">Thanks for reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, “Tracing the Via
Dolorosa,” Chapter 5 in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus: The Last
Day – A Collection of Essays Published by the Biblical Archaeology Society</i>,
ed. Molly Dewsnap Meinhardt (Washington: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2003),
pp. 71-89, which forms the major source for what follows here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Pilate displayed, inside the Roman
headquarters and therefore out of sight of the Jews, golden shields honoring
the Emperor Tiberius. Out of sight, he doubtless thought the Jews would have no
complaint. He was wrong. Although he seems to have purposely left off the image
of the emperor that was customary on such mementos, Pilate did include the
usual inscriptions with their clear implication of imperial divinity. Such an
affront against the First Commandment, within the very precincts of Jerusalem,
was all it took to incite the Jews to formally protest, eventually to the
emperor himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Murphy-O’Connor, “Via Dolorosa,” p. 88.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> It was not explained, but I have a theory.
The present walking path must adhere to streets and paths weaving around
buildings that were obviously not there at the time of the Crucifixion.
Assuming that, whether the full Way of the Cross started at the Antonia or
Herod’s Palace, it passed through a gate where is the Seventh Station, Jesus
would almost certainly have carried his Cross from that point to the peak of
Calvary directly past the points where are the Eighth and Ninth Stations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> In actuality, we were not in the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher as long as it seemed. Time seemed to slow down. I was
astonished later, after returning home, to examine the time stamps of
photographs that I took, allowing me to reconstruct a time-line for our
afternoon in the Old City, walking the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Via
Dolorosa</i>, and our time in the Holy Sepulcher, from our entry through the
Lions’ Gate to our exit through the Jaffa Gate, to see how short a time it
really was. Note that the following are not arrival times; they are the minutes
when I snapped certain photographs:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">14:51<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were at the Lions’ Gate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">15:08<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in the Church of St. Anne<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">15:44<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Via Dolorosa</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">16:09<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were at the Armenian Holocaust Memorial<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">16:29<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were in the courtyard outside the Holy Sepulcher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">16:48<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were at the Greek Orthodox Chapel of Calvary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">16:56<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were back down at the Stone of Unction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">16:59<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were in the line around the back of the Rotunda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">18:58<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were about to be allowed into the Edicule<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">19:20<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were leaving through the Jaffa Gate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Of our slightly
less than three hours in the great church, almost precisely two were occupied
awaiting entry to the Holy Sepulcher. It all seemed longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/655c896f0b587fa1/Desktop/Via%20Dolorosa%20blog%20pics/Blog%20post.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> On further research, I am not sure this
was Vespers. I discovered, at the Franciscan Custody website for the Holy
Sepulcher, a page, “Time at the church and of the services”
[http://www.sepulchre.custodia.org/default.asp?id=4128] accessed 19 September
2018, which lays out the schedule along with the fascinating fact that inside
the Church it is always “winter time” – “as the agreed rules do not allow for
changing to ‘summer time’. As a result, times of summer services are one hour
later (by the watch) than in the winter.” In the afternoon, “at 16.00 the
Franciscan community leads a procession throughout the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, departing from the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and stopping in
each of the chapels along the eastern ambulatory, descending also to the Chapel
of the Finding of the Cross and exiting from Calvary to rejoin the Edicule of
the Tomb. The procession concludes with the Eucharistic Blessing at the point
of departure.” This sounds like what we saw, which would have been at 17:00 by
my watch, I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-66171402490387079702020-03-27T11:30:00.000-05:002020-03-27T11:32:32.798-05:00Pilgrimage in a time of Pestilence<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DvEAtd-XbHivgIEwnPGHyyqrAFmxnRkp3gnphkJRVFpmgvy5DB_rWCiW3q_0_E1MBE3hzC6kldJpUFL6x8BOnU2_dKUKoXdiUMWp1xbLhUDxx9nwJv-sNKFg5N25FkkIMjtVjvWljfjL/s1600/HOLY+RAMBLINGS+Front+Cover_375x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DvEAtd-XbHivgIEwnPGHyyqrAFmxnRkp3gnphkJRVFpmgvy5DB_rWCiW3q_0_E1MBE3hzC6kldJpUFL6x8BOnU2_dKUKoXdiUMWp1xbLhUDxx9nwJv-sNKFg5N25FkkIMjtVjvWljfjL/s320/HOLY+RAMBLINGS+Front+Cover_375x600.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Presenting a chapter
from my new book about pilgrimage – </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">HOLY RAMBLINGS: Travelogues, Commentaries,
and Meditations on Pilgrimages Far and Near</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">. <i>Available in ebook and print
formats: </i></span><a href="http://www.holyramblings.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>www.holyramblings.com</i></a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, a week or so
ago, just when this period of enforced solitude was beginning, I was talking
with the office manager of my parish, the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception, Natchitoches, Louisiana, and I asked her, “Does my timing suck, or
what?” After months of work, much longer than I anticipated when I started this
project back in the summer, I finally had received a box full of paperbacks, was
ready to seek permission from the rector of the basilica to place a few in the
gift shop, and announce their availability there as well as from the online
merchants that can be accessed through the link above. Then this happened, the new
world of social distancing went into effect, public Masses were suspended
indefinitely in the Diocese of Alexandria, and the gift shop closed. I ultimately
decided on the smaller-scale online roll-out that I started Wednesday evening
via Facebook, of which this is a continuation – with a bonus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Besides meditation
on what exactly pilgrimage is and why it seems to be an almost exclusively
Catholic thing among modern Christians, followed by detailed day-by-day
narratives of my three “big” pilgrimages over the past few years – to Rome and
Italy, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, and to the Holy
Land – I also spend a couple of chapters surveying the wider world of
pilgrimage, discussing the most popular destinations around the world as well
as these United States. With the world currently on shutdown, however, the
pilgrimage industry as well as basically any other nonessential travel at
virtually any level has screeched to a halt. Quarantine, “stay-at-home,” call
it what you will, suddenly we are all largely confined to our abodes with a
great deal of time on our hands even if we are part of this grand new experiment
in work-from-home, “telecommuting,” again call it what you will. What better
way to spend some of that time than going on a pilgrimage?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">After those surveys
of “pilgrimages far” (around the world) and “near” (around the United States),
I tackle the subject of “pilgrimages here,” at home – literally – by various
means including the new possibilities afforded by modern technology. Here
follows that chapter, with commentary after….</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">+ + +<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc28546540"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chapter Six</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc28546541">… and Pilgrimages Here</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[Copyright (c) 2020 Kent G. Hare]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The primary
connotation of the idea of “pilgrimage” is physical, that of a bodily journey
usually toward a physical destination having some religious significance. In
today’s increasingly connected world, however, it is suggested that one need
not necessarily make such a physical journey at all to attain at least something
of the qualities of a pilgrimage. And it is often overlooked that some of the
most stereotypically Catholic devotions may be conceptually considered
pilgrimage in their very nature. Different ways are proposed to make what has
variously been termed an “armchair pilgrimage” or a “virtual pilgrimage” while
remaining “here,” i.e., at home. In today’s technologically connected world, of
course, the latter term evokes a particular activity that is worth discussion
in its own right. I will begin, however, with an activity far more fundamental,
one grounded not in technology and available to – dare I say? – <i>virtually </i>everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc23802299"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc21464212"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Toc23802299;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reading Pilgrimages</span></i></span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As touted in
countless campaigns promoting literacy, books open whole new worlds to the
reader. The spiritual writings of the saints connect us with these allies in
heaven in a way that can be, although quite different from, no less profound
and much more accessible than making a pilgrimage to their shrines or tombs.
The same is obviously true of Holy Scripture, inspired by God as it is, the
written word of God through which we encounter the Divine Word of God. This is
especially the case when the reading of Scripture takes place against memories
gained in a physical pilgrimage to the Holy Land, one’s own, or perhaps those
of someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Written accounts of
pilgrims’ travels stand in a tradition that goes back to the beginning of
Christian pilgrimage during the heady century following the sudden – and, I
would posit, unexpected and shocking – emergence of the Church from the
catacombs after three centuries of at best social and legal marginalization and
at worse bloody, fiery persecution. Just after the year 300, having attained
supremacy in the western half of the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine the
Great legalized Christianity by the 313 Edict of Milan, instantly deflecting
the trajectory of church-state relations onto a path that would have the Church
socially, legally, and religiously dominant before that fourth century of the
Christian era (as it would soon be considered) had passed. What had hitherto
been a local practice of venerating the mortal remains of those Christians who
had witnessed to the Faith unto death as martyrs and thus became triumphant
victims of the Romans’ oft-times frantic efforts to stamp out what they
considered a plague of anti-Roman, anti-<i>human</i>, irreligious, “atheistic,”
insanity now had an incredible and practical new focus. Rome, the capital of
the empire, held the places of martyrdom and the powerful relics of the two
most important figures of the first years of the Church: St. Peter, to whom
Christ had given the keys to the kingdom of heaven, the first Vicar of Christ,
who had been martyred on the Vatican hill just across the Tiber River; and St.
Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, who had written more than half of the
Christian Scriptures, who had been martyred just “Outside the Walls” along the
Appian Way. Not to denigrate the local martyr who was just as surely in heaven
with Christ and a powerful intercessor as witnessed by miracles and wonders
told and retold and eventually written down, how much <i>more</i> powerful must
be these foundational heroes of the Faith. So must the thought process have
gone as pilgrims from every corner of the empire almost immediately began to
descend upon Rome. Then, a mere dozen years later, once Constantine had won
control of the eastern half of the Empire as well, word spread that his mother,
Helena, had traveled to Jerusalem, the mother city of the Faith, where the
Savior had walked the earth as man, and there had miraculously discovered the
site of the Crucifixion, the location of the Tomb and the Resurrection, the
site of the Ascension, even the True Cross itself. At once, pilgrims started
streaming eastward to that Holy Land which by its very nature, as the land
where the Savior had been born, had lived, had died and rose again and ascended
to heaven, was itself a great and powerful relic capable of imparting enormous
graces. At the same time, Helena’s transporting many individual relics back to
Rome – the Manger from Bethlehem, the Scala Sancta from Jerusalem, even the
land itself (embedded in the foundation of the Basilica of Santa Croce in
Gerusalemme, Holy Cross in Jerusalem) – reinforced the Eternal City’s status as
a destination for pilgrims in the west.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Almost as quickly,
pilgrims’ accounts of their travels began appearing. There had been pilgrimages
earlier. The natural human impulse to see the land of the Savior led the
earliest pilgrim of whom we know, St. Melito, Bishop of Sardis in the mid-late
second century, in his journey to the Holy Land; Origen traveled there ca. 250;
both sought to see for themselves the holy places of the patriarchs and
prophets, Jesus and his disciples. Origen found that the locals had the sales
pitch already down, being all too ready to show him the exact location where, e.g.,
Jesus had driven out the Gadarene swine. Neither left systematic accounts of
their travels, but close on the heels of Christianity’s legalization (and of
St. Helena’s explorations), in the 330s there appeared the first pilgrim’s
account, that of the widely distributed <i>Itinerarium Burdigalense</i>
(Bordeaux Itinerary) which recounts in sometimes excruciating detail every
stage of an anonymous pilgrim’s journey, where he stopped (<i>every</i> stop),
for how long, and so forth, from Bordeaux through northern Italy, to
Constantinople, across Anatolia and Syria to Jerusalem – and back again by a
more southerly route through Macedonia, Otranto, Rome, and Milan. It is
generally more a list and notes than a narrative, although it does identify the
places in the Holy Land with the Biblical events for which they are known. The
anonymous pilgrim of Bordeaux must have run into Origen’s locals because he was
apparently shown where the Transfiguration took place on the Mount of Olives….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two interesting
documents from the later fourth century attest to a quickly flourishing
pilgrimage culture in the Holy Land. There, having joined their spiritual
director, St. Jerome, mother and daughter Sts. Paula and Eustochium wrote a
letter, probably dated 386, back to a friend in Rome, urging one Marcella to
join them in the east. They asserted that pilgrimage was a longstanding custom
from Apostolic days to their own, with pilgrims from Armenia, Persia, India,
and Ethiopia, from Gaul and Britain – and every place in between – crowding the
holy places. We have direct testimony from one of these in the form of the
earliest fully narrative account of a Christian pilgrimage that we possess, at
least in part. In those same 380s that Paula and Eustochium invited Marcella,
one Egeria (formerly rendered Etheria, or Aetheria, or even Sylvia), a nun
probably from northern Spain but just possibly from southern Gaul, spent
several years on a journey from her home in the west to the holy places in the
east, toward the end of which she composed a letter back to her religious
sisters describing the places she had been. These included Mount Sinai,
Constantinople, Jerusalem (for three years), and Palestine, with excursions to
Mount Nebo, Syria, Haran, Asia Minor, and probably many other places. Egeria’s <i>Perigrinatio</i>
(Pilgrimage) only survives in part, but what we have is incredibly informative,
with the travelogue being supplemented by detailed descriptions of the various
liturgies in Jerusalem, attesting early consolidation of the ecclesiastical
calendar. Her description of Holy Week and the commemoration of the Passion and
Resurrection make for fruitful reading during that holiest time of the year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two centuries later,
another anonymous pilgrim, typically called “The Piacenza Pilgrim” from an
erroneous attribution to St. Antoninus of Piacenza, provides us with another
travelogue of great interest and value for its depth of description, especially
of the landscape, and for attesting to probably universal pilgrims’ customs
such as when he went to Cana and reclined on the very couch Our Lord did – and
proceeded to inscribe the names of his parents as a sort of prayer. He
describes important relics such as the chalice of onyx already venerated in the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Holy Lance in the Basilica of Zion.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
One importance of the Piacenza Pilgrim’s account is its date – in the late
sixth century, only a couple of generations before the coming of the double
blow of the Persian invasion of 614 and its destruction of Constantine’s Church
of the Holy Sepulcher, followed by the 638 irruption of Islam into Palestine,
shearing off much of the increasingly decrepit Eastern Roman or Byzantine
Empire as it then stood – bringing the golden age of Roman-Byzantine
Mediterranean Christendom to an end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite the common
assumption that the advent of Islam slammed shut the doors to the holy sites
for Christian pilgrims, evidence suggests otherwise. Forty or fifty years
later, ca. 680, the Frankish Bishop Arculf returned from there, bringing back
memories of his pilgrimage that were immortalized when his descriptions to the
abbot of Iona Abbey off the coast of western Scotland, St. Adómnan, became the
latter’s <i>De Locis Sanctis</i> (Concerning the Holy Places) – which formed
the basis, a further half-century later, for St. Bede the Venerable to compose <i>his</i>
book of the same name. Arculf/Adómnan/Bede described Jerusalem as being filled
with throngs of Christian pilgrims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two centuries later,
a Carolingian Frankish monk, Bernard the Pilgrim, left a travelogue of his
journey around the Mediterranean. And so on…. Many other such accounts appeared
as centuries passed. They were obviously of enduring popularity. The article at
Wikipedia, “Travelogues of Palestine,” cites “more than 3,000 books and other
materials detailing accounts of […] journeys” to the region, giving a select
list numbering several dozen, starting in Pre-Ottoman times (pre-sixteenth
century) and carrying forward into the twentieth century. Many of the accounts
listed are not overtly religious in nature, which does bring up the question of
what pertinence they are to one seeking a “pilgrimage account” – but even those
“not overtly religious” were obviously written by travelers from a Christian
culture attracted to the region for an historical import that is, fundamentally,
grounded in that Christian heritage. The nineteenth century, in particular,
witnessed an explosion in interest that inspired the creation in England of the
Palestine Pilgrims’ Text Society to publish a series of editions and
translations of medieval texts ranging from the fourth century to the
fifteenth, including almost every one of those I have listed above. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twentieth- and 21<sup>st</sup>-century
travelers have continued the literary tradition, although examples seem harder
to run down, and they bear the mark of a post-Enlightenment, increasingly
post-Christian world. One notable exception, both in its availability and
outlook – the former doubtless because of the current renaissance in Chesterton
studies, the latter because of his fundamentally Catholic sensibility even a
dozen or more years before his formal conversion, is the famed English essayist
G. K. Chesterton’s <i>The New Jerusalem</i> (1920). Chesterton scholar Dale
Ahlquist characterizes this book as recounting “a philosophical travelogue of
[Chesterton’s] journey across Europe, across the desert, to Palestine.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
Scholarly works about pilgrimage and the various accounts through the centuries
seem more numerous in the modern era, but, usually standing aloof from the
Faith, they are generally not spiritually edifying. Although there is a
relative abundance of travel guides, both secular and religious, searching
Amazon.com for Catholic pilgrimage travelogues to the Holy Land yields only a
handful of items from recent years:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">M. Basil Pennington,
<i>Journey in a Holy Land: A Spiritual Journal</i> (Brewster, Massachusetts:
Paraclete Press, 2006).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">George Jerjian,
Seeking God – A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land (self-published, 2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mitch Pacwa, S.J., <i>The
Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage</i> (Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media –
Servant Books, 2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">James Martin, S.J., <i>Jesus:
A Pilgrimage</i> (New York: HarperCollins, 2014).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lawrence R. Farley, <i>Following
Egeria: A Modern Pilgrim in the Holy Land</i> (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2015)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of these, I have
read only Jerjian, Pacwa, and Farley. The former, by a British Armenian
Catholic, attempts to balance travelogue with devotional and includes
substantial quotations from his Catholic priest pilgrimage director.
Interestingly, I have seen this little self-published book promoted on the
bookstore section of the web site for the Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem. I
found Farley’s a more polished read, especially his asynchronous interaction
with the fourth-century nun while following her extant itinerary. He is an
Orthodox priest, so his general outlook is quite compatible with that of
Catholics, in most respects. One interesting fact emphasized by his account is
the reality that for many of the holy places venerated for specific events,
there are competing locations, Catholic and Orthodox. Very late in the writing
of this book, after months of finding Fr. Pacwa’s volume listed as out-of-stock
and available only at greatly inflated used-book prices, I discovered a few
copies once more being offered on Amazon at cover price. I seized one of the
last copies and am incredibly happy that I did so. It is, in my judgment, the
perfect example of what it proclaims itself to be – an “armchair pilgrimage”
combining an excellent selection of photographs, description, pertinent
scriptural passages, and meditations, presented in the general order that a
typical pilgrim encounters the various sites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although
historically far and away the foremost topic of Catholic religious travelogues
has been the Holy Land, the modern explosion of popularity enjoyed by the
Camino de Santiago has resulted in the creation of a subgenre, a relative flood
of books (as well as movies, although those seem mostly fictional) describing
various individuals’ experiences on “their” Camino. Of course, one must, as in
all things, exercise due caution in weeding through them. Not all are Catholic;
some are overtly new-age pantheistic nonsense; some manage to be downright
anti-Christian. As with those walking the Camino itself, the recent resurgence
of St. James’ Way has brought many different types of people into the “Camino
literature” fold, as can be seen by merely perusing the list entitled “Camino
de Santiago” at GoodReads’ Listopia – which currently numbers 91 entries
ranging from travel guides to travelogues to pilgrimage accounts to novels.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
Having done no more than a cursory survey to see what is available, I can make
no informed assessments, suggestions, or even first-hand comments on individual
items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Similarly, for all
the importance of pilgrimage to Rome through the centuries – and its unique
centrality in the Christian Faith of my own particular area of scholarly
interest, early Anglo-Saxon England (Bede makes reference to numerous
Englishmen visiting Rome during the seventh and early eighth century; we know
from his biographer Asser that in the mid-ninth century Alfred the Great as a
very young child accompanied his father Athelwulf, king of Wessex, to Rome and,
perhaps through a child’s misunderstanding, always considered himself to have
been anointed by the Pope his father’s heir and successor) – there is a dearth
of direct accounts of such, until recently. When I first encountered a number
of books with some variation of “From Canterbury to Rome” in the title, I first
took it to be a euphemism for a small flood of High Church Anglicans and
Episcopalians availing themselves of Pope Benedict XVI’s establishment of the
Anglican Use and Ordinariates as legitimate variants of the Roman Rite to
return home to the Catholic Church. The phrase is not, however, a euphemism at
all; it refers instead to a literal journey, a modern revival of one of the
other great medieval pilgrimage roads across Europe. The <i>Via Francigena</i>
(Frankish Road) stretches in a relatively straight shot southeastward from
Canterbury, across the Channel, thence across France, the Rhineland, and the
Alps, through Italy, to Rome. Its traffic, most likely as a knock-on effect
from the modern revival of the Camino, has similarly increased in recent years
and generated several recent pilgrimage accounts. But, again, I have done no
more than survey the available literature to see what is available regarding
Catholic pilgrimage to Rome. My impression from that cursory survey is,
however, that like the growth in Camino “pilgrimage,” some portion of Via
Francigena “pilgrimage” is not really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the case of all
the pilgrimage accounts I did find, both ancient and modern, most are mere
records, perhaps enhanced with the writer’s observations, even meditations.
They may be used to get a “feel” for the pilgrimage, but – and this needs to be
clear – I am not suggesting that simply reading about any pilgrimage
destination or another individual’s pilgrimage has in and of itself in any way
the spiritual quality of a pilgrimage. It can, perhaps, but only in so far as
it is used prayerfully, as inspiration for meditation on the awesome mysteries
of our Salvation. And, even so, creating a “vicarious pilgrimage” with its
attendant graces per se may or may not have been the purpose of the various
authors in writing. The only one I would say for certain aspires to do so is
Fr. Pacwa’s <i>The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With one interesting
exception: Of particular interest among the editions included in the late
nineteenth-century Palestine Pilgrims’ Text Society’s publication program are
the works of Felix Fabri, a fifteenth-century Swiss Dominican friar. In the
1480s, Fabri undertook two pilgrimages to Jerusalem and one to St. Catherine’s
on Mount Sinai, which he recounted in several versions and different languages
for different readerships – first, the <i>Gereimtes Pilgerbüchlein </i>(Rhymed
Pilgrim Booklet) a rhymed vernacular High German poem in epic form for his
noble patron; then, the <i>Pilgerbuch</i> (Pilgrim Book) a prose account in the
Swabian-German vernacular for other lay benefactors; and, finally, the
expansive Latin <i>Evagatorium</i> (Wandering Forth) for his fellow clerics. Then,
in the 1490s, at the request of cloistered nuns whom Fabri served as spiritual
director, he created a fourth vernacular version, <i>Die Sionpilger </i>(The
Zion Pilgrim), which Kathryne Beebe characterizes as:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… a pilgrimage
account with a difference: it was meant as a virtual pilgrimage – a work that
took its readers on a spiritual journey to the holy land that they could not
themselves make in person. Drawing upon both the Pilgerbuch and the
Evagatorium, Fabri fashioned the Sionpilger into a meditative text that also
incorporated details of a real voyage.</span></i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writing in the <i>Journal
of Religion & Society</i>, Michael Xiarhos elaborates: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The nuns’ request
included detailed travel logs, day to day rituals, description of shrines, and
physical challenges so they could fully participate in the pilgrimage in a
metaphysical or spiritual way. They wished to be there in the most real way
possible, not just read about another pilgrim’s experience; they wanted to use
the experience to help create a different but still authentic pilgrim road. The
result of this request was that by 1495, Fabri produced […] the Sionpilger,
which provided what the nuns requested for mental pilgrimages to Jerusalem,
Rome, and even Santiago de Compostela</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In contrast to
earlier memoirs and descriptive travelogues, <i>Die Sionpilger</i> was
explicitly intended to create a sense on the part of Fabri’s cloistered readers
that they were being <i>included</i> in the pilgrimage that he had
accomplished. Or, putting bluntly what Xiarhos intimates, and Beebe states merely
in passing: Fabri conceptually created, in the fifteenth century, a Virtual
Pilgrimage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc23802300"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc21464213"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Toc23802300;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Virtual Pilgrimage</span></i></span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a child of the
1960s who came of age in the 1980s, I have experienced how the advent of the
personal computer and then the Internet has transformed the world and how we
interact with it. What began as fancy adding machines, later becoming fancy
typewriters, suddenly became in the 1990s fancy libraries giving fingertip
access to a flood of information retrieval and sharing – that by the 2000s with
the advent of blogging, vlogging, and social networking have led to … … Well,
no one really knows, now, do they? The social consequences of the current
information revolution thus far have been mixed, to be sure, and are
fundamentally unknown and unknowable, <i>unpredictable</i>, as the rate of
change seems to accelerate. But we do know this, that the information network
linking potentially every corner of the world has resulted in an abundance of
resources available to any individual anywhere wishing to experience just about
any place in the world to one degree of virtual reality or another. Webcams set
up in churches from Europe to North America allow one to “attend” Mass in the
Extraordinary Form from Fribourg, Warrington, Sarasota, and Guadalajara.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
Google Earth and Google Street View enable one to “walk” the very streets of
Jerusalem from the Lions’ Gate to the Holy Sepulcher, following the <i>Via
Dolorosa</i> Station by Station. The means have arisen for something akin to an
authentic, multimedia, virtual pilgrimage to take place from the comfort of
one’s favorite chair. There are many resources available on the Internet for
“virtual” pilgrimage, inspiring a new field of scholarly study and debate
regarding the validity of such “pilgrimages.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Predictably, at this
point, there is no perfect consensus on what precisely the term “virtual
pilgrimage” even means. Can it be, as Beebe and Xiarhos suggest, as simple as
any intensely immersive experience, even one gained through reading words on a
page as composed by Fabri for his nuns? Conceptually, they obviously believe
so. In the fifteenth century – even as late as the nineteenth century –
text-based “reading pilgrimage” was all that was available, perhaps
supplemented with drawings, maps, and the like. With the advent of photography
this became more refined, but it was a difference in quality, not essence. The
appearance of motion picture technology by the twentieth century, however,
began a convergence toward a certain degree of verisimilitude followed by the
advent of the Internet and the real-time information sharing possibilities
described above. Ultimately, in the modern context, “reading pilgrimage” is in
no way what people think of when the subject of “virtual pilgrimage” is raised.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At present, a range
of options are available. Several years ago – from the timing of an Internet
article (15 September 2015) describing it as happening “last year,” about the
same time as my pilgrimage to Italy – a priest in Philadelphia led a pilgrimage
to Lourdes, the Camino, and Fatima. For the benefit of parishioners who could
not join the rigorous pilgrimage for health or other reasons, he put together
what one of those parishioners called a “virtual pilgrimage.” To quote the
article: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our pastor invited
everyone who was interested, including those who were not traveling, to a
series of prepilgrimage meetings, where he talked about the route and other
information about the trip.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He made and
distributed pilgrimage guides to each of us. The guides gave a day-by-day
explanation of where the tour would go and what was on the agenda. Also
included in the guides was space for personal journaling, associated prayers
and thoughts about saintly sites and church history, along with resources in
case you wanted to learn more.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When the pilgrims
embarked on their trip, Father Tom Welbers, our pastor, also provided us all
(travelers and armchair pilgrims) with email addresses for one another.
Throughout the pilgrimage, those of us who stayed home exchanged emails with
those on the physical journey. On a blog, Father Tom wrote journal-like posts
that told of the experiences and insights gleaned along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although I did not
have the “real” experience of site tours, candlelit processions or Masses
celebrated in faith-drenched locales, I was blessed by my virtual pilgrimage in
many ways that still resonate with me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For example, I did
not know each pilgrim before the event, but got to know many new fellow
parishioners throughout the experience – new friends who are still very present
in my life. I enjoyed the structure of following along with the journey of
faith that accompanied the time-sensitive itinerary. It was a refreshing
departure from my usual devotions</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The author goes on
to describe how she subsequently made use of “other online sources that provide
similar, or even more enhanced, virtual pilgrimage experiences,” and gives a
few cursory suggestions on how to find those resources.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I took special note
of the approximate concurrence of the Philadelphia pilgrimage as a physical
pilgrimage with a virtual component via email and blog posts with my pilgrimage
to Italy in the fall of 2014 because such is very much what I envisioned for
the benefit of my students, albeit for historical rather than religious
reasons. As described in Chapter One, the result fell quite short of my
intention, at least at the time, as the physical realities of the pilgrim’s
way, even today, quickly made it clear that full-on, “real-time” (or at least
daily) posts of fully fleshed-out narrative and illustrations were beyond me as
a simple pilgrim. By the time of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land four years
later, I had developed a more manageable tactic of posting “placeholder”
entries each day, containing bare description of what places we visited, what
sights we saw on that day, accompanied by a few select pictures, that I could
then over a couple of weeks after returning home flesh out into a fully
narrated and illustrated record. I have continued that blog, which ultimately
gave birth to this book, to the present day, and have every intention of adding
to it in the future when God willing, I intend to make more pilgrimages. I
have, however, come to accept that such placeholder posts are all I am capable
of as an individual balancing the realities of travel with the ideal of my
ambition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although there are
myriad travel blogs to be found with a simple Internet search, specifically
Catholic, specifically pilgrimage-oriented, blogs seem to be rare. One problem
is the metaphor that life in this world is properly a pilgrimage to the next.
Just because a website has “Catholic” and “pilgrim” in it does not mean that it
is a blog about “Catholic pilgrimage” – e.g., catholicpilgrim.net, where Amy
Thomas “get[s] to talk about the beauty and truth of Catholicism” – in general.
“We are all on a journey in this life….”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
Or they turn out to be influenced heavily by eastern forms of spirituality in a
general religious enthusiasm that manifests in essential religious
indifferentism. Or they are relics of initiatives that barely got going before
dying a lingering death of neglect, such as one associated with the Catholic
pilgrimage broker, The Catholic Traveler,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
whose director several years ago set up a shell within his web site to organize
and post records of all his past (and implicitly future) pilgrimages, of which
only a few ended up populated with more than destination and date. Although his
business appears to be a continuing enterprise, even the list of “past
pilgrimages” does not extend past 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With one exception, I have not found a single active Catholic pilgrimage
blog to recommend – besides my own, of course, which probably does not appear
in any kind of Internet search because of an ill-chosen, in no way evocative,
name surviving from when I first conceived it.<sup> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></a></sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The exception is part of Catholic evangelist Steve Ray’s overall
website, <i>Defenders of the Catholic Faith</i> [<a href="https://www.catholicconvert.com/">https://www.catholicconvert.com</a>]. A
former Baptist, Ray has since his conversion in the 1990s maintained a vigorous
schedule of event appearances in a wide variety of venues, blogging, posting
articles, publishing books of Catholic apologetics, creating high-quality video
series, maintaining an extensive online collection of resources – and leading
pilgrimages via his associated pilgrimage brokering web site, <i>Footprints of
God Pilgrimages</i> [<a href="https://www.footprintsofgodpilgrimages.com/">https://www.footprintsofgodpilgrimages.com</a>].
He and his wife, Janet, have conducted well over a hundred pilgrimages to the
Holy Land, and a good number to just about every other major Catholic
pilgrimage destination there is – Italy, France, Ireland, Mexico, Poland,
Fatima/Santiago/Lourdes, and so forth. Finally, at least for the past few
years, he has shared those pilgrimages with the world. From the moment their
plane touches down to the day they depart, Ray (and doubtless an excellent
production crew) documents almost everything in high-quality ten- to
twenty-minute videos, sometimes with a separate video of the homily from the
day’s Mass celebrated by the priest spiritual director accompanying the current
pilgrimage. These appear daily on Ray’s blog, enabling anyone to “ride-along”
with his pilgrimage from start to finish. I know this from experience. Recall
that part of my process of discerning whether I was indeed called to undertake
my own August 2018 pilgrimage to the Holy Land was watching Ray’s then-current
(April 2018) pilgrimage – a nine-day pilgrimage perfectly coinciding with the
nine days I was praying a novena for guidance. By day nine, although I did
receive the sign from God that I asked for right at the end, I must admit that
some part of my final decision was also heavily influenced by the virtual
pilgrimage experience I found in Ray’s videos.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Such is probably not
exactly the way Ray envisioned his blog being used – essentially promoting
someone to make a pilgrimage with another broker! – but I would like to believe
he would not begrudge me that, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At some point after
Ray’s pilgrimage ends, a compilation video appears as well, usually totaling a
couple of hours in length, presumably edited and cleaned up a bit, but allowing
someone to watch a completed pilgrimage from start to finish, uninterrupted
even by the need to find and start the next day’s video. I have watched some of
those as well. Clicking on the “Past Pilgrimages” link opens a substantial
library of virtual pilgrimages free for the watching. It is probably the next
to closest thing an “armchair pilgrim” can experience to accompanying a “real,”
guided pilgrimage. The closest thing, I would say, would be doing what I did –
following the daily videos as they appear, knowing that you are virtually
sharing in activities that occurred only a few hours before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ray’s virtual
pilgrimages appear first in the form of a daily blog, then in the
library/archive as both the collection of blog posts and videos and the
compilation video. They form a record of his pilgrimage leadership. Are there
other such resources out there, not blog-based as are Ray’s, but affording
virtual access to individual sites in a more <i>á la carte</i> manner? Of
course, there are. Here is a wonderful portal to numerous such virtual
pilgrimages: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Catholic Pilgrimage Sites</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> [<a href="https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/virtual-tours-e-pilgrimages/">https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/virtual-tours-e-pilgrimages/</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Besides offering the
lists of sites by state and by country for which I referenced this website in
the previous chapter, under ‘Virtual Tours & Pilgrimages,” there appear
links to many different sites, mostly around Italy and the United States. In
addition, there is a thematic virtual pilgrimage to the sites of Eucharistic
miracles around the world and an associated virtual museum. The collection is
credited to and stands as a legacy of Carlo Acutis, “a 15-year-old Italian boy
who died in 2006 of leukemia and whose cause is under consideration for
Sainthood.” He was declared Venerable in July 2018. My only <i>caveat</i>
regarding this site is that I am not sure it is being maintained. Although the
link to “Holy Doors of Mercy” maintains the links while noting that the Jubilee
Year of Mercy ended on 20 November 2016, it refers to an associated page of
“Relics and Events” that appears to have gone without an update since March
2018.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As to specific
pilgrimage destinations, the easiest and most obvious thing to do is search for
“[LOCATION] virtual tour” or “pilgrimage,” e.g., “Holy Land virtual tour.” This
can be done either in a general Internet search or specifically on YouTube.
Either search may produce interesting results. On the Internet, they might be
well-indexed and curated pages with multimedia presentations of all the
significant sights in 360° panoramic views, inside and outside. The web site
for the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, DC, has such, as
noticed in the previous chapter. They may be simple galleries of photographs.
They may be anything in between. Some are highly structured, leading the viewer
along a set route, with or without narration. Others allow the virtual pilgrim
to wander the site at will. Some might be enhanced with nice, soft, meditative
music in the background. Others … well, unfortunately, the music choices can be
pretty bad, as well. It is a matter of taste, of course – and that is what the
volume control is for. In addition to the virtual walkthroughs “following the
blue lines,” Google Maps allows users to post photographs and “Photo Spheres,”
which can be a lot of fun to explore; they are generally marked by blue dots
when in “Street View” mode. On YouTube, walkthroughs of important sites posted
by individual pilgrims are too many to count, basically just raw smartphone or
camcorder footage; there are far fewer genuinely polished videos or collections
of videos of the quality exhibited by Steve Ray’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The best thing to do
is just start exploring. The possibilities are so endless and changing,
expanding all the time (and, unfortunately, contracting as well, as links go
dead – all the time), and the criteria by which to judge them so subjective,
that I hesitate to call attention to any specific one. Nevertheless, I do:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Holy Land Virtual Reality Tour & 360 Degree Jerusalem 3D Tour [<a href="https://www.p4panorama.com/panos/HOLYLAND/index.html">https://www.p4panorama.com/panos/HOLYLAND/index.html</a>],
accessed 16 September 2019.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Visit Holy Land
& Jerusalem online and walk around as if you are actually there. One click
to start the virtual tour of Holy Land & 360° Jerusalem 3D tour.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This site offers
several dozen high-resolution static panoramic “scenes” in which the viewer can
move back and forth, up and down, or just let the page slowly pan around and
move to the next. Starting on Mount Nebo overlooking the Holy Land, facing a
plaque showing what major sights are visible and in what direction, the
sequence then takes you to the Greek Orthodox church at Madaba, to the Dead
Sea, to Bethlehem, and so forth. Labeled icons allow you to break off to the
next view, the previous view, or to select other views depending on where you
are. A dropdown menu at the top allows selection of any site in the sequence
(and always indicates the current view), which can also be accomplished by
accessing a still photo gallery at the top left. Controls at the bottom allow
entry into “VR mode” if you are viewing on a mobile phone (and presumably if
you have the VR headset), volume control, access to a map, sharing, full
screen, and an informational popup describing the scene. Occasional icons pop
up short YouTube videos affording that type of controlled panoramic view of
given scenes. You can even frame and take photos, which you can then share to
Facebook, etc. – “Wish you were here! (Wish <i>I </i>was there!);” I do not
think there is any way to download that photo, however – and it has a prominent
“Holy Land 360°” watermark on it anyway. This site has its quirks – the
Shepherds’ Field scene has what I presume to be gently falling snow on a
bright, sunny day!; and the music throughout is … well, this is the one I was
thinking of a couple of paragraphs ago! Also, a bit annoying is that I can
figure out no way to remove the labeled icon allowing you to jump to the next
scene, and it often appears in a very distracting location. But the main
control bar can be hidden (and easily retrieved) at the bottom of the screen.
All in all, this is a very nice virtual tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is it a pilgrimage,
however? Is even the most immersive multimedia Virtual Reality “cyber
pilgrimage” really that? Michael Xiarhos considers that question in his
article, “Authenticity and the Cyber pilgrim,” cited here a couple of times
already. His formal conclusion is a tentative, “Virtual faith practice is an
evolving and hugely complex issue.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
For sure. His clear intimation is, however, “Yes!” I base that inference on the
general tone of the latter half of his eleven-page article, the centerpiece of
which is an account of “Pope John Paul II: The Virtual Pilgrim,” which bears
quotation in full:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pope John Paul II’s
2000 Holy Land pilgrimage is a prime example of the validity of online-virtual
pilgrimage. Rather than seeing virtual pilgrimage as the easy way or a mere
convenience to the somewhat partially committed pilgrim, Pope John Paull II
illustrated that the virtual pilgrim may operate from a place of deep devotion
and desire for spiritual connection and ultimately hopes for a chance at a
transcendent experience.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally, the Pope
intended on making a chronological biblical pilgrimage, starting with the holy
city of Ur, considered by many biblical experts to be the city mentioned in the
book of Genesis as the birth place of the patriarch Abraham. The Pope,
recognizing the importance of Abraham as the “model of unconditional submission
to the will of God,” (Stanley)[<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></sup></b><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>]
and as a shared prophet and source of unity between Jews, Christians, and
Muslims, wanted his journey to begin at the beginning. From there the Holy
Father would travel to Egypt to pray atop Mount Sinai where the Bible says God
delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, then he would move on to Israel and
Palestine. As devout as his intentions were, secular realities and complex
international politics trumped his desire for spiritual transcendence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lengthy discussions
between the Pope and the President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, eventually broke down
and the Pope was denied admission into the country. So strong was the Pope’s
desire to begin his pilgrimage in Ur that he organized a virtual visit in an
effort to make his biblical chronology more authentic. Using large screens, the
Vatican broadcast images of various holy sites creating a virtual travelogue
which included desert scenes, paintings, and churches. The Pope ritualized the
virtual pilgrimage by offering prayer and incense poured in a copper pot
signifying the sacrifice of Isaac. The Pope may not have been physically there
in Turner and Turner’s understanding, [<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></sup></b><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>]
but the spiritual meaning and power of this constructed event offered an
experience the Pope identified as “pilgrimage.” It would be difficult to argue
that the Pope’s virtual pilgrimage was any less an act of devotion because it
took a stationary form; he was focused, present, and engaged in the experience,
separated from the profane distractions of normality. This mentality continued
as he then made his way physically to other significant locations</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I certainly would
not argue that the now sainted Pope’s “virtual pilgrimage” was <i>not</i> “an
act of devotion,” but I <i>would</i> argue that, regardless of the degree to
which he was “focused, present, and engaged in the experience, separated from
the profane distractions of normality,” or even if the Holy Father himself
referred to the experience as a “pilgrimage,” he was not truly on a
“pilgrimage,” or at least on the same kind of “pilgrimage” as he would have
experienced had not the international situation precluded his going to Ur –
which was, it must be recalled, his first intention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The mere fact that
we feel the need to qualify such experiences as “virtual” – or Xiarhos’ “cyber”
– indicates to me an instinctive recognition of these “pilgrimages” as
qualitatively different. I am not just being reactionary here. In the
Introduction of this book, I set out to define “pilgrimage” and what it means
for Catholics. Central to my definition was what I called “the power of place”
in the distinctive, incarnational, sacramental world view of Catholicism. I
used the Holy Eucharist as an example. It is in that Most Blessed Sacrament
that I find support for my position regarding pilgrimage. From Pope Benedict
XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation of 22 February 2007:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[W]ith regard to the
value of taking part in Mass via the communications media, those who hear or
view these broadcasts should be aware that, under normal circumstances, they do
not fulfil the obligation of attending Mass. Visual images can represent
reality, but they do not actually reproduce it. While it is most praiseworthy
that the elderly and the sick participate in Sunday Mass through radio and
television, the same cannot be said of those who think that such broadcasts
dispense them from going to church and sharing in the eucharistic assembly in
the living Church.</span></i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></span></sup></a><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And even if there
might be <i>extraordinary</i> circumstances under which an individual might
fulfill the obligation of attending Mass via synchronous audio or video
broadcast, one would hardly say that they would or could by such means receive
the actual Body and Blood of Our Lord in the Eucharist. They might make a
Spiritual Communion. But it is not the same. Ours is an Incarnational Faith.
Matter matters. “Visual images” – and by extension, any other type of sensory
input – “can represent reality, but they do not actually reproduce it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Along the same
lines, to my knowledge (and this might change at any time, of course, as Holy
Mother Church considers, in her mercy, the intersection of “virtual reality”
and pilgrimage), only one so-called “virtual pilgrimage” carries with it any
sort of indulgence. Briefly, as per the Catechism of the Catholic Church:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">An indulgence is a
remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins of a person whose
guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly
disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the
Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with
authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[18]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although certain
pilgrimage destinations, through the mercy of the Church, have been offered to
the faithful as “indulgenced,” meaning a devout visit by a faithful Christian
of due disposition carries with it an indulgence (as, for instance, passing
through a designated Holy Door at any cathedral or basilica during the recent
Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016), the act of pilgrimage in and of itself does not.
And, in fact, the “virtual pilgrimage” that <i>does</i> (at the time of this
writing) carry with it an indulgence is not what I would typically even
consider an act of “pilgrimage” of any sort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to another link at the aforementioned index of Catholic
Pilgrimage Sites [<a href="https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/indulgences/">https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/indulgences/</a>],
in addition to a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes
France before 15 July 2020 gaining an indulgence, experiencing what is known as
a Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage with the North American Lourdes Volunteers <i>also</i>
gains an indulgence. According to the informational page of their website [<a href="https://lourdesvolunteers.org/what-is-a-virtual-pilgrimage/">https://lourdesvolunteers.org/what-is-a-virtual-pilgrimage/</a>],
“Virtual Pilgrimage Experience™ re-creates a pilgrimage to Lourdes without ever
leaving home. This prayerful experience draws pilgrims nearer to God in the
company of Our Lady as they are guided through a prayerful visit to the Grotto,
the experience of the water, prayer in a Rosary procession and a Eucharistic
blessing.” An on-line article describing the program at one host church gives
more information on specifics. It includes a presentation on the apparitions to
St. Bernadette and the opportunity to touch a rock from the grotto where Our
Lady appeared in addition to blessing with water from the spring that she revealed
to the saint. In itself, that sounds much more like a relic tour or perhaps a
home visit from one of the Pilgrim Statues of Our Lady of Fatima than a
“pilgrimage,” although I can easily see the conceptual connection of any of
these with the idea of “pilgrimage.” Any of these can be a blessing to the
properly disposed.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nevertheless, just
as “it is most praiseworthy that the elderly and the sick participate in
[virtual] Sunday Mass through radio and television,” it stands to reason that
the devotional use of “virtual pilgrimage” through all means discussed so far
in this chapter, and doubtless through means that I cannot even imagine at
present, by those who are correctly disposed can be a deeply spiritual
experience. In drawing the distinction, I do not mean to discourage someone
from utilizing any such resources they have available that enhance their
connection with God, especially if a virtual pilgrimage is the only pilgrimage
they can manage. But I also believe the distinction must be made. A “virtual”
pilgrimage is not a “real” pilgrimage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc23802301"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc21464214"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Toc23802301;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Devotional
Pilgrimages</span></i></span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Besides reading
about pilgrimage destinations and other pilgrims’ experiences, besides
vicariously participating in virtual pilgrimage, two common Catholic devotions
are intrinsically quasi-pilgrimage in nature – and arguably attain a higher
level of spiritual equivalence to pilgrimage than either reading <i>or</i>
virtual pilgrimage. One explicitly has its origin in perhaps the most common
activity undertaken by almost every Christian pilgrim to Jerusalem, from the
very beginning – walking the <i>Via Dolorosa</i>, the Way of the Cross. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to
tradition and mystics, the Blessed Mother would, after Jesus’ Ascension,
devotionally follow the path he had walked from his condemnation to his death.
According to visionary Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, when the Beloved
Disciple to whom Jesus had entrusted his Mother from the Cross took her with
him to live near Ephesus, she set up a garden path, setting up stones on which
she inscribed markings to represent the various important stages of the Way.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[19]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
It is unknown if there is any continuity between the putative practices of the
Virgin Mary and those of later ages. We do know that public processions to the
various spots identified, rightly or wrongly, with the various events of the
Passion were in practice very soon after the Emperor Constantine’s legalization
of Christianity and establishment of churches in Jerusalem, as attested for the
fourth century by early pilgrims such as Egeria as well as by the Church Father
St. Jerome. Nevertheless, the Stations of the Cross that we all know today are
a product of much later, during the centuries after the Franciscans established
their presence in the Holy Land and began managing the visits of European
pilgrims to Jerusalem. In the seventeenth century the practice arose of
erecting memorials of those Franciscan Stations from Jerusalem in churches
outside the Holy Land, and the Pope extended the indulgences attendant on
making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and walking the <i>Via Dolorosa</i> to those
memorials, making them available to the faithful who use them to devoutly
meditate on Our Lord’s Passion. So, praying the Stations of the Cross is quite
literally participation in the Pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The indulgence attached
to the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross has been maintained in the 1968
revision to the <i>Enchiridion of Indulgences </i>(n. 63).<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[20]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although its origin
is less explicitly grounded in the place of the events it commemorates than are
the Stations of the Cross, the Holy Rosary can easily be considered a
pilgrimage following the Life of Christ. To make a long story short, the
Rosary, in its traditional form, originated in the ancient ascetical practice
of reciting the 150 Psalms in order. From memory. Which is an amazing feat that
says a lot about the ability of our pre-literate ancestors to retain
information in a way and to a degree that more literate ages such as our own
have sadly lost. Such a prodigious feat of memorization was, nevertheless,
beyond the ability of many or most persons even then. Early on, therefore, the
practice arose of substituting 150 Paters, and later 150 Ave Marias, prayed on
150 pebbles or beads – in a bag, or more conveniently strung together.
One-hundred-fifty Ave Marias prayed in such manner in place of the psalms came
to be called “Our Lady’s Psalter.” Over time, the traditional form of the
Rosary appeared (associated with St. Dominic, who reportedly received it
directly from Our Lady herself in the thirteenth century), with fifteen groups
of ten Ave Marias punctuated by a Pater, during which were meditated one of
fifteen crucial events in the Incarnation, the Passion, and the Exaltation of
Our Lord, considered from the perspective of Our Lady – Fifteen “Mysteries”:
Five Joyous, Five Sorrowful, and Five Glorious. Pope John Paul II’s addition of
Five “Luminous” Mysteries late in his pontificate broke the connection with the
Psalter by adding fifty additional Ave Marias but not the connection with the
events of Our Lord’s life as considered by Our Lady. With a single exception, each
can be associated with one of the Holy Places one can visit as a pilgrim:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Five Joyous
Mysteries<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Annunciation – <i>The
Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Visitation – <i>The
Church of the Visitation, Ein Karem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Nativity – <i>The
Basilica of the Nativity, Bethlehem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Presentation – <i>The
Temple Mount, Jerusalem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Finding in the
Temple – <i>The Temple Mount, Jerusalem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Five Luminous
Mysteries<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Baptism in the
Jordan – <i>The Jordan River</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Wedding at Cana
– <i>The Catholic Wedding Chapel, Cana</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Preaching of the
Kingdom – <i>The Church of the Beatitudes, Galilee<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Transfiguration
– <i>The Church of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Galilee<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Gift of the
Eucharist – <i>The Cenacle on Mount Zion, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Five Sorrowful
Mysteries<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Agony in the
Garden – <i>The Basilica of the Agony, i.e., the Church of All Nations, the
Mount of Olives</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Scourging at the
Pillar – <i>The Temple Mount, Jerusalem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Crowning with
Thorns – <i>The Temple Mount, Jerusalem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Carrying of the
Cross – <i>The Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Crucifixion and
Death of Our Lord – <i>The Golgotha Chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,
Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Five Glorious
Mysteries<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Resurrection – <i>The
Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Ascension – <i>The
Chapel of the Ascension, the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Sending of the
Holy Spirit – <i>The Cenacle on Mount Zion, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Assumption of
Our Lady into Heaven – <i>The Church of the Dormition on Mount Zion, Jerusalem<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Crowning of Our
Lady as Queen of Heaven – <i>The Empyrean Heaven</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[21]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can say that being
able to recall these places from personal experience, to visualize and put
myself back in them, dramatically enhances my meditations on the associated
Mysteries of the Rosary – which are also powerfully indulgenced.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[22]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
So do my memories of walking the <i>Via Dolorosa</i> in Jerusalem whenever I
pray the Stations of the Cross in my home parish. A semblance of those
experiences for the Holy Land as well as other destinations might well be
gained through media unavailable to our fathers’ generations; that semblance
is, however, merely a semblance. The most polished, realistic, networked media
by themselves create no more than a “reality” that remains merely “virtual,”
which only imperfectly if at all conveys the actual graces of pilgrimage. Such
graces are, on the other hand, available to all through these simple,
sacramental devotionals bearing indulgences bestowed by the Church through the
Authority of the Vicar of Christ out of her Treasury of Merits. I would go so
far as to say that a devoutly prayed Rosary or Way of the Cross is more
virtually a pilgrimage than any “virtual pilgrimage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">+ + +<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, having read
that, you’re probably thinking, “But you’re saying a ‘virtual pilgrimage’ is
not a ‘<i>real</i>’ pilgrimage at all!” And so I am. It is not the same, no
more than is ‘attending Mass’ as I’ve been doing every morning this week via one
of the hundreds or thousands of live-streamed Masses that have exploded onto
the Internet in the past week or so is the same as being there in person, or praying
an Act of Spiritual Communion (as I’ve been doing) the same as receiving the
physical Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord in Holy Communion from the
hands of my priest. It is not the same – but these are not normal times and we
must do what we can. Prayerfully watching a live-streamed Mass and making a
Spiritual Communion are arguably the next best thing. And, just so, perhaps I
cannot make a real pilgrimage in the current situation, but there are plenty of
resources to do the next best thing, whether through reading (and my book
provides not just one but <i>three</i> detailed narratives!), through the Internet,
or (as the chapter concludes) through the power of prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We may be confined
to our homes, but the world is literally at our finger tips. So, I say, take
this opportunity to make a virtual pilgrimage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Thanks for reading!</i></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Of mysterious origin, with no modern
consensus exactly what it comprised, this is most commonly supposed to have
been a church going back to a Judaeo-Christian synagogue-church of the late 1<sup>st</sup>-c.,
known as the “Church of the Apostles,” later rebuilt as a Byzantine basilica
under the name <i>Hagia Sion</i> (“Holy Zion”) and called the “Mother of All
Churches.” It is said to have “covered the entire area now occupied by the
Church of the Dormition, the Cenacle and the Tomb of David” – <i>See The Holy
Land</i> s.v. “Mount Zion” [<a href="https://www.seetheholyland.net/mount-zion/">https://www.seetheholyland.net/mount-zion/</a>],
accessed 26 November 2019. See also Wikipedia, s.v. “Church of Zion,
Jerusalem,” accessed same date.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Dale Ahlquist, “Chesterton University:
Lecture 35: The New Jerusalem,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton</i> [<a href="https://www.chesterton.org/lecture-35/">https://www.chesterton.org/lecture-35/</a>],
accessed 14 September 2019)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/35717.Camino_de_Santiago">https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/35717.Camino_de_Santiago</a>
. Accessed 14 September 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Kathryne Beebe, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pilgrim & Preacher: The Audiences and Observant Spirituality of
Friar Felix Fabri (1437/8-1502)</i> (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014),
pp. 3-4. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Michael Xiarhos, “Authenticity and the Cyber
Pilgrim,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journal of Religion &
Society</i> 18 (2016): 1-11; quotation from p. 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.livemass.net/LiveMass/live.html">LiveMass.net</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Among that scholarship is the
aforementioned Michael Xiarhos, “Authenticity and the Cyber Pilgrim,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journal of Religion & Society</i> 7
(2016): 1-18; also, Mark W. MacWilliams, “Virtual Pilgrimages on the Internet,”
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Religion</i> 32.4 (October 2002):
315-335.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Maureen Pratt, “Can’t travel to explore
your faith? Try a virtual pilgrimage,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catholic
News Service</i> (15 September 2015), posted at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catholic Philly.com</i> under “Commentaries” [<a href="http://catholicphilly.com/2015/09/commentaries/cant-travel-to-explore-your-faith-try-a-virtual-pilgrimage/">http://catholicphilly.com/2015/09/commentaries/cant-travel-to-explore-your-faith-try-a-virtual-pilgrimage/</a>].</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Amy Thomas, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catholic Pilgriim: Living Out Your Catholic Faith</i> [<a href="https://catholicpilgrim.net/">https://catholicpilgrim.net/</a>]</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="https://thecatholictraveler.com/">https://thecatholictraveler.com/</a>
</span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Absent-Minded Professor’s Travels</i> [<a href="https://www.theprofstravels.blogspot.com/">https://www.theprofstravels.blogspot.com</a>].</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Google Search snippet, accessed 16
September 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Xiarhos, “Authenticity,” p. 10.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Alexandria Stanley, “Pope Makes Virtual
Visit to Iraqi Site He Must Skip,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New
York Times</i> (24 February 2000) [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/24/world/pope-makes-virtual-visit-to-iraqi-site-he-must-skip.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/24/world/pope-makes-virtual-visit-to-iraqi-site-he-must-skip.html</a>].
– Citation defined on Xiarhos, “Authenticity,” p. 11.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Victor Turner and Edith Turner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture</i>
(New York: Columbia University Press, 1978). Kindle edition. Citation defined
at Xiarhos, p. 11. Xiarhos had opened his article with a brief discussion of
Turner and Turner’s conception of pilgrimage as a physical act (pp. 1-2).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Xiarhos, “Authenticity,” pp. 6-7.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Benedict XVI, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sacramentum Caritatis</i> (The Sacrament of Charity, Apostolic
Exhortation on the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and
Mission) (22 February 2007), 57 [<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis.html">http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis.html</a>]
Accessed 20 September 2019.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn18" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[18]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catechism
of the Catholic Church</i> § 1471.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn19" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[19]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, <i>The
Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary,</i> trans. Sir Michael Pelairet (London:
Catholic Way Publishing, 2013), 18: 3, Kindle edition at 75%.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn20" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[20]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Enchiridion of Indulgences: Norms and Practices</i>. Authorized English
Edition. Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968. Formatted into
electronic text 02 June 1998 [<a href="https://www.freecatholicebooks.com/books/indulgences.pdf">https://www.freecatholicebooks.com/books/indulgences.pdf</a>],
accessed 20 September 2019.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn21" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[21]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> The Highest Heaven. Originating in ancient
cosmology for the place of the pure and eternal fire or <i>aether</i> in
Aristotle’s natural philosophy, medieval Christian philosophers used the term
of the dwelling place of God and the highest of the angels. See Wikipedia s.v.
“Empyrean.” It is the Presence of God, the place of the Beatific Vision which
is the goal of every believer, the ultimate destination of every Christian
pilgrim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn22" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[22]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enchiridion
of Indulgences</i>, n. 48.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-70097089853129695092019-11-17T20:49:00.001-06:002020-04-06T12:39:54.923-05:0035th Anniversary Trip - New Orleans, Lousiana<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxne8vO6jr9DW4EfsS45f63ui6fpLL4jrMNOxiiVIOZWR_VfboOcYkynA4sMxwLwO5MdEt1cw85tlgVFGGbtr0FuzOGDEUbn3GSAH2qlZtV5hdgrpEW5iPRCwT9TOgfoVx-SlZZ0kgShP6/s1600/800px-Our_Lady_of_Prompt_Succor_Patroness_of_Louisiana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxne8vO6jr9DW4EfsS45f63ui6fpLL4jrMNOxiiVIOZWR_VfboOcYkynA4sMxwLwO5MdEt1cw85tlgVFGGbtr0FuzOGDEUbn3GSAH2qlZtV5hdgrpEW5iPRCwT9TOgfoVx-SlZZ0kgShP6/s320/800px-Our_Lady_of_Prompt_Succor_Patroness_of_Louisiana.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Lady of Prompt Succor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thirty-five years ago today my
wife and I married, on the day before my 23rd birthday. Do the math yourself.
Last weekend we decided to make a weekend of it in New Orleans. Besides
wandering around a bit in the French Quarter, we made a micro pilgrimage out if
it by going to two shrines we'd never been to before. Here is an account of the
past couple of days….</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friday 15 November<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We drove from Natchitoches to New Orleans, checked in to the
Prince Conti Hotel in the French Quarter, at 830 Conti Street, just a block
from Bourbon Street. It was a nice room, overlooking the street, but were we to
stay here again, we would ask for something <i>not</i> facing the street. It
was quite loud late into the early morning hours. We walked from there a couple
of blocks along Dauphine Street to Deanie’s Restaurant, where we had a really
nice meal. While we waited to be seated, Anne had an Amaretto Sour and I had an
Old Fashioned – excellent! After the meal, we walked back to the hotel and
settled in for the evening.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTddQdE5br2ceDSjrZugocIbqFEa4oIMnfwh9eWzyCzZUymbkGELH5i7LFmQUW965eLHVoBScobbhVjQKG86bMVuIFYlImVa8Yq_3LD4wldsQak2TORmzMD5EiU8IolSNfAm2oEQZPkL8y/s1600/Prince+Conti+Hotel+Exterior_800x591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="800" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTddQdE5br2ceDSjrZugocIbqFEa4oIMnfwh9eWzyCzZUymbkGELH5i7LFmQUW965eLHVoBScobbhVjQKG86bMVuIFYlImVa8Yq_3LD4wldsQak2TORmzMD5EiU8IolSNfAm2oEQZPkL8y/s320/Prince+Conti+Hotel+Exterior_800x591.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our room was directly over the balcony behind the Union Jack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryIeugxFlDbrURRYzHlKuN7yJWb8OBc-_QWZeTfPcxGE8nyqC85AtyCArvq0mr2FNLiIBPT2hG0AG5xDZLWikukF6cyg0t-N9fk0Y0_aL8YE7GOQb_BNe_g2pMkm9-pXh9ADaNWH2mQdU/s1600/Prince+Conti+Hotel+a+room+like+ours_800x534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryIeugxFlDbrURRYzHlKuN7yJWb8OBc-_QWZeTfPcxGE8nyqC85AtyCArvq0mr2FNLiIBPT2hG0AG5xDZLWikukF6cyg0t-N9fk0Y0_aL8YE7GOQb_BNe_g2pMkm9-pXh9ADaNWH2mQdU/s320/Prince+Conti+Hotel+a+room+like+ours_800x534.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A room very much like our own.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Saturday 16 November</span></u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBT9euIcLfIDeFPIKQM-ZcsiSPEcpSZtZ6ev8-ANsokPb1jd0QuVPdZeKFwsfBPRtxTmjM1TQMw3hnJpXmgZ94fHZpd3Mi-_iGiI37ZFbE75GsG-IEj36JrdIPV2fsT4W6Ydi6ACt5ymO6/s1600/20191116+NOLA+Map_800x486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="800" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBT9euIcLfIDeFPIKQM-ZcsiSPEcpSZtZ6ev8-ANsokPb1jd0QuVPdZeKFwsfBPRtxTmjM1TQMw3hnJpXmgZ94fHZpd3Mi-_iGiI37ZFbE75GsG-IEj36JrdIPV2fsT4W6Ydi6ACt5ymO6/s320/20191116+NOLA+Map_800x486.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After a good breakfast in the café of the Prince Conti Hotel,
Anne and I set out for our first pilgrimage destination for the day, the Shrine
of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on State Street. Our aim was to be there in time
to wander around the shrine on our own for a little while, then attend Mass at
11:30. We succeeded in doing that. We actually had time to stop at a Walgreens
for a couple of necessities we had neglected to pack and still got to the
shrine right at 10:45, the beginning of the window of opportunity for such
self-guided tours before Mass. As people slowly wandered in and settled
themselves in for Mass, we looked around – feeling increasingly self-conscious
as we did so, but we were not the only ones doing so either. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTD_aA-1bWGlXyf0zHup7wdEa20S62Jvu13A-au0qJpmiRRQd7cU64bC2YblsFJYt9zpdM8d_CYi-YtMww8UwrimSmB6CgHTLOlHHR_vrqi9lfHM8PG6J95Q6Q6AlrHIBtqUCn8t0Dw7c/s1600/IMG_0185+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTD_aA-1bWGlXyf0zHup7wdEa20S62Jvu13A-au0qJpmiRRQd7cU64bC2YblsFJYt9zpdM8d_CYi-YtMww8UwrimSmB6CgHTLOlHHR_vrqi9lfHM8PG6J95Q6Q6AlrHIBtqUCn8t0Dw7c/s320/IMG_0185+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5jAMBWfvCZJBRIdRYfpAwmIc8zHN37fYnHBkzrY8x7_lVh3DGIMf0bozfJlTqQgUqeVjlwGb-TLwikjyDev3gM7sh_d3IMbmLt19xKf_ec_CcvPjDZuvbo8cprcE5M602cjqaHSNAZ9A/s1600/IMG_0188+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5jAMBWfvCZJBRIdRYfpAwmIc8zHN37fYnHBkzrY8x7_lVh3DGIMf0bozfJlTqQgUqeVjlwGb-TLwikjyDev3gM7sh_d3IMbmLt19xKf_ec_CcvPjDZuvbo8cprcE5M602cjqaHSNAZ9A/s320/IMG_0188+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF_yIvPLXaMuLmflfiFZ4E6wMKySbX9WTQIU0TibdP-aqKwGYiyDy5YxW5nPEEys-xzmoc5wi2Yp1K7uu3rDku0ORHmlvhtpK65jHHvVMjW-wKtsQBtFy9zSXvHGaIDTyFYaEdbM-xMJ9/s1600/IMG_0191+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF_yIvPLXaMuLmflfiFZ4E6wMKySbX9WTQIU0TibdP-aqKwGYiyDy5YxW5nPEEys-xzmoc5wi2Yp1K7uu3rDku0ORHmlvhtpK65jHHvVMjW-wKtsQBtFy9zSXvHGaIDTyFYaEdbM-xMJ9/s320/IMG_0191+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpVMRLDiyLyZ93QiTgNcyYG6nM3C0SUFNiAvdQpUiOuJQS4rrR0DqqgTstDuBtfJVY03rkf5-G-e7eJ_xjy-2W2WkMWuF0D6WUeYsP11jyiWJcNZAlexqPfvbNhOu-CvIC6NO69Is9_v5/s1600/IMG_0199+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpVMRLDiyLyZ93QiTgNcyYG6nM3C0SUFNiAvdQpUiOuJQS4rrR0DqqgTstDuBtfJVY03rkf5-G-e7eJ_xjy-2W2WkMWuF0D6WUeYsP11jyiWJcNZAlexqPfvbNhOu-CvIC6NO69Is9_v5/s320/IMG_0199+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGqG7bgS-NM2lALbX1JMzftdpeKUum8PHR-50J9sxRMQ36uaxc22oUw9vxXwKGme3i2me2kyxKFu3y2pCjdvGnQTDm6yJJHE4AwmIgHj3VYBg_QpFAcqwW2ZnQGcFoCUQOTRfRoYRbCYP/s1600/IMG_0200+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGqG7bgS-NM2lALbX1JMzftdpeKUum8PHR-50J9sxRMQ36uaxc22oUw9vxXwKGme3i2me2kyxKFu3y2pCjdvGnQTDm6yJJHE4AwmIgHj3VYBg_QpFAcqwW2ZnQGcFoCUQOTRfRoYRbCYP/s320/IMG_0200+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGQSB1-1GZDju_jHAORGdpH7kHqD7CEft5GhZd5Ae98H9VRch78hUfKSomlvK0HzKgMLjdNdN_NNW9-dhdFeXUkuRczGW4-QsXKRJz688Ow0YaRtwE1qYk15L-SkUazOzdi3DWN2iLoeD/s1600/IMG_0203+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGQSB1-1GZDju_jHAORGdpH7kHqD7CEft5GhZd5Ae98H9VRch78hUfKSomlvK0HzKgMLjdNdN_NNW9-dhdFeXUkuRczGW4-QsXKRJz688Ow0YaRtwE1qYk15L-SkUazOzdi3DWN2iLoeD/s320/IMG_0203+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7Ec1obqMsMMrMgNIgi70V-kLy8JiSYNVHAIMhdVfVXfrlKCDUmlZE5iHWPO4Jg0c1HBM_2BBnYFC3oNwO4sxogYfycb4IuDJkQBpPqsyJhC2FlOwQdYgftv_yYECwl2Pw0z_3DlWfigX/s1600/IMG_0207+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7Ec1obqMsMMrMgNIgi70V-kLy8JiSYNVHAIMhdVfVXfrlKCDUmlZE5iHWPO4Jg0c1HBM_2BBnYFC3oNwO4sxogYfycb4IuDJkQBpPqsyJhC2FlOwQdYgftv_yYECwl2Pw0z_3DlWfigX/s320/IMG_0207+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJ9fg-avb9IfvJcDbCqBYI6LfXVZV0njInaCf_4L4EgeFwQ8Peeg7mtZK0RqFdPCXtt9d1LeVlhvR8VJys2NdzpLgNDqafn0q7RBdF2W8MdPA1dgpip6xOWXa7vlaLUE8xOKseRGSmFqz/s1600/IMG_0208+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJ9fg-avb9IfvJcDbCqBYI6LfXVZV0njInaCf_4L4EgeFwQ8Peeg7mtZK0RqFdPCXtt9d1LeVlhvR8VJys2NdzpLgNDqafn0q7RBdF2W8MdPA1dgpip6xOWXa7vlaLUE8xOKseRGSmFqz/s320/IMG_0208+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYzz3WMa-8CX9JDBGCDiG3KYF5g8FgRLa5NF9gyH011sp6ZTcdrpqwZIxS49Z-TqrmXl1QWmxNIg27JMrpdatrpxlCv9FEGagRyWPwSBnxjTAPpjM2aHShg58DP3L675_pkE3QUL2-fzL/s1600/IMG_0209+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYzz3WMa-8CX9JDBGCDiG3KYF5g8FgRLa5NF9gyH011sp6ZTcdrpqwZIxS49Z-TqrmXl1QWmxNIg27JMrpdatrpxlCv9FEGagRyWPwSBnxjTAPpjM2aHShg58DP3L675_pkE3QUL2-fzL/s320/IMG_0209+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrdkPNIEUq2_QPhEmY5hiCOGJnJEi4OUIOuoPKReXfmGVcgzZubBSzSWCB4czRTf8o4bf0pN5CStSruZJnAGSp-rnFyI0-NsxaPxFtCRzLRzHeKVmtNe3iBA8t3DdaFvC54WWzv1MqaAs/s1600/IMG_0211+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrdkPNIEUq2_QPhEmY5hiCOGJnJEi4OUIOuoPKReXfmGVcgzZubBSzSWCB4czRTf8o4bf0pN5CStSruZJnAGSp-rnFyI0-NsxaPxFtCRzLRzHeKVmtNe3iBA8t3DdaFvC54WWzv1MqaAs/s320/IMG_0211+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5w8Ag7S0wZD2dYXEQ4mE4Nurjct73nxNcKK5c7rMV8hyvGPo7H24VLKDZCO4uRfCdLQjy47scYcxIoG_jBDtkWrq0Li9aCUlF9Q7xdK70UcgZnam28GeFg_EJXRArB2jHlPpBjVhy4uK/s1600/IMG_0213+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5w8Ag7S0wZD2dYXEQ4mE4Nurjct73nxNcKK5c7rMV8hyvGPo7H24VLKDZCO4uRfCdLQjy47scYcxIoG_jBDtkWrq0Li9aCUlF9Q7xdK70UcgZnam28GeFg_EJXRArB2jHlPpBjVhy4uK/s320/IMG_0213+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6r9e73EmPAqz1yRhxFTR1w2VxJz3JzTO0WveMNQgNaIMyQGHIwxNuk6Qk1XTRMlyZG6ciXWZbEbEQBa5UUJEmLJrkT2wgf4IhleZ4VZbuWR4Rv2rG8RsEBRDQzwgfxUwg6lInoMa2e8H1/s1600/IMG_0217+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6r9e73EmPAqz1yRhxFTR1w2VxJz3JzTO0WveMNQgNaIMyQGHIwxNuk6Qk1XTRMlyZG6ciXWZbEbEQBa5UUJEmLJrkT2wgf4IhleZ4VZbuWR4Rv2rG8RsEBRDQzwgfxUwg6lInoMa2e8H1/s320/IMG_0217+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMlbIWHAcKnXKNxvypgCqP4BwvWpaoz6hkADG6gEEZhou4ZDfgGH-wDeep6XKuS5cEf8uRCPRS43sfHKeKVBDs4tIBk1dUUxnAxylbJUzood4kRBcKHJcqfD_taS23fb3iIVAEtU1V3KQ/s1600/IMG_0226+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMlbIWHAcKnXKNxvypgCqP4BwvWpaoz6hkADG6gEEZhou4ZDfgGH-wDeep6XKuS5cEf8uRCPRS43sfHKeKVBDs4tIBk1dUUxnAxylbJUzood4kRBcKHJcqfD_taS23fb3iIVAEtU1V3KQ/s320/IMG_0226+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l9fg9333Myl2r_fYndOwbAuL1evRQ_dZqDlvXU1olsvTYUQX7SbUqPZjyP50ky6ytLJ0x4iWVGGWvhypcPOMXqy8nm3QmXlgxSsctFgKEqLOveD5tn_1kFvVTiP3vV8fbTrbwvXqziAD/s1600/IMG_0227+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l9fg9333Myl2r_fYndOwbAuL1evRQ_dZqDlvXU1olsvTYUQX7SbUqPZjyP50ky6ytLJ0x4iWVGGWvhypcPOMXqy8nm3QmXlgxSsctFgKEqLOveD5tn_1kFvVTiP3vV8fbTrbwvXqziAD/s320/IMG_0227+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Ann and the Child Mary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IO-ofDrmslNlOzMeVF_BWKGHdjKrJbLcVSBoZqkX3Gj_NZGeM0QAPUnQiomyLVFY4VAbqNpijZ_51K5IVxA-9jDwF2S51yw1XqN9vlmko36Uqd7rmZd074znuKF1WQ3SWGS6rTzCEOs1/s1600/IMG_0233+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IO-ofDrmslNlOzMeVF_BWKGHdjKrJbLcVSBoZqkX3Gj_NZGeM0QAPUnQiomyLVFY4VAbqNpijZ_51K5IVxA-9jDwF2S51yw1XqN9vlmko36Uqd7rmZd074znuKF1WQ3SWGS6rTzCEOs1/s320/IMG_0233+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5641WekPG3dN6f5rKAbQ2yAeaJ4jiFC8Xjepj1cVsDQwHcRZNsG99DATTrNYQ267G6YFhnYX8wUtK3uTtiUoGH-TvNKnBdwFKPAhAL4CcrJ_ebbflnxmidmz7J1o-eMlFT1D3nBtAl1m5/s1600/IMG_0234+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5641WekPG3dN6f5rKAbQ2yAeaJ4jiFC8Xjepj1cVsDQwHcRZNsG99DATTrNYQ267G6YFhnYX8wUtK3uTtiUoGH-TvNKnBdwFKPAhAL4CcrJ_ebbflnxmidmz7J1o-eMlFT1D3nBtAl1m5/s320/IMG_0234+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Sweetheart" statue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAW1qPXD-mynl4PotN5urhnERN-AjFXGKsVJ0wPzSrRMrEGmGAOjDX-tBKrsLBz4VLJsBpu5dxV3-0PK5NAkfTt-4h9PBRJPoyondvJVwyXZ4llZd2V3ibanhgL57exhj9SpnQP3u09f2/s1600/IMG_0235+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAW1qPXD-mynl4PotN5urhnERN-AjFXGKsVJ0wPzSrRMrEGmGAOjDX-tBKrsLBz4VLJsBpu5dxV3-0PK5NAkfTt-4h9PBRJPoyondvJVwyXZ4llZd2V3ibanhgL57exhj9SpnQP3u09f2/s320/IMG_0235+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTGRPYzdAnbm_tOZntQFisaoGHlYj-09v8zrwuLE4EEYX2iqY2LbOOGrjNKwnWK2yBx2fiCcH2j7Wy7rP_MiJK4UFgM261MV40kxmQ3GRSC0BRfM2NIoFnotFWCepmACNaKN7zbWF4PgF/s1600/IMG_0238+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTGRPYzdAnbm_tOZntQFisaoGHlYj-09v8zrwuLE4EEYX2iqY2LbOOGrjNKwnWK2yBx2fiCcH2j7Wy7rP_MiJK4UFgM261MV40kxmQ3GRSC0BRfM2NIoFnotFWCepmACNaKN7zbWF4PgF/s320/IMG_0238+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfOxr2EMDn9YcAGOvDGruPZWG-NN00H7TKnewZT0RCoW60hSSZL3198g4efOzP4TbykcYK0NEvkdwn0QdJHwRS6Z-6B5XCFyTDkWcwLTes5blJozR8PqUHytl21guqyJq9vnALn1lrRF9/s1600/IMG_0239+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfOxr2EMDn9YcAGOvDGruPZWG-NN00H7TKnewZT0RCoW60hSSZL3198g4efOzP4TbykcYK0NEvkdwn0QdJHwRS6Z-6B5XCFyTDkWcwLTes5blJozR8PqUHytl21guqyJq9vnALn1lrRF9/s320/IMG_0239+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Our Lady of Prompt Succor</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Blessed Mother is known as a powerful intercessor with her
Divine Son under a variety of titles – Our Lady of Good Counsel, Our Lady of
Good Success, Our Lady of Good Help (</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bon Secours</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">), and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help, to name but a few. The title that is nearest and dearest to the
hearts of Louisiana Catholics is, however, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, with whom
is associated two powerful miracles saving the city of New Orleans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The story of Our Lady of Prompt Succor is inextricably bound
up in the story of the Ursulines, a religious order founded in 16<sup>th</sup>-century
Italy by St. Angela Merici. Their mission is the education of girls and care for
the poor and sick. According to tradition, Ursula was one of a group of 4<sup>th</sup>-c.
Roman-British holy virgins who undertook a pilgrimage across Europe only to be
trapped in the city of Cologne when the Huns laid siege. They were then
martyred when the city fell. I am uncertain why, over a thousand years later,
St. Angela chose St. Ursula as the patron for her order, other than the
association of Ursula with a group of holy virgins. In any case, during the
early 18<sup>th</sup> century, King Louis XV and Pope Pius III dispatched a dozen
Ursuline sisters from the convent in Rouen, Normandy, to the French colony of
Louisiana, otherwise known as “New France,” landing at recently-founded New
Orleans. The sisters established a convent which still exists, and what
continues as the oldest girls’ school in the United States. The Ursulines
continued their mission during Spanish rule in Louisiana later in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century and for the brief period of renewed French rule that preceding the 1803
Louisiana Purchase which brought United States rule. Fearing the passage from
Catholic to Protestant rule, the sisters petitioned and received a charter confirming
their property rights from President Thomas Jefferson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Mother Superior also sought sisters from France to make up
numbers that had declined when Spanish nuns relocated to Cuba with the end of
Spanish rule, but the bishop having jurisdiction over the French Ursulines was
reluctant to release any to transfer to America given the drastic decline in the
numbers of female religious over the prior decade and a half of the French
Revolution. Mother St.-Michel Gensoul, cousin of the New Orleans Mother St.-Andre
Madier, petitioned Pope Pius VII – then a prisoner of Napoleon – and prayed
before a statue of the Blessed Mother: “O most Holy Virgin Mary, if you obtain for
me a prompt and favorable answer to the letter, I promise to have you honored
at New Orleans under the title of Our Lady of Prompt Succor.” The Pope granted
her request, whereupon Mother St.-Michel commissioned what would become the
well-known statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and set forth for New Orleans
in 1810. At that time the Ursuline Convent was at its old location, on Chartres
Street behind the Cathedral of St. Louis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The legends surrounding Our Lady of Prompt Succor and the New
Orleans miracles attributed to her are confusing and somewhat repetitious, with
many accounts conflating elements of differing versions into narratives that
ultimately do not agree even within any one of them. There is even some confusion
resulting from the existence of not just one but two statues in the shrine.
Besides the more famous, virtually life-size, magnificent golden-robed image
identified as “Our Lady of Prompt Succor,” there is also a diminutive plaster statue
affectionately known as “Sweetheart,” similar in broad strokes to the more
famous, also holding the Infant Savior, but depicted in more traditional white
with a blue mantle, standing rather than in mid-stride as the larger, but about
which some of the stories revolve. This is not the place for a comprehensive
and detailed attempt to unravel the tangle and weave a coherent thread, however.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ultimately, the reputation of Our Lady of Prompt Succor rests
on the above pledge of Mother St.-Michel and two miracles that happened in
quick succession soon after the statue’s arrival. In 1812, one of a series of
great fires over the course of several decades broke out in New Orleans,
gutting the French Quarter. As the inferno approached their convent, the nuns
placed a “small statue” of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in the window facing the
fire, and prayed, “Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us or we are lost!”
The wind shifted, the fire receded, and the convent was spared. More famously,
however, fresh upon the turning of the new year 1815, during the night of 07-08
January, the Ursuline sisters and the residents of New Orleans prayed through
the night that they might be spared conquest and occupation by the invading
British. This was at the end of the War of 1812 – in fact it was technically <i>after</i>
the end of the war because an armistice had been signed at Ghent the previous
Christmas Eve 1814, which mainly emphasizes that it was a different world back
then, when even such momentous news traveled no faster than a fast horse or a
fast ship. Neither the attacking British General Edward Pakenham, commanding
troops numbering some 8,000, nor the defending American General Andrew “Old Hickory”
Jackson with less than 6,000, knew of the peace. Against these odds, Jackson
nonetheless turned back a poorly executed British attack, suffering only 62
casualties compared to almost 2,500 British. Both sides would doubtless have
suffered more had the Ursulines not converted classrooms into infirmaries where
they treated wounded and sick American and British soldiers equally. Jackson
afterward thanked Mother St.-Marie Olivier in person for the Ursulines’
prayers, and in a letter still held in their archives credited the victory to
the “heavenly intercession” so gained. Whenever he subsequently visited New
Orleans, the staunchly Presbyterian Freemason always paid his respects at the
Catholic convent. For the nuns’ part, they have subsequently upheld the promise
made during that night of prayer, that forever after there would be a special Mass
of thanksgiving offered on the anniversary of the victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Several things regarding the first of these
miracles beg highlighting. First, the “small statue” placed in the window
obviously could not be Mother St.-Michel’s large statue. In fact, the “Story of
Our Lady of Prompt Succor” at the Ursuline Academy web page [<a href="https://www.uanola.org/news-detail?pk=825629">LINK</a>] specifically
identifies it as the “Sweetheart” statue. Second, some accounts place the miracle
not in the 1812 fire about which I could find surprisingly little information –
not even its exact date -- but rather in the 1794 fire of 08 December (the
Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) when, according to “French
Quarter Fire and Flood” by Sally Reeves, at FrenchQuarter.com [<a href="https://www.frenchquarter.com/elements/">LINK</a>] the nuns prayed to
Notre Dame de Bon Secours, the patron of Rouen, their home town in northern
France, and the convent was spared – although no statue is mentioned in that
article. Or was it the Good Friday Fire of 1788? This date and the role of a
statue is implied by another section of the Ursuline Academy web site [<a href="https://www.uanola.org/about/olps-shrine">LINK</a>], which tells the
story of the “Sweetheart” statue, calling it an “early image of Our Lady of
Prompt Succor.” The story goes as follows: Sister Felicité at the Monastery of
Pont St.-Esprit in France found a small plaster statue cast aside in the monastery
attic. She was inspired to pray before it, “My good Mother, if you will take
away promptly the obstacles that stand in the way of our departure, I will
carry you to New Orleans, and I promise to have you honored there by every means in my power.” Her petition
was granted, and Sr. Felicité did carry the statue to New Orleans. The story
immediately continues with the tale of a fire threatening the convent, when,
according to an account by one Sr. Eugenia O’Laughlin, “Hastily the Superior,
Reverend Mother St.-Michel, commanded the nuns and school children to leave the
building. As she herself turned to go, she was horrified to see Sr. St.-Anthony,
one of the old nuns, climbing the stairs. Following her, Rev. Mother discovered
she was carrying the small statue of Our Lady. As the Superior watched, Sr. St.-Anthony
hurried to the window on the second floor. She set the statue on the sill facing
the fire, then knelt and prayed with great confidence: Oh Lady of Prompt
Succor, save us or we are lost. At that very instant the wind veered and the
flames were blown back over their path of destruction and soon died out.”
Elements of this account that do not fit, however, are: 1) Why would Sr. Felicité have prayed for
the lifting of obstacles to the nuns’ relocation to New Orleans several decades
before they were called to such a move? 2) If the implication that the fire in
question was the 1788 conflagration is indeed the case (it is not stated
specifically), then how was Mother St.-Michel involved several decades before
she left France? 3) Would the nuns have prayed to “Our Lady of Prompt Succor” at
that date? 4) Is indeed the “Sweetheart” statue “an early image of Our Lady of
Prompt Succor” several decades before Mother St.-Michel seemingly originated
that title? In fact, 5) The tale of Sr. Felicité finding a statue in the attic
and praying before it is suspiciously similar to one version of the story,
which has <i>Mother St.-Michel</i>, having received a request from the New
Orleans sisters in that same year 1785 but needing permission from Pope Pius
VII to relocate to the New World, finding a tiny statue in <i>her</i> convent
attic, and praying before it, “My good Mother, if you will promptly remove
these obstacles, I shall carry this image of you to New Orleans where I promise
to do all in my power to have you honored.” Or course, she was “soon after” on
a ship to New Orleans. Nevertheless, “At that time,” she commissioned a statue,
which arrived in New Orleans in December <i>1810</i>! Hardly “soon after,” or “at
that time,” besides which Pius VII would not assume his Pontificate until 1800.
There are all kinds of problems with this muddled account, which is <i>also</i>
at the Ursuline Academy web site [<a href="https://www.uanola.org/about/olps-shrine">LINK</a>].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But I have spent too much time on a mystery I have
barely scratched the surface in attempting to solve, in which the more accounts
I find the more questions I have. Suffice it to say that whatever is the case
regarding the turning back of the fire, the circumstances of the miraculous
victory in the Battle of New Orleans are well documented. They sealed Our Lady of Prompt
Succor as the center of New Orleans Catholic religiosity which she remains to
this day. The Ursulines, their convent and academy having outgrown their property
in the French Quarter, eventually moved (twice in fact, first to a location in
New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, later, ca. 1920 …) to their present location where in
January 1924 there was formally consecrated the National Votive Shrine of Our
Lady of Prompt Succor as we visited it today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">+ + +</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Mass was nice, but definitely not traditional. Nor, I
gather are the sisters. As cantor for the Latin choir at the Minor Basilica of
the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches who also attends daily Mass, several
years ago I took on chanting the Mass Parts and Propers for the various feast
days of the liturgical year when they fall on those weekdays. The Diocese of
Alexandria being part of the Archdiocesan Province of New Orleans (basically,
the State of Louisiana), 08 January is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Prompt
Succor – in other words, one of the highest-ranking feast days and a Marian feast
day to boot! It is therefore incumbent on us at the Basilica as a Marian church
to celebrate it with appropriate solemnity. Of course, the powers that be don’t
make it easy on us! The annual handbook for liturgical matters, called the <i>Ordo</i>,
covers a number of dioceses and thus doesn’t really focus on any single one,
and while it recognizes the existence of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Prompt
Succor (a feast most Catholics outside Louisiana have never even heard of) the
guidelines it contains are sketchy and confusing. It always seems to catch us
off guard. So, immediately upon the end of Mass I went up and got the attention
of a gentleman who seemed to be acting as a sacristan, briefly explained our
dilemma, and asked if we could possibly see or even get a copy of the liturgy
that is used at the Shrine itself on that feast day. He could not really help
me, but he pointed me toward one of the nuns, whom he said was the headmistress
of the Ursuline Academy. I introduced myself and explained my request a second
time. She took me back into the sacristy and gave me a booklet program for the
feast day last January, as well as a separate sheet detailing the Mass Propers
as approved by then Archbishop Hannan in the immediate aftermath of the
implementation of the <i>Novus Ordo Missae</i> ca. 1970. Of course, thumbing
through the booklet as she gave it to me, she said, “We [the 1815 Ursulines]
promised to say a <i>Te Deum</i> on the anniversary of the battle every year.
We don’t really do that any more….” What they do, at least as printed in the
2019 program, is some kind of antiphonal paraphrase that bears about as much
resemblance to the real thing as does the hymn <i>Holy God, We Praise Thy Name</i>,
which is often put forward as an English “translation” of the <i>Te Deum</i>.
It is a paraphrase at best. I just thanked her, smiled, and said, “Don’t worry,
Sister; we’ll take up your slack in Natchitoches!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leaving the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Anne and I
had thought about visiting a Church Supply House in search of a new garden
statue of Our Lady. We have had one for many years, but it is heavily weathered
and she wants a new one. However, we also knew that our other main goal for
this micro pilgrimage was to visit the National Shrine of Blessed Francis
Xavier Seelos, which closed at 15:30. Wanting to have plenty of time there, we
decided to forego the shopping trip and make our way straight to our second
shrine of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were a bit chagrined when we arrived at St. Mary's Assumption Church where is to be found the shrine only to see considerable
traffic and little parking in the area, which we quickly realized was because guests
and participants in what looked to be a fairly large wedding were assembling
and entering the church. We lucked into a fairly close parking space, however. A
young man in a tuxedo who seemed to be associated with that and who seemed to
be directing people told us that as far as he knew the associated museum would
be open and directed us toward it. And so it was.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2fBWr-gENnmzN7G-E28FvXXaMKwSbeyIK2bLY2FQHLdWc3BMYtthg4keYFmmeZOU-a3CVAwGAGeyTjc-_Gx3bnF6YeqB2ZywRXswVxcduiN5uVWqRwtkJ6iOCHYJym3Zh-4vpNJb99iU/s1600/IMG_0348+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2fBWr-gENnmzN7G-E28FvXXaMKwSbeyIK2bLY2FQHLdWc3BMYtthg4keYFmmeZOU-a3CVAwGAGeyTjc-_Gx3bnF6YeqB2ZywRXswVxcduiN5uVWqRwtkJ6iOCHYJym3Zh-4vpNJb99iU/s320/IMG_0348+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y88yIXr8N0q5bATNOxFwN74EV2NADgI_HnC7L3HlNwN_O73Upaoi4LkNfN2o6zRdlA0P1wMDSkrRLSMrICaESOaIAE9agWW_Tk3uZAKsIqI8juJXhPkmyCcO-PcL0pcSxAbB_hzsrLQI/s1600/IMG_0350+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y88yIXr8N0q5bATNOxFwN74EV2NADgI_HnC7L3HlNwN_O73Upaoi4LkNfN2o6zRdlA0P1wMDSkrRLSMrICaESOaIAE9agWW_Tk3uZAKsIqI8juJXhPkmyCcO-PcL0pcSxAbB_hzsrLQI/s320/IMG_0350+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEE0vIeUUyLWljiboALYfcFO2KTtRp0qMv5e6qPzvEpCNHbwEmFO8iJhYr8HZqJKKuVzh5IHNljv2QQGKCYS1gASKWxo1JtshCk8NbTT_fOHbl2ljQXgkKLfpf442ybTzi0fRtfe0cZde/s1600/IMG_0241+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEE0vIeUUyLWljiboALYfcFO2KTtRp0qMv5e6qPzvEpCNHbwEmFO8iJhYr8HZqJKKuVzh5IHNljv2QQGKCYS1gASKWxo1JtshCk8NbTT_fOHbl2ljQXgkKLfpf442ybTzi0fRtfe0cZde/s320/IMG_0241+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6mkV76zOQg3bvNBK4N65cTjd2aaZfM3ysD3E4a8xBF4Ak0q8SHNLUgScfH5_u0Q9j3h9_L9Dfhx6yk95zUZ52GXB2CcVrZkaF3y_ppEMjZjhn96PC9LurZ-39N7fai1EKaoO3CFh1VSi/s1600/IMG_0263+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6mkV76zOQg3bvNBK4N65cTjd2aaZfM3ysD3E4a8xBF4Ak0q8SHNLUgScfH5_u0Q9j3h9_L9Dfhx6yk95zUZ52GXB2CcVrZkaF3y_ppEMjZjhn96PC9LurZ-39N7fai1EKaoO3CFh1VSi/s320/IMG_0263+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9v7UJ0muqHo7_0DYjSByAz-rSE7k7BOEpNGDA_rJ5_BQb4KV7gulI4onBPr15FTkPeno5oq_2ic0N7QYNjpd77zva4USN0Lxjn5lR-oHOntPllnBwoDvQodIAVobomeIkM5Wryh90uIR/s1600/IMG_0270+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9v7UJ0muqHo7_0DYjSByAz-rSE7k7BOEpNGDA_rJ5_BQb4KV7gulI4onBPr15FTkPeno5oq_2ic0N7QYNjpd77zva4USN0Lxjn5lR-oHOntPllnBwoDvQodIAVobomeIkM5Wryh90uIR/s320/IMG_0270+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA_xz0rAMi3M9umZKOP8HK_tPljCSEutp_XmJnmiBQvFMDsY-YcFGNprA3JX2qi1NxeLRB-N-66ZFSJFERJ34ZWFUQ04KdqkevHhcUqf1lscAGPEbtFR-FRXfWVMqJUEgTxptg0W9fh6U/s1600/IMG_0290+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA_xz0rAMi3M9umZKOP8HK_tPljCSEutp_XmJnmiBQvFMDsY-YcFGNprA3JX2qi1NxeLRB-N-66ZFSJFERJ34ZWFUQ04KdqkevHhcUqf1lscAGPEbtFR-FRXfWVMqJUEgTxptg0W9fh6U/s320/IMG_0290+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsbhjAtmDS2EyLzbd-TbVl_pTwcJDI8oKk0k7V2RINXk6ntYjwVQtawAF3_AXlZAp7jasJyLj40e5M_SH-L4mGPYpyz3VrvboxzZ8Y-Y_J9H2WkXBRREKXynMWqDvSpaNlo2Qg9CX3k9Q/s1600/IMG_0302+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsbhjAtmDS2EyLzbd-TbVl_pTwcJDI8oKk0k7V2RINXk6ntYjwVQtawAF3_AXlZAp7jasJyLj40e5M_SH-L4mGPYpyz3VrvboxzZ8Y-Y_J9H2WkXBRREKXynMWqDvSpaNlo2Qg9CX3k9Q/s320/IMG_0302+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaAp0giuEINmbHD3vaT9qG2B7TsVb_uGMFbsuxOp2lJZQBnMHsshVa9Uq7SXGoEVanqrFIDe-NAqNf_XDTy8AiLnUCqJFdy_GjRJJBinu9BMPH6q_RLAQHqwfQgOoMpBwXFiWqbdYEqDy/s1600/IMG_0303+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaAp0giuEINmbHD3vaT9qG2B7TsVb_uGMFbsuxOp2lJZQBnMHsshVa9Uq7SXGoEVanqrFIDe-NAqNf_XDTy8AiLnUCqJFdy_GjRJJBinu9BMPH6q_RLAQHqwfQgOoMpBwXFiWqbdYEqDy/s320/IMG_0303+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOrgE194S7zPl0DOk2zIGCMoA3HG0rkmiT3mE7o37vtXmlxQv8v0peV4g0totI7UhWhB928AMEdF_uVXfRBbng1ViHtxsauYzCLGUwPrtSBNQRlxMODOI1HA2O3EftkUNBY-PHnpgHfYF/s1600/IMG_0305+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOrgE194S7zPl0DOk2zIGCMoA3HG0rkmiT3mE7o37vtXmlxQv8v0peV4g0totI7UhWhB928AMEdF_uVXfRBbng1ViHtxsauYzCLGUwPrtSBNQRlxMODOI1HA2O3EftkUNBY-PHnpgHfYF/s320/IMG_0305+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8-RuLep70LCb6evQFMxVSNuOxHmHolfjUg4mfBnFrpxAuf_5zkVOSXdhJlNcNZrvYwJDOEvEN4K4sikzHUfjjjHIBj4r9uSg3b2rMHRJVLQ0OZT98V_TLO64x1u9QwcQL5lk0-K1DSR_/s1600/IMG_0306+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8-RuLep70LCb6evQFMxVSNuOxHmHolfjUg4mfBnFrpxAuf_5zkVOSXdhJlNcNZrvYwJDOEvEN4K4sikzHUfjjjHIBj4r9uSg3b2rMHRJVLQ0OZT98V_TLO64x1u9QwcQL5lk0-K1DSR_/s320/IMG_0306+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1R7tGI8nY9fo50eiFhFn1Z6NUg7cziAoiFY4eR-7o4tPwIAXH2L6BE2GGP9HxPLciLzhCLvfV7TUH_mIqRptqz-gdU_k8y-ZUKQ2h95naiL7tv625Pn82cB17dDc56Ag2pLOQ-QR5Ju2/s1600/IMG_0307+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1R7tGI8nY9fo50eiFhFn1Z6NUg7cziAoiFY4eR-7o4tPwIAXH2L6BE2GGP9HxPLciLzhCLvfV7TUH_mIqRptqz-gdU_k8y-ZUKQ2h95naiL7tv625Pn82cB17dDc56Ag2pLOQ-QR5Ju2/s320/IMG_0307+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogsdmIC0XPUXDZCpU95OitMmNvujto3NmIfpcMe8bSW7ex8AGEpExg3ocFQkoagn2CW_15l3W1x33A6XD4494iVLukM0dsCqNmHc2-2GnFh5gWo4VkTlRggJd3NvQESSoOrE68lFcz4yC/s1600/IMG_0309+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogsdmIC0XPUXDZCpU95OitMmNvujto3NmIfpcMe8bSW7ex8AGEpExg3ocFQkoagn2CW_15l3W1x33A6XD4494iVLukM0dsCqNmHc2-2GnFh5gWo4VkTlRggJd3NvQESSoOrE68lFcz4yC/s320/IMG_0309+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YLFexmBZ_AQtFibDWATKS5CbP6e-jbkoNEDAcrp8kJlaCfaWzVhYc8fkNd0svhyWMuJa_XOi6FWlJtn0YQzaLoUjYhSi9uEGzls2JFIr_VZJmNHa5ckIIKY0ZGUY5dd4yd3LJxiSHXBr/s1600/IMG_0310+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YLFexmBZ_AQtFibDWATKS5CbP6e-jbkoNEDAcrp8kJlaCfaWzVhYc8fkNd0svhyWMuJa_XOi6FWlJtn0YQzaLoUjYhSi9uEGzls2JFIr_VZJmNHa5ckIIKY0ZGUY5dd4yd3LJxiSHXBr/s320/IMG_0310+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3-gBmQdyfrYEJslPP8ulpKUDca_Wo-5lzGMASDHXbnUPsi-L55LL0Apv8yLsRd3hWxlch_Zr6XegFvB51pQK1idB2KcKDhvvo2GgQ-GYzwuRx0VYNyq_XPvNVrxw-onYlkHfxopcUkNG/s1600/IMG_0311+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3-gBmQdyfrYEJslPP8ulpKUDca_Wo-5lzGMASDHXbnUPsi-L55LL0Apv8yLsRd3hWxlch_Zr6XegFvB51pQK1idB2KcKDhvvo2GgQ-GYzwuRx0VYNyq_XPvNVrxw-onYlkHfxopcUkNG/s320/IMG_0311+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOx8AXI6RLcZQRojLuTlzYtT5RM-3_WiHUJA0EYqrIUStLhtNARiBicG-pP5kmHOAeNLj0lkjxUzCh00mCObMd6jlIejk7L89htN-lBZGE3HswER_JaOUk08R0irIXTgdaAsSKs1WB7Kx/s1600/IMG_0313+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOx8AXI6RLcZQRojLuTlzYtT5RM-3_WiHUJA0EYqrIUStLhtNARiBicG-pP5kmHOAeNLj0lkjxUzCh00mCObMd6jlIejk7L89htN-lBZGE3HswER_JaOUk08R0irIXTgdaAsSKs1WB7Kx/s320/IMG_0313+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhdhjJOihEtT8MEgiFE1r9RQ-hNj4AGOgxp4W-ri9pzCpzFXf6taoo8wWe9HjA8hbcyl8F7iffwqIf1iMASVKlYGybMe6AIZXM8O1Wtjhfjsqf8X64B3qkWdVBTBwfZyDEFwMqTjt4iwx/s1600/IMG_0329+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhdhjJOihEtT8MEgiFE1r9RQ-hNj4AGOgxp4W-ri9pzCpzFXf6taoo8wWe9HjA8hbcyl8F7iffwqIf1iMASVKlYGybMe6AIZXM8O1Wtjhfjsqf8X64B3qkWdVBTBwfZyDEFwMqTjt4iwx/s320/IMG_0329+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVXtqP4-923s71QhyjOuFcn9-EJ3llBAn6rOsr33gWMfnLzTgaNouGmrmGRy8LydJ3bpsM1mBFUq93jkEufyD1gOT2nv1SgIlDncyny-qFCYYEeogxvHIdshqG8hwhAaK82DHgWW1ZZSJ/s1600/IMG_0330+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVXtqP4-923s71QhyjOuFcn9-EJ3llBAn6rOsr33gWMfnLzTgaNouGmrmGRy8LydJ3bpsM1mBFUq93jkEufyD1gOT2nv1SgIlDncyny-qFCYYEeogxvHIdshqG8hwhAaK82DHgWW1ZZSJ/s320/IMG_0330+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL15_PFvWpNUwUSM2nDK-2Zyp1ioHNI0wPtKX_AwWsydvVKjxzigw9lh1g5IrAt-Gl6TreQ981S2QwTQ11xTzIYvFbbqE5mkfwtXp0RND4ieGDltwbR1oOuSCb0Akv1Uz9C3eILEUBKHsq/s1600/IMG_0332+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL15_PFvWpNUwUSM2nDK-2Zyp1ioHNI0wPtKX_AwWsydvVKjxzigw9lh1g5IrAt-Gl6TreQ981S2QwTQ11xTzIYvFbbqE5mkfwtXp0RND4ieGDltwbR1oOuSCb0Akv1Uz9C3eILEUBKHsq/s320/IMG_0332+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1NsGrx3H10VrJuKKh1XsXGfkwtIlS1vYBBtBx2RJXeqNrd4U0EuFB5RD2LcWjF0uDyTm1KY6yylooTWlHr8n4r3RpQ-k5s_joBo1ngzoLTYwHRHEuShgziCU3mZBCGa_HBrMlmwrpCnR/s1600/IMG_0333+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1NsGrx3H10VrJuKKh1XsXGfkwtIlS1vYBBtBx2RJXeqNrd4U0EuFB5RD2LcWjF0uDyTm1KY6yylooTWlHr8n4r3RpQ-k5s_joBo1ngzoLTYwHRHEuShgziCU3mZBCGa_HBrMlmwrpCnR/s320/IMG_0333+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD3OnSGdzjwjD-GCKd_ZkDevJIwi9R0G8a6InIWw2aZpnwGvEMbxTSx3TXfzFFu6fTW0Y1ObLTSruJAwsaqvF-yxLInittHIuQ8TvaJNLMYI6bnEm5xyCiNSIrIUUgMUk0f4Cct0GImw9/s1600/IMG_0334+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD3OnSGdzjwjD-GCKd_ZkDevJIwi9R0G8a6InIWw2aZpnwGvEMbxTSx3TXfzFFu6fTW0Y1ObLTSruJAwsaqvF-yxLInittHIuQ8TvaJNLMYI6bnEm5xyCiNSIrIUUgMUk0f4Cct0GImw9/s320/IMG_0334+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGWG8ODK-zDdG-tSCKO9QT88BDdp1W2liTX2FZcYz5mCtdUUEnNgrAPEsz6iUM0BhhqBQGxkOKoLmAF5zRdDc3GJv9v3tpljIb8gSq6_8GxCEkm7g9xy5_VLAY9YorC7edbX4lzOYqHwf/s1600/IMG_0335+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGWG8ODK-zDdG-tSCKO9QT88BDdp1W2liTX2FZcYz5mCtdUUEnNgrAPEsz6iUM0BhhqBQGxkOKoLmAF5zRdDc3GJv9v3tpljIb8gSq6_8GxCEkm7g9xy5_VLAY9YorC7edbX4lzOYqHwf/s320/IMG_0335+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjg1JRVfK9CrsXnZyWsRA2WLunGuyK4CMH6Dn6BwsDUfO8hTaqHBTQF1QlhwkKe21uCOxIexUP2EMrcupdJ1MwuNvojtlwL11QjOUIKcGPNdnjWm7Pne4bHmY2Zwa60_XoAtJvtuEaujV/s1600/IMG_0337+%25282%2529_800x450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjg1JRVfK9CrsXnZyWsRA2WLunGuyK4CMH6Dn6BwsDUfO8hTaqHBTQF1QlhwkKe21uCOxIexUP2EMrcupdJ1MwuNvojtlwL11QjOUIKcGPNdnjWm7Pne4bHmY2Zwa60_XoAtJvtuEaujV/s320/IMG_0337+%25282%2529_800x450.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWdsTzcTSLl9ax0kuplK3Www0W28L7BWkw5NF9pZoQ9FR1BqeUOTgMLJF3A_EZg3gA_PAQ_9gXY9kG1uSQQVZ7aZzx6sMdUG2NCVx_31aT6fBp5wgyLhT2Qbf1FWqm97VjMAWO-MXfcrG/s1600/IMG_0340+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWdsTzcTSLl9ax0kuplK3Www0W28L7BWkw5NF9pZoQ9FR1BqeUOTgMLJF3A_EZg3gA_PAQ_9gXY9kG1uSQQVZ7aZzx6sMdUG2NCVx_31aT6fBp5wgyLhT2Qbf1FWqm97VjMAWO-MXfcrG/s320/IMG_0340+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4OfzES5h75ZQIpSkGQsOZZWT8ykf5IozxF1LzaH-zHeErLcRzfZFDT1Iz0GkxaCqrqSV7DxGpLwKWfHDWeO9rNtd7ibQaCFYA3SaTi-Qobdrw5D8BXsrlysfmGG6Qg3rbgXmvjmM8sQU/s1600/IMG_0342+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4OfzES5h75ZQIpSkGQsOZZWT8ykf5IozxF1LzaH-zHeErLcRzfZFDT1Iz0GkxaCqrqSV7DxGpLwKWfHDWeO9rNtd7ibQaCFYA3SaTi-Qobdrw5D8BXsrlysfmGG6Qg3rbgXmvjmM8sQU/s320/IMG_0342+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDKEKN5NJcB-AvcndbfnsSrJxhFyBRTLBB1hNYJUNwmPzGLlUD7F-3TdXWgNeT30qsBPDHWzdutRraDB_hbtaKWGanSERTHXb5NYm3ayNhykmnlwNy00SjD6m3lQSk6umn5E_d6YcqSEM/s1600/IMG_0343+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDKEKN5NJcB-AvcndbfnsSrJxhFyBRTLBB1hNYJUNwmPzGLlUD7F-3TdXWgNeT30qsBPDHWzdutRraDB_hbtaKWGanSERTHXb5NYm3ayNhykmnlwNy00SjD6m3lQSk6umn5E_d6YcqSEM/s320/IMG_0343+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qpq4kbzWxpUzOiM82-zQogDiCYku-GJJf0H2xwDo1yrRvSJ-jFFY7XsMz5VUeyfAbEeT6eK45J8rtrLCSIBotBF7u6jMWWreXdRUvBnOrkUeGnbI3SjD8twab3fZhJtwF91oXbgb5urF/s1600/IMG_0344+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qpq4kbzWxpUzOiM82-zQogDiCYku-GJJf0H2xwDo1yrRvSJ-jFFY7XsMz5VUeyfAbEeT6eK45J8rtrLCSIBotBF7u6jMWWreXdRUvBnOrkUeGnbI3SjD8twab3fZhJtwF91oXbgb5urF/s320/IMG_0344+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHEmSRCLj59a2vctmhrBFWykYuNmYAly2Yo4J6E4RX_sqZ39meZ7VgjK_DnCFyaVq8TpA9Wg467fPsdMnnKYoBa_On4wopQ5uxaeBcxg_DhVwBk6F2jzixnzNAbC-9zsuDbggOzzX02p0/s1600/IMG_0345+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHEmSRCLj59a2vctmhrBFWykYuNmYAly2Yo4J6E4RX_sqZ39meZ7VgjK_DnCFyaVq8TpA9Wg467fPsdMnnKYoBa_On4wopQ5uxaeBcxg_DhVwBk6F2jzixnzNAbC-9zsuDbggOzzX02p0/s320/IMG_0345+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Francis Xavier Seelos was a native of Bavaria, born on 11
January 1819. He entered the priestly missionary order of Redemptorists (C.S.Sp.)
at age 23, asking to be sent to the United States. There he served out his
novitiate in Baltimore, then was sent to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he served
under John Neumann in various capacities as Redemptorist novice master and
superior as well as missionary and priest. I researched this latter holy man
during the writing of a forthcoming book about pilgrimage. An immigrant from
Bohemia, John Neumann became a priest and eventually the fourth bishop of
Philadelphia, where he founded the first Catholic diocesan school system in the
United States. Stories of miracles swirled about him even during his lifetime.
He ultimately (1977) became the first American bishop and to date the only male
US citizen to be canonized, and his shrine in Philadelphia is one of the most
prominent domestic pilgrimage destinations, appearing prominently enough in
several extremely divergent selections of US Catholic travel recommendations
that through a very unscientific weighted analysis I judged it probably
somewhere about the sixth most popular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Soon after Neumann became bishop, his protégé Fr. Seelos was
sent back to Baltimore where he served as pastor of several churches while
training future Redemptorists. When his mentor died in 1860, Fr. Seelos was
proposed to replace him as bishop, but declined and instead sought and received
permission to become an itinerant missionary to German-speaking communities
across the upper Midwest, which he did for the next half-dozen years. Then,
just after the end of the American Civil War, he was appointed pastor of the
Church of St. Mary of the Assumption in New Orleans – arriving in the city
right when the yellow fever epidemic of 1867 struck the gulf coasts of Texas
and Louisiana, hitting especially hard in New Orleans. Father Seelos exhausted
himself caring for and ministering to the sick and dying, ultimately
contracting the disease himself. He did on 04 October 1867, to be beatified by
John Paul II in 2000. His feast day is celebrated on 05 October.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stories of miracles abound, documented in an article running
to several pages at Seelos.org </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">[</span><a href="http://www.seelos.org/lifeArticle2a.html" style="font-family: georgia, serif;">LINK</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">]</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. Blessed Fr. Seelos first really came to my own attention a few years ago, through a
local news story detailing the healing of an Alexandria man after, following
the advice of a priestly acquaintance of mine, Fr. Chad Partain, he prayed an
unusual nine-hour novena to the holy man. Remarkably, the gentleman, who had
never previously heard of Blessed Seelos, received this instruction from Fr. Partain
during a dream – but he followed it anyway and was immediately healed</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> [</span><a href="https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/2015/05/15/daniel-brooks-life-changed-novena-blessed-seelos/27400265/" style="font-family: georgia, serif;">LINK</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">]. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">(As an aside, in desperation a few months back I prayed what I called a nine-</span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">minute</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
novena – a short prayer to Fr. Seelos asking for his intercession, followed by
an Our Father, an Ave Maria, and a Glory Be, all in rapid succession nine times [it probably took more than nine minutes] – and received
an almost immediate answer to my prayer.) Prayer works, the saints and blesseds of heaven are eager to intercede for us, and I have no doubt
that Fr. Seelos will be canonized sooner rather than later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">+ + +</span></div>
<div>
<div id="ftn2">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">After making our way through the museum, Anne and I went into
the associated gift shop for a while. We browsed around a bit, made some purchases,
and got reminded why – as much as I love the city – a little bit of New Orleans
goes a long way for me. There was a panhandler in the shop, hitting people up
for money. Okay, I know this is something I struggle with – Our Lord’s precept
that we are to see Him in the poor vs. the great number of the “poor” whom I
believe are so mainly through their own fault and simply find begging a more
amenable life-style than finding a job. As I’ve said before, we are indeed
called to see Christ in the poor, but I don’t believe we are called to see Him
in the con artist. Call me hardhearted or judgmental if you like, but that’s
the way I see it. And see it I do. For instance, I heard this guy tell three radically
different sob-stories while we were browsing in that show. He was obviously a
known quantity to the proprietors; they called him by name and ultimately
brought him a bag with some kind of food in it to get him to go away. He did
not go far. A bit later, as we were leaving the complex after having gone from
the gift shop into the rear of the church we saw him lounging on a bench in a
little garden area between the museum and the church chatting away on a mobile
phone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After making our purchases in the gift shop, even though we
would not be able to see the interior of the church itself we did go into the
rear of the church, to the actual shrine of Blessed Seelos, where we also saw a
magnificent wall of relics which stretched a good twenty to thirty feet. All
the while, we heard the wedding Mass in progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We made our way back to our hotel, dropped our vehicle there
in the valet parking, and set off on foot. Anne wanted to go to a specific <i>parfumerie</i>
where they will formulate a specific fragrance tailored for your likes. Named Bourbon
French Parfums, it is located at 805 Royal Street behind and to the west of the
cathedral. Anne had called and confirmed there would be time to do this; it
would not take nearly as long as I had anticipated, so I sat and watched and visited
with the proprietress, Mary. We discovered a connection of sorts. She asked
where we were from, and for some reason we went beyond just saying we were from
Natchitoches – we told her how Anne is from Lafayette while I am from Monroe. She
actually grew up, she said, on the south side of Monroe. When she found out
that we live in Natchitoches, she told us that she and her son(s?) used to come
occasionally to Natchitoches, to see the Christmas lights among other things.
They would go into Kaffie-Frederick and how Mr. Frederick (our friend Sydney’s
father) had one time sold her son a knife he <i>really, really wanted</i> at
nowhere near the actual price of the knife. Of course, she already had a
relationship with Mr. Frederick, who was a customer of here. This was when she
had first gotten into her business there (I believe she first worked for and
then took it over from the former owner – this would have been at least twenty years
ago); Mr. Frederick would always purchase a specific fragrance for his wife for
Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anne got her fragrance, and as we were finishing the
transaction, I offhandedly mentioned that, although I always say I’m “from Monroe,”
I’m just saying that because no one outside the area would know where Swartz is
(north of Monroe). It turned out she <i>did</i> know where Swartz is – in fact,
it turned out that she was married to Leo Dixon … who lived directly across
from my grandmother on Aubrey Hare Road! (We lived next further up the road
from Mammaw, across a field, but essentially diagonal from the Dixons. “Nubbin!”
I said – and she knew that nickname. He was about five years older than me, I
think. They were long-since divorced, and he had in fact passed away a few
years ago, but she remembered Mammaw and how much Nubbin loved her. I told her
one of my few real memories of him, how one time when they brought my
grandfather, Pappy (the Aubrey Hare for whom to road is named), home from the
nursing home he was outside, ran across the street, helped transfer him from
the car into the wheelchair (my grandfather was paralyzed and mute from several
massive strokes long before – this would have been ca. 1971 because he died in
Feb 1972; I never knew him to be anything but wheelchair-bound, with his right
arm drawn up in a fist against his chest, unable to speak; there is a picture
of him actually holding me as a baby – I was born at the end of 1961 – but I do
not remember him being able to do that. I believe his first debilitating stroke
was in the early-mid 1950s, while my father was serving in the navy in Japan).
Nubbin made over him, telling him how glad he was to see him. It made an
impression on me, one that I’ve always remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is a small, small world.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAc6bUCd0ISPYSSUuqCrLlFCaV-NVFMBweUs8UuMvDJtOLpX33WvKCpP1RfX7MuLH6wbXgWuFRSZ1xRBDjIm7vGC0ffh7m2cbacUVtrDImbMBw7ppt6QW3IDUh_VGHmrNDCJ89xVIzUix/s1600/Bourbon+French+Parfums_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAc6bUCd0ISPYSSUuqCrLlFCaV-NVFMBweUs8UuMvDJtOLpX33WvKCpP1RfX7MuLH6wbXgWuFRSZ1xRBDjIm7vGC0ffh7m2cbacUVtrDImbMBw7ppt6QW3IDUh_VGHmrNDCJ89xVIzUix/s320/Bourbon+French+Parfums_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Here is a link to a page that has a virtual tour [<a href="https://youorleans.dudaone.com/bourbon-french-parfums" target="_blank">LINK</a>].)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">After that, Anne and I walked across the French Quarter to
Drago’s Restaurant, located in the Hilton Hotel at 2 Poydras Street. We had
another great meal – quite a bit more expensive and the one last night was not cheap!;
an Old Fashion was literally twice as expensive here, $16 vs. $8. Double the
price, and half as good. Actually more than half, but definitely not </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">twice</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
as good! While we were there a military ball was assembling as well, which was
kind of cool to watch. Then we walked back to our hotel, stopping and picking
up some fudge and pralines along the way, and ended up reading and watching TV
until time to retire. At one point, we heard a brass band outside and looked
out our window to see a wedding party processing (really, dancing) down the street deeper into
the French Quarter. We figure they must have been coming from Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church, only a couple blocks away in the direction from which they
came. It is the location of a shrine we had on the short list but did not make
it to because of time, the International Shrine of St. Jude.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sunday 17 November – Our 35<sup>th</sup> Anniversary<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKprCTPxWT83fJm11x6fnDs9291iG268Sbh334PYUVyPjdJZkZ2y5Pw1Px1uPPlJpcKutaq_Sm_gwue8DoVyI_QRoRoEZ9rBqTbNfq4tcuc-RI4jEWFnLRnYMzpaiFNqpsFokRnKUXAhT/s1600/20191117+NOLA+map_800x487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="800" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKprCTPxWT83fJm11x6fnDs9291iG268Sbh334PYUVyPjdJZkZ2y5Pw1Px1uPPlJpcKutaq_Sm_gwue8DoVyI_QRoRoEZ9rBqTbNfq4tcuc-RI4jEWFnLRnYMzpaiFNqpsFokRnKUXAhT/s320/20191117+NOLA+map_800x487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">We got up and dressed and had a very quick, light breakfast
before heading out kind of early because we were told that parking around the
church we were aiming for is notoriously bad. The French Quarter – especially Bourbon
Street – was totally trashed. Yes, a little New Orleans goes a long way with
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We arrived at the old St. Patrick’s Church, to the east of the
French Quarter, about 45 minutes before the 09:15 Mass. I had to park about a
block and a half away. Their High Mass in the Extraordinary Form was awesome –
a full choir, several altar servers, etc. One unusual feature was that the
entire congregation joined in chanting the <i>Pater Noster</i>. That should be
done everywhere. Immediately after Mass was Benediction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJKWMQqZ9YDY5GX5KdH4LePL7imggeVXSUC_WAjbGtAq5d1jiyLVlgbEtYKd7PbATJ7NymAfssdPUFJTxf36LfFy3ICvHJOkAiV1E_ymr4fvsVNG62tB4UQdI3VrE4vrf_c8eovThtyYT/s1600/St+Patricks+NOLA_800x533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJKWMQqZ9YDY5GX5KdH4LePL7imggeVXSUC_WAjbGtAq5d1jiyLVlgbEtYKd7PbATJ7NymAfssdPUFJTxf36LfFy3ICvHJOkAiV1E_ymr4fvsVNG62tB4UQdI3VrE4vrf_c8eovThtyYT/s320/St+Patricks+NOLA_800x533.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPWhza7aftVv5uEXGO6vy8IDDYX3cUxUq58SCLwFyRitOHa1nzdigaJm-TbdwRAghYoLyrVamfDmnPt4MqvnH3pLLRM5y-GKJUmvYExjaFZq8h9L7v3Z9liEG-4Gro54ULBrTp54qFLYG/s1600/IMG_0353+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPWhza7aftVv5uEXGO6vy8IDDYX3cUxUq58SCLwFyRitOHa1nzdigaJm-TbdwRAghYoLyrVamfDmnPt4MqvnH3pLLRM5y-GKJUmvYExjaFZq8h9L7v3Z9liEG-4Gro54ULBrTp54qFLYG/s320/IMG_0353+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtc9cFD7f4A-kq5U5otpKVjsXYmDx2_NopD3xK2UhhTWt5okJo8-m1kHAz-bcWmbeJBAWutc3egDflAtdVHB8Oz-8HjZ7Rsy2v0tQOeRdjUylQvbULDfte7BNKfXMP1onuaGia1Ab-MeD2/s1600/IMG_0354+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtc9cFD7f4A-kq5U5otpKVjsXYmDx2_NopD3xK2UhhTWt5okJo8-m1kHAz-bcWmbeJBAWutc3egDflAtdVHB8Oz-8HjZ7Rsy2v0tQOeRdjUylQvbULDfte7BNKfXMP1onuaGia1Ab-MeD2/s320/IMG_0354+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwmaGEBcgJkf_Svv3W3QcZaovhrj1uS6g12yNbVyFLrSPSdeGN46WMV4oi2jl0uMvpWIFviGIwyc-q9tCUYizX37d818hYCaj7HqIPwyNjZxRCkdwP308uRVHdLDZDVd6fI3QIGR8ui4Y/s1600/IMG_0356+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwmaGEBcgJkf_Svv3W3QcZaovhrj1uS6g12yNbVyFLrSPSdeGN46WMV4oi2jl0uMvpWIFviGIwyc-q9tCUYizX37d818hYCaj7HqIPwyNjZxRCkdwP308uRVHdLDZDVd6fI3QIGR8ui4Y/s320/IMG_0356+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9nTyjZbtvgql5YZs5OihjIjrjJsb_vCXcVAs2oFJAzTnm9fiK30ua1k0LkZwkpH0Kp381aIw6v43vjKIT2-QZ6nEj_jo824j9fg7AoKh3TXtxf_WM06EMcg3kRbqTvehiRx8ajP2azrh/s1600/IMG_0357+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9nTyjZbtvgql5YZs5OihjIjrjJsb_vCXcVAs2oFJAzTnm9fiK30ua1k0LkZwkpH0Kp381aIw6v43vjKIT2-QZ6nEj_jo824j9fg7AoKh3TXtxf_WM06EMcg3kRbqTvehiRx8ajP2azrh/s320/IMG_0357+%25282%2529_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38IbTNe2miYeqdVFQrZUxRh6HXuhoYa6YV6eptrcMWQkSNgrYxCgi4jAzl-MGe_5fOZqCBweWkWxG6pPwM6w4KIueDyORem6PX1OjetWm9z77rk-dWyzWvaOrUOjTYH1sr6Uedp7XVS9O/s1600/IMG_0359+%25282%2529_338x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38IbTNe2miYeqdVFQrZUxRh6HXuhoYa6YV6eptrcMWQkSNgrYxCgi4jAzl-MGe_5fOZqCBweWkWxG6pPwM6w4KIueDyORem6PX1OjetWm9z77rk-dWyzWvaOrUOjTYH1sr6Uedp7XVS9O/s320/IMG_0359+%25282%2529_338x600.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCe2gx4m53LGwrIGulJZuWqzzUsXSIwFuHf6b4XsgYehrMSli4Mk6_84xgLoRl38RixT2g_ZVzoE7DQOFb4nE5mcJ3Y2xb2kCZsOD-XyjnNQsupYS5Rf-xH0cGAJnIMl48vRoFKNVn_Cs/s1600/IMG_0360+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCe2gx4m53LGwrIGulJZuWqzzUsXSIwFuHf6b4XsgYehrMSli4Mk6_84xgLoRl38RixT2g_ZVzoE7DQOFb4nE5mcJ3Y2xb2kCZsOD-XyjnNQsupYS5Rf-xH0cGAJnIMl48vRoFKNVn_Cs/s320/IMG_0360+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjYx2NBPLVei8zDuKnpErqUyliaKdddJQbohgH1DRAfTPh0f-nZpBAo-bq2MTCyGYsho28J2rGGD8eIiMXRppMpDLbW-E8l_-hgtwKQNh9X_Ny2McmZFctK3A74y9QBQKV7OHpVi5Auna/s1600/IMG_0361+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjYx2NBPLVei8zDuKnpErqUyliaKdddJQbohgH1DRAfTPh0f-nZpBAo-bq2MTCyGYsho28J2rGGD8eIiMXRppMpDLbW-E8l_-hgtwKQNh9X_Ny2McmZFctK3A74y9QBQKV7OHpVi5Auna/s320/IMG_0361+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzbuQ_0NSHnr412WKVTF7-v4SKgQfIiId9292i-ZAakpSG2LHsfxqJqXL5h7wl_NJ4r92wYMFVaq3iQLOEeRBFvcbg6UhVEi-qfoNvXanDTqm_HWw87pa-Wf83FSI3K4rLQhvlUQNAeGV/s1600/IMG_0362+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzbuQ_0NSHnr412WKVTF7-v4SKgQfIiId9292i-ZAakpSG2LHsfxqJqXL5h7wl_NJ4r92wYMFVaq3iQLOEeRBFvcbg6UhVEi-qfoNvXanDTqm_HWw87pa-Wf83FSI3K4rLQhvlUQNAeGV/s320/IMG_0362+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIHA34z1va2Q94g-Bn0ldjRiRRAdu0NYWLWtsRiSYy6j1X6fqL-mCilLn0Rrby_RpXmiOdNdrXo-LcV58nFCIggLyDwLcfcB5bTa6_2Ph2w3Dgt-4Szafm5_V4hXbQUej_ERCfg4ziw_q/s1600/IMG_0363+%25282%2529_338x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIHA34z1va2Q94g-Bn0ldjRiRRAdu0NYWLWtsRiSYy6j1X6fqL-mCilLn0Rrby_RpXmiOdNdrXo-LcV58nFCIggLyDwLcfcB5bTa6_2Ph2w3Dgt-4Szafm5_V4hXbQUej_ERCfg4ziw_q/s320/IMG_0363+%25282%2529_338x600.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGz9njQ9eWr21SNxTmMIelLYNRUfVSC57RD1bP39ffrNaKLfsZAXl_G56FDtmVLr3XQVa9aY6sawehZ_roc9C3jRH6gwyERst4DLolmI78YB9fQoiM3f0baPIA8D8_zG07INnT67ANGws/s1600/IMG_0366+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGz9njQ9eWr21SNxTmMIelLYNRUfVSC57RD1bP39ffrNaKLfsZAXl_G56FDtmVLr3XQVa9aY6sawehZ_roc9C3jRH6gwyERst4DLolmI78YB9fQoiM3f0baPIA8D8_zG07INnT67ANGws/s320/IMG_0366+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3G4jnJlVkMms71g_iuxghoC6dg6h4d_dvrOfrzgfIYF6yfMGBWU6mbnYHkDBrAHqfP_uyiSYDE89xzr1_cawJjmEKixHhVt2vJXauoiw16xVd0FmVL4Rv4dPpl5ZZqDwZfnOwABWwzYv/s1600/IMG_0367+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3G4jnJlVkMms71g_iuxghoC6dg6h4d_dvrOfrzgfIYF6yfMGBWU6mbnYHkDBrAHqfP_uyiSYDE89xzr1_cawJjmEKixHhVt2vJXauoiw16xVd0FmVL4Rv4dPpl5ZZqDwZfnOwABWwzYv/s320/IMG_0367+%25282%2529_450x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We drove back to our hotel, finished packing, and checked out of
our hotel. We then went down to the riverbank and found a parking spot near the
old Jax Brewery (long since converted into a multilevel mall). Our goal: Café du
Monde at the corner of Jackson Square, one of the most stereotypical New
Orleans attractions, for coffee and <i>beignets</i>. They were good as always,
and as always I left with a dusting of powdered sugar. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf1p30SKFIXHja3XsjvkmIVUy26iFnhZj9URjjxvCTSdntAJTlIipbFSXC6or-c1JRRq6kyZDD4owO-cyoCm3ZCEOAym6jPoDKmLIeNrxyLw9yNvFTP5nuSOr7cPuBOupB5KeTDZJyXPa/s1600/Jacson+Square+New+Orleans_800x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf1p30SKFIXHja3XsjvkmIVUy26iFnhZj9URjjxvCTSdntAJTlIipbFSXC6or-c1JRRq6kyZDD4owO-cyoCm3ZCEOAym6jPoDKmLIeNrxyLw9yNvFTP5nuSOr7cPuBOupB5KeTDZJyXPa/s320/Jacson+Square+New+Orleans_800x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9rDGRrWcE93kgMrkRLRrTp3e5cCG2EWj9WCIr1ThyV19t2SHxHwQQCaRr_xFBgmPtvb5k7j6ncCbhiBOZ0sGqC08KEzoKNr9S0y-1kfutsAYZ1iUCyTLxVz8_owJs85fVLUY5DKBCZG/s1600/Jackson+Square+Street+Artists_800x532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9rDGRrWcE93kgMrkRLRrTp3e5cCG2EWj9WCIr1ThyV19t2SHxHwQQCaRr_xFBgmPtvb5k7j6ncCbhiBOZ0sGqC08KEzoKNr9S0y-1kfutsAYZ1iUCyTLxVz8_owJs85fVLUY5DKBCZG/s320/Jackson+Square+Street+Artists_800x532.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVntpf2ssayea9BR9jb_Za4nkooxXlEf43pDxrLFRklsO1k46IyLOL7T6GRe9ni5y0imP9w5YzfZiUajJwbG8gd_enUfQSAkdX7TPRzIhSMst9amsbVjcX88Pp3SJycUBPMwC0a2i9T5P/s1600/Cafe+Du+Monde_800x473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="800" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVntpf2ssayea9BR9jb_Za4nkooxXlEf43pDxrLFRklsO1k46IyLOL7T6GRe9ni5y0imP9w5YzfZiUajJwbG8gd_enUfQSAkdX7TPRzIhSMst9amsbVjcX88Pp3SJycUBPMwC0a2i9T5P/s320/Cafe+Du+Monde_800x473.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">We walked down the street
and back up it, stopping in a couple of shops, then walked around the perimeter
of Jackson Square, stopping in St. Louis Cathedral. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mass was in progress, so we
did not go into the church proper, but the large vestibule includes a gift shop
that was open as usual. I purchased a small statue of Our Lady of Prompt
Succor. Outside, crowds which were dense when we arrived were steadily
increasing with all manner of activity, much of it most inappropriate for the
forecourt of a church, including fortune-tellers purporting to engage in
divination (to the extent it </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">may</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> be supernatural, it would be demonic in
origin, not divine whatever the term may suggest – stay away!), artists selling
lewd pictures, and the like. Of course, there was plenty of benign
entertainment as well. Our attention was captured by a guy who played the violin
in a modern style that I at least do not associate with the instrument. We
noted his name – Wael Elhalaby -- and Anne eventually downloaded one of his
albums. I did not take this video, but here is an example uploaded just a
couple months earlier:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/clZ1dIZgZIU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/clZ1dIZgZIU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Of course, before we got back to the car and headed out, there
was another incident reinforcing my “love-hate” attitude toward New Orleans.
Don’t get me wrong. I love to visit the city. It has a unique atmosphere. The
only other US city that attracts me the same way is San Antonio. There is just
something special about the unique blend of cultures that has given birth to
much that people associate with Louisiana. Nevertheless, every time I go there,
I come away with its image further tarnished. It’s not just the recent
appearance of “homeless” tent-cities in open areas especially beneath Interstate
overpasses, a phenomenon New Orleans shares with other cities in which liberal municipal
governments cater to such populations superficially as opposed to dealing with
the real problems generating such populations. Worse, over the course of my lifetime
of visiting the city (from sometime in my teens) it – and especially the French
Quarter – has deteriorated further and further into touristy </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">kitsch</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">, far
worse than the more benign “Disnification” Fr. Ryan Humphries comments
regarding, e.g., Dublin (“ – and not in a good way!” he adds). Even when I
first went to New Orleans there was lamentation at how far it had fallen; since
then it has just gotten raunchier and coarser, and I predict it will continue
to descend further into the gutter. And many of the street performers have
grown increasingly arrogant and demanding, and downright rude as they have
developed a sense of entitlement. Case in point – as we were walking down the
street having left the Square and approaching where we had left the car, we
were having to divert to the outer edge of the sidewalk to pass by where some
kid was tap-dancing for money. Another guy, still a kid but older, there with
him obviously took offense that we were just passing, and loudly jeered, “That’s
it, keep on walking, rich white people!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course, how could he know I am a college professor in
Louisiana? We did keep walking, but again I came away with no desire to visit
New Orleans for a while. I love to visit the city, but I get my fill very
quickly and that fill carries me for a long while between trips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I will return. For all its raunch New Orleans is paradoxically
one of the most Catholic cities in the world. A deep French heritage and a long
period of Spanish rule before it came under American control, with large
populations of Italian and Irish immigrants, all create a deeply Catholic cultural
mix manifesting in a great many destinations for Catholic pilgrims. We only hit
two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As mentioned above, I am writing a book on Catholic pilgrimage. One of the points
I make in a late chapter, after surveying major sites around the world and
around the country, is that there are many local shrines to be found: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Any large city, especially in the northeast, will
likely give an abundance of results. A large city in a historically Catholic
area can be a bonanza – e.g., New Orleans </i>[<a href="http://www.seelos.org/NOLA_Shrines_8.5x11_sm.pdf" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<i>:</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><br /></sup></b></span></sup></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mère
Henrietta Delille Prayer Room</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, a shrine to the Venerable
founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Catholic
Cultural Heritage Center: </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Old
Ursuline Convent, “together with the attached St. Mary’s Church and St. Louis
Cathedral,</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i> … forms a shrine…” </i>[<a href="http://www.seelos.org/NOLA_Shrines_8.5x11_sm.pdf" target="_blank">LINK</a>].</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><br /></sup></b></span></sup></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">International
Shrine of Saint Jude</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, New Orleans’ oldest church building.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">National
Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, a
nineteenth-century mystic to whom are attributed many miracles of healing both
in life and after death.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">National
Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, the patroness of the
State of Louisiana, whose most famous miracles include saving the city first
during the disastrous Great Fire of 1812 and three years later during 1815
Battle of New Orleans, the latter of which brought the thanks and lifelong
patronage of General – later U.S. President, and thoroughly Protestant – Andrew
“Old Hickory” Jackson.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Saint
Frances Cabrini Shrine</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, celebrating the New Orleans
founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and patroness of
immigrants.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Saint Ann
Church and National Shrine</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, devoted to the grandmother of
God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wrote this in September. In some ways, it is what inspired
this little trip. I had hoped to catch a couple more shrines, and indeed had a
detailed schedule made up that included St. Ann’s Church and the Shrine of St.
Jude at the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but in the moment we wanted to
play it more loosely since this was, after all, our anniversary. God willing, there
will be other chances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In any case, leaving New Orleans, we drove pretty much
straight home. Well, with one stop along the way, at Billy’s Boudin Shop in
Krotz Springs on Hwy 190, where we picked up various succulent items for our
upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. We arrived back home about sunset. I posted a
quick placeholder post with the promise of more fully fleshed out narrative,
research, and pictures to come …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… a promise that went unfulfilled for several months during
which I was focused on the aforementioned book, which is now finished [04 March]. I do not
multitask very well, and I thus apologize for the long delay. At this point I am researching to add more historical detail about the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor and Blessed Seelos, but wanted to post the basic narrative before even more time had passed. I hope you find
the final result – both this account of a short micro pilgrimage and the book –
worth the wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for reading!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-62161095514442901592019-07-27T13:51:00.000-05:002019-07-29T08:32:38.220-05:00Friday 26 July – The Shroud of Turin Museum, Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport, Louisiana<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bGDk35-n6ZG7aTloSehGTAB_xzoNe05fls_YdqRvovpTTpPR1ZdnsYnE_jLztKTj7dirADytiZzw1BG9BBiZYb20jBHMcW_wJPIb_Re9sGNvvqanz0cJNJz53JCGMF3JMbnIwNiICuAV/s1600/Museum+inside+%2528from+their+website%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="448" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bGDk35-n6ZG7aTloSehGTAB_xzoNe05fls_YdqRvovpTTpPR1ZdnsYnE_jLztKTj7dirADytiZzw1BG9BBiZYb20jBHMcW_wJPIb_Re9sGNvvqanz0cJNJz53JCGMF3JMbnIwNiICuAV/s320/Museum+inside+%2528from+their+website%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Museum web page [<a href="http://www.museumoftheholyshroud.net/index.htm" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes – Shreveport, Louisiana.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shreveport, Louisiana, possesses the
third-largest collection of materials related to the Holy Shroud of Turin <i>in
the world.</i> Which is absolutely amazing, when you think about it. How did
Shreveport come to be the home of such treasures?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The tale can be told a couple of
different ways. I will start it in Shreveport itself, with a happy confluence
of events bringing together two individuals with longstanding interest in the
Shroud.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR-91da0H5-Lk5fBDNyu6Kd1cWCe6D4Nm7EqM3D9T7SiwzvefyGF7gzNlnGjfQaUK4J3EZaw54QvRTEuBU2yJZe8ULJQiRxU6zPeu1YvLzJi2EtF1cKn-C18nzG7OvThSjA3LwDZzpf6W/s1600/Fr+Peter+Mangum_434x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="435" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR-91da0H5-Lk5fBDNyu6Kd1cWCe6D4Nm7EqM3D9T7SiwzvefyGF7gzNlnGjfQaUK4J3EZaw54QvRTEuBU2yJZe8ULJQiRxU6zPeu1YvLzJi2EtF1cKn-C18nzG7OvThSjA3LwDZzpf6W/s200/Fr+Peter+Mangum_434x600.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Cathedral website<br />
[<a href="http://sjbdevotion.com/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One is Very Rev. Peter Mangum, Rector of the
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans (and current Diocesan Administrator since Shreveport
is <i>sede vacante, </i>without a Bishop, although that fact has little to do with the story). I
have actually known Fr. Mangum for several years now, as he was the priest from
Shreveport who accompanied the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of
Guadalupe in Mexico City in February 2016 led by Dr. Taylor Marshall [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/mexico-2016.html">LINK</a>]. He is
also a mentor of sorts to a young man who proved invaluable to continuing the
Traditional Latin Mass at my church, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
in Natchitoches, Louisiana (about seventy miles south of Shreveport), having
trained Chris Maples to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Extraordinary
Form at a time when a priest willing to continue the TLM but essentially
untrained and inexperienced in it was assigned to the Basilica in July 2016. Over
the course of the past three years Christ helped Fr. Blake Deshautelle get up
to speed in the TLM and also trained several interested young men as servers
as well as up to undertaking the duties of an MC themselves. One is entering seminary this fall.
But this post is not about Chris, except that it was through him that I learned
a couple of years ago that Fr. Mangum had begun a podcast examining the
question, <i>Who is the Man on the Shroud?</i>, in tandem with a second
individual….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbHJMhVe_i4lHiLbZycZChc2Edtxt2_gGc9yHGikV4lKIxmMRV3G0vfcxVD-4vjWxi5QcWW3Iz-aZojwNUyFQ8JxaZywxR3KRPr7R8NhKyKFnSbgsL4gbjXwNAbGV9JB4Bzlf7tz1XW3k/s1600/Dr+Cheryl+White_570x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="570" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbHJMhVe_i4lHiLbZycZChc2Edtxt2_gGc9yHGikV4lKIxmMRV3G0vfcxVD-4vjWxi5QcWW3Iz-aZojwNUyFQ8JxaZywxR3KRPr7R8NhKyKFnSbgsL4gbjXwNAbGV9JB4Bzlf7tz1XW3k/s200/Dr+Cheryl+White_570x600.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: LSU-Shreveport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That other individual is Dr. Cheryl
White, Professor of History at Louisiana State University in
Shreveport. Dr. White had grown interested in the Shroud at the very beginning
of her academic career, in the heady days of the early 1980s when scientific
results from the first-ever large-scale, systematic study of the Shroud was conducted
by what came to be known as “STURP,” the S[hroud of] TU[rin] R[esearch] P[roject],
in October 1978. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15_HDhG-Pr6EeDO9-DUVeHXu3Z6CycRJiq8Rq2AiVJNMyI8zLc6BXSN2N-HwxV95ZYYnXCeX6X_EymowmzMC2KUAPLaghaZboOvVNiDQVRjznDlSleGRpq_wJYQJnfre3l1mfswUzNFOX/s1600/STURP_800x540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="800" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15_HDhG-Pr6EeDO9-DUVeHXu3Z6CycRJiq8Rq2AiVJNMyI8zLc6BXSN2N-HwxV95ZYYnXCeX6X_EymowmzMC2KUAPLaghaZboOvVNiDQVRjznDlSleGRpq_wJYQJnfre3l1mfswUzNFOX/s200/STURP_800x540.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Shroud.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Without going into too much detail, while generally raising
more questions than it answered regarding how such an article came to be (a
frequent occurrence in Shroud studies), STURP’s findings consistently supported
the provenance of the Shroud as an ancient, probably 1<sup>st</sup>-c., burial
cloth bearing the ghostly image of a tortured and crucified man whose peculiar
pattern of wounds matched those described for only one man in history – Jesus Christ.
The devastating news that the Shroud had been “proven” to be a medieval
artifact, probably of the early 14<sup>th</sup> c., by the 1988 Carbon 14
dating did not destroy her interest in it as it did so many others, because she
recognized that, given its constellation of peculiar properties, determining
how the Shroud was “forged” would itself entail an enormous amount of research
and likely revolutionize what we know about the Middle Ages. She was, moreover,
disturbed by the obviously smug satisfaction with which the results were
announced, emphasized by an exclamation point following the putative dates: “1260-1390<b>!</b>”<b> </b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrxhmUl3ZEtkAk3pOUkv7n4d6etcEd4wV_uDYvnM2iKpnwUBPkakGZYT-9Xoho7kXP7bzzlS2Vzn9WFIFm2QA2NmHRWDxHtfC2VBapabG2uPPI_a6_aMvumAhiEi1rvG5fwfeuvSNbUZx/s1600/1988+C14+dating_800x468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="800" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrxhmUl3ZEtkAk3pOUkv7n4d6etcEd4wV_uDYvnM2iKpnwUBPkakGZYT-9Xoho7kXP7bzzlS2Vzn9WFIFm2QA2NmHRWDxHtfC2VBapabG2uPPI_a6_aMvumAhiEi1rvG5fwfeuvSNbUZx/s200/1988+C14+dating_800x468.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Shroud.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And, despite the matter having been laid to rest, so to speak, with more
data and studies quietly becoming available from the 1978 testing, incorporating
new ways of testing samples taken at that time which were being developed all
the time – compounded with failure after failure of any proposed theory for how
a putative medieval artist would have produced the Shroud – it became
increasingly obvious that the results of the 1988 C14 testing were a lone outlier
inconsistent with increasingly overwhelming evidence, just as scientific, that
absolutely contradicted them. She concluded that the Shroud had to be exactly
what it appeared to be – the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiNdeJoPkBJMXvezn6l8lhLheEcz6ofGcwhqry6X2vDX0bO7iGPiGRQsvPl7l049ZVFEj0UvAOoUAkDiPhAxLtarqCtQD165z6HfMhTZsXk_EGzTsVzxbzDZSYIpJow-ve-MjFiezIFtH/s1600/Podcast+banner_800x229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="800" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiNdeJoPkBJMXvezn6l8lhLheEcz6ofGcwhqry6X2vDX0bO7iGPiGRQsvPl7l049ZVFEj0UvAOoUAkDiPhAxLtarqCtQD165z6HfMhTZsXk_EGzTsVzxbzDZSYIpJow-ve-MjFiezIFtH/s320/Podcast+banner_800x229.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dr. White is a parishioner at St. John
Berchmans, where she serves as Director of Adult Faith Formation, working closely
with Fr. Mangum. Their mutual devotion to the Shroud of Turin led them to
create the podcast, through which, over the course of 36 short podcast episodes,
they surveyed the entire history and breadth of Shroud studies, building the
case for the most obvious answer to the question, <i>Who is the Man on the
Shroud?</i> [<a href="https://manoftheshroud.wordpress.com/">LINK</a>] It was
and is a fascinating story, now available in the form of a book of transcripts
as well as the podcasts. It was the latter, however, as I understand it, that
came to the attention of a third individual who had a much <i>longer</i>-standing
interest in the Shroud of Turin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJYTiJa48hyqwzfyjXPtyv4oTjNAHJiyYbD46o0JMmlJQFda8Od9WLeU1wB5qFehfkKZHNH2Y7DPDUOLYOeeMSV6fSEeANCPx0R_kHcphODA2zeU4stT88eTPVIrZ4EKjFEwBA6cut4g4/s1600/Richard+Orareo_505x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="505" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJYTiJa48hyqwzfyjXPtyv4oTjNAHJiyYbD46o0JMmlJQFda8Od9WLeU1wB5qFehfkKZHNH2Y7DPDUOLYOeeMSV6fSEeANCPx0R_kHcphODA2zeU4stT88eTPVIrZ4EKjFEwBA6cut4g4/s200/Richard+Orareo_505x600.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Shroudstory.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Richard Orareo, who lives in Indiana as
I understand it, became interested in the Shroud at an early age, and for more
than fifty years avidly collected everything he could get his hands on that was
connected to it. He made numerous trips to Turin and other places connected to
the Shroud’s long history, cultivating friendships with everyone involved, from
the Cardinal Archbishops of Turin to antiquities dealers, buying anything that
was offered to him but finding a great deal being given to him because of those
connections and his evident love for the Shroud. He amassed a huge collection,
third only behind that of Turin itself, and the Vatican. Now in his eighties,
he began searching for an appropriate home for the collection once he was gone.
As I understand it (<i>and I’m going to leave off with that qualifier – let it
be understood from here on out</i>), he offered it to such as the University of
Notre Dame, Ave Maria University, and the like, who were interested, to be sure
– but he had conditions. First, the collection should be displayed appropriately
– all of it – not relegated to a warehouse; second, it should be available to
all who might be interested in viewing it – at no cost. There may have been
others, but those are what I remember. And no one he approached would promise
to meet those conditions. Orareo had ultimately decided to bequeath the collection
to Fatima, in Portugal, and was in the process of working out the logistics, when he encountered the podcast by Fr. Mangum and Dr. White. He contacted
them, and on the day after Christmas (just last year, I believe) they went
north to Indiana to meet with him – and promised to meet any condition he might
want. By the end of that meeting it was a done deal (come to think of it,
perhaps it was Fr. Mangum’s status as Diocesan Administrator that expedited
things), and in short order several large trucks were making their way from
Indiana to Louisiana, bearing a huge amount of material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA5I8re_baYGdDHEsPfbwwCJojLQP9A-b7rp_yJsfqnmW7agr4LwTufSvGthxzbZeQKYzyGlXXtFyayyY76SgpySgRsSz3ZSWrp30V6o9N1NSHO8z0zc-O_G54pPaLd3dKKyW1sp_WSJI/s1600/Grand+Opening+pamphlet_416x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="416" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA5I8re_baYGdDHEsPfbwwCJojLQP9A-b7rp_yJsfqnmW7agr4LwTufSvGthxzbZeQKYzyGlXXtFyayyY76SgpySgRsSz3ZSWrp30V6o9N1NSHO8z0zc-O_G54pPaLd3dKKyW1sp_WSJI/s200/Grand+Opening+pamphlet_416x600.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On Saturday 04 May 2019 the Feast Day
of the Holy Shroud of Turin was celebrated with a Traditional Latin Mass in the
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport, Louisiana, celebrated by Fr. Mangum,
followed by the grand opening of the Museum of the Holy Shroud [<a href="https://www.wafb.com/2019/05/02/museum-holy-shroud-open-shreveport/">LINK</a>].
I was there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In actuality, what opened on 04 May was
only a small part of what is planned. About one-tenth of the entire collection
was set up for temporary display in the parish hall of the Cathedral, with the
rest currently residing in a warehouse where it is being catalogued, assessed,
and prepared to eventually be displayed in a permanent home. A full-blown
center for Shroud studies is planned, displaying what might be called the
Orareo Collection along with facilities for lectures and meetings and so forth.
The city of Shreveport has put its full support behind the effort, as has the state
government in Baton Rouge. When completed, the Shroud Museum is anticipated to
be a major attraction for the city and the state. What we saw was only a
fraction of what is planned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkx3_dMk60tMdnd3OqcJMeilfBTM-WuOp87tcEdNrzieHxlzuTSWGAA8Y75EbOwlzTwMk_93DsslvTzPnNZpljk1PGXOhF8Nv5tzeIG9Ys06uAuVUcNQH0lVBx6ok3q4DgtrmnjBcp-9-/s1600/Shroud+%2528museum+webpage%2529_800x201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="800" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkx3_dMk60tMdnd3OqcJMeilfBTM-WuOp87tcEdNrzieHxlzuTSWGAA8Y75EbOwlzTwMk_93DsslvTzPnNZpljk1PGXOhF8Nv5tzeIG9Ys06uAuVUcNQH0lVBx6ok3q4DgtrmnjBcp-9-/s640/Shroud+%2528museum+webpage%2529_800x201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Museum webpage [<a href="http://www.museumoftheholyshroud.net/index.htm" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5e9RwHGMXQRbj4ylR-YXdQK1E8hBWZcnx6EgsOQDy2oHI_eGoRgN7RC6ilbJSJQezmo2VeyvMCn89_br7G432WUgjJBOTAIttHCbYeAX4epLnea349ajhRm71KdFd_69MrgrT-Wlaxuw/s1600/Barrie+Schwortz_497x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="497" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5e9RwHGMXQRbj4ylR-YXdQK1E8hBWZcnx6EgsOQDy2oHI_eGoRgN7RC6ilbJSJQezmo2VeyvMCn89_br7G432WUgjJBOTAIttHCbYeAX4epLnea349ajhRm71KdFd_69MrgrT-Wlaxuw/s200/Barrie+Schwortz_497x600.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Shroud.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless, what was (and continues
to be) on display is impressive: a full-size replica of the Shroud printed on
linen by the photographer of STURP, Barrie Schwortz, from his original
negatives; one of the few existing Ricci Crucifixes, fashioned by an Italian
priest based on the image of the Shroud of Turin – and showing the brutality to
which the Man on the Shroud was subjected; the protective suit worn by the fireman
who braved the fire in Turin Cathedral in the 1990s to rescue the Shroud; numerous
books, medallions, advertisements, holy cards, depictions of the Shroud through
history, replicas of the instruments of torture that would have been used on
the man, and much, much, more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the day of the opening, it was
announced that the exhibit would be available for viewing through July, with
guided tours available by appointment to groups of ten or more. A few days
later, I mentioned it to some friends, who expressed interest in making a day
trip for such a tour, and the rest is, as they say, history. Today about a
dozen of us from the Basilica made our way to Shreveport, were greeted by Dr.
White, and received a fascinating overview of the Shroud, its history, the
controversies surrounding the 1988 C14 testing (which, it is increasingly
evident, was for all intents and purposes a fraud whose aim was not to determine
the age of the Shroud but rather to disprove its authenticity), theories about
how the image was formed, and, yes, how Shreveport came into possession of such
a treasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMKzz27XYnW0SmgqzT2Ade0MiUZlngCDeKoEi023zrp-aHYk3HfogqaiKb4eO_Ec9X1kdPWNMGnh3P3dgpBHqHw9j4Z0zXzQXf3ig9EOf3jxHqQBez9VotEkq53VRZ13uqvnJuyLH8xZI/s1600/Ricci+Crucifix+%2528from+museum+web+page%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMKzz27XYnW0SmgqzT2Ade0MiUZlngCDeKoEi023zrp-aHYk3HfogqaiKb4eO_Ec9X1kdPWNMGnh3P3dgpBHqHw9j4Z0zXzQXf3ig9EOf3jxHqQBez9VotEkq53VRZ13uqvnJuyLH8xZI/s200/Ricci+Crucifix+%2528from+museum+web+page%2529.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Museum webpage<br />
[<a href="http://www.museumoftheholyshroud.net/index.htm" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For me, at least, this day was
something of a “micro-pilgrimage.” Fr. Mangum has used the language of
pilgrimage to describe visits to the Shroud exhibit. In that he is drawing on
the long tradition of pilgrims crossing Europe during the infrequent occasions
when the Shroud would be shown to the public. The Shroud has long been an
object of pilgrims’ devotion. Here, in this exhibit, there is indeed a <i>prie-dieu</i>
set up in front of the aforementioned Ricci Crucifix, and I, at least, took
advantage of it. I made sure, before we left, to kneel before that image and
pray for the grace always to remember the sufferings that God was willing to
take on Himself for me. The Ricci Crucifix is a graphic reminder of that – but it
is still a modern depiction based on the Shroud, which may not by its nature be
as starkly graphic in its appearance as the Crucifix, but which is, I am firmly
convinced, the very cloth which covered my Lord and Savior when he was taken
down from the Crucifix in death and for the next three days until, in an
instant his body was transformed – <i>Transfigured</i> – in a burst of energy
that imprinted its image on the surface fibers of the cloth, which then
collapsed on itself to be found and described by the Beloved Disciple soon
after the dawning of the first Easter morning – and a New Creation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now on the first day of the week Mary
Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the
stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter
and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They
have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid
him."<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter then came out with the other
disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple
outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the
linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came,
following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the
napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled
up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first,
also went in, and he saw and believed. </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(John
20: 1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am convinced that what John saw, we too
can see – and similarly believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p>+ + +</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Museum of the Holy Shroud [<a href="http://www.museumoftheholyshroud.net/">LINK</a>]<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">History, Pictures, Videos, Links, etc.</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shroud.com<i> </i></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[<a href="https://www.shroud.com/">LINK</a>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The largest online repository of Shroud
information, created and maintained by Barrie Schwortz, photographer for STURP
in 1978</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: double windowtext 2.25pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note regarding pictures: I took many
pictures during this visit to the Shroud museum. To my profound disappointment,
when I got home, I found that none of them had saved to my phone’s memory. I
have no idea why. The pictures that appear above are from various online sources -- and do not do the display justice at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-36964378388275458342019-05-02T21:55:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:47:00.285-05:00Why was our tour of the Painted Churches a "Pilgrimage"?<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsHaZeQ_qXNrDbSfXJNxihEeSCwg0d-MhHmPNq_xS-1_zCmPdU0ctTogLJo9PvAKllp5xxWRvay70DeLu-dchoiT97e47YEYtJ2a_15StwBjED8tFKm4KrKLmyD_cmovmVfciNTJdf5bU/s1600/medieval-pilgrimage-e1440092052576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1122" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsHaZeQ_qXNrDbSfXJNxihEeSCwg0d-MhHmPNq_xS-1_zCmPdU0ctTogLJo9PvAKllp5xxWRvay70DeLu-dchoiT97e47YEYtJ2a_15StwBjED8tFKm4KrKLmyD_cmovmVfciNTJdf5bU/s320/medieval-pilgrimage-e1440092052576.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval Pilgrims [Source: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Dani%C3%A8le%20Cybulskie,%20%E2%80%9CMedieval%20Pilgrimages:%20It%E2%80%99s%20All%20About%20the%20Journey,%E2%80%9D%20Medievalists.net%20(http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/medieval-pilgrimages-its-all-about-the-journey/).%20Accessed%2002%20May%202019." target="_blank">LINK</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The web site of the Greater Schulenburg Chamber
of Commerce (<u><a href="https://www.schulenburgchamber.org/painted-churches-tour" target="_blank">LINK</a></u>)
refers to visits to the Painted Churches around Schulenburg as “tours,” whether
contracted through the Chamber with one of their guides such as was ours [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/texas-2019.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>], or
“self-guided.” In contrast, I call what we undertook a “pilgrimage.” What
is the difference?</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although some may dispute what follows and
consider the distinction simply one of terminology or semantics, I believe the
difference is more profound and signifies something fundamental to our Catholic
Faith. On a certain level, to be sure, pilgrimage can indeed be equated with tourism.
Both forms of travel arise from a natural human desire to visit places out of the
personal ordinary, whether it be simply to see unique or unusual sights, or on
a deeper level, to experience places where important events took place or which
were associated with important individuals – to walk the land, to breathe the
air. The latter (which includes the former, of course) I call the Power of
Place. As I have written previously [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/2018/08/reflecting-on-my-pilgrimage-to-holy-land.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>], that is something I truly realized only during and after my first real –
and belated – excursion to England and Scotland in 2008 [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/uk-2008.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]. After well over a
decade as a medieval historian specializing in those areas (during which time I
“lived” there through the medium of the written word – but the Power of the
Word is a separate essay…), physically walking the battlefield at Hastings or
strolling atop Hadrian’s Wall (and I could multiply examples) gave me a sense
of connection to events that hitherto had been, I realized, little more than
stories. I suddenly felt a closeness to persons 1000 or 1500 years gone. That
was true for the events and figures of English and Scottish history I’d long
studied – but it was nothing compared to walking in or touching the places
important in the history of my Faith as I did over the next decade or so: in
2014 on an explicitly-described “pilgrimage” to Rome and Italy sponsored by my
Basilica parish [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/italy-2014.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]; again in 2016 when I traveled to the Shrine of Guadalupe in
Mexico with the New Saint Thomas Institute [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/mexico-2016.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>; NSTI <a href="https://newsaintthomas.com/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]; and yet again in 2018, in the Holy
Land itself, with a small group sponsored by Radio Maria [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/2018-holy-land.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>; Radio Maria USA <a href="http://radiomaria.us/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]. At Guadalupe I gazed
at the <i>tilma</i> bearing the miraculous image of Our Lady from almost five hundred
years ago. In Nazareth I stood within feet of the place where the angel
announced to the maiden that she would conceive and bear a son who would be God
Himself. And in Jerusalem I touched the very peak of Calvary where He suffered
and died for me (and I could multiply examples). In these places, I felt
something more than just the Power of Place, something powerfully and
profoundly religious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That perception is, I believe, key to a
fundamental difference between tourism and pilgrimage, based on purpose. In the
case of tourism, the purpose is typically pleasure, even if educational or for
personal enrichment. In the case of pilgrimage, the purpose is some kind of
religious exercise – devotion, spiritual enrichment, what have you. As such a
religious exercise, pilgrimage is an ancient concept, one intrinsic to many
different religions through time – I would argue to virtually <i>all</i>
religions through time. The desire to visit, sacrifice at, pray at, request
favors at places associated with and important to heroes, holy men, and even
gods appears with the ancient Greeks and Romans among many others. Old
Testament Jews were commanded to go up to Jerusalem for the major “Pilgrimage
Feasts” because only there, in the Temple, could sacrifices be made (Exod. 34:
18-23; Deut. 16: 1, 9-10, 13, 16-17). In the modern world Buddhists visit
Benares where the Buddha claimed enlightenment, and Muslims are required as one
of the Five Pillars of Islam to make the <i>hajj</i> to Mecca and worship at
the <i>Ka’aba</i> at least once during their lifetime. Both of these are called
“pilgrimages.” Pilgrimages, to the Holy Land and elsewhere – Rome, Santiago de
Compostela – are attested from the very earliest days of Christianity. Even the
Crusades were conceived as “armed pilgrimages” with a strong connection to the medieval practice of penitential pilgrimage. Pilgrimage of one sort or
another seems to be a near universal impulse within religion. And yet, within
western Christianity, the term seems to be confined to Catholics. This was
brought home to me when, within months of my own pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
my Southern Baptist brother and his wife “took a trip” to the Holy Land. I
asked him, “Do y’all call it a ‘pilgrimage’?,” and received the answer, “No.”
Examination of two articles on Wikipedia seems to confirm this impression;
under neither “Pilgrimage” nor “Christian
pilgrimage” does the word “Protestant” appear, and besides the Holy Land, the
sites mentioned as Christian pilgrimage destinations are distinctively Catholic
– Rome, shrines associated with Catholic saints, with apparitions of the Virgin
Mary, and so forth. Which brought me to a question I have pondered now for some
time: Why, among western Christians, does one hear of “pilgrimage” only from
the lips of Catholics? Even in visiting the Holy Land and doing those very same
things I just described, and seeing themselves as engaged in a religious
exercise (as I know my brother and his wife did), Protestants by and large
refer to their journey simply as a “trip” or a “tour.” Why do Protestants avoid
using the term “pilgrimage” even when walking in the footsteps of Jesus? Does
that fact signify anything? And why do Catholics so readily use the term in
that context – and many others besides, including my characterization of our
tour of the Painted Churches as a “pilgrimage”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In my opinion, the difference signifies much,
arising from a fundamentally different worldview.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> In what follows, I am
limiting myself to the question of Catholic vs. Protestant usage, specifically
to that of Catholic vs. modern “Evangelical” or “Bible Protestant,” which
background I came from and have the most familiarity. Some Reformed and
Liturgical Mainline Protestants may lay more stress on an incarnationally-based
worldview closer to what I describe for Catholics. Nevertheless, there exists a
great difference between what Catholics call a “sacramental worldview,” which
Protestants largely do not possess, and a general tendency among Protestants to
see sharp division between the material and the spiritual. Foundational to
Catholic theology, grounded in the Mystery of the Incarnation, is a recognition
of the goodness of – and even a potential divinity inherent to – the material
world. God reveals Himself and comes to us through the material world. Consider
the classic definition of a Sacrament, e.g., in the Baltimore Catechism (Q.
574): “<i>A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace</i>.”
Fundamental to the “outward sign” of the Sacraments is, in almost every case,
some kind of matter – water for baptism, bread and wine for the Eucharist, etc.
Catholics envision a far closer relationship between the spiritual and the
material than do Protestants, one that allows the spiritual (Grace) to infuse
and be conveyed through the material (the matter of a Sacrament). The
invisible, transcendent, spiritual God created the material world, and saw that
it was good – and He further hallowed it by deigning to enter into it Himself,
becoming incarnate as Man while remaining God – one Being Who is both.
Protestants’ hesitance – most often refusal – to grant Our Lady her proper
status as Mother of God betrays their incomprehension of this central fact of
the Incarnation in all its consequence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the same fundamentally different –
non-sacramental – worldview originates Protestants’ incomprehension of
Catholics’ veneration of relics and saints. God’s holy ones – those who died in
a state of grace and now reside with Him in heaven – will, we are told, one day
be reunited with glorified bodies in the General Resurrection. These will not
be <i>new</i> bodies; these will be <i>their own </i>glorified bodies, the <i>same</i>
bodies they left behind at death, which will be raised up to reign with Christ
in heaven. As such, there exists some mysterious connection between the soul of
the saint in heaven and his body here on earth, forming a locus of intersection
between heaven and earth here in this world. The inscription once adorning the
tomb of the 4th-c. St. Martin of Tours attests to the antiquity of this belief:
“<i>Here lies Martin the bishop, of holy memory, whose soul is in the hand of
God; but he is fully here, present and made plain in miracles of every kind</i>.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Touch a relic, and you
touch heaven, just as in taking and eating the Consecrated Host you take and
eat the Flesh of the Son of Man – the glorified Body of Christ. This is not to
equate relics with the Blessed Sacrament, but it is to draw an analogy. Of
course, Catholic teaching recognizes as relics not just the bodily remains of
the saints (First Class Relics) but also objects they used or were associated
with in life (Second Class Relics) or which can be associated with them even by
simple physical contact after death (Third Class Relics) – and what “object”
could be more closely associated with a saint than the place he lived, where he
worked, where he taught, where he died? The Holy Land is holy not simply
because of geography, but rather because it is the land Our Lord graced with
His presence during His life, death, and Resurrection here on earth. And just
so, the altar of every Catholic church is rendered holy by the awesome mystery
that is enacted upon it in the Holy Mass, which is in fact the very same
Sacrifice Our Lord made on Calvary. Every time a Catholic attends Holy Mass,
indeed, every time a Catholic enters a Catholic church, he makes a pilgrimage
to a Place hallowed by the presence of God Himself in the Flesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The spiritualized Christianity of Protestantism
admits none of this. All-important is what they characterize as a “personal
relationship” with Christ as God, unmediated through the material in any sense.
Everything is rather <i>immaterial</i>, effectively symbolic – the “Invisible
Church” established by Christ is at best symbolized by individual congregations;
Baptism is a symbolic act of obedience effecting no change in the believer;
“The Lord’s Supper” is a mere symbol for the Body and Blood of Christ,
effective only as a remembrance of Him; As central as it is to their identity,
even the Bible in and of itself has meaning more in the words that are contained therein than in the Word they signify. Protestants thus see nothing inherently religious Holy Land as a
place. For them, it is just a place – a place, yes, where the Savior was born,
lived, died, and rose again – but just a place nonetheless. There is no
spiritual power inherent <i>in that place as a place</i>. For Protestants, it
is truly the journey that counts, not the destination, which merely serves for
them as a memorial, a reminder, something that turns their hearts and minds
toward God. For Catholics it is so much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are, admittedly, other possible
explanations for Protestants’ avoidance of the term “pilgrimage.” The
association of “pilgrimage” with visiting the shrines dedicated to Roman
Catholic saints, such as is the context for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales everyone
learns about in High School, perhaps sets up a conscious avoidance of the term
as simply too “Catholic.” Or, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">what I consider to be a prominent and
unfortunate use of the term “Pilgrims” to identify the radical Puritan
Separatist passengers on the </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mayflower</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> who landed at Plymouth in 1620.
These did not call themselves “pilgrims,” nor would they be called such for
over 170 years, until a manuscript by William Bradford was discovered in which
he referred to the group as “saints” and “pilgrims,” invoking the imagery of
Hebrews 11: 13-16. The term “Pilgrim Fathers” is first attested in a speech by
famed orator Daniel Webster during the 1820 bicentennial of the founding of the
Plymouth Colony,</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[3]</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
but quickly took hold in the popular consciousness. In reality, however, they
were religious refugees from the Established Church of England seeking a new
home where they could live and worship in freedom. That reality, I would
suggest, creates a subconscious association in the American Protestant mind
between “pilgrim” and “refugee” that, without the Catholic tradition of
pilgrimage, dissuades their usage of the term.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, to review, beyond the power of place as an
accident of geography, a coincident of event and location, in the Catholic
sacramental worldview Place gains power through the presence of the holy – the
eventually-to-be-glorified bodies of the saints, the presence of those bodies
in life and in death; the presence of Our Lord in His Incarnation – and in His Blessed
Sacrament. In the Catholic mind, going to such a Place with religious intention
– to venerate or to worship as the case may be – makes such a journey far more
than a “trip.” It makes it a pilgrimage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With regard to the specific question, Why call
a “tour” of the Painted Churches a “pilgrimage”?, my answer would be, first of
all, that for the Greater Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce to do so would be
quite wrong, that they are quite <i>right</i> to use the former term. It is a
secular civic organization, promoting the tourism facet of these artistic
treasures to a clientele of all different backgrounds. Anyone appreciating
history and beauty is a potential visitor who should be and is welcome. But for
ourselves – for Catholics, the answer is different. Indeed, it is “all of the
above.” Whether we are of the same ethnicity or not, as fellow Catholics the
simple immigrants of a century and more past, who sacrificed much to build
suitable places for worship in their new homes recalling those they had left
behind in their old countries, are our brothers in the Faith. These are, moreover,
Catholic churches, where Our Lord is present in the Sacrament and where the
Sacrifice of Calvary is made present in every Holy Mass. We went there with the
intention not just of seeing beautiful
art – and learning about an important but generally overlooked aspect of the
19th-c. immigration experience, as well as a just-as-important but
just-as-generally overlooked aspect of the Catholic Church in America – but of
honoring those simple immigrants in their deep faith and to pray there in the
churches they built to Our Lord, living and present in a way that non-Catholics
cannot possibly comprehend. Not by planning but rather by providence, we had a
wonderful Catholic docent who understood this. For all those reasons, ours was
indeed a Pilgrimage to the Painted Churches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Thanks to Rev. Ryan Humphries of the Catholic Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana, for theological advice as I considered the issues raised in this essay.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;">Although I did not make specific use of
it in composing this essay, <i>Fish Eaters </i>hosts an excellent overview of “Fundamental
Differences Between Catholics' and Other Christians' Worldviews” (<u><a href="https://www.fisheaters.com/differences.html">https://www.fisheaters.com/differences.html</a></u>),
Accessed 1 May 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;">E. Le Blant, <i>Les inscriptions
chrétienne de la Gaule </i>(Paris, 1856), 1: 240, quoted by P. Brown, <i>The
Cult of the Saints </i>(Chicago, 1981), p. 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8210654537445553624#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <i><span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "goudy old style" , serif;">History.com Editors, “The Pilgrims,” <i>History</i>
(<u><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/pilgrims">https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/pilgrims</a></u>). Accessed 1
May 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-80094053393187499022019-04-03T19:56:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:48:11.843-05:00Wednesday 03 April -- 2019 Texas Painted Churches Day 3<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeDX2Ml0YHu5g_CMtU8pfNkxfpn-Q-LjitLrD3B0uHzif-GEzcXRaTj6eZAJNdBFNKMdX4e6UagLCHuBFhDHtGsvfABkIP0hVa3aDCcH5vmmVmud4cguaIdoDJQba2VZziC-pwAKEl1kY/s1600/img20190403_19151692_800x533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeDX2Ml0YHu5g_CMtU8pfNkxfpn-Q-LjitLrD3B0uHzif-GEzcXRaTj6eZAJNdBFNKMdX4e6UagLCHuBFhDHtGsvfABkIP0hVa3aDCcH5vmmVmud4cguaIdoDJQba2VZziC-pwAKEl1kY/s400/img20190403_19151692_800x533.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Bell and Bluebonnets -- It's Texas!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today was the journey home, and although I hoped to squeeze in one more Painted Church, it was not to be.<br />
<br />
We got Blue Bell ice cream, though!<br />
<br />
Briefly, I slept in again until almost 08:00, then Anne and I went down to the lobby for breakfast. It was full -- a condition worsened by the hotel booking an 08:00 private meeting in a closed-off part of the dining area during the posted breakfast hours. Not cool! The worker minding the breakfast bar was very apologetic, and oversaw pulling together some of the lounge furniture as a makeshift expansion to the dining area that some of us used.<br />
<br />
Some of our party had left already; others passed through on their way out as we ate; some visited with us. In all, I think we were probably all out of the hotel by 09:30 or so, going our separate ways.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Anne and I made a last visit to the Kountry Kitchen Bakery, picking up some pastries to go -- leaving Schulenburg pretty much as we came into it! -- then were on the road almost exactly at 10:00. Anne needed to be back in Natchitoches to teach religion to the second graders at 18:00, so we had a little flexibility to our travels, but not a whole lot. Nevertheless, we opted to head directly north out of Schulenburg. I had gotten a little confused by the two different lists of churches I was dealing with in my research -- one of Painted Churches and one of churches I was finding Masses at -- and was thinking there was a Painted Church in LaGrange, about a half-hour or so north of Schulenburg. It was cloudy but not so cool, and the sun came out in the afternoon, I think about the time we hit Lufkin.<br />
<br />
We easily found Sacred Heart Catholic Church there in LaGrange-- and it obviously was not historic, being rather a modern structure, with some kind of construction going on to boot. Only then did I consult the comprehensive list of Painted Churches the guides had shared with me yesterday and find out for sure there is no Painted Church in LaGrange. So we continued on.<br />
<br />
There were a few navigation errors along the way, but it was a very scenic trip. Even without a couple of stops, this route would have taken a few minutes longer than the suggested route basically via Houston, but it was much more rewarding. We passed through a number of small Texas towns and saw a good deal of the various Texas wildflowers, Anne was absolutely gobsmacked when we came to Round Top right in the middle of a <i>HUGE </i>flea market that literally stretched from one end of town to the other. Apparently it's an annual thing* -- and I put two and two together and suspect <i>that's</i> the real reason all the hotels in Schulenburg were sold out, because there is no way that little town (Pop. 90, according to the sign -- but someone had scrawled two more zeroes to the end...) could accommodate as many people as we saw. She is already plotting a "sissy-trip" for herself and her sisters to gather there next year.... We also made our way to the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, and although we did not have time to go through the tour, we did have time to stop for ice cream in the little shop.<br />
<br />
And then it was drive, drive, drive, with only a couple of pit stops, arriving back home about 17:00. By then we'd been hearing from others in our group that they were either at their destinations or home.<br />
<br />
And so ended a very short, but very worthwhile, pilgrimage to the Painted Churches of Texas. We have good friends. I'm already plotting a second such "micro-pilgrimage" ... the Mission Churches of San Antonio...? ... EWTN?<br />
<br />
------------<br />
* Actually, it's a three-times-a-year thing. Read more about it here [<a href="https://www.roundtoptexasantiques.com/about" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZrMTvEOI7D-jNAqN3BIxmob1ZlvmKd2YgFvNx1bdIFoGuAlK99qI1F-FPs57bfgZnd9qB7zlw3V_lwpmlBTWV-vtpp1XU1bpvCetTrwrM3xAtSYAyhwG2NLkfvf1YrtJLuwf13FNN9Rf/s1600/IMG_20190403_112112661_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZrMTvEOI7D-jNAqN3BIxmob1ZlvmKd2YgFvNx1bdIFoGuAlK99qI1F-FPs57bfgZnd9qB7zlw3V_lwpmlBTWV-vtpp1XU1bpvCetTrwrM3xAtSYAyhwG2NLkfvf1YrtJLuwf13FNN9Rf/s400/IMG_20190403_112112661_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHOT4KSJ7pvyZ1ek1jE-Lz6ejn_06jVqJ_oivyadRUJppYPXg35ZgxuAuAo0dqpRSt4WJdzePrTyNZBl1O_aiJ1CcoLUjjMV3YtLj0c52rCD7d6u1OnTd1_eh8fCBIFsvoyywwlkzLhaj/s1600/IMG_20190403_114320931_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHOT4KSJ7pvyZ1ek1jE-Lz6ejn_06jVqJ_oivyadRUJppYPXg35ZgxuAuAo0dqpRSt4WJdzePrTyNZBl1O_aiJ1CcoLUjjMV3YtLj0c52rCD7d6u1OnTd1_eh8fCBIFsvoyywwlkzLhaj/s400/IMG_20190403_114320931_450x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paritially-eaten Triple Chocolate on the left,<br />
and Chocolat Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Dough on the right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDefTEFvySeaclChS-waZR-seGyMMWCkbc6mGmFTtY26KppDGZXjfg1R-YTdzZdqSCh3FwO2PxerxatvuQvGNw7L95NX1SVBD4zGr7KwfDVNhcoDvQ3y04M-fYPNtmjqKfuOk_CY32Jt64/s1600/IMG_20190403_114922780_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDefTEFvySeaclChS-waZR-seGyMMWCkbc6mGmFTtY26KppDGZXjfg1R-YTdzZdqSCh3FwO2PxerxatvuQvGNw7L95NX1SVBD4zGr7KwfDVNhcoDvQ3y04M-fYPNtmjqKfuOk_CY32Jt64/s400/IMG_20190403_114922780_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-40741928223706838932019-04-02T22:29:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:48:45.860-05:00Tuesday 02 April -- 2019 Texas Painted Churches Day 2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkUEf1UTuThrjs6Cu2n1xt-ye-iotfuUBdW1ZoSr4mtKw8hlrWxve8RZEo-lyefSg_2XAJEWvvcWdZOFiQhcXF8IUqK9ZPZOISDY2_4g7qYWJw_C-9BpIWEk73S3nuyPFl6m71Wn6K1aL/s1600/20190402_162325+edited_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkUEf1UTuThrjs6Cu2n1xt-ye-iotfuUBdW1ZoSr4mtKw8hlrWxve8RZEo-lyefSg_2XAJEWvvcWdZOFiQhcXF8IUqK9ZPZOISDY2_4g7qYWJw_C-9BpIWEk73S3nuyPFl6m71Wn6K1aL/s400/20190402_162325+edited_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Sydney, Sonny, Susan, Sue, Rita, Gwen, JoAnn, Ray,<br />
Jeff, Carol, Anne, Kent, and our guide Wanda<br />
Church of the Assumption of Mary, Praha</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although it was very cool -- mid 30s F -- when we first got up, it was an almost cloudless blue sky and warmed up nicely into the low 70s. It was perfect weather for our pilgrimage tour of the Painted Churches<br />
<br />
Our hotel had a complementary breakfast bar in the lobby from 06:00-09:00. I got to bed late, woke up a couple of times and took a while to go back to sleep, and then slept best in those early-morning hours.... Anne woke me up about 08:00. I hurriedly got ready and we headed down to breakfast, including the requisite Texas-shaped Belgian Waffle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsFaJyji_lCIKT1xEToZzBxB7Q4wrrTe_xOk52FjaU1SZKNNx4HSsfNd9UZ6lWzXrVivhvZDCr7dybsm_1AKtzktfZzt_QGMFTOgBjDNrG-oTP5YGoi_a5J2iL-J1uk303sPwIzy9d4Ue/s1600/20090320-fixedzachtexas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsFaJyji_lCIKT1xEToZzBxB7Q4wrrTe_xOk52FjaU1SZKNNx4HSsfNd9UZ6lWzXrVivhvZDCr7dybsm_1AKtzktfZzt_QGMFTOgBjDNrG-oTP5YGoi_a5J2iL-J1uk303sPwIzy9d4Ue/s320/20090320-fixedzachtexas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Yeah</i>! Texas!</div>
<br />
Most of our party had already been there, but we visited with a couple.<br />
<br />
I had sent out a text that Anne and I were heading for the Chamber of Commerce/Tourists' Center for 09:30, with the tour to begin at 10:00. We settled up with the Chamber and met our tour guide, the delightful Wanda, as our group assembled there. I purchased my usual coffee mug as well as a large map with an extensive description of the local churches and a DVD of a 2001 documentary about the Painted Churches. The Chamber made reservations for our lunch for 13:00 at Sirilo's Cafe (the other suggestion was the Oak Ridge Smokehouse which we'd had supper at last night), and we headed out pretty much dead on 10:00. We were three vehicles; Wanda rode with Anne and myself and one other of our number, Sydney; the nine others of our group distributed between two vehicles that followed us. We in the lead car therefore benefited from Wanda's running commentary on much else about Schulenburg besides the Painted Churches.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
I had asked Wanda when I first met her in the Chamber of Commerce office if she minded if I a) recorded her on video, and b) if she minded if I posted some of that video on my blog. I was first introduced to her sense of humor when she responded she would have to pass it by her agent -- herself -- and that her agent had no problem with it. So I ended up recording quite a bit at each church. Generally I did a walk-through of the church, then captured Wanda's extended commentary as a separate video. That latter was so thorough regarding the history and information about both the churches and the communities that built them, their maintenance and restoration, and so forth, that my first inclination is not to write up an extensive description, but limit myself to impressions. Knowing me, I'll probably come back and put at least short written overviews to supplement Wanda's.<br />
<br />
Our first stop was another Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Dubina. At least, it was "another" for Anne and myself after yesterday's excursion to Shiner's Sts. Cyril and Methodius. But our self-guided walk-through in Shiner would not have been possible here; the priest who has charge of the Dubina church keeps it locked to all except guided tours. Drop-ins can walk into the foyer, and view the church through a large iron gate, but not walk around inside unsupervised.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3n089K2m0Sw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3n089K2m0Sw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wanda began with a short overview outside the church.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc4Zmx6QaczhbjAhiUtjflLA-NdBE9t9I1Tl5ciH9CCBtv5ka9cHWPxZB3GuqM8PNT0slvQecxp4UEv0If9WVDINZS80j1QU38wYqMwAvJnUZrnr1prGNMHkM2LW1cfyKZcfvT1_hG2T-/s1600/20190402_101420+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc4Zmx6QaczhbjAhiUtjflLA-NdBE9t9I1Tl5ciH9CCBtv5ka9cHWPxZB3GuqM8PNT0slvQecxp4UEv0If9WVDINZS80j1QU38wYqMwAvJnUZrnr1prGNMHkM2LW1cfyKZcfvT1_hG2T-/s400/20190402_101420+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoe-_LEhELpE2XFlJyElm_RbS1YscpzQrGAANn22txsIetIUe1FW9DLJk56vJEItxHtScwFmfbt1qTOG_SgPiyR0fK74tliRCRxHQgjTw2rp5MM_4qnosZ04HbFlDacMCFs_5dmNKp83t/s1600/20190402_101621+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoe-_LEhELpE2XFlJyElm_RbS1YscpzQrGAANn22txsIetIUe1FW9DLJk56vJEItxHtScwFmfbt1qTOG_SgPiyR0fK74tliRCRxHQgjTw2rp5MM_4qnosZ04HbFlDacMCFs_5dmNKp83t/s400/20190402_101621+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM0vOcmI4U4ZlLtsyFLWTanBcSjT2cvXELsZdrraAXPhWSvVvDqgRPFZF6eIuwSELMed3gWu5NJ9eMTVQ0N0JHJ8KWOqJJy_CQ43Fkwv9Us8YCKNaLEkkz6Dcjl-3FCzG7mW90uNoU7w6/s1600/DSCF3772_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="628" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM0vOcmI4U4ZlLtsyFLWTanBcSjT2cvXELsZdrraAXPhWSvVvDqgRPFZF6eIuwSELMed3gWu5NJ9eMTVQ0N0JHJ8KWOqJJy_CQ43Fkwv9Us8YCKNaLEkkz6Dcjl-3FCzG7mW90uNoU7w6/s400/DSCF3772_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3Dj0uBB_f-xjktmzN47bh2E6YlhKD6AZ5LQ2yVf1MBN9Nc9E77n88I_iR-Ip5cWCZXkteFG2JY2TWdhp8VrepMwoVyfYknf-LlUELHV2PblImO0gV92r3XU2Z0O-ovFZ7EDDAQp7Mn5R/s1600/20190402_101805+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3Dj0uBB_f-xjktmzN47bh2E6YlhKD6AZ5LQ2yVf1MBN9Nc9E77n88I_iR-Ip5cWCZXkteFG2JY2TWdhp8VrepMwoVyfYknf-LlUELHV2PblImO0gV92r3XU2Z0O-ovFZ7EDDAQp7Mn5R/s400/20190402_101805+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KlFdYkSB9do/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KlFdYkSB9do?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Walk-through</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmo_wr_sVKR3_CQN70TIANvVsMS5XieJsnBs4zzFe736tvHq2bzo21OP1A4sek92hPN437YB76Ux_QkquYEL8rh0PggcG5AQJaG0RuReqS1fz3EmTJ-LyGdPh9XDQm1aoZ_CxWkHKcYTB/s1600/20190402_101946+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmo_wr_sVKR3_CQN70TIANvVsMS5XieJsnBs4zzFe736tvHq2bzo21OP1A4sek92hPN437YB76Ux_QkquYEL8rh0PggcG5AQJaG0RuReqS1fz3EmTJ-LyGdPh9XDQm1aoZ_CxWkHKcYTB/s400/20190402_101946+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48-F6blAG9VIFPOtY8UJnz0Hr-kKK9UiW8Z7A6JOG6z2eVTgkVAei0H96VO0KkmEPwPD82350NSFNLHtgSgtUWr5eOmbVhqjDQa_W9iZPW4VgZJadfx0La8viz-N8QHY8ciGr8OTg1gse/s1600/20190402_101951+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48-F6blAG9VIFPOtY8UJnz0Hr-kKK9UiW8Z7A6JOG6z2eVTgkVAei0H96VO0KkmEPwPD82350NSFNLHtgSgtUWr5eOmbVhqjDQa_W9iZPW4VgZJadfx0La8viz-N8QHY8ciGr8OTg1gse/s400/20190402_101951+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s3vb8lhD9xs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s3vb8lhD9xs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wanda's commentary inside Dubina Painted Church</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNAsvJMkRkTnLTs20zwE-Wx_dbojhxd_woJNUwjH_AeE3HkXlN1GGrJS2jEp_B3EsPUai3xMM3FbRiAnE_HHoZZqFo0e4rYKdDyGkHPxt5dgvdd93uXT1B_DW4ZyLEe5o24tFG6pZcmiF/s1600/20190402_104331+-+Copy_800x586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="800" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNAsvJMkRkTnLTs20zwE-Wx_dbojhxd_woJNUwjH_AeE3HkXlN1GGrJS2jEp_B3EsPUai3xMM3FbRiAnE_HHoZZqFo0e4rYKdDyGkHPxt5dgvdd93uXT1B_DW4ZyLEe5o24tFG6pZcmiF/s400/20190402_104331+-+Copy_800x586.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNidNQRpsiuHcKhf8rWt2D5MvE1EEJwIVhJvPn24m5LHrOcbRknfQZh6kjEFBR1UNR9i_snIvEzjRs3fHrrII0vQQJLVoXYpeG4a5mLuCdLwr_F2jh4xD_R61TWAsI5vlB5uiB5f39tC7f/s1600/DSCF3786_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="513" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNidNQRpsiuHcKhf8rWt2D5MvE1EEJwIVhJvPn24m5LHrOcbRknfQZh6kjEFBR1UNR9i_snIvEzjRs3fHrrII0vQQJLVoXYpeG4a5mLuCdLwr_F2jh4xD_R61TWAsI5vlB5uiB5f39tC7f/s400/DSCF3786_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfY8DDMc8Xrj1B8ksXDrhJdRFA-bB_b6spZOJJSk1x53QCipgqQak9RX6XL69YPteICoEFvBv9Xo1LZSrbr46RmxFgZmkC9wOVjRQ5N0Jg65nRA5bvczjjvOrK3Wi1QMB3wf_ysC7ooBCz/s1600/20190402_104447+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="581" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfY8DDMc8Xrj1B8ksXDrhJdRFA-bB_b6spZOJJSk1x53QCipgqQak9RX6XL69YPteICoEFvBv9Xo1LZSrbr46RmxFgZmkC9wOVjRQ5N0Jg65nRA5bvczjjvOrK3Wi1QMB3wf_ysC7ooBCz/s400/20190402_104447+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoz491kT4LO2w8tOzROTmfRfhWJjKuAEbRLQvgvyLBY9Khzgpok8CvQg2UmBqQEfoTO7y0m7yPAYuAKpDSYBHTDgTYAX3sUaQXjSC54zGDOZFuRwEs660mjuPCo2MWWdGEkxTymPKn3ty/s1600/20190402_104538+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoz491kT4LO2w8tOzROTmfRfhWJjKuAEbRLQvgvyLBY9Khzgpok8CvQg2UmBqQEfoTO7y0m7yPAYuAKpDSYBHTDgTYAX3sUaQXjSC54zGDOZFuRwEs660mjuPCo2MWWdGEkxTymPKn3ty/s400/20190402_104538+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsyJxfY3q3amqdkAay7WF9r_mmIfsyhwSZeznZog0IfEr0AcpotxiMirH3b6OTkv8WlKwleKHDosRnPMLtVXDdUUi-ZvElY7bZ97T5UZGy2HZZXfEPe0Z7eSzd69KAnJhahH5aH8-jHVc/s1600/DSCF3781_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="547" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsyJxfY3q3amqdkAay7WF9r_mmIfsyhwSZeznZog0IfEr0AcpotxiMirH3b6OTkv8WlKwleKHDosRnPMLtVXDdUUi-ZvElY7bZ97T5UZGy2HZZXfEPe0Z7eSzd69KAnJhahH5aH8-jHVc/s400/DSCF3781_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lyjTZXxWNdukrziPfi03GPd2gvNbqTdoDH-gqPQyWRHu1BotMFsgkGJQZy5CZLGhLxhzYw9cyOVDhpLtL9AMp_rSGFxFVZg29YgL-ILZeE2J-5LdOyAjHaNf5a0mYxAu98NyyjvDqtaY/s1600/20190402_104623+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lyjTZXxWNdukrziPfi03GPd2gvNbqTdoDH-gqPQyWRHu1BotMFsgkGJQZy5CZLGhLxhzYw9cyOVDhpLtL9AMp_rSGFxFVZg29YgL-ILZeE2J-5LdOyAjHaNf5a0mYxAu98NyyjvDqtaY/s400/20190402_104623+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOVJl7yh_OqQCx7ECPRjaBTBRlrwFesh9Qo8jKwfbSVu3Wzo6IBZDFwnyZltCq9tv06hbw_DwAYY8yNTJ9dSGZfyjSmQlUWgjXX6taLX3QvV40CCec_FKb86_2c9dm0-u33l7UgJzH3qT/s1600/20190402_104635+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOVJl7yh_OqQCx7ECPRjaBTBRlrwFesh9Qo8jKwfbSVu3Wzo6IBZDFwnyZltCq9tv06hbw_DwAYY8yNTJ9dSGZfyjSmQlUWgjXX6taLX3QvV40CCec_FKb86_2c9dm0-u33l7UgJzH3qT/s400/20190402_104635+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RXqlrWvZX5UURbymqRcgMizmx_xJn9DZNvo9IWb6igBfA-X9Cm8YrMAMgwtSN9Rb3C-EUa9gAsZtjc3THdQB2-Jvju6aVWuQDB2Awe1ojhHONws2mvR4kF_TKC5BmHHDIsUbhyphenhyphenNzn1uk/s1600/DSCF3794_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RXqlrWvZX5UURbymqRcgMizmx_xJn9DZNvo9IWb6igBfA-X9Cm8YrMAMgwtSN9Rb3C-EUa9gAsZtjc3THdQB2-Jvju6aVWuQDB2Awe1ojhHONws2mvR4kF_TKC5BmHHDIsUbhyphenhyphenNzn1uk/s400/DSCF3794_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVLNv90J7doZhr3bx3-x3_pEPp_0Bcqz2pA2vLfleIHe5PLhk8VSh_mkYnl8WHYeLm9fOyQya0-MQzx5y7A-0nYkV35Uy2HkhfGYTrlsN-VEzyHgGevjniFaqKxU2O_rLnrZ9D9GIrS8X/s1600/DSCF3795_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVLNv90J7doZhr3bx3-x3_pEPp_0Bcqz2pA2vLfleIHe5PLhk8VSh_mkYnl8WHYeLm9fOyQya0-MQzx5y7A-0nYkV35Uy2HkhfGYTrlsN-VEzyHgGevjniFaqKxU2O_rLnrZ9D9GIrS8X/s400/DSCF3795_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2hLvqpkMc8pkLoLepg7RZSuyp7T5XhiAjmiQDWNwkYuAThSAdGZbAQvqEW7zCPwC3yzydzWrcQgmxGmnZAUtCCjU6E7b6qCEt2-8fF0CCZdHs5H-F-kXMH_zofyajzSPdXZO9OMUdP7O/s1600/20190402_105312+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2hLvqpkMc8pkLoLepg7RZSuyp7T5XhiAjmiQDWNwkYuAThSAdGZbAQvqEW7zCPwC3yzydzWrcQgmxGmnZAUtCCjU6E7b6qCEt2-8fF0CCZdHs5H-F-kXMH_zofyajzSPdXZO9OMUdP7O/s400/20190402_105312+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
These are small, very patriotic communities,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
whose sons have paid the price for the </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
freedoms we enjoy.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tghhvWFFh-xH4kM-jFacJfZuVxD15PcyT7v1_pDabdJQDDXn-b2vOnO8PBiJHx4Oy-JPhGMN5Wjm-4f4w_vnCB-CFVB22KJMz02tiVn6Sw6WKAd9lm0quvj3wbGi4O7eoHVwOtX2OHR8/s1600/20190402_105414+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tghhvWFFh-xH4kM-jFacJfZuVxD15PcyT7v1_pDabdJQDDXn-b2vOnO8PBiJHx4Oy-JPhGMN5Wjm-4f4w_vnCB-CFVB22KJMz02tiVn6Sw6WKAd9lm0quvj3wbGi4O7eoHVwOtX2OHR8/s400/20190402_105414+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is the view unsupervised "drop-in" </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
tourists get of the interior of the church.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMclhI0550sDmOiTzOIlv-GarDL1uELHOsbqpZGj_-ICAzCr6mzZpyjAVqXYt09ksYyE49jSWejrh9XOMdh-W3R0NUVJzPX85hyphenhyphenHI9qOAFKBIAdJGJ5AVNGEm3_KPTBYWiHxZqix52o7K5/s1600/20190402_105502+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMclhI0550sDmOiTzOIlv-GarDL1uELHOsbqpZGj_-ICAzCr6mzZpyjAVqXYt09ksYyE49jSWejrh9XOMdh-W3R0NUVJzPX85hyphenhyphenHI9qOAFKBIAdJGJ5AVNGEm3_KPTBYWiHxZqix52o7K5/s400/20190402_105502+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnd2UP6StNxBzfT1ncox8sk7klVIybPpZsyIs1pJIqmOPGa9-74wvbpeCnSdkRYpHL5hIy8ypm48vejX6hGI9o5OdU95xXU2rPNR4sE9jmxWAA-sqgGM8ej_jgAOFtrgs4xG3lfoUGTsq/s1600/20190402_105531+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnd2UP6StNxBzfT1ncox8sk7klVIybPpZsyIs1pJIqmOPGa9-74wvbpeCnSdkRYpHL5hIy8ypm48vejX6hGI9o5OdU95xXU2rPNR4sE9jmxWAA-sqgGM8ej_jgAOFtrgs4xG3lfoUGTsq/s400/20190402_105531+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Each of the churches we visited had an impressively</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
large, well-attended cemetery associated with it.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEbvZdkSjNezEq0uVloeXmkohH_Ay0wuKzEw39Hqt_lU62WzpD9FMRp1tW8m-rmY9d4Q3TLY0tt6gyD5I6tQKteQ32eDWOMDkkneJOawGNi72G5POX0fVEXCX58zdjPqxmJy38TpxXe_/s1600/20190402_105614+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEbvZdkSjNezEq0uVloeXmkohH_Ay0wuKzEw39Hqt_lU62WzpD9FMRp1tW8m-rmY9d4Q3TLY0tt6gyD5I6tQKteQ32eDWOMDkkneJOawGNi72G5POX0fVEXCX58zdjPqxmJy38TpxXe_/s400/20190402_105614+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gyd3UsGJo5yJirop4heWSvXySUjC5P43RjQm9UIum_1Hb3Nbuo-dq6nA8gh_-EP6l0a7nj9V6wV3KIU8JscaL0C2O0t-GKWHsITTm65FZiD95ChCz1_SjKObTQK2FuBBJi618a0B_-Zl/s1600/20190402_105652+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gyd3UsGJo5yJirop4heWSvXySUjC5P43RjQm9UIum_1Hb3Nbuo-dq6nA8gh_-EP6l0a7nj9V6wV3KIU8JscaL0C2O0t-GKWHsITTm65FZiD95ChCz1_SjKObTQK2FuBBJi618a0B_-Zl/s400/20190402_105652+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq50vDrZ5UgoR21u9tNVfSzqCrwgrJO4o5gv3RvAqNr3RxEMpQ-atgW7Vyx_JEnHXbB1JqCrkAUSpkALu0i5ODIKuDNnfVALPAQ-Doi3u-PIWWm4yfdUYBBZ-DPueWQpXWMKWQ3_zvZjom/s1600/20190402_105743+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq50vDrZ5UgoR21u9tNVfSzqCrwgrJO4o5gv3RvAqNr3RxEMpQ-atgW7Vyx_JEnHXbB1JqCrkAUSpkALu0i5ODIKuDNnfVALPAQ-Doi3u-PIWWm4yfdUYBBZ-DPueWQpXWMKWQ3_zvZjom/s400/20190402_105743+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's much darker soil than Louisiana red clay.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Is that why they have bluebonnets and we don't?</div>
<br />
Leaving Dubina, we went north to Ammansville, to St. John the Baptist Church.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TsMKZrBQ1tVF5riCD33cg98odxHj8qQKO_dUWS2oMziyhA8pCliw9UBbAfNg70lmEI1FRiZs_HgTRISdpRgRjgy3s4tdfwRNhb7Z8XhYfPfZTbhmzQOVaIdBWMees0RZT1UVKHPKb9y0/s1600/20190402_110942+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TsMKZrBQ1tVF5riCD33cg98odxHj8qQKO_dUWS2oMziyhA8pCliw9UBbAfNg70lmEI1FRiZs_HgTRISdpRgRjgy3s4tdfwRNhb7Z8XhYfPfZTbhmzQOVaIdBWMees0RZT1UVKHPKb9y0/s400/20190402_110942+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56-1tF2aYfeUybXJBO38RQ7JP9ha0FQnj9jdn3CGBJmGxW3CkQl2myFi9sKJoX4G5bhMKdwnEB2eujG6HcDC_GGBvR7-RAKxK71dM7tYXHIYh963MFbRf4E60nNWodPORxafQ54_zC45U/s1600/20190402_111008+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56-1tF2aYfeUybXJBO38RQ7JP9ha0FQnj9jdn3CGBJmGxW3CkQl2myFi9sKJoX4G5bhMKdwnEB2eujG6HcDC_GGBvR7-RAKxK71dM7tYXHIYh963MFbRf4E60nNWodPORxafQ54_zC45U/s400/20190402_111008+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF86VE2i4Vj_Qx8xtMelsYOBxM0GcRHZ5MGJGDEamlxyScUQdC_fiuNNBgqFlfGZDA2tuMJl3s9hZcMr0PoWAlevZAWsnWPD5KfW0nuWvNQAKY4SmKe9rZ_KTOaF99nEgFz5ZeL54V6rq/s1600/20190402_111111+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF86VE2i4Vj_Qx8xtMelsYOBxM0GcRHZ5MGJGDEamlxyScUQdC_fiuNNBgqFlfGZDA2tuMJl3s9hZcMr0PoWAlevZAWsnWPD5KfW0nuWvNQAKY4SmKe9rZ_KTOaF99nEgFz5ZeL54V6rq/s400/20190402_111111+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dSqdIl0R1zxkWdOHjBdddBV2amcnvcnAhqk1PXPQetiMZ0iqMIQ3Cg7w2OqK4Kf8-xZKs0ht8LL0T49eqLqwIyJklb5NXon97-UMMzyJfnTFhR8VbSYA9-JNtoQHaqCtNxKjP85SJy-f/s1600/20190402_111142+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dSqdIl0R1zxkWdOHjBdddBV2amcnvcnAhqk1PXPQetiMZ0iqMIQ3Cg7w2OqK4Kf8-xZKs0ht8LL0T49eqLqwIyJklb5NXon97-UMMzyJfnTFhR8VbSYA9-JNtoQHaqCtNxKjP85SJy-f/s400/20190402_111142+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
There was a lady there tending several small flower</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
gardens on the grounds. There is obviously a lot</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
of community involvement in these churches -- even</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
though they are all "mission churches," which means </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
they are serviced with <i>maybe</i> one Mass a weekend by a </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
priest of a nearby parish.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzCnir8gDe6apI2lVN73nRfG4lkYk6JiLdQBBD9IiQRP6pHKvQ6EsXL63IHZveIxFegsxNiz7HdLnhbTnb6fEcuRHPRQn-dAxg2_D5sJjAGMHKMsfsqpSuPtRUJXrwLGxmLIY4fDuDTjT/s1600/20190402_111228+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzCnir8gDe6apI2lVN73nRfG4lkYk6JiLdQBBD9IiQRP6pHKvQ6EsXL63IHZveIxFegsxNiz7HdLnhbTnb6fEcuRHPRQn-dAxg2_D5sJjAGMHKMsfsqpSuPtRUJXrwLGxmLIY4fDuDTjT/s400/20190402_111228+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio56C5kiQO48uGSc5ELyDRRk317A2RTBIylJBDRwL1agHiuaqZA4GPMWkTvdCM-qUHmmpqkKLAWwN1H_vO-eMfUSle1shtDN5UxH6iEaJWOT6ZpbWtsQODvF3CmZlfAPQdL9GAJ5e-EAvs/s1600/20190402_111330+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio56C5kiQO48uGSc5ELyDRRk317A2RTBIylJBDRwL1agHiuaqZA4GPMWkTvdCM-qUHmmpqkKLAWwN1H_vO-eMfUSle1shtDN5UxH6iEaJWOT6ZpbWtsQODvF3CmZlfAPQdL9GAJ5e-EAvs/s400/20190402_111330+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjernLDO3txQbfJ5YlIKRbgyi-aDabk0A-rogV1zVLrlTHJj583Y25B0Ssu2bLdyn4s5gTc7BGxM8QohTFUbYsJGvZlJYEsZfBIpsKko_-it_cX3YPGvaYsZEZMrWO4ZgrHZFYwye80STUt/s1600/20190402_111409+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjernLDO3txQbfJ5YlIKRbgyi-aDabk0A-rogV1zVLrlTHJj583Y25B0Ssu2bLdyn4s5gTc7BGxM8QohTFUbYsJGvZlJYEsZfBIpsKko_-it_cX3YPGvaYsZEZMrWO4ZgrHZFYwye80STUt/s400/20190402_111409+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9162nJprkftD0dtsnmf3thaT6U2s6pFtBZWGzjTNnd9S2obctvKRDiPwBT_Skykk6vd5S3pDVc-iOOypciR-PqG59BLwrIF2rwwOauJo39Ft4lySw_VkVFqiakSEeTk9OGIIoTbvPWjIv/s1600/20190402_111625+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9162nJprkftD0dtsnmf3thaT6U2s6pFtBZWGzjTNnd9S2obctvKRDiPwBT_Skykk6vd5S3pDVc-iOOypciR-PqG59BLwrIF2rwwOauJo39Ft4lySw_VkVFqiakSEeTk9OGIIoTbvPWjIv/s400/20190402_111625+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu1js-Kk7-UU5mZLKQeTVgTjnMTV0p1AFMcOlBfJIrlhFErqii_jGczmN9SVAwxEwnRdO0BczWONHOhd70CXLuZI3JKHv9_4msJo0e_JrLuOwS9aCPkgiHOylTbTBI9Wuzq6EfXDs65cq/s1600/20190402_111615+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu1js-Kk7-UU5mZLKQeTVgTjnMTV0p1AFMcOlBfJIrlhFErqii_jGczmN9SVAwxEwnRdO0BczWONHOhd70CXLuZI3JKHv9_4msJo0e_JrLuOwS9aCPkgiHOylTbTBI9Wuzq6EfXDs65cq/s400/20190402_111615+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGklWl3Jq8SaGVlvd-e5xCSih1ynqNaD7mLN6wHUHMsy7hNip12kaUuXVspMs8WHTX9DaO4scv_uAqJqsInduuNgZ-H4lMO7mWqo3HIIWS3XWvsZRbgaH1T8rW6kEt06S52i3R6ZjuPov/s1600/DSCF3805_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGklWl3Jq8SaGVlvd-e5xCSih1ynqNaD7mLN6wHUHMsy7hNip12kaUuXVspMs8WHTX9DaO4scv_uAqJqsInduuNgZ-H4lMO7mWqo3HIIWS3XWvsZRbgaH1T8rW6kEt06S52i3R6ZjuPov/s400/DSCF3805_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvGbM7WS9ShHmxOguuzttZ0vlgPQP4iUFrQLhFA1ZyBcevHYBuEo-8GAiXhu0IiHU5r8dD_PIlAzz7gOylZN8vDWBkXP9uKRNCON4hvg2dtV5h7_lhKTbOlVVD3s3xV32BmkqKkYWZzsf/s1600/20190402_111605+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvGbM7WS9ShHmxOguuzttZ0vlgPQP4iUFrQLhFA1ZyBcevHYBuEo-8GAiXhu0IiHU5r8dD_PIlAzz7gOylZN8vDWBkXP9uKRNCON4hvg2dtV5h7_lhKTbOlVVD3s3xV32BmkqKkYWZzsf/s400/20190402_111605+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV1pleK_hOnWAxRibOEGE9sy_lKftszenCYcpwqFaF8_tgeZNounyPyLTxMpDx4Zv0Qt4FeoV5NVsxoNxto8m3YzTUdNfI475pWW9DHBDX5zkjhAvw3hs6tu_JlDiGE2oFIvhH_6FPTVv/s1600/20190402_111525+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV1pleK_hOnWAxRibOEGE9sy_lKftszenCYcpwqFaF8_tgeZNounyPyLTxMpDx4Zv0Qt4FeoV5NVsxoNxto8m3YzTUdNfI475pWW9DHBDX5zkjhAvw3hs6tu_JlDiGE2oFIvhH_6FPTVv/s400/20190402_111525+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBzhInWeo7UY5M-wu-WS-qT84wXroUc1N9oAfAJH2kruMeyNovnsvXBcOvmII2OUVYpv3V-C3Vo-ctuSaVaEALrbp8wvAxFT0XkETvYD4sEW1TcopPpCbUIPvHjH0q0EzNdHSluViP9z2/s1600/20190402_111431+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBzhInWeo7UY5M-wu-WS-qT84wXroUc1N9oAfAJH2kruMeyNovnsvXBcOvmII2OUVYpv3V-C3Vo-ctuSaVaEALrbp8wvAxFT0XkETvYD4sEW1TcopPpCbUIPvHjH0q0EzNdHSluViP9z2/s400/20190402_111431+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTwoXoZlyI43kMRmrNTjdtOHvqjgtU3m6ySA2AsBvD94t_aP4lH_okiPC5c38lG_2LTqo0LZp_nkP-bHs5_R60mhawGR92cRs7UHkV8ULerg9NxWQHTuMSLqWM87C7UNPpHr7jVyHp4qa/s1600/20190402_111634+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTwoXoZlyI43kMRmrNTjdtOHvqjgtU3m6ySA2AsBvD94t_aP4lH_okiPC5c38lG_2LTqo0LZp_nkP-bHs5_R60mhawGR92cRs7UHkV8ULerg9NxWQHTuMSLqWM87C7UNPpHr7jVyHp4qa/s400/20190402_111634+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTTPBnF7U7ypYT7IjX4-pa3Kzcf2BmYXgYHB-LoqJcfShMLJJEjmhmu0Ia1V8cvdt5Q2KaiTY_nFgkxpDsxmozb_u2IbrWXagl0Y_LGYg5ioj6MsU_evHB20My5cVnZN2qZ_-e8hS_crp/s1600/20190402_112116+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTTPBnF7U7ypYT7IjX4-pa3Kzcf2BmYXgYHB-LoqJcfShMLJJEjmhmu0Ia1V8cvdt5Q2KaiTY_nFgkxpDsxmozb_u2IbrWXagl0Y_LGYg5ioj6MsU_evHB20My5cVnZN2qZ_-e8hS_crp/s400/20190402_112116+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1919 - The year the church was rebuilt, set into the steps</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
leading up to the main entrance. It is the third church. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The original church was built in 1890 -- </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1909. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A second church was built -- </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
it burned to the ground within a few years. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The third church is now one hundred years old.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyoqQVXS82bihD0i_BIiqg8FS9_-C8h1GIMH-tuVvri1rQuVcCvs1khXVwU5P8JEaxQ9uBvr1cFIKN20UpCDg9WKrEn4XVuXimKSad9O4fuwWMFmu96OOSolEFtaW4GeFebc2ZSntoPVd/s1600/20190402_112402+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyoqQVXS82bihD0i_BIiqg8FS9_-C8h1GIMH-tuVvri1rQuVcCvs1khXVwU5P8JEaxQ9uBvr1cFIKN20UpCDg9WKrEn4XVuXimKSad9O4fuwWMFmu96OOSolEFtaW4GeFebc2ZSntoPVd/s400/20190402_112402+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OrYMJeJ4FigvV6ky3d-1R4R6FSf7_kCyxPwbF9v7LOVSs9snoYlbjuaSJNcUxqWEHQ5qXdj63XCYmVhPmVNb6_U-fOHcA9CvT45_mOxLYbwdyQOTziS6YOywFd7BCtgxv4rxabTgce-V/s1600/DSCF3810_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="509" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OrYMJeJ4FigvV6ky3d-1R4R6FSf7_kCyxPwbF9v7LOVSs9snoYlbjuaSJNcUxqWEHQ5qXdj63XCYmVhPmVNb6_U-fOHcA9CvT45_mOxLYbwdyQOTziS6YOywFd7BCtgxv4rxabTgce-V/s400/DSCF3810_800x600.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQT1zPdOgThvPzWWEnb4RvKvXsNAXTX6mXJ5Pq69rAA6nDZr27Jpwx-OgBlhYzIQniCxuYU8e_B39_mhTd-E8Ks4yO7AIgbLyrwZny6HGlJVceFbGYJ8o6Ae0oriXzTZv6igtEli9T17m/s1600/DSCF3812+edited_400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQT1zPdOgThvPzWWEnb4RvKvXsNAXTX6mXJ5Pq69rAA6nDZr27Jpwx-OgBlhYzIQniCxuYU8e_B39_mhTd-E8Ks4yO7AIgbLyrwZny6HGlJVceFbGYJ8o6Ae0oriXzTZv6igtEli9T17m/s400/DSCF3812+edited_400x600.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_QsveidfM3EZQ9dGoTXEXePEllOaod0UMszR9KcLXRN5ebrd7ffCUPONVu3MWp4Q4MdEmf1vpsPweHi6at7t7JKQzG6ZgHISCMrwJRkMr_-YpMmCa6GSZxrlFSYDUxFZpCmPpKw1BwkI/s1600/20190402_112826+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_QsveidfM3EZQ9dGoTXEXePEllOaod0UMszR9KcLXRN5ebrd7ffCUPONVu3MWp4Q4MdEmf1vpsPweHi6at7t7JKQzG6ZgHISCMrwJRkMr_-YpMmCa6GSZxrlFSYDUxFZpCmPpKw1BwkI/s400/20190402_112826+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's called "The Pink Church." Guess why.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zE_4G7moDDY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zE_4G7moDDY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Walk-through</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lXTIv_l-7Rw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXTIv_l-7Rw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wanda's commentary inside the Pink Church</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52PZuhAekvr9Yo0PcmE1MP8yicR970-mass934VEyk1gGVczd1xTeq8OS4uVCxKqjuM6wGdjR7Q2qivs28tVq-bDTTrMCVakODQc8aTtoRF4D07f3LD_kMrZakoLYaHSwPhBjtDHWq_x-/s1600/DSCF3817_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52PZuhAekvr9Yo0PcmE1MP8yicR970-mass934VEyk1gGVczd1xTeq8OS4uVCxKqjuM6wGdjR7Q2qivs28tVq-bDTTrMCVakODQc8aTtoRF4D07f3LD_kMrZakoLYaHSwPhBjtDHWq_x-/s400/DSCF3817_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdC49tVYBjTuQDhu0evMmuGREFCGI_i1Rot-ocuGALMrz2btw59DN9SlNBHy_pRi5ZDVqes6D2DZLBwrwmNGvfNXeOlTJ4rZGD0ck7OcHY-ttwoQEVC8ts9z8L8Yv2MmZmvmWD80aIZ6J/s1600/DSCF3818_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdC49tVYBjTuQDhu0evMmuGREFCGI_i1Rot-ocuGALMrz2btw59DN9SlNBHy_pRi5ZDVqes6D2DZLBwrwmNGvfNXeOlTJ4rZGD0ck7OcHY-ttwoQEVC8ts9z8L8Yv2MmZmvmWD80aIZ6J/s400/DSCF3818_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdrvPAKcGR4Lc-sp07PG1DhyphenhyphenYahQ0EtkY9TCaA6-NDFkazKK0-qaNzg16g1C1kYG5LWJVBMSAVzfsKdjcROeszBazgsiU_3nFx-XDT08g05_mWzUSNTf2-wS9oU8qBGLFPBkXHv2WGd8p/s1600/DSCF3830_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdrvPAKcGR4Lc-sp07PG1DhyphenhyphenYahQ0EtkY9TCaA6-NDFkazKK0-qaNzg16g1C1kYG5LWJVBMSAVzfsKdjcROeszBazgsiU_3nFx-XDT08g05_mWzUSNTf2-wS9oU8qBGLFPBkXHv2WGd8p/s320/DSCF3830_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cNKZIUlUbdSaF4p549_kTkh2dxAW05x9mi5O_XfWEG6d7akafkfIRvyP0ISC626C8AqOZVlzjdgmemBEBWZNygTAMGtbJN6fy4QsA3KnwL9mF46_DNcQ3P27c86WIWsDVYQBunA2lEEJ/s1600/20190402_112838+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cNKZIUlUbdSaF4p549_kTkh2dxAW05x9mi5O_XfWEG6d7akafkfIRvyP0ISC626C8AqOZVlzjdgmemBEBWZNygTAMGtbJN6fy4QsA3KnwL9mF46_DNcQ3P27c86WIWsDVYQBunA2lEEJ/s400/20190402_112838+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJStGHzZAFQgYUIWZCJOvlTNX7XPi7athec8ZdyU6wC-5Yn6Yj7ukskIg4ikPw2TqCUmUCn3ZGZF1jmD5JnppQuEflujVVOa4tM7LyY-JmkXn0KgSY64Uf8hSRGCjjZjSPtgCw0P0jY4Ek/s1600/DSCF3819_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJStGHzZAFQgYUIWZCJOvlTNX7XPi7athec8ZdyU6wC-5Yn6Yj7ukskIg4ikPw2TqCUmUCn3ZGZF1jmD5JnppQuEflujVVOa4tM7LyY-JmkXn0KgSY64Uf8hSRGCjjZjSPtgCw0P0jY4Ek/s400/DSCF3819_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoITVdXEtH7bBawGMZRcTITA0AFa4k7IkSnQM6bpw-aOJeDOm_IuGp9mx-odxPVLQk3vLtH3l7M6nvLQ3Yi8Cd0gNbkWx9JPkPffisiyXLMaL0hsEoF3SVpUq-ifn6q7BFE428zkbQgwvb/s1600/20190402_112858+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoITVdXEtH7bBawGMZRcTITA0AFa4k7IkSnQM6bpw-aOJeDOm_IuGp9mx-odxPVLQk3vLtH3l7M6nvLQ3Yi8Cd0gNbkWx9JPkPffisiyXLMaL0hsEoF3SVpUq-ifn6q7BFE428zkbQgwvb/s400/20190402_112858+-+Copy_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGl_-GdUpI2pePfVcF6r51pbKBqeWozbtUD6MjE4g1gRXUBX7NQ-5E3AR89FrtJdhEEjAlzCc6MdqXEIWoM7JdADFuNZUGQmf5D26lmemuoTyBn6Mmn6Cmxlo5IKTa7BEsy_fbOrA5z7q/s1600/20190402_114657_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGl_-GdUpI2pePfVcF6r51pbKBqeWozbtUD6MjE4g1gRXUBX7NQ-5E3AR89FrtJdhEEjAlzCc6MdqXEIWoM7JdADFuNZUGQmf5D26lmemuoTyBn6Mmn6Cmxlo5IKTa7BEsy_fbOrA5z7q/s400/20190402_114657_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAF83Ep-cmr4Ew5beAg2HHUzbvPYshrecrroBaUcYcfdvIm8YE0pPo_9oy-GI2mr6HdTzQcUkNMcu3M8nfZAKxfYEuN-0t_hr_SKXP6ZajTXuaCtz0SMlW13VRuOw4TwcPjjPxlp4wmE-/s1600/20190402_114637_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAF83Ep-cmr4Ew5beAg2HHUzbvPYshrecrroBaUcYcfdvIm8YE0pPo_9oy-GI2mr6HdTzQcUkNMcu3M8nfZAKxfYEuN-0t_hr_SKXP6ZajTXuaCtz0SMlW13VRuOw4TwcPjjPxlp4wmE-/s400/20190402_114637_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykLZ3h9THdw59aqVrnO6fpoL4C1GHdCcRBiugVEpDuq6Jmu8R_Z8amSsSccxpe6Ql3m48p_d2PMA4VRpqovm4PKruh6SSPgPZ5qjdiHHr-xHjGTEsbvv6BkTqbJVY59vMfC2oBCfvGqd_/s1600/20190402_114630_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykLZ3h9THdw59aqVrnO6fpoL4C1GHdCcRBiugVEpDuq6Jmu8R_Z8amSsSccxpe6Ql3m48p_d2PMA4VRpqovm4PKruh6SSPgPZ5qjdiHHr-xHjGTEsbvv6BkTqbJVY59vMfC2oBCfvGqd_/s400/20190402_114630_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6NmmiNz0Bj88nghazdDnTtcUbqRGgVJUDGYZIkTEXduC4HPtCf0lzg6B6J9MKVMgTcToQYYKkJXd5Hd6g-Jr3ygncz6BisiOP86UumfEHSlOqxN0pjqR1wV20eVhah7AtUvP-LsdJwRk/s1600/DSCF3822_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6NmmiNz0Bj88nghazdDnTtcUbqRGgVJUDGYZIkTEXduC4HPtCf0lzg6B6J9MKVMgTcToQYYKkJXd5Hd6g-Jr3ygncz6BisiOP86UumfEHSlOqxN0pjqR1wV20eVhah7AtUvP-LsdJwRk/s400/DSCF3822_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9ZvGlNDeRyPK-ATOJ8nphYj97NvLyuN6F7cAdy5etoj-7A2ieC7eWe8CpJGoV3-5TPBQU-Dt00ncllf6P_wfpPhsVwvpdL7hRjfW1FjvrY2jT8W6aeM_0dW1iNabaRu3vYC2xCSY6xjP/s1600/20190402_114607_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9ZvGlNDeRyPK-ATOJ8nphYj97NvLyuN6F7cAdy5etoj-7A2ieC7eWe8CpJGoV3-5TPBQU-Dt00ncllf6P_wfpPhsVwvpdL7hRjfW1FjvrY2jT8W6aeM_0dW1iNabaRu3vYC2xCSY6xjP/s400/20190402_114607_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5VVo2Qe8Q_9E3OjYkrw1L-59ScCDwhLeTd5l7lF5bKxUDV3zs-pQb4_VYdW-hiStWicujCtCa5tZ9TlxZ539b_5j3YAHDQJlB15OzlaZVioLJDSJXfDa9jl9XB1913FOf63YiSpWD3C4/s1600/20190402_114558_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5VVo2Qe8Q_9E3OjYkrw1L-59ScCDwhLeTd5l7lF5bKxUDV3zs-pQb4_VYdW-hiStWicujCtCa5tZ9TlxZ539b_5j3YAHDQJlB15OzlaZVioLJDSJXfDa9jl9XB1913FOf63YiSpWD3C4/s400/20190402_114558_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpvWCsQmdQA3Vd2jn9WNzIAOzch_WmIMQXCNpXnUnJxsH-2HUsORLmHbKtX1Gykq1bAexuusrzAg3bGi00AlscwuNYtfTYBXT9UTNi5kVShN2NtWosuDS0sNMvVwkoj25jdWEl4o5sPHJ/s1600/20190402_114537_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpvWCsQmdQA3Vd2jn9WNzIAOzch_WmIMQXCNpXnUnJxsH-2HUsORLmHbKtX1Gykq1bAexuusrzAg3bGi00AlscwuNYtfTYBXT9UTNi5kVShN2NtWosuDS0sNMvVwkoj25jdWEl4o5sPHJ/s400/20190402_114537_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwWJDphEBrDkTTcAviFvMO_A_DvOgc_ctvULJ4rvGQ0Jdhy3TH5rAYl2xlc-yk-jLoYfdWlxRfGnIm_lgWPK_OApgyJ_-91lAVqxB-YPBG2GPY28k2lmTBrS60J08mqpffC1va4VA24Sw/s1600/20190402_114711_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwWJDphEBrDkTTcAviFvMO_A_DvOgc_ctvULJ4rvGQ0Jdhy3TH5rAYl2xlc-yk-jLoYfdWlxRfGnIm_lgWPK_OApgyJ_-91lAVqxB-YPBG2GPY28k2lmTBrS60J08mqpffC1va4VA24Sw/s400/20190402_114711_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbeg1-SnsGaB3GtmlN17mw0tI2Gav8i2ogq4r-mk56VVzEIxU4cDqKxT2giV5YyqnNYhyphenhyphencutFz46peOMKHaonJbxuGxr1q2x17rIl22t6VTsZsryWWG09HvoYsCaD-uKW_e2ilrnLbKrQ/s1600/20190402_114727_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbeg1-SnsGaB3GtmlN17mw0tI2Gav8i2ogq4r-mk56VVzEIxU4cDqKxT2giV5YyqnNYhyphenhyphencutFz46peOMKHaonJbxuGxr1q2x17rIl22t6VTsZsryWWG09HvoYsCaD-uKW_e2ilrnLbKrQ/s400/20190402_114727_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW_UMljLsswUde3uKMe-QShMzv98BSFJ1NcTDFCVXUXUCaJgsI0y-Yets_tb-DjVZeB4BFFpIGHhtUw2eT-XaO0gnDGSDGmS2gIprGImzt1zohAkta2cJNoaZzjsVkQXU41wcaxAPDFpR/s1600/20190402_114740_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW_UMljLsswUde3uKMe-QShMzv98BSFJ1NcTDFCVXUXUCaJgsI0y-Yets_tb-DjVZeB4BFFpIGHhtUw2eT-XaO0gnDGSDGmS2gIprGImzt1zohAkta2cJNoaZzjsVkQXU41wcaxAPDFpR/s400/20190402_114740_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaeRIP5tT78g_oPoMIO7lubBjurA2-JAIOcXZ_iLHJimseyG0IRwYtbCQYjFs-X7sqWxswBYFsoZOrOMN97SJtD3ZwtjK0GQwwBQ_vvbNCQ6iacNwxtUtDFCyXtKsgFuqYysx4gAm3ATz/s1600/20190402_114755_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaeRIP5tT78g_oPoMIO7lubBjurA2-JAIOcXZ_iLHJimseyG0IRwYtbCQYjFs-X7sqWxswBYFsoZOrOMN97SJtD3ZwtjK0GQwwBQ_vvbNCQ6iacNwxtUtDFCyXtKsgFuqYysx4gAm3ATz/s400/20190402_114755_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin20q5GKn15vdrQRnaA90wHj9XVSw2j5N4ZlE3sD9CwVokcIESJH4BqEVBKQZJDlLqM_9czoERl-o7_Z6040bMV7itjaJ88Xdrs7VAKxQsD76_5imGIDLlIFm4MMwwnBcjlhKsNNt7cX9d/s1600/20190402_114804_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin20q5GKn15vdrQRnaA90wHj9XVSw2j5N4ZlE3sD9CwVokcIESJH4BqEVBKQZJDlLqM_9czoERl-o7_Z6040bMV7itjaJ88Xdrs7VAKxQsD76_5imGIDLlIFm4MMwwnBcjlhKsNNt7cX9d/s400/20190402_114804_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-LbRFkp6l5Oa5PiU9AtIz9lwkizMiD3TIVs5uvT6gyT7gEYFtARs7xvkPREyEgzR3naMefr3p47JMMYw3n563M4YfEyGdjdlepxpRyQdgWw5ft3s1DzrCoCNYK62qa-3ulf5VU8jPEk1/s1600/20190402_114813_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-LbRFkp6l5Oa5PiU9AtIz9lwkizMiD3TIVs5uvT6gyT7gEYFtARs7xvkPREyEgzR3naMefr3p47JMMYw3n563M4YfEyGdjdlepxpRyQdgWw5ft3s1DzrCoCNYK62qa-3ulf5VU8jPEk1/s400/20190402_114813_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R3eIiy6MTet0mhMwgCCdBNEV1EjZ2tL-yqHjNO-FKT29mvqLAlN3szMHwW9NvoxNp9t_18IMIr6I4-Q5VliMLQTRLlDGfESK22ELLJIF4IWm8mFFVGVebzDUUD24XqyNPF9A9N2aVHD5/s1600/20190402_114922_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R3eIiy6MTet0mhMwgCCdBNEV1EjZ2tL-yqHjNO-FKT29mvqLAlN3szMHwW9NvoxNp9t_18IMIr6I4-Q5VliMLQTRLlDGfESK22ELLJIF4IWm8mFFVGVebzDUUD24XqyNPF9A9N2aVHD5/s400/20190402_114922_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJr5ewLbOzk8ww4f9NUz32cCTWcg2T5cbkUuU0YRJT1vYtlX5bMqbhBD6cKPwHy6U3hKocOob7a_iFqnbHwIR1LXQbkGA1uz19dywG3PP3xZjRLu7-q_a3W4r96XKBZyTerlqSAQ_JBFA/s1600/20190402_115245_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJr5ewLbOzk8ww4f9NUz32cCTWcg2T5cbkUuU0YRJT1vYtlX5bMqbhBD6cKPwHy6U3hKocOob7a_iFqnbHwIR1LXQbkGA1uz19dywG3PP3xZjRLu7-q_a3W4r96XKBZyTerlqSAQ_JBFA/s400/20190402_115245_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhGRaBTZHTw0kImfGzwVBF-jIqLeT6yV4D7KRsu6g_djxpI3bF5CXt0TBro19V7pjePYopV_e5gOpcQQTpI-A2Ylx58FQ-xHdqrZU_scJpuiQXCdihpenOxWiTUr3lwWvRO4AukP4nAYE/s1600/20190402_115140_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhGRaBTZHTw0kImfGzwVBF-jIqLeT6yV4D7KRsu6g_djxpI3bF5CXt0TBro19V7pjePYopV_e5gOpcQQTpI-A2Ylx58FQ-xHdqrZU_scJpuiQXCdihpenOxWiTUr3lwWvRO4AukP4nAYE/s400/20190402_115140_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZokhFDregUUp2swLHB1LdNzTg8IyG3s1MX6K0JdFwy40djtWNyR_QCV6llw_7FZa5e2uW55GcV7bWRvIk7UbcSi1wnR9fOTFQRMyari_Hy5OF7Cr1xrHZzyd_LKYgYfini-ZAuhQEG6HL/s1600/20190402_115107_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZokhFDregUUp2swLHB1LdNzTg8IyG3s1MX6K0JdFwy40djtWNyR_QCV6llw_7FZa5e2uW55GcV7bWRvIk7UbcSi1wnR9fOTFQRMyari_Hy5OF7Cr1xrHZzyd_LKYgYfini-ZAuhQEG6HL/s400/20190402_115107_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4gWdrJUroK3C9q7QwVt1yFy1HAf9x5YJtcVWEe8y4EooDyAmlQwaOI8o7WfHIg0aZTjJAzLwzlGFhxFDEfDszNa6EvlRCnqA6yjNSI6gYhMpvKJlm3NQT4YICffJz-fENryaJHRxf75P/s1600/20190402_115023_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4gWdrJUroK3C9q7QwVt1yFy1HAf9x5YJtcVWEe8y4EooDyAmlQwaOI8o7WfHIg0aZTjJAzLwzlGFhxFDEfDszNa6EvlRCnqA6yjNSI6gYhMpvKJlm3NQT4YICffJz-fENryaJHRxf75P/s400/20190402_115023_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4PI76D7oyxfYgFsJAzjdryvD9KzDeaoz0DhkFv5cExQLPrLRVU_ivpbUrsNnhDFhpSr2BLBOBVtgfzgZX7ZRcqz_3Qx7GrpuLE3GL_2gvD6BvBizjA3uPtI3bHib5qtAoCwWFHkt4TSh/s1600/20190402_114938_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4PI76D7oyxfYgFsJAzjdryvD9KzDeaoz0DhkFv5cExQLPrLRVU_ivpbUrsNnhDFhpSr2BLBOBVtgfzgZX7ZRcqz_3Qx7GrpuLE3GL_2gvD6BvBizjA3uPtI3bHib5qtAoCwWFHkt4TSh/s400/20190402_114938_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdrv2Vx1YM3orlevt8UHkrTL_DbmF0OFsTahdLoag4UouGpA9py_yuL0bHbaAASFY_6dp-6hxRFqYRbUFka7Md8pcLArOo8_gCRu0jvalimOy4XQlOOjhtkFOy5v_PZJ3CUjK5q3PzVbV/s1600/20190402_115256_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdrv2Vx1YM3orlevt8UHkrTL_DbmF0OFsTahdLoag4UouGpA9py_yuL0bHbaAASFY_6dp-6hxRFqYRbUFka7Md8pcLArOo8_gCRu0jvalimOy4XQlOOjhtkFOy5v_PZJ3CUjK5q3PzVbV/s400/20190402_115256_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm62cWYhovKT8jTBh3ljVEAYZ5SwbXJltNAxxSzYv-rkKWhWh_ttMJBpVV6XSE4RIT6nIPwzgXWXpMj3nmrMlcPnP1FYEiZdVY1mnSKT8EXRkiwDAauek_KJ7Nl_kc-_XPK1AqgxVLzEyr/s1600/20190402_115303_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm62cWYhovKT8jTBh3ljVEAYZ5SwbXJltNAxxSzYv-rkKWhWh_ttMJBpVV6XSE4RIT6nIPwzgXWXpMj3nmrMlcPnP1FYEiZdVY1mnSKT8EXRkiwDAauek_KJ7Nl_kc-_XPK1AqgxVLzEyr/s400/20190402_115303_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xe3qMQqgvS_YQDDBhh51lbLL1npg2ROhXAMFUC2hjyh0r7b21YRXBqqjwXyhg6c274xn5dqVxv5LfLI6LhPUybas1UGYVrGQtgqDdqjCICKqhx-vpLL4Nacb9nrHHzV-2Y_WXdZBkvA5/s1600/20190402_115314_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xe3qMQqgvS_YQDDBhh51lbLL1npg2ROhXAMFUC2hjyh0r7b21YRXBqqjwXyhg6c274xn5dqVxv5LfLI6LhPUybas1UGYVrGQtgqDdqjCICKqhx-vpLL4Nacb9nrHHzV-2Y_WXdZBkvA5/s400/20190402_115314_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k0nR0qM8THYmYQSwJjU8DNe9ddwiyPTvK8n1T6BY0EPkg8STm0PX-mShkQ7FaSYl5B4lhaSHEmyJq3SrNwdrHGIA9DsjUUANxF3SwGHJbeMmOJHPeW-xfWRzhj7kh_xxHeZG6MtS6-WO/s1600/20190402_115323_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k0nR0qM8THYmYQSwJjU8DNe9ddwiyPTvK8n1T6BY0EPkg8STm0PX-mShkQ7FaSYl5B4lhaSHEmyJq3SrNwdrHGIA9DsjUUANxF3SwGHJbeMmOJHPeW-xfWRzhj7kh_xxHeZG6MtS6-WO/s400/20190402_115323_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElUcy7Lnv2SVk_jF_HygagbRExmcuXBXFDo82Tc6vN4h-5zQQY9BZaIc8_7HiAJu-YfFBnvs_Nq7NJY-4LbGn9zqaoyhxYS03P_J0a90EhWRdlF7vUTFKJLOiYPT6ERcHO2rBG9mWvmse/s1600/20190402_115357_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElUcy7Lnv2SVk_jF_HygagbRExmcuXBXFDo82Tc6vN4h-5zQQY9BZaIc8_7HiAJu-YfFBnvs_Nq7NJY-4LbGn9zqaoyhxYS03P_J0a90EhWRdlF7vUTFKJLOiYPT6ERcHO2rBG9mWvmse/s400/20190402_115357_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWY2xbulQnixlU7DBCRvUrqkGOq3-sPvIaDqr1shEByb8D4x4lWAqSH2IC2ZMH-ts-SVXLJS7eVdZ6ZDnbcARCTn7Ev5h2VhephyphenhyphenYDiIgLQHIsg2iGQu1vap7PrftDwf0e9gl54dufZJ4x/s1600/20190402_115408_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWY2xbulQnixlU7DBCRvUrqkGOq3-sPvIaDqr1shEByb8D4x4lWAqSH2IC2ZMH-ts-SVXLJS7eVdZ6ZDnbcARCTn7Ev5h2VhephyphenhyphenYDiIgLQHIsg2iGQu1vap7PrftDwf0e9gl54dufZJ4x/s400/20190402_115408_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3KYBiXViLzWSRIt0-5oqp94N_8WDvKUJomxOrKv6OoepkxmpbNiLjQyBAwjohGc60fqNk37GeO_1OGKGESCIHbgvDTHAmWgQX2HhEPN-nhkcVlhsn7lTiSoa8lQKuXfBDz3FK5EpWdvv/s1600/20190402_115502_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3KYBiXViLzWSRIt0-5oqp94N_8WDvKUJomxOrKv6OoepkxmpbNiLjQyBAwjohGc60fqNk37GeO_1OGKGESCIHbgvDTHAmWgQX2HhEPN-nhkcVlhsn7lTiSoa8lQKuXfBDz3FK5EpWdvv/s400/20190402_115502_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl5F1alNgd-UHtkwWGrRHb0w1xt_99Pf3kZqtVNcid1Yw2YmOP6QDfLj2GAoD0LRpq3z7KEcJTXQH02W6GpFxnMk57TwRH38zwGY1PawQC6P3WNB-qr_cnxzX5IF5lkN9Cayp_qnxmk85/s1600/20190402_115436_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl5F1alNgd-UHtkwWGrRHb0w1xt_99Pf3kZqtVNcid1Yw2YmOP6QDfLj2GAoD0LRpq3z7KEcJTXQH02W6GpFxnMk57TwRH38zwGY1PawQC6P3WNB-qr_cnxzX5IF5lkN9Cayp_qnxmk85/s400/20190402_115436_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELQ3Jkf6VANCiCRSgK5XReHq5QgZ0woBNO7Ki0OXBkp9YJmFVjptv0xKLZbtob6scRCfCGp_NqaO0RRCJX-UL6qe_j8KgRbm98x-CjowOJ-1c8xkAaAtTFa3spT1U_0l9om6Dme8WSr6G/s1600/DSCF3837_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELQ3Jkf6VANCiCRSgK5XReHq5QgZ0woBNO7Ki0OXBkp9YJmFVjptv0xKLZbtob6scRCfCGp_NqaO0RRCJX-UL6qe_j8KgRbm98x-CjowOJ-1c8xkAaAtTFa3spT1U_0l9om6Dme8WSr6G/s320/DSCF3837_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GKUqaheQouRIC7Es6VauhEEQOogNzmWJePI62V-34OSPvF_DNb558vbOhU7qpf5zZjdBPv1vb53LbMV_VGBYXHn7eO_L0g5Go__ig1W8wjaNw0WpJMCOkSzHqjd6I5dwkmEMDSLZBy04/s1600/DSCF3841_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GKUqaheQouRIC7Es6VauhEEQOogNzmWJePI62V-34OSPvF_DNb558vbOhU7qpf5zZjdBPv1vb53LbMV_VGBYXHn7eO_L0g5Go__ig1W8wjaNw0WpJMCOkSzHqjd6I5dwkmEMDSLZBy04/s320/DSCF3841_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next, we doubled back down to Dubina and turned westward by the church, crossing the Navidad River ("NAVVY-dad," not "NAH-vee-dahd," Wanda informed us) via the Piano Plank Bridge, so called from the "plang-plang-plang" noise the planks made before they were nailed down in more recent years; all I heard was a very muted "plunk-plunk-plunk" as we crossed it [<a href="https://daytrippintexas.com/piano-bridge-near-dubina/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]. Built in 1885, this one of the few remaining iron bridges in Fayette County, Texas, but it has connected Dubina and High Hill from the the days of horses and buggies to the days of modern automobiles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTphavpKmkvXTV87kik6IfoQp43b7UmccgDhZP3uEj_ZFceZTZ0r0s6PaXrazDFeT5EdeOfHQDtknHBbvDftHDilril9141_0uxjnfAHtOcb8LZCyHkNjPupGyr4-vUZIu4EYTFAZLQkos/s1600/2011-piano-bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTphavpKmkvXTV87kik6IfoQp43b7UmccgDhZP3uEj_ZFceZTZ0r0s6PaXrazDFeT5EdeOfHQDtknHBbvDftHDilril9141_0uxjnfAHtOcb8LZCyHkNjPupGyr4-vUZIu4EYTFAZLQkos/s400/2011-piano-bridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Source [<a href="http://www.preservationtexas.org/endangered/piano-bridge/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_2Wv8orV4xTkcUa6dVSnSkylv6S4Kq6__KkjyfGFQb3mhjjVwtyRkI3nhKwT4WqNz_8WB9TzYTTDHrCBItHD6KqZUvvFaSI77GTq1k2tV0I0XGcSVSt2PbdlefwIij9IER0yupCw5OqQ/s1600/DSCF3843_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_2Wv8orV4xTkcUa6dVSnSkylv6S4Kq6__KkjyfGFQb3mhjjVwtyRkI3nhKwT4WqNz_8WB9TzYTTDHrCBItHD6KqZUvvFaSI77GTq1k2tV0I0XGcSVSt2PbdlefwIij9IER0yupCw5OqQ/s400/DSCF3843_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdMYssHNtB7PZ_c5UHn9ERbQ2gufO3-zlA_lRy-p5tditKVjVxAdBvw2QhZc0iVlX1T7KUGVYd8Qxpy36291gHYtSTJ51FSZ8XYJh9fF-qihwxu-eI6iiiBJLmZrRMnip-6WbWQ7fAFPv/s1600/DSCF3844_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdMYssHNtB7PZ_c5UHn9ERbQ2gufO3-zlA_lRy-p5tditKVjVxAdBvw2QhZc0iVlX1T7KUGVYd8Qxpy36291gHYtSTJ51FSZ8XYJh9fF-qihwxu-eI6iiiBJLmZrRMnip-6WbWQ7fAFPv/s400/DSCF3844_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABgHG9rmPKluVkLpKemXrpkX4YvnlF0gEPstsVSVh9cZhz8IxFErp82JEBcnxwpON7nB2PHQE88FOB5Tr4NBrw36Ko1cjHjnO7Xb0TRq1JqHKLTDd33hqG5pvJ7tdnUp-ckKy-f7jx6kw/s1600/DSCF3849_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABgHG9rmPKluVkLpKemXrpkX4YvnlF0gEPstsVSVh9cZhz8IxFErp82JEBcnxwpON7nB2PHQE88FOB5Tr4NBrw36Ko1cjHjnO7Xb0TRq1JqHKLTDd33hqG5pvJ7tdnUp-ckKy-f7jx6kw/s400/DSCF3849_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYK38g_U9tvXGrvc_Wvf3ieqOVH4fwGMCQ3-ZJp926WcEdeJIK6k2WPJUKGBOplSM3BGI3Yb48A98A2r_V2wJTMQQBN2DsZG345c8m9oSOpG8Yi7_AWIFuaI81YZSpmhtdRr3RHXvRFDl/s1600/DSCF3847_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="741" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYK38g_U9tvXGrvc_Wvf3ieqOVH4fwGMCQ3-ZJp926WcEdeJIK6k2WPJUKGBOplSM3BGI3Yb48A98A2r_V2wJTMQQBN2DsZG345c8m9oSOpG8Yi7_AWIFuaI81YZSpmhtdRr3RHXvRFDl/s400/DSCF3847_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">And so we came to our third church of the day St. Mary's Church at High Hill -- formally called "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" but universally just "St. Mary's High Hill" -- or just the "Queen of the Painted Churches." We were to tour it, then have lunch. Upon arrival, however, we found a large group from a vintage automobile club just entering the church for </span><i style="text-align: center;">their</i><span style="text-align: center;"> tour. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j-atLZhLsfUVu5ywrJ9TM7pyKfDqP7K9pxwyuFD5Ve6_uRt2T2JPgvJV71RnfUSbUzeAYRK9uIjCMoGr86DJxJ0sJdChbpijaNTqrUIth5XL8YBvduDZ7SlRH4Flvbkfjr_yrgeX_5dG/s1600/DSCF3850_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j-atLZhLsfUVu5ywrJ9TM7pyKfDqP7K9pxwyuFD5Ve6_uRt2T2JPgvJV71RnfUSbUzeAYRK9uIjCMoGr86DJxJ0sJdChbpijaNTqrUIth5XL8YBvduDZ7SlRH4Flvbkfjr_yrgeX_5dG/s400/DSCF3850_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiK3HJI2O8PnkXdxECZJMkI-eZsg5MHwDV6celo1-fDz1CNeQZ9ASJYRnUsZgjlZxoYg0LTYrzPhGNLsQ8XOS4rAlCt_GS1v7q_hFb1Yj4KdGyjIi-SGgwmQyJ3ZZsLvoAC3NB6AhMOFP/s1600/DSCF3851_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="758" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiK3HJI2O8PnkXdxECZJMkI-eZsg5MHwDV6celo1-fDz1CNeQZ9ASJYRnUsZgjlZxoYg0LTYrzPhGNLsQ8XOS4rAlCt_GS1v7q_hFb1Yj4KdGyjIi-SGgwmQyJ3ZZsLvoAC3NB6AhMOFP/s400/DSCF3851_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifjd0WGRxwuefAGltqj-3RAewPd0oXk6aiFnKHe-cBrs2cv4LkudlX5q8CgJOVZLEdC9ZA7kgfpbS57y4HXquKcl55qZvJasowJfJsS9jQRrrAGtzGGxbugHQ3Z_DdrDbBEjsktlt31M3/s1600/DSCF3852_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifjd0WGRxwuefAGltqj-3RAewPd0oXk6aiFnKHe-cBrs2cv4LkudlX5q8CgJOVZLEdC9ZA7kgfpbS57y4HXquKcl55qZvJasowJfJsS9jQRrrAGtzGGxbugHQ3Z_DdrDbBEjsktlt31M3/s400/DSCF3852_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-MPZ6jrx8_TUcgRElsUgAtkZBSXnfIglVuAsZYsTlsuenVnHGKoF2R1lBowLvbYiMVuSCcn3SZ7gsYMtB3WAcrUGmxQWrxZaUqa-_0SMsoZAwMDb8rHNdVrDBXnhfyIj3ooj-ZxMwu-u/s1600/DSCF3853_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-MPZ6jrx8_TUcgRElsUgAtkZBSXnfIglVuAsZYsTlsuenVnHGKoF2R1lBowLvbYiMVuSCcn3SZ7gsYMtB3WAcrUGmxQWrxZaUqa-_0SMsoZAwMDb8rHNdVrDBXnhfyIj3ooj-ZxMwu-u/s400/DSCF3853_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Yes, there was a "Gift Shop" as can be seen here. Wanda</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
said they are always happy to welcome visitors. Except there</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
was no one there....)</div>
<br />
Wanda quickly rearranged our schedule so we would not be impeded by that group, and we drove on back to Schulenburg and our lunch engagement a few minutes early.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOXV3qRV4xBg9qWWa6Jwcjlp5smXvZSszQ-Nea6yVAt7qAxyQ386LsSt93mINPEDBYOmQZ8LQ-SJVYbQn6BC8xXbIDKL97VqjD4MlJqbC416zJqN4NqLZus3E99eckej3bxTU3puZ-GCS/s1600/20190402_124025_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOXV3qRV4xBg9qWWa6Jwcjlp5smXvZSszQ-Nea6yVAt7qAxyQ386LsSt93mINPEDBYOmQZ8LQ-SJVYbQn6BC8xXbIDKL97VqjD4MlJqbC416zJqN4NqLZus3E99eckej3bxTU3puZ-GCS/s400/20190402_124025_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Sirilo's accommodated us very well and we had a good meal. Anne and I shared a meatloaf platter then each got a slice of pie -- mine was Dutch Apple Pie <i>a la mode</i>. Then we headed back out, retracing our way to St. Mary's in High Hill. We found a <i>second</i> group of vintage automobile owners just finishing up their tour, but after waiting just a few minutes we finally got in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOocO5Vm0l4bmfdkjRcoGch8ajN0v4I_qoAaHupoJcvUnqQooRTV1lC6QSHegd8flts0TB-Y0FbZYxCNIX1doLBM2M76oQS8kGhj6g_SddG5j1ZQWh7rsp8nRFQ5qg4ricWu97KpHmhQ5G/s1600/20190402_122447_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOocO5Vm0l4bmfdkjRcoGch8ajN0v4I_qoAaHupoJcvUnqQooRTV1lC6QSHegd8flts0TB-Y0FbZYxCNIX1doLBM2M76oQS8kGhj6g_SddG5j1ZQWh7rsp8nRFQ5qg4ricWu97KpHmhQ5G/s400/20190402_122447_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You learn something new every day.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Originating at St. Mary's, High Hill, German-Americans</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
had their own fraternal insurance company similar</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
to the Knights of Columbus. It eventually became</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the Catholic Life Insurance Company [<a href="https://www.cliu.com/" target="_blank">LINK</a>].</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFYV6vDCY_dAaWM6mPcPzGHn-TGCL1mV7yTFTfLyHI9OqXuFZ-76QrncRWtkJdG9sTFUMeXg-IggXsrPHvNOsMBSXWyWQqC2EoNLLTEe0FhsffEGDvxKGOrECYCvbQLCOVyJoF14bzpx4/s1600/20190402_122521_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFYV6vDCY_dAaWM6mPcPzGHn-TGCL1mV7yTFTfLyHI9OqXuFZ-76QrncRWtkJdG9sTFUMeXg-IggXsrPHvNOsMBSXWyWQqC2EoNLLTEe0FhsffEGDvxKGOrECYCvbQLCOVyJoF14bzpx4/s400/20190402_122521_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64l30YnYs-dJB-rPyMhcUrqDtTzadJi18BIFX2YlwHD0DSh7jRxbN251HefRkCXm9D05L09htQTCVi5RNL4-pgaBWsTKI291ciRfGwj3omciIOvJ1xgDJ-VaqhYsXM000LDkD9Ypxk82w/s1600/20190402_122600_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64l30YnYs-dJB-rPyMhcUrqDtTzadJi18BIFX2YlwHD0DSh7jRxbN251HefRkCXm9D05L09htQTCVi5RNL4-pgaBWsTKI291ciRfGwj3omciIOvJ1xgDJ-VaqhYsXM000LDkD9Ypxk82w/s400/20190402_122600_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSfA1bDy00uvcZ56U8QPCje4NLBZ-sBMynT-XU2_tFOMuNzM-3xjEewURsn3G_YDqtZLbNkZwklnlEtkFl6I8cHc3AkL-JU9qIAutsQLEbVpDLE2fSBiycfMNcr4EtFMqgmIC7GrIJYIQ/s1600/20190402_141447_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSfA1bDy00uvcZ56U8QPCje4NLBZ-sBMynT-XU2_tFOMuNzM-3xjEewURsn3G_YDqtZLbNkZwklnlEtkFl6I8cHc3AkL-JU9qIAutsQLEbVpDLE2fSBiycfMNcr4EtFMqgmIC7GrIJYIQ/s400/20190402_141447_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79Bdoea6-86IBRN8ItqTbBEIxkDu0I4eLs5IyWYcH1WrUYGu2C9H3vRWp7rngkp0hnP1mf3V4JFnJfFpoS9G6HSK_OIAxNrtgAzA2eWsROmKCyxfbRJTfhw0VE0Q67s7VittqfQ5tZamw/s1600/20190402_141521_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79Bdoea6-86IBRN8ItqTbBEIxkDu0I4eLs5IyWYcH1WrUYGu2C9H3vRWp7rngkp0hnP1mf3V4JFnJfFpoS9G6HSK_OIAxNrtgAzA2eWsROmKCyxfbRJTfhw0VE0Q67s7VittqfQ5tZamw/s400/20190402_141521_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTBdHR9rsIpIhLiYf4RqsCj11p8HWfqXuZEkVjNoQamvOKeXCXVM1Q8IuleFf4MZShVjpp-CSMZU5W_K9izNk01qYY7dqg1S5tPs7nXUeH2qj2ltRbRhnwgBPwqo08YyLHVWGrcxJnAto/s1600/DSCF3856_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTBdHR9rsIpIhLiYf4RqsCj11p8HWfqXuZEkVjNoQamvOKeXCXVM1Q8IuleFf4MZShVjpp-CSMZU5W_K9izNk01qYY7dqg1S5tPs7nXUeH2qj2ltRbRhnwgBPwqo08YyLHVWGrcxJnAto/s400/DSCF3856_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/owGXs9Q5-6U/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/owGXs9Q5-6U?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Walk-through</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TX1fLSPq44U/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TX1fLSPq44U?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wanda's commentary at St. Mary's, High Hill</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04u7LSkirZYCXSmhkihTPuuSuJSskLzduw0uAkVzDpCdFimk5LVRgX7Rz5neX7fkMYDMuun3acRuNn49wViDNdNDV1rYtirVbviiKbEui2cFfQEd8gsfmUUJkCnR76ksAKUS2J9klpaVC/s1600/DSCF3866_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04u7LSkirZYCXSmhkihTPuuSuJSskLzduw0uAkVzDpCdFimk5LVRgX7Rz5neX7fkMYDMuun3acRuNn49wViDNdNDV1rYtirVbviiKbEui2cFfQEd8gsfmUUJkCnR76ksAKUS2J9klpaVC/s400/DSCF3866_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmvCJO8xXTYp7n2K_vwOQyS_hgaYYLwBWHx9yciDjXJSLyeQhrCAi_B8KuJ3kn8J1xaWjNFY_FDJ2nJfjAypPmRgkedCrYCYToWXrnzbRrOK8sZXuRGR8O67B7JDROih3wnThvvTPtqTP/s1600/DSCF3867_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmvCJO8xXTYp7n2K_vwOQyS_hgaYYLwBWHx9yciDjXJSLyeQhrCAi_B8KuJ3kn8J1xaWjNFY_FDJ2nJfjAypPmRgkedCrYCYToWXrnzbRrOK8sZXuRGR8O67B7JDROih3wnThvvTPtqTP/s400/DSCF3867_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGtLM0BgZk52JksWhfYCVMizN2NvXYdBsu-yPjMNnI9kqcIUWDdIUiFWFuaEhoeEQmMbt0m9CeLw9-_XFGe5QYy2Kha_gpOriZOgTO7IFFbmoVpissjTnUSO4SHFAKD7R1wM-WNEWNuV3/s1600/DSCF3868_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="529" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGtLM0BgZk52JksWhfYCVMizN2NvXYdBsu-yPjMNnI9kqcIUWDdIUiFWFuaEhoeEQmMbt0m9CeLw9-_XFGe5QYy2Kha_gpOriZOgTO7IFFbmoVpissjTnUSO4SHFAKD7R1wM-WNEWNuV3/s400/DSCF3868_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSGbBBvEgtasUSLu336rJ4ltZj4uv9V06RdZ9aciwmnUMncNAUIyO5IzGLzIsi6El0TNAW6_JJh2tZfxDvHO6X5IolPuGrR8Sooz9mUbtNrGP4vjx_i6aKp7RddPBKkPu_i5KW65FhSQt/s1600/DSCF3883_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="429" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSGbBBvEgtasUSLu336rJ4ltZj4uv9V06RdZ9aciwmnUMncNAUIyO5IzGLzIsi6El0TNAW6_JJh2tZfxDvHO6X5IolPuGrR8Sooz9mUbtNrGP4vjx_i6aKp7RddPBKkPu_i5KW65FhSQt/s400/DSCF3883_800x600.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CQKHmNUYNnd5pqUVTLYLBu8aWPp5YEtM68fONgcwoSGQUR0JJxmkuXhwKzWX19c_BeJd0vWENW379GamQrggdlPT40mebVQIO7AsdCQ0_ilVI7ME9UiQUmUCx_hOTZe3LMwtUe97ClSP/s1600/DSCF3909_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CQKHmNUYNnd5pqUVTLYLBu8aWPp5YEtM68fONgcwoSGQUR0JJxmkuXhwKzWX19c_BeJd0vWENW379GamQrggdlPT40mebVQIO7AsdCQ0_ilVI7ME9UiQUmUCx_hOTZe3LMwtUe97ClSP/s400/DSCF3909_800x600.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW8yJzevXYG-dTdtJp2IuZmYtB29LgmvPeYDELQk8d1DkqSjLsXAr_4JEFd44_6uhirANF3ua0OzQMNMEuqgWZQdNiMRbLMqEVOSpx91cAgUHFU-CbW0ORhoLsjLri9B0gnx48yo_W4W4/s1600/20190402_142223_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW8yJzevXYG-dTdtJp2IuZmYtB29LgmvPeYDELQk8d1DkqSjLsXAr_4JEFd44_6uhirANF3ua0OzQMNMEuqgWZQdNiMRbLMqEVOSpx91cAgUHFU-CbW0ORhoLsjLri9B0gnx48yo_W4W4/s400/20190402_142223_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPcnR4zsrJ10kfztSVv0qGvkkYYfMXEOzgLLb9NyRy6xUHRojj1ihay3lKiLTdRHHSCumvacUps3JQUP15pwW9YSSlz7t9Euj18uhDTdRO18PeIr2q5E9ql0vIjLiK0hodu1P6yVbp7IX/s1600/20190402_142810_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPcnR4zsrJ10kfztSVv0qGvkkYYfMXEOzgLLb9NyRy6xUHRojj1ihay3lKiLTdRHHSCumvacUps3JQUP15pwW9YSSlz7t9Euj18uhDTdRO18PeIr2q5E9ql0vIjLiK0hodu1P6yVbp7IX/s400/20190402_142810_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJBADNYzBK6saYFBwfC59G9FqXU4PSNR8XKAc0rBh3r1D7TTW6O85GqB2Wfn5vjH_NXgiXyxCqVDJTAGjjIFpsBEK5g1ARyoSJIH9b0ksRFYBAzVLMGCLOdQoTcKcFd99hGUmdL2Q_wgR/s1600/20190402_142759_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJBADNYzBK6saYFBwfC59G9FqXU4PSNR8XKAc0rBh3r1D7TTW6O85GqB2Wfn5vjH_NXgiXyxCqVDJTAGjjIFpsBEK5g1ARyoSJIH9b0ksRFYBAzVLMGCLOdQoTcKcFd99hGUmdL2Q_wgR/s400/20190402_142759_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsl8luIkkSpPzjSYMb33fG0WU23kIIJqrXIZS9PB1mOFge1YWC4EzjE4uAF1waxYKKdilUcb-PHPTpq9-732nK0bWvS_rZQajQzWXrKyscMPzjBEIXELtPDeE03lSZz7kAyUczaqYhfYWu/s1600/20190402_142745_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsl8luIkkSpPzjSYMb33fG0WU23kIIJqrXIZS9PB1mOFge1YWC4EzjE4uAF1waxYKKdilUcb-PHPTpq9-732nK0bWvS_rZQajQzWXrKyscMPzjBEIXELtPDeE03lSZz7kAyUczaqYhfYWu/s400/20190402_142745_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-TI6H5rqGRaGj5kKqvYIHaRgxsolhzvSrikcBk8A0FPjo1GtmGuGD4d4NXSvgv5Q5iU3Mdr4Z-RSaBUWdkreaMdxdda82ccDoy7ggHC4B30N3DA0fB9dp-Nsyi_N4mDyIXdmtMHUih-Y/s1600/20190402_142630_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-TI6H5rqGRaGj5kKqvYIHaRgxsolhzvSrikcBk8A0FPjo1GtmGuGD4d4NXSvgv5Q5iU3Mdr4Z-RSaBUWdkreaMdxdda82ccDoy7ggHC4B30N3DA0fB9dp-Nsyi_N4mDyIXdmtMHUih-Y/s400/20190402_142630_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDG6USB8SwiULVMrRx93lsiGQoSpA9Ut8uDqqf75hjOFDpILV9O3_BtDG1gENACwvcwhXbEVoLcTwFv6sqfxg7Rrm6VImMFvwkkXoAQGFTiudErMc9KCmuCu57TrEPshqEIHrBSSwSmk_/s1600/20190402_142615_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDG6USB8SwiULVMrRx93lsiGQoSpA9Ut8uDqqf75hjOFDpILV9O3_BtDG1gENACwvcwhXbEVoLcTwFv6sqfxg7Rrm6VImMFvwkkXoAQGFTiudErMc9KCmuCu57TrEPshqEIHrBSSwSmk_/s400/20190402_142615_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRNl7CQmKOyLPRlLburTq780mmokmIELIoo9LXBhzNdobxu7p6co_MAsM1VHprMeFZA55fO6RFCc3S3OsN6omydCZBCFc1N3QgJClhdWio46E7mJiLheuRXC72SINCSg0veIHCD2JLLur/s1600/20190402_142500_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRNl7CQmKOyLPRlLburTq780mmokmIELIoo9LXBhzNdobxu7p6co_MAsM1VHprMeFZA55fO6RFCc3S3OsN6omydCZBCFc1N3QgJClhdWio46E7mJiLheuRXC72SINCSg0veIHCD2JLLur/s400/20190402_142500_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8y1V0k_cr2rawEuWq5APAR3VyZOwIm6J7ocTfTSsbMe7ncsaT6YEvk_YNuwj0ioV82EhnvHPCK73lhGbrfYwjOx85rjdM1A69teOfM94DrywvmNXe8yHRB0hyphenhyphenc04dsDsnORMbQycqG6U/s1600/20190402_142436_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8y1V0k_cr2rawEuWq5APAR3VyZOwIm6J7ocTfTSsbMe7ncsaT6YEvk_YNuwj0ioV82EhnvHPCK73lhGbrfYwjOx85rjdM1A69teOfM94DrywvmNXe8yHRB0hyphenhyphenc04dsDsnORMbQycqG6U/s400/20190402_142436_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoRkiHRZywt6GTDzKBUtOag6TSG_r_jXoQTq_9xX-awDhigQg12-KQWY7ktJXbYhTUnkhXPRiawEAvAEk7eHazlioL5KHzenJD0U1MKWamnn0dzMmMsdR3JTa4NvcU-wTmZ0bk8ceMDIb/s1600/DSCF3861+edited_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoRkiHRZywt6GTDzKBUtOag6TSG_r_jXoQTq_9xX-awDhigQg12-KQWY7ktJXbYhTUnkhXPRiawEAvAEk7eHazlioL5KHzenJD0U1MKWamnn0dzMmMsdR3JTa4NvcU-wTmZ0bk8ceMDIb/s400/DSCF3861+edited_450x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaMsphoAzV0cSOwx5BPVeLAA48imCkNmjHqqMAWY0sizn4Aql6-vq4H68EH8vs9-3ODJp5esxKargwxlF7ADE8piNw3uwKKaM5uk-DhthejjXEtjPKBibzm3s5NW0uv3-7D34HFBhCJy3/s1600/20190402_142921_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaMsphoAzV0cSOwx5BPVeLAA48imCkNmjHqqMAWY0sizn4Aql6-vq4H68EH8vs9-3ODJp5esxKargwxlF7ADE8piNw3uwKKaM5uk-DhthejjXEtjPKBibzm3s5NW0uv3-7D34HFBhCJy3/s400/20190402_142921_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwNLvFB17c8eEURmaJk4l828fPIk-x4X_O422CMYH5FiRSDALspMVTiKyMBnSfUr2k5mk2f22PT_vMYzoKZLLj_Ey9DnveBaH9KFRCfg6i82qKcDVAztAwrEKb0wdnca5MrNAcKim2m11/s1600/20190402_142945_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwNLvFB17c8eEURmaJk4l828fPIk-x4X_O422CMYH5FiRSDALspMVTiKyMBnSfUr2k5mk2f22PT_vMYzoKZLLj_Ey9DnveBaH9KFRCfg6i82qKcDVAztAwrEKb0wdnca5MrNAcKim2m11/s400/20190402_142945_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERom2z9IRZPkR3CtP1GpkpixBUj56hXvlbU2MDjFoiHK1Izk2dIdatmALIRbBt4hYpelbWOJ_idyS0HNMZhyphenhyphenNutnTRNTKdEtmudppE-Bp2zQ4xtewGUdP3VZ-SsNqCdZPTpxASg0HjYgQ/s1600/20190402_143006_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERom2z9IRZPkR3CtP1GpkpixBUj56hXvlbU2MDjFoiHK1Izk2dIdatmALIRbBt4hYpelbWOJ_idyS0HNMZhyphenhyphenNutnTRNTKdEtmudppE-Bp2zQ4xtewGUdP3VZ-SsNqCdZPTpxASg0HjYgQ/s400/20190402_143006_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMs76JGkyy9JtsF_apJhoTYx8XefArOpHOMcSJce15lHWb17y7cZbQSDtDoe7uTShKewvw4maJLDwJm6a_wV_5XkyNnTjxHUJRzIv3f9Dw7HlB4-EuKhvXYbirxlCjyE70255uAdHS-a/s1600/20190402_143013_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMs76JGkyy9JtsF_apJhoTYx8XefArOpHOMcSJce15lHWb17y7cZbQSDtDoe7uTShKewvw4maJLDwJm6a_wV_5XkyNnTjxHUJRzIv3f9Dw7HlB4-EuKhvXYbirxlCjyE70255uAdHS-a/s400/20190402_143013_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwxrXeNPYYNmbWk433ZbjQcI8DZiway7Pt8yYWBlK4G8CnUAhluy7CJzMYixLC0ZYdDJAmL7dWazU0shROseE54J_sbDVeZ3DtDt7gW8Tbg5JU4MRl3-DWhqkP1bShqdbwvj-IJSPwp0g/s1600/20190402_143027_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwxrXeNPYYNmbWk433ZbjQcI8DZiway7Pt8yYWBlK4G8CnUAhluy7CJzMYixLC0ZYdDJAmL7dWazU0shROseE54J_sbDVeZ3DtDt7gW8Tbg5JU4MRl3-DWhqkP1bShqdbwvj-IJSPwp0g/s400/20190402_143027_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcJiPqeiVRqM8QHpVt8c0xcbOVM0J5WCK9HLlysKwV6t1HJh-stlbzcf8XiD2LMy2SIH6PpbvuWjYJVGqEmPNFpKNnwCcFWaWGy53e957cm6xTtY4lj5XEjLsQ2LCx5c7XfwnloK-fLh9/s1600/20190402_143047_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcJiPqeiVRqM8QHpVt8c0xcbOVM0J5WCK9HLlysKwV6t1HJh-stlbzcf8XiD2LMy2SIH6PpbvuWjYJVGqEmPNFpKNnwCcFWaWGy53e957cm6xTtY4lj5XEjLsQ2LCx5c7XfwnloK-fLh9/s400/20190402_143047_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ETkx9xtDHRclxKSKpouJivg191ObUwXXoAkkTdf2ykcih30afGh_rjo1uISBK6xM1RDpABssZ2I5igWBcl0_9V4QBtS111QAeTwJ955u9UnMwrXUqANbw6vN64WwNuz4zqwdPoetFTLL/s1600/20190402_143110_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ETkx9xtDHRclxKSKpouJivg191ObUwXXoAkkTdf2ykcih30afGh_rjo1uISBK6xM1RDpABssZ2I5igWBcl0_9V4QBtS111QAeTwJ955u9UnMwrXUqANbw6vN64WwNuz4zqwdPoetFTLL/s400/20190402_143110_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhZs8WyTgr6MtEFRTp9OFVOuTOTl67G7vZWOmE5VaKPhdSExN6Ifir0iisuLJdiqzZ-Y9upnB2dJjUeO3cg1Qd2uAsKyfi36Afa8bS7e-Z6Jam4TZziFkUgWtXsSZ4Yy2N2WmBIqR36hl/s1600/20190402_145443_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhZs8WyTgr6MtEFRTp9OFVOuTOTl67G7vZWOmE5VaKPhdSExN6Ifir0iisuLJdiqzZ-Y9upnB2dJjUeO3cg1Qd2uAsKyfi36Afa8bS7e-Z6Jam4TZziFkUgWtXsSZ4Yy2N2WmBIqR36hl/s400/20190402_145443_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aVY2Ciy-I3fNtALmUB1P-OhT7LV7YL127mCjybe7rGSLTTFyWEKpsZwScupQ7wTyFb4IPcvIwyl6JRou3PQ8MLDzRjEljcAkXhyphenhyphendt5bPxf3xMlqTO_V9JRhxoq59ytYqK5aZOlsE4Wdp/s1600/20190402_145328_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aVY2Ciy-I3fNtALmUB1P-OhT7LV7YL127mCjybe7rGSLTTFyWEKpsZwScupQ7wTyFb4IPcvIwyl6JRou3PQ8MLDzRjEljcAkXhyphenhyphendt5bPxf3xMlqTO_V9JRhxoq59ytYqK5aZOlsE4Wdp/s400/20190402_145328_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D3o1F0z9Ui5KZ1zVA6Hu4zUVeOp4eHIN-QYVsjYVRM8KMvMlYiu93jDAHngelnZTaGf3-1os2kJi500WwfX0qho5FIQKnCL5VeFWdtco1_kOmDnDHBz9UkEnROSz-aE7dl1t_fUbhH_A/s1600/20190402_145328+under+altar+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1023" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D3o1F0z9Ui5KZ1zVA6Hu4zUVeOp4eHIN-QYVsjYVRM8KMvMlYiu93jDAHngelnZTaGf3-1os2kJi500WwfX0qho5FIQKnCL5VeFWdtco1_kOmDnDHBz9UkEnROSz-aE7dl1t_fUbhH_A/s640/20190402_145328+under+altar+close+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeFBmDenoJGsNcZ4Cg78Veg2NR9C7wzJpY4CTBs3Y7HQG2qcD8vmmf46m0-8qHJ8MFpfCm8x-Lh3DFgD8_BoTc2JDZ6kXYLwudTfTrDBFX6-kUWAS71sMptogZVK2epG43_wHJDYit8BH/s1600/20190402_145220_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeFBmDenoJGsNcZ4Cg78Veg2NR9C7wzJpY4CTBs3Y7HQG2qcD8vmmf46m0-8qHJ8MFpfCm8x-Lh3DFgD8_BoTc2JDZ6kXYLwudTfTrDBFX6-kUWAS71sMptogZVK2epG43_wHJDYit8BH/s400/20190402_145220_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2FP8_fd8R7-x31D4pANuzuJ036jxZry5Nj0CauAUUHh9gVV3LC4h2O5zgyg8AGKyVW7RyQdl6NIX5xSmSK54qEMzPEjSiMvynxAFW2TUYP6ZfD2DGjpG-YHxWdVpUHmbREHD-PeAbTBJ/s1600/20190402_143133_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2FP8_fd8R7-x31D4pANuzuJ036jxZry5Nj0CauAUUHh9gVV3LC4h2O5zgyg8AGKyVW7RyQdl6NIX5xSmSK54qEMzPEjSiMvynxAFW2TUYP6ZfD2DGjpG-YHxWdVpUHmbREHD-PeAbTBJ/s400/20190402_143133_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0LOssa87OMwx7R-PVzy3r2aiKJqtAj_HUi2j27mvIRZabjU9J1CzvB0Trt_n_QW1R4StCZVRaTk-H3dgf4eqkArZCoX6htMlGX6b-3oMEq9MXQ29rxKLporRp8GuGM3V_7Ty-eDeZRpf/s1600/20190402_143115_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0LOssa87OMwx7R-PVzy3r2aiKJqtAj_HUi2j27mvIRZabjU9J1CzvB0Trt_n_QW1R4StCZVRaTk-H3dgf4eqkArZCoX6htMlGX6b-3oMEq9MXQ29rxKLporRp8GuGM3V_7Ty-eDeZRpf/s400/20190402_143115_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUgbqSYpKfjRzj0ULmdWdAmmrYl8fMyFh6CDJQjHNa7NvQ67ml7s0qUeLbGSaAbgLf2yRlKIdnsNuKIINB3mxxXHAubP3AUeaDVrIUwuI8WiLpcCA5azZxRHRhyphenhyphenmo59DMde_vsjGbFrtY/s1600/20190402_145454_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUgbqSYpKfjRzj0ULmdWdAmmrYl8fMyFh6CDJQjHNa7NvQ67ml7s0qUeLbGSaAbgLf2yRlKIdnsNuKIINB3mxxXHAubP3AUeaDVrIUwuI8WiLpcCA5azZxRHRhyphenhyphenmo59DMde_vsjGbFrtY/s400/20190402_145454_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKT-A7YISssq-FoPfIn5K6XqBiVil4WrICX1tYP1U6DjqVTbo4oha2iTTF0x-c6Ci-nVZ-CPxbgOmc9QtHWpVQxl8FyGsaEL4uMbDKuB4LynWRS5cm24tMSbLmzmEsIEgXHh1NXDPrkVh/s1600/20190402_145502_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKT-A7YISssq-FoPfIn5K6XqBiVil4WrICX1tYP1U6DjqVTbo4oha2iTTF0x-c6Ci-nVZ-CPxbgOmc9QtHWpVQxl8FyGsaEL4uMbDKuB4LynWRS5cm24tMSbLmzmEsIEgXHh1NXDPrkVh/s400/20190402_145502_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQvsXkNZ_oriyax_d6UhZzQXgzV7MTm_rJ_da6kXpHRZ6Oq8oZCt3azFixaPp8ZYz_CfHDL83n0FNKHiBKoJGwdzgY7-gyXWwBgoA8V_mYOTYNtqv3urcueaRbKgFxgdxI9YeQxxphWty/s1600/20190402_145513_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQvsXkNZ_oriyax_d6UhZzQXgzV7MTm_rJ_da6kXpHRZ6Oq8oZCt3azFixaPp8ZYz_CfHDL83n0FNKHiBKoJGwdzgY7-gyXWwBgoA8V_mYOTYNtqv3urcueaRbKgFxgdxI9YeQxxphWty/s400/20190402_145513_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGPZMgWxjvJ6bsjqg2AYRw3i5eaAXk_36lAraLs5BhFtlswmlqEXNI2GOb7cP1CoJQCaocvmnr6e5umUENVNsrbS4x9DkXqf2a-BWFMaf_uWJzFTXk-tfJOo5BKswOblRW2Kr6RH151xJ/s1600/DSCF3884_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="521" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGPZMgWxjvJ6bsjqg2AYRw3i5eaAXk_36lAraLs5BhFtlswmlqEXNI2GOb7cP1CoJQCaocvmnr6e5umUENVNsrbS4x9DkXqf2a-BWFMaf_uWJzFTXk-tfJOo5BKswOblRW2Kr6RH151xJ/s400/DSCF3884_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqePo1Ak0Jay28JTWW-6xWU1iz7moiHxug2TNImsx8IA-1f5FQLHJKZLoLILyKHcdcuZSiuk5Yc9pUZgDm9XlY_iBu1IftyC4HozMufk2nf57gQGJ49k3jGZhNXJG7pXuvD2W1KcPSDnQ/s1600/DSCF3885_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqePo1Ak0Jay28JTWW-6xWU1iz7moiHxug2TNImsx8IA-1f5FQLHJKZLoLILyKHcdcuZSiuk5Yc9pUZgDm9XlY_iBu1IftyC4HozMufk2nf57gQGJ49k3jGZhNXJG7pXuvD2W1KcPSDnQ/s400/DSCF3885_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6XyaKhQOJIYyqUyKNl26r_gObX4k_-MVxA5L9kHeDUiIfk35ZJNk82lZh4IWLu5vFr60U4X2gvG693Kmpsq3Wsj40zdPjbZp8OlQd-uStg3P7F0JdKrsLsTi_UZ07Ydpb6X1TibNzwyy/s1600/DSCF3887_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="556" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6XyaKhQOJIYyqUyKNl26r_gObX4k_-MVxA5L9kHeDUiIfk35ZJNk82lZh4IWLu5vFr60U4X2gvG693Kmpsq3Wsj40zdPjbZp8OlQd-uStg3P7F0JdKrsLsTi_UZ07Ydpb6X1TibNzwyy/s400/DSCF3887_800x600.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBXzspia9rB1pWJgykq1V3EMCiDKB0J4RuowrhpV0wx3jstoinGo-h-5qUcy60cv-l9hth5z1AwsYQOs0sdZ0-Hg8np76cR46bx-PFo40eT0Ieo5W1uf9JYTvOW-ngevbdYxZofG80LBH/s1600/DSCF3893_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBXzspia9rB1pWJgykq1V3EMCiDKB0J4RuowrhpV0wx3jstoinGo-h-5qUcy60cv-l9hth5z1AwsYQOs0sdZ0-Hg8np76cR46bx-PFo40eT0Ieo5W1uf9JYTvOW-ngevbdYxZofG80LBH/s400/DSCF3893_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhDoHa0-pReXTCt5BsHYiDd3rP9IABZQbFMZGowXhJHevHbDCRVmNnO_6mZGZOxCahR0b5zOe30P7RoJWMn5WAK8CtfThN4ehyWV9Ef6h9oLZOSGXut0wA4NSEGK_fuVmhky_wCwxgF3r/s1600/DSCF3894_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhDoHa0-pReXTCt5BsHYiDd3rP9IABZQbFMZGowXhJHevHbDCRVmNnO_6mZGZOxCahR0b5zOe30P7RoJWMn5WAK8CtfThN4ehyWV9Ef6h9oLZOSGXut0wA4NSEGK_fuVmhky_wCwxgF3r/s400/DSCF3894_800x600.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYnegbUJu-pUPtywA20b9aBtSnidJWpZBggqZU_alqPhESHWaKIAj-2zYt_tQmcar7c6FZAkVzo9mLNkNiIAqhkK-7BZhEzhHClKF361m2F8i9qDXmkyrAEW8vWZ5oNu5AMA2zuYsbTad/s1600/DSCF3902_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYnegbUJu-pUPtywA20b9aBtSnidJWpZBggqZU_alqPhESHWaKIAj-2zYt_tQmcar7c6FZAkVzo9mLNkNiIAqhkK-7BZhEzhHClKF361m2F8i9qDXmkyrAEW8vWZ5oNu5AMA2zuYsbTad/s400/DSCF3902_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnp4qescYlZZ5NAvhPs7jsEp1Vz1BKXdBpMP48TxnQt929TJhyOpQjMCoJai0olyk8umohfhHxqLY6xXdPZ4kxw4P5HV4Ew5hbMR020bTK26IVSaNl-sO-t0aTY9_WnWiawyOAYnoiyBn/s1600/20190402_145533_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnp4qescYlZZ5NAvhPs7jsEp1Vz1BKXdBpMP48TxnQt929TJhyOpQjMCoJai0olyk8umohfhHxqLY6xXdPZ4kxw4P5HV4Ew5hbMR020bTK26IVSaNl-sO-t0aTY9_WnWiawyOAYnoiyBn/s400/20190402_145533_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypchYmoyE76Hq1hj7t6JklHVmR1oN4hW1a7-1JGWIS807pChAtLbI3MEiR7jMxYmgoK7ZSnOtnf0i5vysITdq3GanuZ5CNDs1dIEFZjBkr6JFWbPba8zHvhGsu_4rtBalVs3lLuugcm2G/s1600/20190402_145609_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypchYmoyE76Hq1hj7t6JklHVmR1oN4hW1a7-1JGWIS807pChAtLbI3MEiR7jMxYmgoK7ZSnOtnf0i5vysITdq3GanuZ5CNDs1dIEFZjBkr6JFWbPba8zHvhGsu_4rtBalVs3lLuugcm2G/s400/20190402_145609_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3GI-YKCjF98G7p2t15JnqN915k2w55-QJAwluLz2RFhgo7YPiByOCGwWJDMtaKD6l8bv6W5XuIGATurlmUXsb5yeQALfCts4PMYVIbcA67Ji1fD05eEWigYlDlo5hl4KOmblx-0aVVGs/s1600/20190402_145628_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3GI-YKCjF98G7p2t15JnqN915k2w55-QJAwluLz2RFhgo7YPiByOCGwWJDMtaKD6l8bv6W5XuIGATurlmUXsb5yeQALfCts4PMYVIbcA67Ji1fD05eEWigYlDlo5hl4KOmblx-0aVVGs/s400/20190402_145628_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQXcvgkQ6vOxgWHtlaJ2Kzo-_HHqa7smn_Fx6TVqOIuqJuSCTbZ6MrnR7uJUZDXXKqb8io-XMmGclL0JkErcME4Bl1D-G_cb0OmDsMhS2c5P4SuYLRpWfUc2X0d-HioHNk5HEsns4ASoo/s1600/20190402_145824_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQXcvgkQ6vOxgWHtlaJ2Kzo-_HHqa7smn_Fx6TVqOIuqJuSCTbZ6MrnR7uJUZDXXKqb8io-XMmGclL0JkErcME4Bl1D-G_cb0OmDsMhS2c5P4SuYLRpWfUc2X0d-HioHNk5HEsns4ASoo/s400/20190402_145824_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y7orkpKkTOHpADl1y5DFJ66f7eXbOrvb-dF4RXl8YfWNF-lWKLUIz4AdW0hX0TldycXZS607wLmjP2Yt43yw7NkWDprcqUqzj2ANvdqFPgi5nigjLCESX_mgk-8orjUut0tXNfmB2Wd4/s1600/20190402_145749_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y7orkpKkTOHpADl1y5DFJ66f7eXbOrvb-dF4RXl8YfWNF-lWKLUIz4AdW0hX0TldycXZS607wLmjP2Yt43yw7NkWDprcqUqzj2ANvdqFPgi5nigjLCESX_mgk-8orjUut0tXNfmB2Wd4/s400/20190402_145749_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kf9RMZw_MdSi0hSwNxmrCJoq72VsENmWRDTM3suF44FSy-V0UT1ur169u0aSnzwjC7aFymgx96ADSOlS5gvRuUj_sr-AVTeK5VPvGlSJOoF_AwN4rwsVlvhe5UYNmCF0EzNKD-lvKtcH/s1600/20190402_145735_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kf9RMZw_MdSi0hSwNxmrCJoq72VsENmWRDTM3suF44FSy-V0UT1ur169u0aSnzwjC7aFymgx96ADSOlS5gvRuUj_sr-AVTeK5VPvGlSJOoF_AwN4rwsVlvhe5UYNmCF0EzNKD-lvKtcH/s400/20190402_145735_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2KWK4AaAVBeg0fRvkijgUvv0L_KpbRuT8-v-1a7EdXL23oJ9Zbj5Xr0bEioLDhwknZXSiX2LuHqxwMCWCpKCIRzUR17GDNJGIzLsAUX34X7MO4h9tkoQBWx84aNcbaugWIY_Wv6FPZqH/s1600/20190402_145719_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2KWK4AaAVBeg0fRvkijgUvv0L_KpbRuT8-v-1a7EdXL23oJ9Zbj5Xr0bEioLDhwknZXSiX2LuHqxwMCWCpKCIRzUR17GDNJGIzLsAUX34X7MO4h9tkoQBWx84aNcbaugWIY_Wv6FPZqH/s400/20190402_145719_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7BICE_yWA-GnTITtHx86CelxTi_b5SYyOiSy1y7e-bZjptmzcmhbXIYdti_5_ddBfYNqtP7GsDeIMyaeF_ST0FytyWl2YL5QxWnsLOY2hcaIdCMPO9j5ksI5I2SlQWfhD0Pc75OzsMF7/s1600/20190402_145708_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7BICE_yWA-GnTITtHx86CelxTi_b5SYyOiSy1y7e-bZjptmzcmhbXIYdti_5_ddBfYNqtP7GsDeIMyaeF_ST0FytyWl2YL5QxWnsLOY2hcaIdCMPO9j5ksI5I2SlQWfhD0Pc75OzsMF7/s400/20190402_145708_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRe5NE7ktINL_Hkrl4fFITaY1DfzVnK94GvzcAC7RR6CAnMAJlfDnNxEOycVvCQtb0yBlhNefc6qGC7CEpXipO8IfoQcQxwgkeNsOXfdsV0M7MdWggDmQnfAvMmGqmfQTNcYnyxj3YNJJ/s1600/20190402_145659_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRe5NE7ktINL_Hkrl4fFITaY1DfzVnK94GvzcAC7RR6CAnMAJlfDnNxEOycVvCQtb0yBlhNefc6qGC7CEpXipO8IfoQcQxwgkeNsOXfdsV0M7MdWggDmQnfAvMmGqmfQTNcYnyxj3YNJJ/s400/20190402_145659_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0IKfUZikp7rM4OJGacJAloZ4vJbXwbgrVTnTnR-apRXLweHAHIDgGENIhIP8WuoDWk_VK9P6TTqpAiZUVvXFflP5TJXHOKqmWZo8XmcrA3P2Z_kzGxFLNxSynHMvp9oHsnOv8Nj0br9d/s1600/20190402_145640_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0IKfUZikp7rM4OJGacJAloZ4vJbXwbgrVTnTnR-apRXLweHAHIDgGENIhIP8WuoDWk_VK9P6TTqpAiZUVvXFflP5TJXHOKqmWZo8XmcrA3P2Z_kzGxFLNxSynHMvp9oHsnOv8Nj0br9d/s400/20190402_145640_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7b63cPYuwThxntbzRPUCxF6_nP1cvEm1GGBQVtnkMSmyQnMdHgRYU_WMzt3p3mFPZ9uQL5I4hC9rmPJpkgDnI3qJV-PqW0r6hIiijVUFm7gsgIyiqfhLJuzIWcgMT9SrcFIQ5RifSqkJ/s1600/20190402_150044_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7b63cPYuwThxntbzRPUCxF6_nP1cvEm1GGBQVtnkMSmyQnMdHgRYU_WMzt3p3mFPZ9uQL5I4hC9rmPJpkgDnI3qJV-PqW0r6hIiijVUFm7gsgIyiqfhLJuzIWcgMT9SrcFIQ5RifSqkJ/s400/20190402_150044_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWZuHSrNKpJrYhJzTSrdi2v0__9mkCrx3uP-zs17KP_lmIUKUI982BW4wUXgPvwRJqFUmpw_GY7rdaQ4NdW816MAjcKQfWAy9OzwbDbeIpQqb1XUC37aQxGj5SC9T3OYda4Na3mTfX8WX/s1600/20190402_150005_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWZuHSrNKpJrYhJzTSrdi2v0__9mkCrx3uP-zs17KP_lmIUKUI982BW4wUXgPvwRJqFUmpw_GY7rdaQ4NdW816MAjcKQfWAy9OzwbDbeIpQqb1XUC37aQxGj5SC9T3OYda4Na3mTfX8WX/s400/20190402_150005_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OJ-VR-iVb9Js3CG4uisgWvO0jgwKxZJkcYGnNE-K7k3p3Jas8IEIeIl39qgCkGsXbNp2lPt-qjVxrdIRnFAfQK4X2mUDruifn8SmK7DQ8JDmEzPhVFrbM-E4_zThOHxOmO4_pEVso1bR/s1600/20190402_145929_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OJ-VR-iVb9Js3CG4uisgWvO0jgwKxZJkcYGnNE-K7k3p3Jas8IEIeIl39qgCkGsXbNp2lPt-qjVxrdIRnFAfQK4X2mUDruifn8SmK7DQ8JDmEzPhVFrbM-E4_zThOHxOmO4_pEVso1bR/s400/20190402_145929_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHrc77UCcc1LC9bvKUgxEV8Vfah0bsLlNmYLwH9lWlk7dHmp0mPjwrCrhWKg_-WkUwHX5vC9nLHPqgsrnUrlCRqn3OdJSYVn9YJQPAoWrXusAPpnWWb4u8ludUxbtsbrmslO3lsT4JX-9/s1600/20190402_145901_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHrc77UCcc1LC9bvKUgxEV8Vfah0bsLlNmYLwH9lWlk7dHmp0mPjwrCrhWKg_-WkUwHX5vC9nLHPqgsrnUrlCRqn3OdJSYVn9YJQPAoWrXusAPpnWWb4u8ludUxbtsbrmslO3lsT4JX-9/s400/20190402_145901_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNkr3WwOPgBavY0ZxJGNKyzAlC4_enZJIC5uoCWYI7GlyfmEaTlvZNDpvFMzN1L4vPYKIfNtp3GaeshSs6JsrO_Air0Hu30EHuTKgkGqmq5rPAAXnRMPQZlz_ROMYU9oj1aWU7Um1xVVQ/s1600/20190402_145845_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNkr3WwOPgBavY0ZxJGNKyzAlC4_enZJIC5uoCWYI7GlyfmEaTlvZNDpvFMzN1L4vPYKIfNtp3GaeshSs6JsrO_Air0Hu30EHuTKgkGqmq5rPAAXnRMPQZlz_ROMYU9oj1aWU7Um1xVVQ/s400/20190402_145845_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASl9IKPJAk4gGc-E5tWrI6Y-F9VRH_PVsaI4UnmuV2qvMg3VloOLiAsQbZspt-RkmAF18Igd_hbnxVz0214Ruys93BvxN2SXsCDcy8XwOOLUDN9_PsQRdCeF8ad0mUfnZh2AaWQ9XiaEn/s1600/20190402_150548_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASl9IKPJAk4gGc-E5tWrI6Y-F9VRH_PVsaI4UnmuV2qvMg3VloOLiAsQbZspt-RkmAF18Igd_hbnxVz0214Ruys93BvxN2SXsCDcy8XwOOLUDN9_PsQRdCeF8ad0mUfnZh2AaWQ9XiaEn/s400/20190402_150548_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHxLfSnen2kxw2YxAOnE2dMH3J5EwHpH_N_i5roRckGnJlvbqZv5fwkBZXLHnMacOE0pzA_YiG-C89I5iY9wNy47TniGfXAISpX-afFhFVMVysX3YrjHPCYAiuiRTuQ4Us1ltlGLJX_Gg/s1600/20190402_150554_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHxLfSnen2kxw2YxAOnE2dMH3J5EwHpH_N_i5roRckGnJlvbqZv5fwkBZXLHnMacOE0pzA_YiG-C89I5iY9wNy47TniGfXAISpX-afFhFVMVysX3YrjHPCYAiuiRTuQ4Us1ltlGLJX_Gg/s400/20190402_150554_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUMVV3t2FNrVy_lOfxyTsCziRcyEFY2YV0SaMkb-oTRrNf1ofVZAs547pQ_ykL_6_pni20Vt1vZd_eu5MUr45NHwIHG6CemBCxHYf3wOPMMTQDYxBZyOzHsdyhiCdqLS3RMikMsYNvVya/s1600/20190402_151110_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUMVV3t2FNrVy_lOfxyTsCziRcyEFY2YV0SaMkb-oTRrNf1ofVZAs547pQ_ykL_6_pni20Vt1vZd_eu5MUr45NHwIHG6CemBCxHYf3wOPMMTQDYxBZyOzHsdyhiCdqLS3RMikMsYNvVya/s400/20190402_151110_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKK-tvxS3Ra1Ir35_Yib39TWXaYpbW3UM88SwKjLhjXLwivtMFfZig30YyuBZOuwIBnTxvvg5GiT1Kq_Mvep1kq0wVP8SffD7mMQ-kx2hIMbXYVWlOXvVa5n6ylCtoatQQYsrFoZL7xc8/s1600/DSCF3911_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="658" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKK-tvxS3Ra1Ir35_Yib39TWXaYpbW3UM88SwKjLhjXLwivtMFfZig30YyuBZOuwIBnTxvvg5GiT1Kq_Mvep1kq0wVP8SffD7mMQ-kx2hIMbXYVWlOXvVa5n6ylCtoatQQYsrFoZL7xc8/s400/DSCF3911_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Leaving High Hill, we headed out for our longest drive of the day, several miles west of Schulenburg to Praha and the Church of the Assumption of St. Mary. Along the way, Wanda pointed out a bank of mixed bluebonnets, paintbrush, and other wildflowers, and we pulled off the road for a few minutes to get some pictures.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvssypIL7dfYelRPrs2TvPnE6NtROuYEQ1WGC1ApYj8Qb9jb3vO3mWDQEoGyQQLMvaZoT9Z7n2G65nHyvtDzfdonPS6DVzS0-6mvzdwdBOPklZyAwKi3EyfmMMteotxJTQaMezK-AU7DKf/s1600/DSCF3915_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvssypIL7dfYelRPrs2TvPnE6NtROuYEQ1WGC1ApYj8Qb9jb3vO3mWDQEoGyQQLMvaZoT9Z7n2G65nHyvtDzfdonPS6DVzS0-6mvzdwdBOPklZyAwKi3EyfmMMteotxJTQaMezK-AU7DKf/s400/DSCF3915_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb3b6ha5S1XCKKgeTITd8MA3ZGdm7mJl0pl_kk2pAPUWq2VfMYYm66P4ONDr_cyPOqc5Tw1IpYLH0b87rQCu945Lc0mU3AHkJVEJyjJq1RNm2y-EiJAOK0zG1bgxqaBwga_jKOPf0uryz/s1600/DSCF3916_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb3b6ha5S1XCKKgeTITd8MA3ZGdm7mJl0pl_kk2pAPUWq2VfMYYm66P4ONDr_cyPOqc5Tw1IpYLH0b87rQCu945Lc0mU3AHkJVEJyjJq1RNm2y-EiJAOK0zG1bgxqaBwga_jKOPf0uryz/s400/DSCF3916_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISMsnfZ-UXeHjDQnInGkjU74qJExDLzPQWkzYaZQxMJRv5n9d-pjGajdnXqyQxlF2qDGEYfFxxLM9CDPDKFOZ_winy12fJBe5Vi09vVBA9m9OvBzhyphenhyphen1wrBGhrtxGhhiqdZ6WZHpSXggDi/s1600/DSCF3919_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISMsnfZ-UXeHjDQnInGkjU74qJExDLzPQWkzYaZQxMJRv5n9d-pjGajdnXqyQxlF2qDGEYfFxxLM9CDPDKFOZ_winy12fJBe5Vi09vVBA9m9OvBzhyphenhyphen1wrBGhrtxGhhiqdZ6WZHpSXggDi/s400/DSCF3919_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ8A_O9hhEhIoAADxBH-1VVeBEVdhBnTXe3S6lrpreei5TBAh17bIHE-sMNW0Ln8sZLC2vGtrfcQ6fVtiJjidHtHwvpvHrJqBZXFWXDTz1blOKBHCw3djG3VWAk4a7EKMlGNSADxWHUyk/s1600/DSCF3920_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ8A_O9hhEhIoAADxBH-1VVeBEVdhBnTXe3S6lrpreei5TBAh17bIHE-sMNW0Ln8sZLC2vGtrfcQ6fVtiJjidHtHwvpvHrJqBZXFWXDTz1blOKBHCw3djG3VWAk4a7EKMlGNSADxWHUyk/s400/DSCF3920_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuY6zOtDs0QKmYOAKQrEIEIxTjSR7sWMs3nV72cyNjJTchrN7YcmE-Bl90dICEUYpWKIuLWjV1iY0cnBku7A56CzMSBjvV01ogkw1G6FDKnLGkx-qt6qpz1yWQM25x2ZMK70fcbt-3g1m/s1600/20190402_152024_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuY6zOtDs0QKmYOAKQrEIEIxTjSR7sWMs3nV72cyNjJTchrN7YcmE-Bl90dICEUYpWKIuLWjV1iY0cnBku7A56CzMSBjvV01ogkw1G6FDKnLGkx-qt6qpz1yWQM25x2ZMK70fcbt-3g1m/s400/20190402_152024_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoukJM_QO0Q9ilbLDpJ57b4vsj55LyFnImu5u_Mp5xmz2ximtv1ZXkqjTEmmXivrNRvVDmoSlIuyxEqxqkoO5xl3-ozdWJEnu85tHjQGpgmDxyOSiStcufqyP3n4mfbBAzii51LYviw9j_/s1600/20190402_152032_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoukJM_QO0Q9ilbLDpJ57b4vsj55LyFnImu5u_Mp5xmz2ximtv1ZXkqjTEmmXivrNRvVDmoSlIuyxEqxqkoO5xl3-ozdWJEnu85tHjQGpgmDxyOSiStcufqyP3n4mfbBAzii51LYviw9j_/s400/20190402_152032_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlIweCyGe_OtsppwVBJGkV39RBjfY-e-SiyO-gd9bUElXUdbPo0Euhl_h7RnfBaOlglZkxqJoZPTJjJYUUQ5ZYDLDeAj7_8cFNlmHYDgD-0fGCsW4fVntIbGeJRfw-rvPA28w9XvKLdOK/s1600/20190402_152225_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlIweCyGe_OtsppwVBJGkV39RBjfY-e-SiyO-gd9bUElXUdbPo0Euhl_h7RnfBaOlglZkxqJoZPTJjJYUUQ5ZYDLDeAj7_8cFNlmHYDgD-0fGCsW4fVntIbGeJRfw-rvPA28w9XvKLdOK/s400/20190402_152225_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92kYgZtlCyCUT2LnupmVoZ2uewl0snbHgYVwLc96Z7sx984B4hqzaRoZzjH7C8sWPoO8dvQzMY0qd4kiiNtN9C8spa1z3ctjaYygpBk_f8kUsoD0H9PCeQA4gqSIRUTOX4RPf7yc7nQnY/s1600/20190402_152205_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92kYgZtlCyCUT2LnupmVoZ2uewl0snbHgYVwLc96Z7sx984B4hqzaRoZzjH7C8sWPoO8dvQzMY0qd4kiiNtN9C8spa1z3ctjaYygpBk_f8kUsoD0H9PCeQA4gqSIRUTOX4RPf7yc7nQnY/s400/20190402_152205_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFsRb6L2CxvDfdsnr4p3ZvaI2brQ84y2swXXeTmnmtoxGBjvIRZPrQL_z8ljJkDN0htNOJXupjcUB9EAGMRJR0yQUdMBLpTN7bMHDqP4IZM7iV5FIu_OuqyRVbi2GEsFV5jA8JtO7ucnj/s1600/20190402_152202_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFsRb6L2CxvDfdsnr4p3ZvaI2brQ84y2swXXeTmnmtoxGBjvIRZPrQL_z8ljJkDN0htNOJXupjcUB9EAGMRJR0yQUdMBLpTN7bMHDqP4IZM7iV5FIu_OuqyRVbi2GEsFV5jA8JtO7ucnj/s400/20190402_152202_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAG18ISHOIkv96YhZ9GJZMTcrqLEylpNMQoWQkymrSVBazwVtfbFu6XwD5ABqBwUhyphenhyphens8gB8IasfNHDGUZ-uWHYSxx5dM1MSzScqPEcDvaMgXZ_UOEp2fvSxEnGLMfXJyuAfI9x84wNzOr/s1600/20190402_152145_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAG18ISHOIkv96YhZ9GJZMTcrqLEylpNMQoWQkymrSVBazwVtfbFu6XwD5ABqBwUhyphenhyphens8gB8IasfNHDGUZ-uWHYSxx5dM1MSzScqPEcDvaMgXZ_UOEp2fvSxEnGLMfXJyuAfI9x84wNzOr/s400/20190402_152145_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuRjrPKCcaanrEpaTOCp0elMqIAPzGoF6JrG7JKaRRP8FGi0qDk10ctxr7s2lS3codwb5BBa9u1sarOtOa6DOcLPg_3qJ4uKjmur14ylWYNk3hBJmv1qaz2mfpQ3nRbCPg047Iu_keDTT/s1600/20190402_152120_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuRjrPKCcaanrEpaTOCp0elMqIAPzGoF6JrG7JKaRRP8FGi0qDk10ctxr7s2lS3codwb5BBa9u1sarOtOa6DOcLPg_3qJ4uKjmur14ylWYNk3hBJmv1qaz2mfpQ3nRbCPg047Iu_keDTT/s400/20190402_152120_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In Praha, Wanda described the extensive renovation to the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary's, Praha) that was recently done over the course of several years, but which left the entire ceiling of the church in its original condition, to still-stunning effect. Another, much smaller group (two people and a guide) were there at the same time, but that was no problem -- in fact the other tour guide shared a full list of all the Painted Churches with me and also took the group picture that is at the top of this page so it could include all of us and Wanda our guide.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6vUI_vZ75EA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6vUI_vZ75EA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Wanda's comments outside St. Mary's in Praha</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwp6tA9mTMV_Pt7mP14YZl2rqM72bpMo0ISOeIuAjSsxVMCFK1HsprkUs0Q-HiBfbqudGGpyYGlKhPQOnZKRxRT0tZkS8xKaXXwv5EgMffa0aNhrRD4mM1CqfdE_ucW8PHxM9XfsK_ecA/s1600/20190402_154413_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwp6tA9mTMV_Pt7mP14YZl2rqM72bpMo0ISOeIuAjSsxVMCFK1HsprkUs0Q-HiBfbqudGGpyYGlKhPQOnZKRxRT0tZkS8xKaXXwv5EgMffa0aNhrRD4mM1CqfdE_ucW8PHxM9XfsK_ecA/s400/20190402_154413_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsDxRVno5HT4MYP7iO4bmpC8VJ2bK4KfL2aNJeaUmuH6mjEgsxDVYTrAFqhgympjj9BAKzaHsO-BS3lK8fwE1N8MlkQokrNQcuYYncH7fzt6e9SC9pmr3DPCc_r2P0nhMA5JRukKIAQAC/s1600/20190402_154339_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsDxRVno5HT4MYP7iO4bmpC8VJ2bK4KfL2aNJeaUmuH6mjEgsxDVYTrAFqhgympjj9BAKzaHsO-BS3lK8fwE1N8MlkQokrNQcuYYncH7fzt6e9SC9pmr3DPCc_r2P0nhMA5JRukKIAQAC/s400/20190402_154339_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWeU_NusYY74rrtLspGEpq_EJxlG186GPbpb7pF7s-RIcgh5rv8kwuhJwxDChQI4b4ia73ylafQPxip7cwfeyL5TmvvYUwozkSJv4aoawdcZTNL1eBlxRIuJ9Fl9WXK3tiVZn7zIYGfCO/s1600/20190402_154323_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWeU_NusYY74rrtLspGEpq_EJxlG186GPbpb7pF7s-RIcgh5rv8kwuhJwxDChQI4b4ia73ylafQPxip7cwfeyL5TmvvYUwozkSJv4aoawdcZTNL1eBlxRIuJ9Fl9WXK3tiVZn7zIYGfCO/s400/20190402_154323_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DHj4Lw6U7odSRW1IQDHyw-dAM00H3hsHFWKxurTx1HhcfGOaJK36_yZb-7xhU2cgq-yM1VtmbMyZxERA-0GnzkZ_2mKcZ9ZBSNxx6Get5Q083r00Kgw2mw2hcoSZhbR8kpdCeJUCO5GU/s1600/20190402_154100_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DHj4Lw6U7odSRW1IQDHyw-dAM00H3hsHFWKxurTx1HhcfGOaJK36_yZb-7xhU2cgq-yM1VtmbMyZxERA-0GnzkZ_2mKcZ9ZBSNxx6Get5Q083r00Kgw2mw2hcoSZhbR8kpdCeJUCO5GU/s400/20190402_154100_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hBV59EiEX4DllFNjz6uUZ-iC0dN6r1LZK6oZHl3TE4giT_wDi2H1gNz53odLYtolbkONGcbQnR4xULODUM_412CvFXApDKEsLpqrYDazu_CfbMU086qcT9Zs3GlL3tjJR-h8rsMUtz91/s1600/20190402_154034_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hBV59EiEX4DllFNjz6uUZ-iC0dN6r1LZK6oZHl3TE4giT_wDi2H1gNz53odLYtolbkONGcbQnR4xULODUM_412CvFXApDKEsLpqrYDazu_CfbMU086qcT9Zs3GlL3tjJR-h8rsMUtz91/s400/20190402_154034_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMd4OqYEEpWVAYO5GOX0cxQth-_4IRLzS9px4CyxiWitngBhDEkJLXCd8eMqEijJwVpeboaeO6BbZ688D6yLCKGCvMu1XjJ1AFn52THAdaj8ztwZkcixWfUFoO-tRbm5KWpxPB2qtgzlxg/s1600/20190402_153730_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMd4OqYEEpWVAYO5GOX0cxQth-_4IRLzS9px4CyxiWitngBhDEkJLXCd8eMqEijJwVpeboaeO6BbZ688D6yLCKGCvMu1XjJ1AFn52THAdaj8ztwZkcixWfUFoO-tRbm5KWpxPB2qtgzlxg/s400/20190402_153730_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8J0HO-5_l_bwz3PzBNk90iH3JaHMtYEFHz0sscFgYyo4W4XfUG26andmIS26ECTPv57YjNeno-gfgoyHP0d5CG5Du9dTuu6EgpBAa2l2eCAdb5AJhtn94i2DFtB-wAuwLnVWBKKcyQu1/s1600/20190402_154420_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8J0HO-5_l_bwz3PzBNk90iH3JaHMtYEFHz0sscFgYyo4W4XfUG26andmIS26ECTPv57YjNeno-gfgoyHP0d5CG5Du9dTuu6EgpBAa2l2eCAdb5AJhtn94i2DFtB-wAuwLnVWBKKcyQu1/s400/20190402_154420_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4N6VRA66jiA5fLc7qC1n-3_xsBHmDLLfgbWAEdCwUaRoDMmQcWkdD39f2yna20_qm_aDp5EQeRpA0_MXT_V9Zp9t3aWpzrldKkZws0emRKe9Jjq1hje2Uf27Mrz-0nycnzQD6xDO_ewp/s1600/20190402_154554_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4N6VRA66jiA5fLc7qC1n-3_xsBHmDLLfgbWAEdCwUaRoDMmQcWkdD39f2yna20_qm_aDp5EQeRpA0_MXT_V9Zp9t3aWpzrldKkZws0emRKe9Jjq1hje2Uf27Mrz-0nycnzQD6xDO_ewp/s400/20190402_154554_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rGtKDaOcfvNavR8_6VER8dr61GC08jbfn7eDkHY8CBsGeZyhnGa0cUMcjV2lZTXOMRegWPbwpQfy0kyhIA-1LMSa9pGJ_c0UQC4uytlqHLnbf9N9JGus3p1eoPgKPTB8R9XO-igeVG5M/s1600/20190402_154616_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rGtKDaOcfvNavR8_6VER8dr61GC08jbfn7eDkHY8CBsGeZyhnGa0cUMcjV2lZTXOMRegWPbwpQfy0kyhIA-1LMSa9pGJ_c0UQC4uytlqHLnbf9N9JGus3p1eoPgKPTB8R9XO-igeVG5M/s400/20190402_154616_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uA77EKPP4EcTalNym8vvudD69ENYVpC77HCHmo86R44f6pgG9cyNzyCyN-MkgoFwNmvAsg1aeuibQCt3UbTVYS29ncbK9IUrfYsBs8xiTnruNe7ASE5pHH-HIqK6xksoKzYK-Tl0S2xL/s1600/DSCF3924_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uA77EKPP4EcTalNym8vvudD69ENYVpC77HCHmo86R44f6pgG9cyNzyCyN-MkgoFwNmvAsg1aeuibQCt3UbTVYS29ncbK9IUrfYsBs8xiTnruNe7ASE5pHH-HIqK6xksoKzYK-Tl0S2xL/s400/DSCF3924_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX2eHsrtYIAMvBoIKrnIhzb4eB9v3nf_fB_PlH4x4ccjIoVJVW_g-JzmNwW8p0de-gV20GX3JrjKdTgL484np6s38M8Ko9pJLsONhATr3-dM6qe81bgTx6OZ92I_JmXlbcsgXXsu92_QY/s1600/20190402_154644_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX2eHsrtYIAMvBoIKrnIhzb4eB9v3nf_fB_PlH4x4ccjIoVJVW_g-JzmNwW8p0de-gV20GX3JrjKdTgL484np6s38M8Ko9pJLsONhATr3-dM6qe81bgTx6OZ92I_JmXlbcsgXXsu92_QY/s400/20190402_154644_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mGB1HCEDU9s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mGB1HCEDU9s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Walk-through</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VIDEO</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7sTKWHleo5Y/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7sTKWHleo5Y?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wanda's commentary</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNETh0i9q-jkxZbCAJz5hLW-vhLJQsCmfz5idnf3eLrK7ozlYAoUswfBNz-lFN0holxC0mKvWuvHxwqSxCQBlKSd1OlJyZWUzpqL6J8GwBtTXP0IwUUII5gUZydixdFEGNmCyudEs5queh/s1600/DSCF3932_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNETh0i9q-jkxZbCAJz5hLW-vhLJQsCmfz5idnf3eLrK7ozlYAoUswfBNz-lFN0holxC0mKvWuvHxwqSxCQBlKSd1OlJyZWUzpqL6J8GwBtTXP0IwUUII5gUZydixdFEGNmCyudEs5queh/s400/DSCF3932_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYaKnGSjhP27Utjpa54ODwvHuorNGzOFo55oDvXY_GkJ556rYdtWgDF0YkDWYZ3IoatYKBsO-Dfc3dVkpgs1SxTHWhrgLcPrI_M6cGyj0dCW8UXSNXQHo-9H_R_C3dMv-2kR1i89hcNrF/s1600/DSCF3933_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="538" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYaKnGSjhP27Utjpa54ODwvHuorNGzOFo55oDvXY_GkJ556rYdtWgDF0YkDWYZ3IoatYKBsO-Dfc3dVkpgs1SxTHWhrgLcPrI_M6cGyj0dCW8UXSNXQHo-9H_R_C3dMv-2kR1i89hcNrF/s400/DSCF3933_800x600.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtPReYaXvsT1-GhHUrXIRVCWIjBsUw00aXp7hnWMeYz59AgCv9jHoHNpL0At75xw-TiNOXxE6OY6gcOJmd41uXknwHZyao93EwQ8lCDV41jvWHdSEC8CsE87JrmVuT_nczPjrCARu4KZK/s1600/DSCF3928_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtPReYaXvsT1-GhHUrXIRVCWIjBsUw00aXp7hnWMeYz59AgCv9jHoHNpL0At75xw-TiNOXxE6OY6gcOJmd41uXknwHZyao93EwQ8lCDV41jvWHdSEC8CsE87JrmVuT_nczPjrCARu4KZK/s400/DSCF3928_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-ow3MSj4jSSr-r4P3FFhk8euta8XJ0vBxGxzybPBSGXv4LYDZhxXLOgf0xrSTeduSSTabw7mIKGUjJtaljxSaIPxUlX8X4Jl9jgD3A-SuI4bI4j2QT7VfOW8XVK3fM2FGLdzAVg8B47g/s1600/DSCF3929_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-ow3MSj4jSSr-r4P3FFhk8euta8XJ0vBxGxzybPBSGXv4LYDZhxXLOgf0xrSTeduSSTabw7mIKGUjJtaljxSaIPxUlX8X4Jl9jgD3A-SuI4bI4j2QT7VfOW8XVK3fM2FGLdzAVg8B47g/s400/DSCF3929_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJqto81nZFHdmB5Dq2_Qux6UYKPISUulwkYZw5CU2S5KlREhnSAPxN6teeCUVd5mniB2JmmDZUojEHkC9xg4HhU1ngCelOvvd4BHSJYTaEpPn2jrhabwPKaaOnzFVhyphenhyphenc7HcrptqaNUYND/s1600/DSCF3931_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJqto81nZFHdmB5Dq2_Qux6UYKPISUulwkYZw5CU2S5KlREhnSAPxN6teeCUVd5mniB2JmmDZUojEHkC9xg4HhU1ngCelOvvd4BHSJYTaEpPn2jrhabwPKaaOnzFVhyphenhyphenc7HcrptqaNUYND/s400/DSCF3931_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbbGTMAppND6zakjPBBV5M4nWqhpU_fRYp9Xh4nzNrHB3Vtc9FQ297DxiMnkq6mCN2uRXeFcjPZwC8y72ItSFy6faJwL4OJ2MK2Fj6A7Z3zNAP7mX4luwj9E9ahQQgnHxXn4ZCHZOVvTb/s1600/20190402_155025_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbbGTMAppND6zakjPBBV5M4nWqhpU_fRYp9Xh4nzNrHB3Vtc9FQ297DxiMnkq6mCN2uRXeFcjPZwC8y72ItSFy6faJwL4OJ2MK2Fj6A7Z3zNAP7mX4luwj9E9ahQQgnHxXn4ZCHZOVvTb/s400/20190402_155025_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJKTlVhdob2QzsrUPebh2LuaMow7Rpb2q-an6qfhpWgQZ1f8YxdUT-x-P7YU_L7R3zTYZ8UkOfgLZya98h7puljNQyAYV026B_WvHqyhv2yZRMYUKkEkYNipOxwkmgBo7B4A_f14UkOYS/s1600/20190402_155231_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJKTlVhdob2QzsrUPebh2LuaMow7Rpb2q-an6qfhpWgQZ1f8YxdUT-x-P7YU_L7R3zTYZ8UkOfgLZya98h7puljNQyAYV026B_WvHqyhv2yZRMYUKkEkYNipOxwkmgBo7B4A_f14UkOYS/s400/20190402_155231_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9-C_S6pkji3m_aCu7jNgoP232QvqrBRkR8TumUK6lUlS1MWrAAIM9ncLFc-wYW-vzEYQYQK0pXGDLB-Vrdy1xHz_ilGcfVS33ZK59f1cvAM-BBVulx75ZSyEc4baXUVMlzwFClFTS4Q/s1600/20190402_155216_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9-C_S6pkji3m_aCu7jNgoP232QvqrBRkR8TumUK6lUlS1MWrAAIM9ncLFc-wYW-vzEYQYQK0pXGDLB-Vrdy1xHz_ilGcfVS33ZK59f1cvAM-BBVulx75ZSyEc4baXUVMlzwFClFTS4Q/s400/20190402_155216_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_A8N5YWLgOIHOo524mQlKzZGKxfCgELfLxQaFWehhIHPsCasGavxy_hkhtsXhGhnxF1ciCmi3jbsE_6D8ro_sLNqTo9KEWhQnrdjofz1jFRNzp1aYZcU5_ivV0DpH9KWrLDM3EBOMI5k/s1600/20190402_155154_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_A8N5YWLgOIHOo524mQlKzZGKxfCgELfLxQaFWehhIHPsCasGavxy_hkhtsXhGhnxF1ciCmi3jbsE_6D8ro_sLNqTo9KEWhQnrdjofz1jFRNzp1aYZcU5_ivV0DpH9KWrLDM3EBOMI5k/s400/20190402_155154_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKoDbrv-Mo9P2qqlN6wE1Ogzk8cgG4PyIwOFpSX70zb_ZuiLFCJaFBzMSHsj3YV3DJLB_ak3ZpiKZVTqvf6kw-PNhD1E9DOcTdSyNw4c_jXPLVtfpzB1nk2GzP3XhmIibv2jvwMXmigLN/s1600/20190402_155148_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKoDbrv-Mo9P2qqlN6wE1Ogzk8cgG4PyIwOFpSX70zb_ZuiLFCJaFBzMSHsj3YV3DJLB_ak3ZpiKZVTqvf6kw-PNhD1E9DOcTdSyNw4c_jXPLVtfpzB1nk2GzP3XhmIibv2jvwMXmigLN/s400/20190402_155148_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QBk47jW8dbZlfsYVG5NsCmKjiqQPxssaVjpWrSEMkHnMjJS1eyQQJQo_4uhSbXAosbiNrV8liPmZZrvyWJl5Vjosjuvcfc9snYKoPl3CoI_Q_WZLDtzM2ViABB4b7VskEyemA47paaNP/s1600/20190402_155115_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QBk47jW8dbZlfsYVG5NsCmKjiqQPxssaVjpWrSEMkHnMjJS1eyQQJQo_4uhSbXAosbiNrV8liPmZZrvyWJl5Vjosjuvcfc9snYKoPl3CoI_Q_WZLDtzM2ViABB4b7VskEyemA47paaNP/s400/20190402_155115_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBHYG8QW7X9a8-DvY7TVHi_mAw_tA2sOWd77F6m23WyRPQ5M3S6XUDIqkdbLFqgwEE6f5zTpuSzPZA4Iz5B_YVUAIG1h0-_Tpq-HzZ5xAu3JYxodco6pOzRAYnnGopEs_mSykBd47HBmc/s1600/20190402_155101_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBHYG8QW7X9a8-DvY7TVHi_mAw_tA2sOWd77F6m23WyRPQ5M3S6XUDIqkdbLFqgwEE6f5zTpuSzPZA4Iz5B_YVUAIG1h0-_Tpq-HzZ5xAu3JYxodco6pOzRAYnnGopEs_mSykBd47HBmc/s400/20190402_155101_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4nYJldKS3jrz67KF95zhfP5UjgFc51w1wgYfORG3PQuPVuUDHHJFqlp5mFJ69QuNdECc_R8d_nAyb5xVkJEmySaecN-ohowMz3GuZmNKmME6pI9TxAuFuf7vAHX9R3hkbgi1hwGDTCGW/s1600/20190402_155045_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4nYJldKS3jrz67KF95zhfP5UjgFc51w1wgYfORG3PQuPVuUDHHJFqlp5mFJ69QuNdECc_R8d_nAyb5xVkJEmySaecN-ohowMz3GuZmNKmME6pI9TxAuFuf7vAHX9R3hkbgi1hwGDTCGW/s400/20190402_155045_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-j8a9Y_vnPMtgRKvtuVlQkbLqw49VZVI6U2nwvLiPxn8UoW4g7G1mzOIYac2fvlglBAW727iL-jB7bR8PEc4L2e2BuXN0_HPt4nj0d08IRKEjA-XRkaYlY77PRB_AhWrNmLn-ajrqIzi/s1600/20190402_155250_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-j8a9Y_vnPMtgRKvtuVlQkbLqw49VZVI6U2nwvLiPxn8UoW4g7G1mzOIYac2fvlglBAW727iL-jB7bR8PEc4L2e2BuXN0_HPt4nj0d08IRKEjA-XRkaYlY77PRB_AhWrNmLn-ajrqIzi/s400/20190402_155250_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6Re0qWoizNJ5ldB_LDh1FpD4abLiDCwJG6Fvu1-CidXJadY4_4nMcmmhiMX51PensGQWkOiT-IvimDDFb9qVIPf46-OF5saKo4Ehm0xes_V-OI_oxtppo36c-fYTPoR0Dghk8oJEJAq5/s1600/20190402_155325_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6Re0qWoizNJ5ldB_LDh1FpD4abLiDCwJG6Fvu1-CidXJadY4_4nMcmmhiMX51PensGQWkOiT-IvimDDFb9qVIPf46-OF5saKo4Ehm0xes_V-OI_oxtppo36c-fYTPoR0Dghk8oJEJAq5/s400/20190402_155325_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6R1Caqw99vYQVAZaGYVz7ozGa7vVOHqF05HQf60VGlfFQFFqveUAHTILiXaEQkGM4okykls8ZqFmuzt_ZvMMg98kRJu0zVX9w_acdbUTu0ZsdyOtj_VFwmPs-7ffknA1hmuRyZc5jvRn/s1600/20190402_155342_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6R1Caqw99vYQVAZaGYVz7ozGa7vVOHqF05HQf60VGlfFQFFqveUAHTILiXaEQkGM4okykls8ZqFmuzt_ZvMMg98kRJu0zVX9w_acdbUTu0ZsdyOtj_VFwmPs-7ffknA1hmuRyZc5jvRn/s400/20190402_155342_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjForhmDtg7om0P_9TLpZ03Z6pmx72EDMfyCWPBGD7X2xPG8ZFlr6v5QhU2xN4XYBMDm1xcZPh2-Zhbp8phXt6w8KPtU69iTMkkkkTiohqJSG4Zh1kFhFO4y_yvvkWIZvySTCGO1dNQ6x1U/s1600/20190402_155415_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjForhmDtg7om0P_9TLpZ03Z6pmx72EDMfyCWPBGD7X2xPG8ZFlr6v5QhU2xN4XYBMDm1xcZPh2-Zhbp8phXt6w8KPtU69iTMkkkkTiohqJSG4Zh1kFhFO4y_yvvkWIZvySTCGO1dNQ6x1U/s400/20190402_155415_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GPLKbUWbReCVV_Uw-HOJjM1smpmGcLXqhF3PQGighRYBa0Z14-8uDqQuPJNae66t7ZD2SEhW7zFJpMvKKyAa_j1K3SOqdZ4Mjft9ntuzzaVfiLCu5h-rBqpWgq3W7UpMig02QoGUiOSu/s1600/20190402_155438_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GPLKbUWbReCVV_Uw-HOJjM1smpmGcLXqhF3PQGighRYBa0Z14-8uDqQuPJNae66t7ZD2SEhW7zFJpMvKKyAa_j1K3SOqdZ4Mjft9ntuzzaVfiLCu5h-rBqpWgq3W7UpMig02QoGUiOSu/s400/20190402_155438_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglApHUS3BpkP1JH8ID6JnXM83Mu41HUmVdbls9rYByau3-xWQdOzAlr04xoJ5Ytaa-0w-kx4VQ62TJ1PvF2SbcOW5U8bCRsWuH6Zq8MPzaBWjIoCU1hQANeWbB-cA2rA94C_3zTbGhzRQv/s1600/DSCF3943_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglApHUS3BpkP1JH8ID6JnXM83Mu41HUmVdbls9rYByau3-xWQdOzAlr04xoJ5Ytaa-0w-kx4VQ62TJ1PvF2SbcOW5U8bCRsWuH6Zq8MPzaBWjIoCU1hQANeWbB-cA2rA94C_3zTbGhzRQv/s320/DSCF3943_800x600.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_juY9i2RhJbi9BxVzg1XTwUlwACFrFjF2PhQRfiuW_1-PYuNUi0-jgZXq-uY2JZcgY6rxc1fzDjLIA8_ba8oLQGGiqyDdu7kDxz6l9U0Luh3XgiEnKOnv7GUGndL3PPqWYmwvLWjuTFJ/s1600/20190402_155531_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_juY9i2RhJbi9BxVzg1XTwUlwACFrFjF2PhQRfiuW_1-PYuNUi0-jgZXq-uY2JZcgY6rxc1fzDjLIA8_ba8oLQGGiqyDdu7kDxz6l9U0Luh3XgiEnKOnv7GUGndL3PPqWYmwvLWjuTFJ/s400/20190402_155531_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Some among our group commented they'd never</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
seen such a presentation of Our Lord, just taken from </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the Cross; Anne and I had -- it was a common feature </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
in the Mexican churches we visited in 2016 [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/mexico-2016.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>], </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
e.g. the fifth picture here [<a href="http://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/2016/02/mexico-day-1-thursday-04-february-2016.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>].</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZpmqelTmNzFiopCPBP9rK5WEG8M_4e4NmGVwlrFVeSBjGdonlEc5nlYpWqCFHWWp0S1ODHjLfZwRqXrWTOwe6aU_T4ntmVJQHgFs74lYAF8dtgy4UJA5ED3pjcVaozBnmC8MovYp7jiB/s1600/20190402_155546_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZpmqelTmNzFiopCPBP9rK5WEG8M_4e4NmGVwlrFVeSBjGdonlEc5nlYpWqCFHWWp0S1ODHjLfZwRqXrWTOwe6aU_T4ntmVJQHgFs74lYAF8dtgy4UJA5ED3pjcVaozBnmC8MovYp7jiB/s400/20190402_155546_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89PXs8wc0mPNoA-PVV274dOC9FB1RLDxr8GMQeRo1cpKDuKX-HrK0WyksHotHNVFOu-Nr3-XhX543vbXdhhs5EMEK4AtkdKK1_0M_ZCrgJ1R2orNaq9gAEaPjxed-3cpCqSA6LET1YcMJ/s1600/20190402_155759_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89PXs8wc0mPNoA-PVV274dOC9FB1RLDxr8GMQeRo1cpKDuKX-HrK0WyksHotHNVFOu-Nr3-XhX543vbXdhhs5EMEK4AtkdKK1_0M_ZCrgJ1R2orNaq9gAEaPjxed-3cpCqSA6LET1YcMJ/s400/20190402_155759_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVDXGy75dluBnfKqAWCZTQSyJvz0HrTwTLrAtyX31_LVWxZHuEdG2XqUx3NmjMWcZlMvnhcJs1zrNggFSx-NU9uZ-28lQgesSusCpE2kmsuHxqq2oeil1h2TxDUfod7PrRDLCA1kQ79dX/s1600/DSCF3941_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="573" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVDXGy75dluBnfKqAWCZTQSyJvz0HrTwTLrAtyX31_LVWxZHuEdG2XqUx3NmjMWcZlMvnhcJs1zrNggFSx-NU9uZ-28lQgesSusCpE2kmsuHxqq2oeil1h2TxDUfod7PrRDLCA1kQ79dX/s320/DSCF3941_800x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcIw5NFRbh21-DSNDrhIF5W24DahS1B0BExx6IQ-FA4kkJ4Yt1n3paBudpMXlRrxJ08Idvd_4sX5fP0s4zZMrnPFc7osQwAszoj7HW-GoPHo7iBe4EtMg40q89eLT8D8xwk0OwscXX6mD/s1600/20190402_155751_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcIw5NFRbh21-DSNDrhIF5W24DahS1B0BExx6IQ-FA4kkJ4Yt1n3paBudpMXlRrxJ08Idvd_4sX5fP0s4zZMrnPFc7osQwAszoj7HW-GoPHo7iBe4EtMg40q89eLT8D8xwk0OwscXX6mD/s400/20190402_155751_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHEyaIlPLSE0kaUf5-4HuAK9-mXa7K6ahRvyxnEmLUcvw4VfSKyyZFW5jxFi9e1z6-ca4tdLtOrsFgv9jzm6EG62LimZpXHPbxOL0PcZpLwktVBbDCqltMXARxmVRpOMzDGunV-_NFSmH/s1600/20190402_155734_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHEyaIlPLSE0kaUf5-4HuAK9-mXa7K6ahRvyxnEmLUcvw4VfSKyyZFW5jxFi9e1z6-ca4tdLtOrsFgv9jzm6EG62LimZpXHPbxOL0PcZpLwktVBbDCqltMXARxmVRpOMzDGunV-_NFSmH/s400/20190402_155734_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL430Y_uF4quZ_3pXPtPuCguaGD7XaeUlWslXgsi6QpwWOXcei0An3P9m62-RnNSwBzQIoFKYgKoCBvNTQQPtMInW4wt97srwS96hwh_Yl0fi84KQcwAoD2JuAM2LpPT7BahHF96Dugvzn/s1600/DSCF3938_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="716" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL430Y_uF4quZ_3pXPtPuCguaGD7XaeUlWslXgsi6QpwWOXcei0An3P9m62-RnNSwBzQIoFKYgKoCBvNTQQPtMInW4wt97srwS96hwh_Yl0fi84KQcwAoD2JuAM2LpPT7BahHF96Dugvzn/s400/DSCF3938_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFf9t0Eyd3Oiwre4IqJin5fUrK1zfodUIaXz8BvDClsqStCwyUkxmqOylouNSFdBkh1eekz0r4FDz0oc21MJB2O0fS80B2DDUKjjbWCh1FKw3yf5xBiQlLAktWLMKjVEGc40Z6i5xnnZq/s1600/DSCF3939_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="766" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFf9t0Eyd3Oiwre4IqJin5fUrK1zfodUIaXz8BvDClsqStCwyUkxmqOylouNSFdBkh1eekz0r4FDz0oc21MJB2O0fS80B2DDUKjjbWCh1FKw3yf5xBiQlLAktWLMKjVEGc40Z6i5xnnZq/s400/DSCF3939_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21SphEuDMgyidLB3DTecIJ_vFL65_URGj8E-trcETUEfbXDH4IZKbXcVwMzR8lyH9-6qncx36ARPCpCAQP_igkFE0OT9QSPPc4kaMrhf_qW3txk8sgjx-ElW7wgBvl_Qrsgmc6u3pFctr/s1600/20190402_155617_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21SphEuDMgyidLB3DTecIJ_vFL65_URGj8E-trcETUEfbXDH4IZKbXcVwMzR8lyH9-6qncx36ARPCpCAQP_igkFE0OT9QSPPc4kaMrhf_qW3txk8sgjx-ElW7wgBvl_Qrsgmc6u3pFctr/s400/20190402_155617_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPUAvLkvTp36SzL_86DpHUauYbE0TdbX9vPpfo60qK1pGk5mP5mtFAGX34k8cx-qXlc5VUOBYd9eHQtK0-Jwwuu-BK6RJ6Fq_uZ33hw_ez3qgr2186PyvIu1OFio-_P_SYRM39pCQUHQ-/s1600/20190402_155632_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPUAvLkvTp36SzL_86DpHUauYbE0TdbX9vPpfo60qK1pGk5mP5mtFAGX34k8cx-qXlc5VUOBYd9eHQtK0-Jwwuu-BK6RJ6Fq_uZ33hw_ez3qgr2186PyvIu1OFio-_P_SYRM39pCQUHQ-/s400/20190402_155632_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVKF0QHUP6If_L2S-xzdcaH6PCk1mhjzduC8Pr8cDqJyrnd5WBXxGBt0S5T3CejXnyfmQjti2Ct2RN4qoL-DVmuEDsc9o3XQgemFeEAoRFxIxOBxB4xF3jSyFq8vlYLS6ODmNUP9BiYxs/s1600/DSCF3945_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVKF0QHUP6If_L2S-xzdcaH6PCk1mhjzduC8Pr8cDqJyrnd5WBXxGBt0S5T3CejXnyfmQjti2Ct2RN4qoL-DVmuEDsc9o3XQgemFeEAoRFxIxOBxB4xF3jSyFq8vlYLS6ODmNUP9BiYxs/s320/DSCF3945_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYHio6ZZOgmpLhB9ZLP5Ds6sa4lKJXLKia8QXfvqSCnQ9d1YaIMqXB_b8e7-jhkwsqnjoepAB1p8gj2Ho6t8ZjkFqm9rs_Ftf7_-NkM7EdDSaH1WNlR5Gm8NjINr3SidFG1VmAnbtuFyt/s1600/DSCF3956_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYHio6ZZOgmpLhB9ZLP5Ds6sa4lKJXLKia8QXfvqSCnQ9d1YaIMqXB_b8e7-jhkwsqnjoepAB1p8gj2Ho6t8ZjkFqm9rs_Ftf7_-NkM7EdDSaH1WNlR5Gm8NjINr3SidFG1VmAnbtuFyt/s320/DSCF3956_800x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLp8hZIPHYTVknc3hWYZ9h8eomAdZdnkwA7_jjI-ZjbvqnNd0mOIjrEH6EzkUcMo_OHSO0YJGWra3Iv5LBUDW2qGgdeTRfZqkWPFClTecQDLINqDizH7x_HqOUfkKDu2jCJogZzi4v7uF/s1600/DSCF3957_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLp8hZIPHYTVknc3hWYZ9h8eomAdZdnkwA7_jjI-ZjbvqnNd0mOIjrEH6EzkUcMo_OHSO0YJGWra3Iv5LBUDW2qGgdeTRfZqkWPFClTecQDLINqDizH7x_HqOUfkKDu2jCJogZzi4v7uF/s320/DSCF3957_800x600.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiJmDTtX9Z6T5sReF2aOcoEnWR2m-wNujnI3n2t70SKfKPlreLPv24nR23IgEWTBXIOVTC9Zl5hbgSTXg3vCvEk0sWmYCXmgR920_gJwwdcqbodCNh8JTACyoUvr4gH-PcyF041AaOlCs/s1600/DSCF3962_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="537" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiJmDTtX9Z6T5sReF2aOcoEnWR2m-wNujnI3n2t70SKfKPlreLPv24nR23IgEWTBXIOVTC9Zl5hbgSTXg3vCvEk0sWmYCXmgR920_gJwwdcqbodCNh8JTACyoUvr4gH-PcyF041AaOlCs/s320/DSCF3962_800x600.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhFXvpmmUZUTfq5EVjg1MFi0UZIVqQOdbjEBwsbex560_nFJJcyF9fv3E1__-RNsZMnGZP02yy2bXPWjIU-U7jtBfJGw7L7UKoOIsMak3Dv-az_ghcBVl8GNhG1C-T0jHVLKU1z0O2MrO/s1600/DSCF3964_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhFXvpmmUZUTfq5EVjg1MFi0UZIVqQOdbjEBwsbex560_nFJJcyF9fv3E1__-RNsZMnGZP02yy2bXPWjIU-U7jtBfJGw7L7UKoOIsMak3Dv-az_ghcBVl8GNhG1C-T0jHVLKU1z0O2MrO/s320/DSCF3964_800x600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoPk6COWXkEKOhGuPNuxuL8C23ZuEUp3ECFj09JtTagoWeYwkwKLnbppEhaEPqkYpWPHNS6jIHUM8TYofwd_hIwpLisXANyHllxVow92ze2wGpdU8QL5rRvFgFvFzpFwwVbDAU_Z1BceG/s1600/20190402_162027_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoPk6COWXkEKOhGuPNuxuL8C23ZuEUp3ECFj09JtTagoWeYwkwKLnbppEhaEPqkYpWPHNS6jIHUM8TYofwd_hIwpLisXANyHllxVow92ze2wGpdU8QL5rRvFgFvFzpFwwVbDAU_Z1BceG/s400/20190402_162027_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkiqVvI3c9bt24OJD7VF1pRixaJXvkepx8AnqOEnhXgNJql7VQj-3XRAquMaMiNRdW5wZ9-erdVSAmggRj4D9bLTKMHMFxTC0QCrFak9xK0O7KEiKVvUCP2zqYtZysh__C6Bn-DlmhkuO/s1600/20190402_162035_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkiqVvI3c9bt24OJD7VF1pRixaJXvkepx8AnqOEnhXgNJql7VQj-3XRAquMaMiNRdW5wZ9-erdVSAmggRj4D9bLTKMHMFxTC0QCrFak9xK0O7KEiKVvUCP2zqYtZysh__C6Bn-DlmhkuO/s400/20190402_162035_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmQ19y2wEjmSu0kCNSq8CIl4PU-UJ7L_MgBX1Pfofs-NOrz003YMZaMjtGRwOYKr0Vryn_w0xF6jJW8b38hSU_SWrvp6s0p7b2l4DY-1s4H-p7TJn-axpL9k-Qw6m-Yi6d6UlfENjbYYs/s1600/20190402_162041_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmQ19y2wEjmSu0kCNSq8CIl4PU-UJ7L_MgBX1Pfofs-NOrz003YMZaMjtGRwOYKr0Vryn_w0xF6jJW8b38hSU_SWrvp6s0p7b2l4DY-1s4H-p7TJn-axpL9k-Qw6m-Yi6d6UlfENjbYYs/s400/20190402_162041_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhtrfGOwmct0fNwJOQm2VZeGnGlUmyuzLbhS0xhs_1lnghKpfhYPdvPjPH_Xqs_5JMjlN7j9eLTa3yciUEb666yxHy9NXK9jIWDXqWkygQPMFDSncuXXtKaFPaS0oHoJNaYKuwfWGAHr9/s1600/20190402_162744_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhtrfGOwmct0fNwJOQm2VZeGnGlUmyuzLbhS0xhs_1lnghKpfhYPdvPjPH_Xqs_5JMjlN7j9eLTa3yciUEb666yxHy9NXK9jIWDXqWkygQPMFDSncuXXtKaFPaS0oHoJNaYKuwfWGAHr9/s400/20190402_162744_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Selfie!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It was a long day -- we were getting back to the Chamber of Commerce about 17:00,* where those who had ridden-along had left their vehicles, and where we bid Wanda <i>adieu</i>. I don't think we could have had a better guide. At one point, she asked if we had requested a Catholic guide -- which she was, a convert of about nine years. I confessed I didn't even know we could have done. There are only four of (I think) more than a dozen guides in total who are Catholic, so the odds were against us -- and yet we got her. So it worked out very well. This being, for us, as much a pilgrimage as a sightseeing tour, I know some of us took a few moments to pray at each church, and Wanda understood that. She made the day truly special.</div>
<br />
There was talk of some of us returning to St. Rose of Lima Church for Mass again at 18:00, but after such a long and tiring albeit fulfilling day we all just ended up resting a while before meeting back in the lobby about 18:45 to decide where to go eat. It turns out our choices were pretty slim -- just fast food, a couple of Tex-Mex places, or the Oak Ridge Smokehouse again. I guess that's a sign of a small town. Schulenburg is posted with a population of 2,850, which must not be enough to support more than a handful of ongoing restaurants. We opted for Tex-Mex, a restaurant within easy walking distance of our hotel -- Taco Rodeo. We were the only ones in there; there was just one waitress and one cook; and it was therefore slow. But it was good and we all enjoyed ourselves.<br />
<br />
We finally dispersed back to our hotels, pretty much saying our goodbyes tonight because we may well not cross paths in the morning as we depart the hotel and Schulenburg itself going our separate ways. Some are returning directly to Natchitoches tomorrow -- as are Anne and myself -- others are making a longer trip of it going to Houston or Dallas along the way.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
+ + +</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Which, incidentally, scotched any idea of heading to the Shiner Brewery. Some may try it tomorrow, but Anne and I need to get back to Natchitoches. Maybe next time!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-77280542585756841462019-04-01T22:10:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:49:04.603-05:00Monday 01 April -- 2019 Texas Painted Churches Day 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjrlGeRXRLRGJ45FtK7NFJXyKoUCDiS86nfM082AhblT5lVbMteMz4Mlbc0OlPtLAdLH4FIezP7HDrJQdUklPxBSi7yvpU3UgxNojgjKUYNPUC6uupXyRMYpvDvvvRm4tJpbKh2M3wX7J/s1600/20190401_154133_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjrlGeRXRLRGJ45FtK7NFJXyKoUCDiS86nfM082AhblT5lVbMteMz4Mlbc0OlPtLAdLH4FIezP7HDrJQdUklPxBSi7yvpU3UgxNojgjKUYNPUC6uupXyRMYpvDvvvRm4tJpbKh2M3wX7J/s320/20190401_154133_800x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church,<br />
Shiner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For my wife and myself, our pilgrimage actually began on Saturday 30 March, when we traveled to Houston and spent the day with our son, who has since graduating college last year lived and worked in downtown Houston. His apartment is too small to accommodate us as overnight guests, however, so we usually stay in western Houston with Anne's sister and her husband. On Sunday, our son joined us out there for the day, then went back to his place in the evening to prepare for work the next morning. We, of course, would begin our pilgrimage to the Painted Churches then, today, Monday 01 April.<br />
<br />
After a leisurely morning with Anne's sister, we headed out of Houston for the short, hour-and-a-half drive to Schulenburg. We saw patches of bluebonnets -- the Texas State Flower -- interspersed with a coral-orangish-color flower in even greater abundance, all along the way. It was quite cool and cloudy through most of the day; we experienced light rain at a couple of points along our drives, but the sun came shortly before we checked in to our hotel late in the afternoon.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Our hotel's check-in could be as early as 15:00; We arrived in Schulenburg considerably before that, about 13:30 or so, and made our way to our first destination -- Anne's choice -- the Kountry Bakery, where had lunch.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZd9J-2Ez8blTnY4Bqbxgm3R-FoiRY1IS47VtxpuuCyJRyP1PEsLHDgA6BQfiKa-1KaPCCC_ZTLaoT4SvnM-wEtbK5yvEIJ49Gjflmd4UyqZ8NnAlDL3dJVb9OmUd80wpzT2c5h_Jbofmz/s1600/20190401_132245_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZd9J-2Ez8blTnY4Bqbxgm3R-FoiRY1IS47VtxpuuCyJRyP1PEsLHDgA6BQfiKa-1KaPCCC_ZTLaoT4SvnM-wEtbK5yvEIJ49Gjflmd4UyqZ8NnAlDL3dJVb9OmUd80wpzT2c5h_Jbofmz/s400/20190401_132245_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeAEZ0BMb1ipAbvAQ1W76rARdSzHcwvJenHhOPEbje1exeah1HwanRK4mDb11DE7pbCamHwHenB6IEZfgVhOUa1bwIz274qTsvYjKRzt3Rp7eDHHiSRm0iM6HX40oXIDA10eZBU7LNI37/s1600/20190401_132250_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeAEZ0BMb1ipAbvAQ1W76rARdSzHcwvJenHhOPEbje1exeah1HwanRK4mDb11DE7pbCamHwHenB6IEZfgVhOUa1bwIz274qTsvYjKRzt3Rp7eDHHiSRm0iM6HX40oXIDA10eZBU7LNI37/s400/20190401_132250_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Our first stop in Schulenburg -- naturally.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwbG1Zzia852ON6584vpiZnGRz_ubZQpAFtZqfZD2IOiykAxvbWMumsBHswsAmlWxdw3XT4-v-whWEtV-yfZdHbObvj1yxIaV9MhFTheCvFCUFQjtWhpUdMxEOZHGV1_X6oNfuVEXqUcG/s1600/20190401_133304_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwbG1Zzia852ON6584vpiZnGRz_ubZQpAFtZqfZD2IOiykAxvbWMumsBHswsAmlWxdw3XT4-v-whWEtV-yfZdHbObvj1yxIaV9MhFTheCvFCUFQjtWhpUdMxEOZHGV1_X6oNfuVEXqUcG/s400/20190401_133304_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMdNJ8fZdB635_bq76988n91DVhrThsGDevsQNEMD7tsMoOafy557pXn5a2PrDwaGKK4GdNcy9oKEqqgkuaKhZVi9Zbwp2nhj5FKork3HAADB7hWhNR7YafU9qwQJvB4k8pqwFoq2YZqW/s1600/20190401_133642_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMdNJ8fZdB635_bq76988n91DVhrThsGDevsQNEMD7tsMoOafy557pXn5a2PrDwaGKK4GdNcy9oKEqqgkuaKhZVi9Zbwp2nhj5FKork3HAADB7hWhNR7YafU9qwQJvB4k8pqwFoq2YZqW/s400/20190401_133642_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZSTNkbceo1HHKNGZVPlui8eN5JBl6wmij7guEkZWlP5STihStnESnAYCFKlPUrY1ExnFb44LpvaNVvTKnLe1yfqU_jYvHzsrtmiDOBQIb_QjrqCYnE_05gjMgdiXv-0UJC4ML_QFfJ5S/s1600/20190401_133651_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZSTNkbceo1HHKNGZVPlui8eN5JBl6wmij7guEkZWlP5STihStnESnAYCFKlPUrY1ExnFb44LpvaNVvTKnLe1yfqU_jYvHzsrtmiDOBQIb_QjrqCYnE_05gjMgdiXv-0UJC4ML_QFfJ5S/s400/20190401_133651_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8ia4ExX-U8pPAPr1cvBrg0EqpAELlicYZ9jPYK45jb8bwXhReBqG6LPCHmHzd1y-2dFfnkRM6Y_BERCUPsv7hntjoUdk6tO4s1_Qm36drWaxeu4x0QFjEyKAWkZuA30NuhShWBZHT_o4/s1600/20190401_134604_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8ia4ExX-U8pPAPr1cvBrg0EqpAELlicYZ9jPYK45jb8bwXhReBqG6LPCHmHzd1y-2dFfnkRM6Y_BERCUPsv7hntjoUdk6tO4s1_Qm36drWaxeu4x0QFjEyKAWkZuA30NuhShWBZHT_o4/s400/20190401_134604_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXmrZm1TrLFU-x7eMksGYtb7kA1CzF-PQ2JV8vXUYNihKnaz9yxnVwBLjyXBPaIdlZRy6rLsQbJHOvlCcZ4EMLSU9f6Gu929un7BnSQ8NLT_JbGxH5v6YU1oKft23eZxq-tE_tZrzIEi7/s1600/20190401_140603_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXmrZm1TrLFU-x7eMksGYtb7kA1CzF-PQ2JV8vXUYNihKnaz9yxnVwBLjyXBPaIdlZRy6rLsQbJHOvlCcZ4EMLSU9f6Gu929un7BnSQ8NLT_JbGxH5v6YU1oKft23eZxq-tE_tZrzIEi7/s400/20190401_140603_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then</i>, it still being too early to check in, we opted to just drive around a bit. What that turned into was a foray first out south of town, where we found a good patch of the wildflowers that we stopped and photographed close-up ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqa3oh89KxD_l1YxX9PIqsCAn9RY1BVIEFHvGFouF7ZdTXFzwWLfz5beQBrT__r2qUebZI9iiBHw2oFoSyG0phasXZRIinU2tlTpoknmLbsYKvQbx1z4nCcJrQzZ0GWj7KFLI_ndVA27j/s1600/20190401_141653_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqa3oh89KxD_l1YxX9PIqsCAn9RY1BVIEFHvGFouF7ZdTXFzwWLfz5beQBrT__r2qUebZI9iiBHw2oFoSyG0phasXZRIinU2tlTpoknmLbsYKvQbx1z4nCcJrQzZ0GWj7KFLI_ndVA27j/s400/20190401_141653_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq2UMSB2tbNNfHMcxjpgWgfflxOXSbUrJx0ggvah9PAfIivDnro5z6T0cJpuG2-WCK2vthjR6F6RRVbeZm1pbd4LOd0IQbaxR4M3bv7upHe59FxU1McIth5BSdZObWSLNY9Cos0GqKPRy/s1600/20190401_141707_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="737" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq2UMSB2tbNNfHMcxjpgWgfflxOXSbUrJx0ggvah9PAfIivDnro5z6T0cJpuG2-WCK2vthjR6F6RRVbeZm1pbd4LOd0IQbaxR4M3bv7upHe59FxU1McIth5BSdZObWSLNY9Cos0GqKPRy/s400/20190401_141707_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc8JZ2DmLMdu74nF15eIaETkZlr8BxCCqxf-8wl5ctK4wXspvwxoYIZ7k37VDBuVxnvOp07UrWYLeeZVqW_2i1uHyE2W3BYKTGzZhK_Y1lSywFCMbpQ5HzviulpidwFUjpP8TQQs4Vbnq/s1600/20190401_142153_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc8JZ2DmLMdu74nF15eIaETkZlr8BxCCqxf-8wl5ctK4wXspvwxoYIZ7k37VDBuVxnvOp07UrWYLeeZVqW_2i1uHyE2W3BYKTGzZhK_Y1lSywFCMbpQ5HzviulpidwFUjpP8TQQs4Vbnq/s400/20190401_142153_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD46AAs4hZUpbG6ZW7hckvZ8v4odKZE4cfFG5mru_IUjMEFQ8piyp3VCGcCVWzEd7du619bkw9KlO2Kp_H9lLySv8pCXPGJy-kNYdlJEG0Tr04qcbaoua9iMLLFwp_Hq96GckAuTh2Rwu/s1600/20190401_142213_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD46AAs4hZUpbG6ZW7hckvZ8v4odKZE4cfFG5mru_IUjMEFQ8piyp3VCGcCVWzEd7du619bkw9KlO2Kp_H9lLySv8pCXPGJy-kNYdlJEG0Tr04qcbaoua9iMLLFwp_Hq96GckAuTh2Rwu/s400/20190401_142213_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0htaFrJnaUcuH0lfPLBnDfQ4lMaDU2wTWEFm6OHAQzZkgR7two1wPKqdXan8tHAEQAE47hL4KC3_UeSfBHrh_7kG5guLvRGRf9v5igBDIms7EVvJVPye_K90tAVQLBrUhm-pzbsKA3s0E/s1600/20190401_142237_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="556" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0htaFrJnaUcuH0lfPLBnDfQ4lMaDU2wTWEFm6OHAQzZkgR7two1wPKqdXan8tHAEQAE47hL4KC3_UeSfBHrh_7kG5guLvRGRf9v5igBDIms7EVvJVPye_K90tAVQLBrUhm-pzbsKA3s0E/s400/20190401_142237_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHu9m8MDRZO-7u-8CntebHKEKRmAAdSFwaD92mqS6UXpcU2FpJnvexPKw5_6ymoJBhocFoeb7IGf9M5O2Ks5vzKxG-u1GfAzkfPRh40dMxf7x3SsTbHtFVXQJ9xJb9ZbG2ApnRSjcjH95/s1600/20190401_142239_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHu9m8MDRZO-7u-8CntebHKEKRmAAdSFwaD92mqS6UXpcU2FpJnvexPKw5_6ymoJBhocFoeb7IGf9M5O2Ks5vzKxG-u1GfAzkfPRh40dMxf7x3SsTbHtFVXQJ9xJb9ZbG2ApnRSjcjH95/s400/20190401_142239_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
... and then into a full-blown excursion about a half-hour south to Shiner -- not to the brewery (which, time allowing, we may try to get in tomorrow afternoon after our guided tour of the Painted Churches around Schulenburg) but rather to a renowned church that will assuredly <i>not</i> be on that itinerary, but that my research had identified as worth seeing.<br />
<br />
Along the way, however, we stumbled across something else of interest. Having made a brief and unsuccessful attempt to find Sacred Heart Church in Halletsville without getting too far off the route to Shiner, a couple miles further along the road we spied a sign, "Pecan Grove Apparition Park," and on the spur of the moment whipped in to check it out.<br />
<br />
In brief, according to the gentleman caretaker who was puttering around the grounds, who identified himself as one David -- and to a large handpainted narrative affixed to one of the small buildings -- in 1986 a local farmer, Daniel Jares, stuck his tractor in deep mud, prayed to the Virgin Mary for help, and was rewarded with a visitation from her. She told him to get back on the tractor, whence he found it was unstuck. His wife immediately noticed a "glow" about him when he returned to the house. After a subsequent visitation in which he received an answer to his prayers how he could repay the Blessed Mother, the subsequent spring he built the shrine nearby to the apparition site to commemorate the event, and cared for it until he died ca. 2002. His widow was then unable to keep the site up and it fell into disrepair. She prayed for someone to take on the task of keeping the shrine in good condition. Four years later, David Fritz, who is of Czech background living up north (Wisconsin, I believe), was visiting the area and happened upon the shrine. He met the widow, heard her story, and felt called to undertake maintaining -- and expanding the shrine. He had already worked on building a shrine to Our Lady of Fatima up north. Now, he comes down periodically to work on this shrine as well, and has seen it grow in size and number of people coming to pray at it each year. Where the farmer had marked the spot of the apparition with a metal stake driven into the ground, David put a statue of the Virgin (which Anne and I drove a short distance down a nearby side road and viewed from afar). It was, all in all, a very interesting tale. I later checked, and sure enough, if you go to the premier site indexing all known Marian apparitions according to their ecclesiastical status, <i>The Miracle Hunter</i>, specifically <a href="http://www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/unapproved_apparitions/index.html">http://www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/unapproved_apparitions/index.html</a>, and scroll down, you can find the following bare notice:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="5" style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<strong>Sept 18, 1986</strong></div>
</td><td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
Hallettsville, TX (USA)</div>
</td><td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
Daniel Jares</div>
</td><td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
No decision</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
"No decision" is the classification of the vast majority of alleged apparitions of Our Lady through the centuries. It means just that -- no decision has been rendered by the local ordinary (the bishop), who has primary authority, as to whether the apparition is of supernatural origin or not. The faithful are not forbidden to render private devotion based upon it, with the understanding that it is at most a private revelation that cannot contradict the deposit of faith, and may well not be authentic. One should discern these things very carefully, and always subject oneself to the judgment of the Church.<br />
<br />
But who am I to say Our Lady did not respond to the fervent prayer of one of her children? [More information can be found at the very bottom of this post.]<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguy0IpCFtizw8vqkMrHcdmtRxlqBEcb9E8mHoDAB1ajcwXVg5DS4ssMzfdRiSzoqJULbuOz7gM7eENY5ah2efEUXgZ3kLlN2z3EXsz1hlgM_1MFE8Oiyo5LYN-pm_ELq03QQGyvaD42TzM/s1600/20190401_144904_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguy0IpCFtizw8vqkMrHcdmtRxlqBEcb9E8mHoDAB1ajcwXVg5DS4ssMzfdRiSzoqJULbuOz7gM7eENY5ah2efEUXgZ3kLlN2z3EXsz1hlgM_1MFE8Oiyo5LYN-pm_ELq03QQGyvaD42TzM/s400/20190401_144904_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mnUBRqPmcChXSEog__hh9T_fCEueXVLITlWLt7w6bigzqU5A-9zkvcPJqRYf3o_MIg2LpyvUDXsPq_3w0FDU2Uccd_B-arA77463erKLDqW0v9Su1jUb_7Qf-afcQvNv2F1gxhAHMVb7/s1600/20190401_144927_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mnUBRqPmcChXSEog__hh9T_fCEueXVLITlWLt7w6bigzqU5A-9zkvcPJqRYf3o_MIg2LpyvUDXsPq_3w0FDU2Uccd_B-arA77463erKLDqW0v9Su1jUb_7Qf-afcQvNv2F1gxhAHMVb7/s400/20190401_144927_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5FY2pRZOLRRXcfBjd50o6I-Ix2UDWn-SBl2yDd6KQsJ3HUi4iZdrymmSQjcKFbXI8ahDmy3CwAWBTNuTZXA_JUlk-tqO870XiCB4nsXFL_oJmOGWq8uhIEiqS9yREjJ5MkpiagTQnoEj/s1600/20190401_144942_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5FY2pRZOLRRXcfBjd50o6I-Ix2UDWn-SBl2yDd6KQsJ3HUi4iZdrymmSQjcKFbXI8ahDmy3CwAWBTNuTZXA_JUlk-tqO870XiCB4nsXFL_oJmOGWq8uhIEiqS9yREjJ5MkpiagTQnoEj/s400/20190401_144942_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCHX_oYEm9RzDDxy_iYa-fovbdIHjr4enmcPmnCm6EABwpgQ8rCcPL1Vxju22QW-HxqYGWMU1xaWHWsC6bI9nTQ-gQbkshyphenhyphenvXFe8ScrFLK8zYlBiGQ_-Sf8YzT0c7tXHakGzxCV3WiA91/s1600/20190401_145033_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="692" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCHX_oYEm9RzDDxy_iYa-fovbdIHjr4enmcPmnCm6EABwpgQ8rCcPL1Vxju22QW-HxqYGWMU1xaWHWsC6bI9nTQ-gQbkshyphenhyphenvXFe8ScrFLK8zYlBiGQ_-Sf8YzT0c7tXHakGzxCV3WiA91/s640/20190401_145033_800x600.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-EsT9FC02MQihanJVurKfDj-q0eTZg-PUbK0aELg2IEiZaenJkp_0gQdEL6rmRZfdbXFcceAdxVR8HPkw-rWGTULnjsVXJaqXMMAK4uvJ5CU9gBqP3_ydCdw2Xc4Cmuk8IHgKRAR55Wb/s1600/20190401_145106_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-EsT9FC02MQihanJVurKfDj-q0eTZg-PUbK0aELg2IEiZaenJkp_0gQdEL6rmRZfdbXFcceAdxVR8HPkw-rWGTULnjsVXJaqXMMAK4uvJ5CU9gBqP3_ydCdw2Xc4Cmuk8IHgKRAR55Wb/s400/20190401_145106_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGePr2c2w6wsey9nhOXl-Xvj3fECk_7IvOxk2Zl5GcvzPNcoA9a1lcirST-HcaLKvTojbg0oJ7kmAXMoPL8K9DKiLoBTHcrGEOvhoeaS6kuMdG6cSsBu1lJWTKVaAfjjGn8zrSvGUPhN_N/s1600/20190401_145113_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGePr2c2w6wsey9nhOXl-Xvj3fECk_7IvOxk2Zl5GcvzPNcoA9a1lcirST-HcaLKvTojbg0oJ7kmAXMoPL8K9DKiLoBTHcrGEOvhoeaS6kuMdG6cSsBu1lJWTKVaAfjjGn8zrSvGUPhN_N/s400/20190401_145113_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_tb_ozMlhlldijLHMQXtc9CbKc9Bk1tVCba8TXQZoobF3cQC5wGD5jZsxoaParexrWTZ08tFifxytc5BavHTXvoGG5dBo5GMRCTdMKdF9Pf0UQHWmIyHzRo1jtUQe1yAOvMDolvrQ98t/s1600/20190401_145130_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_tb_ozMlhlldijLHMQXtc9CbKc9Bk1tVCba8TXQZoobF3cQC5wGD5jZsxoaParexrWTZ08tFifxytc5BavHTXvoGG5dBo5GMRCTdMKdF9Pf0UQHWmIyHzRo1jtUQe1yAOvMDolvrQ98t/s400/20190401_145130_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0UPACfHLEbrDcInIHUFplZ8ESL6-1N5WtR4GoxC74-c0Ou71OZQW9gY7nF1yhYJFNc3MRSacI0ShYcBLjC-2e37Ez6tPauRiQMCwhQICiQ1Vgmkyl9NOFs7c-hAw8Z7vzO3kZHWtvI_N/s1600/20190401_145139_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0UPACfHLEbrDcInIHUFplZ8ESL6-1N5WtR4GoxC74-c0Ou71OZQW9gY7nF1yhYJFNc3MRSacI0ShYcBLjC-2e37Ez6tPauRiQMCwhQICiQ1Vgmkyl9NOFs7c-hAw8Z7vzO3kZHWtvI_N/s400/20190401_145139_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our Lady of San Juan del Valle [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_San_Juan_de_los_Lagos" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSa48xoFmCTlc48coD-2vmfR50_tZOEcvsAY2_7ocMEX7RutVNaM4On44xgkXJPDwuJpZxCUvrQ4GbMpqVapGe3DpyQlTN_hZujQxLH8HDR8Pc5JkWwsE5uYD9egDAUaJ6r18-aR9mAZM/s1600/20190401_145148_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSa48xoFmCTlc48coD-2vmfR50_tZOEcvsAY2_7ocMEX7RutVNaM4On44xgkXJPDwuJpZxCUvrQ4GbMpqVapGe3DpyQlTN_hZujQxLH8HDR8Pc5JkWwsE5uYD9egDAUaJ6r18-aR9mAZM/s400/20190401_145148_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRp4GktXs_q-kCvwFEVEt-gSxOW5fNih5k7j6hfyUotf6ba_1rnmwuJSx3_xEmclegdTAKIdQPNynFU2EjjbjRspLKzlLJLwhLOGM-WQvCDtayiF8cjuFlK-2QsiEIS4kgQDhzVioqfqki/s1600/DSCF3731_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRp4GktXs_q-kCvwFEVEt-gSxOW5fNih5k7j6hfyUotf6ba_1rnmwuJSx3_xEmclegdTAKIdQPNynFU2EjjbjRspLKzlLJLwhLOGM-WQvCDtayiF8cjuFlK-2QsiEIS4kgQDhzVioqfqki/s400/DSCF3731_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX9y-fZjFljG8M-bvgfUF104Nafl3ermkG5ib2sbwHeJ4mwsKwF3DizlQ1SWDjC93NlJBG9u4YSQLIZ2gmS0VFaZ1iy2zE5XLfFq8KjcOm0r2U3qyNfjubKKzAlpMdWUnTV9aGbjRzzGQ/s1600/DSCF3732_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX9y-fZjFljG8M-bvgfUF104Nafl3ermkG5ib2sbwHeJ4mwsKwF3DizlQ1SWDjC93NlJBG9u4YSQLIZ2gmS0VFaZ1iy2zE5XLfFq8KjcOm0r2U3qyNfjubKKzAlpMdWUnTV9aGbjRzzGQ/s400/DSCF3732_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_OMYefBslF17gw5HgZsH6gFqHh6Xxgo1dN1ttivKjr9zD1C8iMgeV_qhJoiZuiSfQZph1umz3X7ZqLJG8LdSXO0ZKgASIq4tQoO6jH4_hqICFrhetZ6PlNUq2s4HGMgkOUDm9BZB4Yss/s1600/20190401_150420_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_OMYefBslF17gw5HgZsH6gFqHh6Xxgo1dN1ttivKjr9zD1C8iMgeV_qhJoiZuiSfQZph1umz3X7ZqLJG8LdSXO0ZKgASIq4tQoO6jH4_hqICFrhetZ6PlNUq2s4HGMgkOUDm9BZB4Yss/s400/20190401_150420_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PdbAID9sYvTaHlSBB2dYIuiv1AShsk_s5VwBEE4x8mcBCfa908lCFiowx-oR4sy8ToOQEKbrQRS08DdmLeNdnzgcb7RSnkwctt6wkHlif6DjbI5k27buBoMLbGLBzFNyEreCJ4GkERD6/s1600/20190401_151142_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PdbAID9sYvTaHlSBB2dYIuiv1AShsk_s5VwBEE4x8mcBCfa908lCFiowx-oR4sy8ToOQEKbrQRS08DdmLeNdnzgcb7RSnkwctt6wkHlif6DjbI5k27buBoMLbGLBzFNyEreCJ4GkERD6/s400/20190401_151142_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F1JEMh8M_xqDm_g3679UeBK6Az8QL7cwdYY-d11gyv6xG-arNdOP2Xwn1o7_lvPvDOeNdVodgyA9Tz9Q2ELdlU8Q-sZPuoW372pZwOf2SDDjXidKjAnLoZL5yr2bDGn1yOTVwlmQKPnG/s1600/20190401_151542_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F1JEMh8M_xqDm_g3679UeBK6Az8QL7cwdYY-d11gyv6xG-arNdOP2Xwn1o7_lvPvDOeNdVodgyA9Tz9Q2ELdlU8Q-sZPuoW372pZwOf2SDDjXidKjAnLoZL5yr2bDGn1yOTVwlmQKPnG/s400/20190401_151542_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiqoiUt_o7rQ41eq95tZwZB-MB01jXac-vqMgv9lldYCL2l1RKZKpAG3zBh2E2CXM0Z5cZ0IWxlgXybmVeSWBZwwKnKw76yzijWn4wrjGslaZjVht846UV8VrzNgZtdlhq0EnxXdEooXN/s1600/DSCF3736_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiqoiUt_o7rQ41eq95tZwZB-MB01jXac-vqMgv9lldYCL2l1RKZKpAG3zBh2E2CXM0Z5cZ0IWxlgXybmVeSWBZwwKnKw76yzijWn4wrjGslaZjVht846UV8VrzNgZtdlhq0EnxXdEooXN/s400/DSCF3736_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEp0os7WPD5duj8k9HtGvDq5AuAhqEgWkwW1OOQ7G8JKGRPoLwInCfCgqf1a_Xpti8Nf7PqW5898fljtFX_dSND4kcPdcS6D1yb5nKMKdBzcDtNsbvrNGcslhuAiU5-LHOn-Ul5IrIlOaj/s1600/20190401_151554_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEp0os7WPD5duj8k9HtGvDq5AuAhqEgWkwW1OOQ7G8JKGRPoLwInCfCgqf1a_Xpti8Nf7PqW5898fljtFX_dSND4kcPdcS6D1yb5nKMKdBzcDtNsbvrNGcslhuAiU5-LHOn-Ul5IrIlOaj/s400/20190401_151554_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We did not want to traipse across someone's land without permission.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
After spending some time there talking to David (followed by the short trip to the apparition site), we continued on to Shiner, where we found Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church. We spent a fair amount of time walking around first the inside, then the outside. This church, one of the largest of the Painted Churches, seems unusual (but not unique) as a "Painted Church" in that it is a brick church; and although there is some spectacular painting mainly in the apse, sanctuary, and choir, most of the spectacle is a series of brilliant stained glass windows telling the Gospel story from the Annunciation to the Resurrection. It has a rather storied history. The original church on the site was built in 1891 -- and was the very next year moved <i>eleven feet</i> off its foundation by a tornado. A 112-foot tour was destroyed in the process. But the people rallied, straightened, and repaired the structure within the year 1892. By 1921, the old church was too small for an expanding congregation, so the present church was built, in red brick, considerably larger, with cut stone buttresses and grey highlights. A great square tower supports an octagonal spire. According to the church's website, "“The structure is still known as one of the most eye-catching landmarks in South Central Texas with visitors from around the world stopping regularly to photograph and tour the church" [<a href="https://sscmshiner.org/" target="_blank">LINK</a>] Unfortunately, our unguided tour of the church included no lighting, so some of the artwork does not come through these photos in their true glory.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEcku8o-QPE_kRC7aFM2snmEIwKFq6mvtgv3U-MoMTzQxXESWvef79Fmdxx8QV3k5ji5kG_wRYjUb-LTUvvjZuZ0M-OVI9tFnNQFo_MmpvFiUeB8K8fEhb8mYQ4f7DVRfqaVMFVU1DyJt/s1600/20190401_153132_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEcku8o-QPE_kRC7aFM2snmEIwKFq6mvtgv3U-MoMTzQxXESWvef79Fmdxx8QV3k5ji5kG_wRYjUb-LTUvvjZuZ0M-OVI9tFnNQFo_MmpvFiUeB8K8fEhb8mYQ4f7DVRfqaVMFVU1DyJt/s400/20190401_153132_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xK7aniX25VhbYPUZxOXiR329hwsb8hA1a37yORDOdLXlz_ISplEIgRHJMiGmXifMEUjAQxDM19zvMvKCrcRh0DEkoEIrD9evyKMi_6d_oI-3GSpAwasi_wQC6RMOaJaL0S7SZ45WPBZx/s1600/20190401_153153_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xK7aniX25VhbYPUZxOXiR329hwsb8hA1a37yORDOdLXlz_ISplEIgRHJMiGmXifMEUjAQxDM19zvMvKCrcRh0DEkoEIrD9evyKMi_6d_oI-3GSpAwasi_wQC6RMOaJaL0S7SZ45WPBZx/s400/20190401_153153_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKpcqCJXME20Lv2rtya4z7nfG6i5Q8DWG_RDM0k5aAUKQwIcEfohu0f1aj8h9EusdRsNh0TZWL1xNFTSgO24ATzTvk8o8ksDAz9kk2CEzMJPdT_h8ci1kXh8hvYHDQxKkSlH_7lBOKsip/s1600/20190401_153216_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKpcqCJXME20Lv2rtya4z7nfG6i5Q8DWG_RDM0k5aAUKQwIcEfohu0f1aj8h9EusdRsNh0TZWL1xNFTSgO24ATzTvk8o8ksDAz9kk2CEzMJPdT_h8ci1kXh8hvYHDQxKkSlH_7lBOKsip/s400/20190401_153216_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rCv3QIYDNlE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rCv3QIYDNlE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A video walk-through of the church.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8czZOd3jCYZVEMkXLmx2OkdYYyZmPxqKSJy4r-EMNMokv34zjpnBACfmrDpA2mWz2WOj3NrcnpWKgb-G0dTWJJo-LEvT8_0x_nofyUBICj3QkfF0tTu-GPbFfbEf-uH7-1OdtblphBPUU/s1600/DSCF3741_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8czZOd3jCYZVEMkXLmx2OkdYYyZmPxqKSJy4r-EMNMokv34zjpnBACfmrDpA2mWz2WOj3NrcnpWKgb-G0dTWJJo-LEvT8_0x_nofyUBICj3QkfF0tTu-GPbFfbEf-uH7-1OdtblphBPUU/s400/DSCF3741_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJ_DSCRpe-0IdyO70lF7h68GJg4NcadAbB5sivUyB4OYY-Rb_316Z_nGc_0PZeNcyr1uSp_kAzUglA_lGrEoUpMrLJ1rU3UWVKrCi6JNUOoG0xwtbSla9hsfrnXSzp9HQZULleH5EaYkn/s1600/DSCF3742_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJ_DSCRpe-0IdyO70lF7h68GJg4NcadAbB5sivUyB4OYY-Rb_316Z_nGc_0PZeNcyr1uSp_kAzUglA_lGrEoUpMrLJ1rU3UWVKrCi6JNUOoG0xwtbSla9hsfrnXSzp9HQZULleH5EaYkn/s400/DSCF3742_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8uHPuOuKe9qxjc9mCJvfy0WBZnx1VwDOwjtOrTrY00gKCRymqTquw29mC2dAyUsZk_BuN_jd4dYjLpRc6H2BjjKJNnDbp5UHYRLY2QcSSCv7cvTKoUyODlmnaaYB1YtzXr3X0d1-zt70/s1600/DSCF3743_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8uHPuOuKe9qxjc9mCJvfy0WBZnx1VwDOwjtOrTrY00gKCRymqTquw29mC2dAyUsZk_BuN_jd4dYjLpRc6H2BjjKJNnDbp5UHYRLY2QcSSCv7cvTKoUyODlmnaaYB1YtzXr3X0d1-zt70/s400/DSCF3743_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDg6XC1lsZHeFOWWAKDFBnvM3PxOZMnXXgWcpStlfNUKbx7LUdGbQIgzexEs3vdO1XyHQrs7-Ehx-RLmyOzSxfiFZRlTPU6_iO3ozkKNHa_aO9qmpBPYhvEIoG_WUF-xgo0Pv4gqef-p2/s1600/DSCF3745_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDg6XC1lsZHeFOWWAKDFBnvM3PxOZMnXXgWcpStlfNUKbx7LUdGbQIgzexEs3vdO1XyHQrs7-Ehx-RLmyOzSxfiFZRlTPU6_iO3ozkKNHa_aO9qmpBPYhvEIoG_WUF-xgo0Pv4gqef-p2/s400/DSCF3745_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq97Feb65YuQkimr-hiuzqpRl70HG4Kr6jlaAMrqwan9yStthrt7SLek7HEekyrICn8iTduwRl9rK5JYUAsvHNaWZiZLDgg2y6ukgJpN6MUVKsKYTBlWq-vgmQUCPCDH2qMLX9e28zHYF/s1600/DSCF3748_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq97Feb65YuQkimr-hiuzqpRl70HG4Kr6jlaAMrqwan9yStthrt7SLek7HEekyrICn8iTduwRl9rK5JYUAsvHNaWZiZLDgg2y6ukgJpN6MUVKsKYTBlWq-vgmQUCPCDH2qMLX9e28zHYF/s400/DSCF3748_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bqgaDOOLc9Pmb3NkwpHp28PfSioKPceqs86B4grL0DD0nU63TFTmRLhN_nhMg94hjzZrbOZE1XsD8sCZ2g5qorgO6yZvB7TnLSEiHRI1qaANR6hVzjhxGVs9kpfQ8UMnM2m9wvbR0Ejh/s1600/DSCF3750_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bqgaDOOLc9Pmb3NkwpHp28PfSioKPceqs86B4grL0DD0nU63TFTmRLhN_nhMg94hjzZrbOZE1XsD8sCZ2g5qorgO6yZvB7TnLSEiHRI1qaANR6hVzjhxGVs9kpfQ8UMnM2m9wvbR0Ejh/s400/DSCF3750_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAquDfvBk7mSoferd-2x4ZnBqha2iycLa_f_k08_4Ldbaok8PUsNR2ypeOpV33JdlVaVoFFpC-u3iFEWPI-mefSXLOZO4TyQWfb96wZiP218phLXw_OZCPybmc99KQgnbaslGwvtLUvcav/s1600/DSCF3754_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="489" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAquDfvBk7mSoferd-2x4ZnBqha2iycLa_f_k08_4Ldbaok8PUsNR2ypeOpV33JdlVaVoFFpC-u3iFEWPI-mefSXLOZO4TyQWfb96wZiP218phLXw_OZCPybmc99KQgnbaslGwvtLUvcav/s400/DSCF3754_800x600.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqfn2AmvWn1uok27hAXIa6nEly5vdP0AjKVPmBynmHYtihx7LUGhsCsOfyp5UxyeNClkuM4xjDze7Nz9Ur-Wetlm9r8fsk2oE-_KjC3olvzaRdKP9h4uG8xhSikR46Cd2pgPWA590p8qQ/s1600/DSCF3757_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="711" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqfn2AmvWn1uok27hAXIa6nEly5vdP0AjKVPmBynmHYtihx7LUGhsCsOfyp5UxyeNClkuM4xjDze7Nz9Ur-Wetlm9r8fsk2oE-_KjC3olvzaRdKP9h4uG8xhSikR46Cd2pgPWA590p8qQ/s400/DSCF3757_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFhwYFKmp4qkHvHIuew6K_tUw__MFy6hNxhDLk6KNFSAUIGKZ8IOtGEuwrK-jp0EN7Yf7Lrk1w7QA5ob06uT0z0G2AkzoKMIpZDPzhb9xy7-I2-B4oPo92pekivAGTaYYgUBGcJiGw3Ul/s1600/DSCF3759_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="660" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFhwYFKmp4qkHvHIuew6K_tUw__MFy6hNxhDLk6KNFSAUIGKZ8IOtGEuwrK-jp0EN7Yf7Lrk1w7QA5ob06uT0z0G2AkzoKMIpZDPzhb9xy7-I2-B4oPo92pekivAGTaYYgUBGcJiGw3Ul/s400/DSCF3759_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7lnUcEYyYIhu8ea7duP49tiBxOhXrCROC0E86t45GUPiL39CTNdzgdmsemZ3nUwu42ZeEVcuPt_AJFFrTLnWNSSLiDwfkhmBt_huUpft46OHZlHNtzX22PYUM6HQUtmhuApX9PjUBPcF/s1600/DSCF3760_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="773" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7lnUcEYyYIhu8ea7duP49tiBxOhXrCROC0E86t45GUPiL39CTNdzgdmsemZ3nUwu42ZeEVcuPt_AJFFrTLnWNSSLiDwfkhmBt_huUpft46OHZlHNtzX22PYUM6HQUtmhuApX9PjUBPcF/s400/DSCF3760_800x600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-6tNuzlXJFPYe00UkcOnsOCSlqztBS2c2h_sBsiV_U8W3mK8szmjSv9hiJaAZyOKV2_CVzq2j9yQQRvRu6EGfVr34a0u__oZkV7ZUGtmJDoJjw48srHvMNShioPMnd2h0poiFdYp9Unj/s1600/DSCF3761_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-6tNuzlXJFPYe00UkcOnsOCSlqztBS2c2h_sBsiV_U8W3mK8szmjSv9hiJaAZyOKV2_CVzq2j9yQQRvRu6EGfVr34a0u__oZkV7ZUGtmJDoJjw48srHvMNShioPMnd2h0poiFdYp9Unj/s400/DSCF3761_800x600.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoTFV50UuAAqGZjkgwimQQaCCV39tLh8s_qMxpogapQoJpCHh1rvVOtrZCXmBCrWvtLTLasrK3ihIiJtmw7faCwsSija8yrfDdHWMnVUHt5x4-yDGgEiVjsipgJhBUwR_xAGq80Nv5iht/s1600/20190401_154150_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoTFV50UuAAqGZjkgwimQQaCCV39tLh8s_qMxpogapQoJpCHh1rvVOtrZCXmBCrWvtLTLasrK3ihIiJtmw7faCwsSija8yrfDdHWMnVUHt5x4-yDGgEiVjsipgJhBUwR_xAGq80Nv5iht/s400/20190401_154150_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4f77tQMERpYheGtFfwyJnqYhfMUB9TxETUjidDOaV3mDVKeBuMFk98s8y8yWTff0ETALhm4ZCdeOFYDs1IDwupHnPNpW0vf9NScl8boFTnogqYYBX5_nN4yD2FOU3PYoN52sTSMyxrgs/s1600/20190401_154227_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4f77tQMERpYheGtFfwyJnqYhfMUB9TxETUjidDOaV3mDVKeBuMFk98s8y8yWTff0ETALhm4ZCdeOFYDs1IDwupHnPNpW0vf9NScl8boFTnogqYYBX5_nN4yD2FOU3PYoN52sTSMyxrgs/s400/20190401_154227_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECcVC6DnRMN18ydcrQXsbfcVLi2mDPUbU05Y9Gju-uCrysRb6kRK8czrr1vDFjEZJwytNGLgwG39ZI0FpXVAIyZCq7x71RkDiBWlDNibUsDDQ_LGiXYnNJCDzBkOBE0IE6Ak_3yZMsp6G/s1600/20190401_154236_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECcVC6DnRMN18ydcrQXsbfcVLi2mDPUbU05Y9Gju-uCrysRb6kRK8czrr1vDFjEZJwytNGLgwG39ZI0FpXVAIyZCq7x71RkDiBWlDNibUsDDQ_LGiXYnNJCDzBkOBE0IE6Ak_3yZMsp6G/s400/20190401_154236_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzz0fKuXjwV_DiHKS6dcrJg2ySn0rig8g3j3PGyLDRKW8VHxKyTzxSxrU44Kq1pc5nw5LnGyev5cIr6y9qlWSx8LANI_84nLNB6EeCz6qqkwyuqc5OO-Hqs3kbbkAgm_6LEZO9eytD5m1/s1600/20190401_154249_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzz0fKuXjwV_DiHKS6dcrJg2ySn0rig8g3j3PGyLDRKW8VHxKyTzxSxrU44Kq1pc5nw5LnGyev5cIr6y9qlWSx8LANI_84nLNB6EeCz6qqkwyuqc5OO-Hqs3kbbkAgm_6LEZO9eytD5m1/s400/20190401_154249_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJs6bf7tyWzjji-rKEd45Al8Kfq02RikOenvhV-0VzyNu0LeyKNgcesORrtekTvsea9x_Zo6UPMa-WRUjvfDEP0jU412DR-nN4bap8BgMX8QDZ7U3aVq5GIz-T8CPwloVb3dyxyMZZwYj/s1600/20190401_154305_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJs6bf7tyWzjji-rKEd45Al8Kfq02RikOenvhV-0VzyNu0LeyKNgcesORrtekTvsea9x_Zo6UPMa-WRUjvfDEP0jU412DR-nN4bap8BgMX8QDZ7U3aVq5GIz-T8CPwloVb3dyxyMZZwYj/s400/20190401_154305_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The dome above the altar contains a </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
great mural of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjrlGeRXRLRGJ45FtK7NFJXyKoUCDiS86nfM082AhblT5lVbMteMz4Mlbc0OlPtLAdLH4FIezP7HDrJQdUklPxBSi7yvpU3UgxNojgjKUYNPUC6uupXyRMYpvDvvvRm4tJpbKh2M3wX7J/s640/20190401_154133_800x600.jpg" width="480" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here is a much better image I found online:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HgIqOsYPOItCTKYCLZtXYtef95oQkmXlbE38Cc9W7502I-c21ZRgwETIXjog0Ou-g0lXJ9zgyxeFdl05cWaI0WAtMTOSX-CJg3kYxn-UwdY1MEMu5mzovlpo8NeHBodPbyepzvh8mJ2m/s1600/2aa4234e6db92d9e42a4c8dd5ce07be4_751x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="751" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HgIqOsYPOItCTKYCLZtXYtef95oQkmXlbE38Cc9W7502I-c21ZRgwETIXjog0Ou-g0lXJ9zgyxeFdl05cWaI0WAtMTOSX-CJg3kYxn-UwdY1MEMu5mzovlpo8NeHBodPbyepzvh8mJ2m/s640/2aa4234e6db92d9e42a4c8dd5ce07be4_751x600.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
[Source: <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2a/a4/23/2aa4234e6db92d9e42a4c8dd5ce07be4.jpg" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3KXSU12wc6gnP67PC6juvbAER9V3l5su6NP_vbGCQT2zDeVWooLa8A8mKH8DEc-Y6hu9hyphenhyphennKwbgjePDvAGn5x62Bsc-29aIGlM5l6iYERJsqyJ0YdzIVVqwgc_JW8M_pqfTeDaQ5_l-Q/s1600/20190401_154328_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3KXSU12wc6gnP67PC6juvbAER9V3l5su6NP_vbGCQT2zDeVWooLa8A8mKH8DEc-Y6hu9hyphenhyphennKwbgjePDvAGn5x62Bsc-29aIGlM5l6iYERJsqyJ0YdzIVVqwgc_JW8M_pqfTeDaQ5_l-Q/s400/20190401_154328_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f6IBkpXIIctSObh56l2pHc_8E8NWYg4YcbQuv4IVHH_I_gvSWhB8usQRfS9hScedsVyu_jxjT1vyoptlhy17Zci4KG13usmb7N6hMMmwm9Bg4BE55T0MtdxiQpEUnVweFMN0hcAgilpq/s1600/20190401_154343_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f6IBkpXIIctSObh56l2pHc_8E8NWYg4YcbQuv4IVHH_I_gvSWhB8usQRfS9hScedsVyu_jxjT1vyoptlhy17Zci4KG13usmb7N6hMMmwm9Bg4BE55T0MtdxiQpEUnVweFMN0hcAgilpq/s400/20190401_154343_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrXhjdEGLzayMpbpt9Nh6z4N9ndtKRbiBqymDYMumMUPjaBqOT-XZIwA-BEkc6lO-4q87M6hr1sn9k2a_UDhgAmhzfzNLfln_YjkjSzJeFm1tvlsDBabg4iJ1H5aZSTLJ-PQkX4of9l4z/s1600/20190401_154355_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrXhjdEGLzayMpbpt9Nh6z4N9ndtKRbiBqymDYMumMUPjaBqOT-XZIwA-BEkc6lO-4q87M6hr1sn9k2a_UDhgAmhzfzNLfln_YjkjSzJeFm1tvlsDBabg4iJ1H5aZSTLJ-PQkX4of9l4z/s400/20190401_154355_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzm_0R0ZI7RgMfTINScP2YqZvff3Z1Bha1fhrYRHLDEy505PBCA4LBetANUcfzikRew0jiIETBcUPO5e8hPlEhhkZ_MWFZSz5ruT0w6wYIcy_kYSC__Bxqlans3OLHw_wPFgRTKLRGsKD/s1600/20190401_154407_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzm_0R0ZI7RgMfTINScP2YqZvff3Z1Bha1fhrYRHLDEy505PBCA4LBetANUcfzikRew0jiIETBcUPO5e8hPlEhhkZ_MWFZSz5ruT0w6wYIcy_kYSC__Bxqlans3OLHw_wPFgRTKLRGsKD/s400/20190401_154407_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsN6lFsTXM5Iq6d-bQUvc0LUNTzBp4zOT4CzbfIdxmU8VQ3ZsbnPfQji3PrToq2AQJ4l09USvFylzRu6UqtjCei4q6K50wB_pUt3N1KSZi1OBixNi-BiK6EB2RhCN_MXBSlCw94UI7InB/s1600/20190401_154414_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsN6lFsTXM5Iq6d-bQUvc0LUNTzBp4zOT4CzbfIdxmU8VQ3ZsbnPfQji3PrToq2AQJ4l09USvFylzRu6UqtjCei4q6K50wB_pUt3N1KSZi1OBixNi-BiK6EB2RhCN_MXBSlCw94UI7InB/s400/20190401_154414_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uyJop5X8XbgsY8c9C12vp7k_o3CP3Bo8G6V_GdgqmA0en0wuIV1n2rsARPSBB6KDS4LPq3RPdAcTsayvRaBIGp2-rGknsbxr6-BQurlvBk1ovF62LyQQCyEyO6cf55MVFXGfxnLA2C90/s1600/20190401_154425_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uyJop5X8XbgsY8c9C12vp7k_o3CP3Bo8G6V_GdgqmA0en0wuIV1n2rsARPSBB6KDS4LPq3RPdAcTsayvRaBIGp2-rGknsbxr6-BQurlvBk1ovF62LyQQCyEyO6cf55MVFXGfxnLA2C90/s400/20190401_154425_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RWffcMbU6tp3HgieVpeRV0A1AR6AaGPHok6jZlV3FTV5QYkapG1RRxASkTutzFIISo2PX4T-EboFb3hJ1dUQFnJGQCLDVgd9d0H2nYD9CNddvqay4z2MXhGSstGDc7Gkoq86uojciiIP/s1600/20190401_154436_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RWffcMbU6tp3HgieVpeRV0A1AR6AaGPHok6jZlV3FTV5QYkapG1RRxASkTutzFIISo2PX4T-EboFb3hJ1dUQFnJGQCLDVgd9d0H2nYD9CNddvqay4z2MXhGSstGDc7Gkoq86uojciiIP/s400/20190401_154436_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi49usRnAuW6SRU_9XF3XoPcQXWBcuoOePlRoP68iFFHc54y0kboPv806FJhFFRN8B7YvbxhrjqYbkbwXEENFoNKPRGcO690ymlTWzI3XvkhGu81lmhkDpb5b_kSrfALG4iKiVkEGNzHa/s1600/20190401_154458_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi49usRnAuW6SRU_9XF3XoPcQXWBcuoOePlRoP68iFFHc54y0kboPv806FJhFFRN8B7YvbxhrjqYbkbwXEENFoNKPRGcO690ymlTWzI3XvkhGu81lmhkDpb5b_kSrfALG4iKiVkEGNzHa/s400/20190401_154458_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKZqmGS4pQPgbIGI7oEqiaf9gCkjx8Ca1NdjhJsbrijSgQ8Q4BeD0wmBkG_rnfBGwAKzpGN7IAxGtTNA8YyUT3kz2ROj5P73ggJ1RTh2zQCsWJ3Ncb5-yCnxXPS3qNStUTWVilqoz7vWo/s1600/20190401_154522_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKZqmGS4pQPgbIGI7oEqiaf9gCkjx8Ca1NdjhJsbrijSgQ8Q4BeD0wmBkG_rnfBGwAKzpGN7IAxGtTNA8YyUT3kz2ROj5P73ggJ1RTh2zQCsWJ3Ncb5-yCnxXPS3qNStUTWVilqoz7vWo/s400/20190401_154522_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5H7unDUKCM4maTubZbOoGjylfWK9sacbtYZTTSepG8QXOxwZ9YljKhmkCeQUTFDJVSXnYFXwnhAeMTV6-ek08dbhlUvwkUL5jilw3O6JfxUDJ9e7r94dGKYWoe2Nf35QxFv23eMpkODR/s1600/20190401_154553_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5H7unDUKCM4maTubZbOoGjylfWK9sacbtYZTTSepG8QXOxwZ9YljKhmkCeQUTFDJVSXnYFXwnhAeMTV6-ek08dbhlUvwkUL5jilw3O6JfxUDJ9e7r94dGKYWoe2Nf35QxFv23eMpkODR/s400/20190401_154553_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>ECCE PANIS ANGELORUM</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Behold the Bread of Angels"</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDItxaAVIx4i653Gk52wOQ778f02tAKWIJBl2Y62F7xekZr7RtqMRVsVbpGU3YPd61Z7hlKhHLGt12Mrjs3QXQH9g_IMKHVqAxZY4XT24r0ZBUnZ-2iiPNvOJgQh0QZSHu8rlNfm9tboU/s1600/20190401_154608_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDItxaAVIx4i653Gk52wOQ778f02tAKWIJBl2Y62F7xekZr7RtqMRVsVbpGU3YPd61Z7hlKhHLGt12Mrjs3QXQH9g_IMKHVqAxZY4XT24r0ZBUnZ-2iiPNvOJgQh0QZSHu8rlNfm9tboU/s400/20190401_154608_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wO58dm6BUpr53av8gQ2zr0IZXtzFXoFrl-z_hxf9_HeMYtjcXRoA139oKha7zQWl1rF3fwgQYSbTDoL08E_2CwmJEtWv78LsS8fXYPB1INu_pILVbhpkddaBLslzlCdjEEm_WHf8Bvfb/s1600/20190401_154615_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wO58dm6BUpr53av8gQ2zr0IZXtzFXoFrl-z_hxf9_HeMYtjcXRoA139oKha7zQWl1rF3fwgQYSbTDoL08E_2CwmJEtWv78LsS8fXYPB1INu_pILVbhpkddaBLslzlCdjEEm_WHf8Bvfb/s400/20190401_154615_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VHpvKXUQLm1WzzWJyKOlTZV66z2yWgHtZuxX-Qwffux_ZeuJsrTid3MJoLK9MaF1ZI9Kdhy6EPQvUWUuabYgPga1LxqzQyfr5vfZ4M6xnYoHd9OnWpBPIvqdnl1dgm0R-mn65K6c4zRQ/s1600/20190401_154858_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VHpvKXUQLm1WzzWJyKOlTZV66z2yWgHtZuxX-Qwffux_ZeuJsrTid3MJoLK9MaF1ZI9Kdhy6EPQvUWUuabYgPga1LxqzQyfr5vfZ4M6xnYoHd9OnWpBPIvqdnl1dgm0R-mn65K6c4zRQ/s400/20190401_154858_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUodChdJqzXTwP_b0W2pBabQk7nL4dm_kahQN4bVI8L7rLIEpeaZPvaThuSdE9xpQc6A_tT6qnEdmWCX6FZBpPBQCXwPZiVX9u3f8IsEcGkfIhpWpQ2b6D4hdgrZlXjXatB6QlQBntOOKj/s1600/20190401_154909_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUodChdJqzXTwP_b0W2pBabQk7nL4dm_kahQN4bVI8L7rLIEpeaZPvaThuSdE9xpQc6A_tT6qnEdmWCX6FZBpPBQCXwPZiVX9u3f8IsEcGkfIhpWpQ2b6D4hdgrZlXjXatB6QlQBntOOKj/s400/20190401_154909_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV-YeXkaZo60F0WfWEmQiIk0xWbiAi6DsAObiZgMW3ZjFZ6-gaI1PS71HCFMBiWuqml0-xWwRds4bbWi6N8hwpc9f8NhcedfJoNlfzjvfleKx0SXkm_qj3pnG5w9IEyCtpMV2yXeX2iJ6/s1600/20190401_155010_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV-YeXkaZo60F0WfWEmQiIk0xWbiAi6DsAObiZgMW3ZjFZ6-gaI1PS71HCFMBiWuqml0-xWwRds4bbWi6N8hwpc9f8NhcedfJoNlfzjvfleKx0SXkm_qj3pnG5w9IEyCtpMV2yXeX2iJ6/s320/20190401_155010_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvXd8qVlkmrGDlf2opKVH5qUBCspAsAmhWTQ1qOBt23dNRqUmEyykKbhpdMJhMvtmw9lAZtjJ1x4k48bXWI8SCrXY9GqT-hiJo-lzHIN5Ct1Wea_oazxJAV7G7Shc9mq3AsfgcF2XyJtJ/s1600/20190401_155300_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvXd8qVlkmrGDlf2opKVH5qUBCspAsAmhWTQ1qOBt23dNRqUmEyykKbhpdMJhMvtmw9lAZtjJ1x4k48bXWI8SCrXY9GqT-hiJo-lzHIN5Ct1Wea_oazxJAV7G7Shc9mq3AsfgcF2XyJtJ/s400/20190401_155300_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihh2EYf0PBQb876sIONL2TQvPwbp7CyFkjFzJ-esXW4XPlI5I3AXlO7rIVcs_IMb2-uAwoWOLva_ypxmPGzrc93a_o1vel4B9WpeDQmE-x_kZ-ynN_rob4qxbRV8jm1W0jxkpKylqY75Ae/s1600/20190401_155340_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihh2EYf0PBQb876sIONL2TQvPwbp7CyFkjFzJ-esXW4XPlI5I3AXlO7rIVcs_IMb2-uAwoWOLva_ypxmPGzrc93a_o1vel4B9WpeDQmE-x_kZ-ynN_rob4qxbRV8jm1W0jxkpKylqY75Ae/s400/20190401_155340_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeRCRd_aBqBhzEyQWbmvme4R7jPB_-C6X8jCG8LONRzHLIVIm8AUpSxx4WZwDQxov_-fdc9Lr7niWjmad55M4bFO-Pzq4tp2hxsSvyjJP5izjCPrn5bc2dR6NXg6GQiWOkW7kj0N9qIBN/s1600/20190401_155357_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeRCRd_aBqBhzEyQWbmvme4R7jPB_-C6X8jCG8LONRzHLIVIm8AUpSxx4WZwDQxov_-fdc9Lr7niWjmad55M4bFO-Pzq4tp2hxsSvyjJP5izjCPrn5bc2dR6NXg6GQiWOkW7kj0N9qIBN/s400/20190401_155357_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb09-Ap9to0-2afoucQAmIj_wqmTKfD5gz2YuLsuZLYH6d5HkwFfZ6GyYugjugmF6nVZ2ApgvSEkrzAIGgOxeWY7LyjeUPCTWHQ8jlY59CjRk_64pURJopiyVNrlZrypukcWd248Lnq6NO/s1600/20190401_155748_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb09-Ap9to0-2afoucQAmIj_wqmTKfD5gz2YuLsuZLYH6d5HkwFfZ6GyYugjugmF6nVZ2ApgvSEkrzAIGgOxeWY7LyjeUPCTWHQ8jlY59CjRk_64pURJopiyVNrlZrypukcWd248Lnq6NO/s400/20190401_155748_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmuF5rPuLOrobZUwHT8FGkL4MtAffG8bLCBYilXCEPMtc_JS61m9UxZLi0ddsmgKL2tDG2TtU0D5rU4Yd8SqqIirWEtEwBfcXvvXyeJu-P-JqTfVVzjlugasN3QgPe4RqC8w6lylu8bPG/s1600/DSCF3769_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmuF5rPuLOrobZUwHT8FGkL4MtAffG8bLCBYilXCEPMtc_JS61m9UxZLi0ddsmgKL2tDG2TtU0D5rU4Yd8SqqIirWEtEwBfcXvvXyeJu-P-JqTfVVzjlugasN3QgPe4RqC8w6lylu8bPG/s320/DSCF3769_800x600.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYvjQP_R8Dvx98hGD4YR8oxN5SjaI1Z1SMtfA0GUBguVgOzoSd7surED-6K050lzCTD3FjvkeqmA-qxs4_iqQzIExyYrZwoQynpRDE5p7pc74JdIZ2io8OkXdOhtp3wEeqXLmB1taaB3r/s1600/20190401_155759_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYvjQP_R8Dvx98hGD4YR8oxN5SjaI1Z1SMtfA0GUBguVgOzoSd7surED-6K050lzCTD3FjvkeqmA-qxs4_iqQzIExyYrZwoQynpRDE5p7pc74JdIZ2io8OkXdOhtp3wEeqXLmB1taaB3r/s400/20190401_155759_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2LdivR2b_PWODs6XZtCpvMFB7RzbTPEshAHfwZJcREv_pBR2ZEXsGhr7r5rHKOBEtEtEzQOXOa4u69sOCDjkkMYdDuMNRRnYCFi-VMeM7MRq5IpNnJ2vj9NOCAcMfz1HSQiN_RvZpGJV/s1600/20190401_155900_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2LdivR2b_PWODs6XZtCpvMFB7RzbTPEshAHfwZJcREv_pBR2ZEXsGhr7r5rHKOBEtEtEzQOXOa4u69sOCDjkkMYdDuMNRRnYCFi-VMeM7MRq5IpNnJ2vj9NOCAcMfz1HSQiN_RvZpGJV/s400/20190401_155900_800x600.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Leaving there, we drove back to Schulenburg directly to our hotel, right off the Interstate at the Best Western Plus, where within moments of my entering to check in, another of our party arrived, starting a steady stream over the next hour or so.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpv8XlemlyXJYcdurugvl_EcFql5RSi_zZQXQpkFG0ny3JsempKnIou7wRmz9z9DT1wDZ_rlKt4KMnhQM8RSEmdBaps37O5s96zFrtKiaN-NgLAQNP8giCvN8O2Z3gjz4JuqlA0ndkhVA/s1600/20190401_165259_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpv8XlemlyXJYcdurugvl_EcFql5RSi_zZQXQpkFG0ny3JsempKnIou7wRmz9z9DT1wDZ_rlKt4KMnhQM8RSEmdBaps37O5s96zFrtKiaN-NgLAQNP8giCvN8O2Z3gjz4JuqlA0ndkhVA/s400/20190401_165259_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anne and I found our room and rested for a few minutes, then it was time to head out to the 18:00 Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church only a short distance down the street from our hotel. Another couple from our group rode with us; others arrived there separately while we were there; others opted not to attend, having attended Mass at home in Natchitoches or elsewhere earlier in the day. St. Rose is not one of the Painted Churches, and is of very modern construction and decor, but given that is fairly nicely adorned with stained glass.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eD5OwD3sN-GmgTmBff433qC7qDtsI73frnKYdmZS5-6bte901jeUzttl1dumG2V5GIMpAaVPQQWhW2wH7O7FSHPc-g0kUfL6pHJQZVCLfDba3yo6G0u93QQEB1bPCbJ4TERkyg0Mesmw/s1600/20190401_182845_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eD5OwD3sN-GmgTmBff433qC7qDtsI73frnKYdmZS5-6bte901jeUzttl1dumG2V5GIMpAaVPQQWhW2wH7O7FSHPc-g0kUfL6pHJQZVCLfDba3yo6G0u93QQEB1bPCbJ4TERkyg0Mesmw/s400/20190401_182845_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6922xHktS95Vy-qehM-hdI4ReqEA-UuATTZgzNePr_GTwPwS3MpUt5Kx2lzvtMOCR3yio-nkOMtmJTsCxqxhahb9bIgaGCsnEXjWGTCq3jMWzYG6PUNIhy86jOjzKypWEByjRQTZ-ZDJh/s1600/20190401_182859_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6922xHktS95Vy-qehM-hdI4ReqEA-UuATTZgzNePr_GTwPwS3MpUt5Kx2lzvtMOCR3yio-nkOMtmJTsCxqxhahb9bIgaGCsnEXjWGTCq3jMWzYG6PUNIhy86jOjzKypWEByjRQTZ-ZDJh/s400/20190401_182859_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBL3EZHpMXQQ6ahqNBVVCz-All55sZiIfXYBD31v5k6_8vPmQZ-VpM3x88FLr4JeU4zcyjRsK2XwSLQii3sOc6pGCKCL5uOJNgObX9P9T8-BqoX7S88eFaKp1X9UeyzA7e9W6mG9bTTXfd/s1600/20190401_182911_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBL3EZHpMXQQ6ahqNBVVCz-All55sZiIfXYBD31v5k6_8vPmQZ-VpM3x88FLr4JeU4zcyjRsK2XwSLQii3sOc6pGCKCL5uOJNgObX9P9T8-BqoX7S88eFaKp1X9UeyzA7e9W6mG9bTTXfd/s400/20190401_182911_800x600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
After Mass, our group assembled in the our hotel's lobby and opted to cross the Interstate to the Oak Ridge Smokehouse restaurant, which had a nice buffet which many of us chose to partake of. I did not; buffets and I do not get along because I find it hard to stop. I ordered a smoked turkey sandwich, which was good. During the meal, I related Anne's and my adventure earlier, telling the story of "Our Lady of Halletsville." As I ended it, "Isn't our Faith <i>great</i>? Protestants don't get <i>anything</i> like this!"<br />
<br />
We were back in our hotel room about 20:30. It having been a long day, Anne's already in bed, and now, having created this blog post and put in a good selection of the pictures from the day, I am about to go shower and head for bed myself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">+ + +</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>More information regarding the alleged 1986 apparition outside Hallettsville, Texas:</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Erica Rodriguez, " Hallettsville shrine honors apparition of Virgin Mary," <i>Victoria Advocate</i> (13 May 2010) [<a href="https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/counties/lavaca/hallettsville-shrine-honors-apparition-of-virgin-mary/article_1fed14c7-a325-5e2e-90e9-ce313d76203c.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>] -- <i>Note: The Victoria Advocate allows five views then requires subscription.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Youtube: "Hallettsville locals explain apparition of Virgin Mary" (2011) --</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e5PE2cIHM00/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e5PE2cIHM00?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-72683358615479210362019-03-24T12:55:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:49:37.240-05:00Texas 2019 - Searching for a Daily Mass in the Hill Country…. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeA-cLtJul9MN06dTEebyUcisMx6YpaBmcWpUae1W8vO-SmOuOxFyVe8ZGjqMRPzS9HwQlKSau3fyGH7103-Hq2-oN7FZSpriV4ZOKARYkG0WZt1N2QqK4vhgGcyYbD-ugth5_zBddpAC/s1600/Catholic+Churches+around+Schulenburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="800" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeA-cLtJul9MN06dTEebyUcisMx6YpaBmcWpUae1W8vO-SmOuOxFyVe8ZGjqMRPzS9HwQlKSau3fyGH7103-Hq2-oN7FZSpriV4ZOKARYkG0WZt1N2QqK4vhgGcyYbD-ugth5_zBddpAC/s320/Catholic+Churches+around+Schulenburg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://masstimes.org/">https://masstimes.org</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">About half of our group are daily Communicants at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches. This tour of the
Painted Churches is, for us, a </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">pilgrimage</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
– a religious devotion. We want to attend daily Mass while there in
Schulenburg. Here, besides missing his company and insights, is where we will
miss Fr. Louis while we’re there – the original intention had been for him to
say a “private” Mass for us in one of the Painted Churches. Sadly, that isn’t
working out. We will have to find a scheduled Mass … which is proving harder
than expected.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We really are blessed here in
Natchitoches to have two regular Masses each day of the week, Monday through
Friday – 06:30 at the Basilica and 12:05 only a few blocks away at St. Anthony
of Padua Church. There is, furthermore, Mass at 17:30 Tuesday-Thursday (as well
as 08:00 Friday) at Holy Cross, the Campus Ministry Church at my University,
only a few blocks from the Basilica in a different direction. (Natchitoches is
small.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Confining it to within 20 mi of
Schulenburg, based on the website <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Masstimes.org</i>
using as my search argument “Schulenburg, Texas,” I found really only one
convenient, at 06:30 Tuesday morning. Fortunately, that’s the time of our
morning Mass at the Basilica, so it won’t be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> much of a shock to our systems. Unfortunately, it’s not
repeated on Wednesday morning. Extending the time to the Monday and Tuesday evenings garners a couple of other options as well. I include telephone information for all of these
because using any such Internet index based on reported data that could change
at any time <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> demands to be
confirmed.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monday</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">18:00<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Rose of Lima *</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1010 Lyons Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Schulenburg, Texas 78956-2138 – 0.40 mi
from Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(979) 743-3117<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>*** Monday 01 April - Called and confirmed time. 18:00 every day except Thursday. ***</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Michael Catholic Church</b> / a.k.a.
Sts. Cyril and Methodius<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">410 North Center Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Weimar, Texas 78962-1606 – 7.66 mi from
Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(979) 725-6714<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tuesday
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">06:30 (chapel)<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Michael Catholic Church / a.k.a.
Sts. Cyril and Methodius *<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">410 North Center Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Weimar, Texas 78962-1606 – 7.66 mi from
Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(979) 725-6714<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>*** Monday 25 March - Called and confirmed time and location (the chapel is connected to the school) ***</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">07:00<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Sacred Heart<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">400 E. 5th Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hallettsville, Texas 77964-2810 – 16.58
mi from Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(361) 798-5888<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">18:00<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Rose of Lima *</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1010 Lyons Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Schulenburg, Texas 78956-2138 – 0.40 mi
from Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(979) 743-3117<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">18:30<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Sacred Heart<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">539 East Pearl Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">La Grange, Texas 78945 – 15.99 mi from
Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(979) 968-3430<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wednesday<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">07:00<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Sacred Heart<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">400 E. 5th Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hallettsville, Texas 77964-2810 – 16.58
mi from Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(361) 798-5888<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Mary<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">815 Saint Mary's Church Road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ellinger/Hostýn Hill, Texas 78940 – 17.85
mi from Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">979-378-2277<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">08:00<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>St. Joseph<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">601 North Pecan Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moulton, Texas 77975 – 16.39 mi from
Schulenburg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(361) 596-4674<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">From TX-95, turn west on Bobkat Drive
on the north side of town; go four blocks, and turn right on North Pecan
Street. Parish one and one-half blocks on the left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My guess? – Even though I personally prefer a morning Mass, the 18:00 at St. Rose of Lima right there in Schulenburg on both Monday and Tuesday evenings could well be the way we go. Or, we may get up and go to
Mass at 06:30 on Tuesday at St. Michael’s in Weimar, then have breakfast before
assembling for the tour at the Visitor’s Center back in Schulenburg … then miss
out on Mass on Wednesday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-85707216934419319432019-03-23T23:43:00.000-05:002020-04-04T13:50:12.224-05:00Mini-Pilgrimage: The Painted Churches of Texas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdhTJGNpXXARNqKL0dwar4rVT_yA26LLUmXkng0FyN2EH_rbm_LsoTmvO6LGa5cMzOTEFZ9R6yk9RfgiTNcVwc7hvyYBh6EYS4uGoWkliNtSM9l6qFjVIPbMrsFALpNhORgCQAEX-OhKq/s1600/St+Mary%2527s+Catholic+Church+High+Hill+TX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="791" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdhTJGNpXXARNqKL0dwar4rVT_yA26LLUmXkng0FyN2EH_rbm_LsoTmvO6LGa5cMzOTEFZ9R6yk9RfgiTNcVwc7hvyYBh6EYS4uGoWkliNtSM9l6qFjVIPbMrsFALpNhORgCQAEX-OhKq/s320/St+Mary%2527s+Catholic+Church+High+Hill+TX.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mary's Catholic Church, High Hill, Texas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This has actually been in the making
for a couple of years. In conversation with my good friends Sonny and Sue, and
their son Fr. Louis, mention was made of the Painted Churches of Texas. I had
never heard of them. Sonny is of Czech ancestry, born and raised in Sealy,
Texas. They told me how across the Texas hill country there are a number of
historic churches (citations vary from “twenty” to “a couple of dozen”), built
largely by 19</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">-c. Central European immigrants in the architectural
and decorative style of their homelands, mainly Bohemia and Germany. To quote
an article at the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Texas Hill Country</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
website:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>The insides of these magnificent
churches are layered with hours of painstaking labor by hand stenciling,
infill, freehand, marbling, staining and graining. They are adorned with
masterful paintings, shimmering stained glass, charming murals, and
gold-encrusted altars.</b> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://texashillcountry.com/historic-painted-churches/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWIlNfBlfk4ScetwYUpnXIcEAAX4JSG_RDZ0GsOBRx8Nm3wklP3HFuO-NuKJXbF-rHX3X8ykwvaycK0Ygn4p8eAyTlB33j_wQxKOjt-NDw916iuEHq5cIMDAAJ_UZr6LpuyGD3Hb-A7nW/s1600/Painted+Churches+around+Schulenburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="800" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWIlNfBlfk4ScetwYUpnXIcEAAX4JSG_RDZ0GsOBRx8Nm3wklP3HFuO-NuKJXbF-rHX3X8ykwvaycK0Ygn4p8eAyTlB33j_wQxKOjt-NDw916iuEHq5cIMDAAJ_UZr6LpuyGD3Hb-A7nW/s320/Painted+Churches+around+Schulenburg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Churches around Schulenburg, Texas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fr. Louis suggested that we – himself,
his parents, my wife and myself, and various other church friends – should make
a pilgrimage.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And so began a couple of years of
fruitless attempts to find a schedule agreeable to the various people who, in
conversation, expressed interest in going off on such a venture. Several false
starts foundered until finally, just after the beginning of this year, my wife
and I decided we just needed to unilaterally set a date, let everyone know, and
see what happened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Schulenburg,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 16px;">the most common destination and seemingly the base of the only formal tour of the Painted Churches of which I am aware,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> being about a 325mi/5h30m
drive from Natchitoches, we knew we would need a three-day schedule at least –
a day to drive there, a day for the tour, and a day to drive home. Wanting to
avoid a weekend meant that my university’s Spring Break schedule pretty much
dictated the week of Sunday 31 March; we decided to shoot for Monday through
Wednesday, with the tour to be on Tuesday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I did some Internet research at the
Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce “Painted Churches” tour page [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.schulenburgchamber.org/painted-churches-tour" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">], which I have abstracted:</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Duration: 3-4 hours<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Start time and place:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Time: Suggested between 09:15 and 11:00.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">Place: Greater Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce
Visitors’ Center (866-504-5294)</li>
</ol>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Transportation: Self-provided (with the Tour Guide
riding along).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cost:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Deposit $50 at least two weeks in advance (I have
handled this, and we all will settle up at the end per #4 below).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Per Person $10 (with deposit deducted from total),
paid in full on or before beginning of tour (but see #4 below)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tour Guide Gratuity minimum $40 for groups up to 15;
$50 for larger groups or “photography groups”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Total cost therefore will depend on number of
individuals in group, but as an example – 10 individuals = $50 deposit
two weeks in advance (done), but then day-of cost would be 10 x $10 =
$100 less $50 deposit = $50 plus $40 = $90 / 10 = $9 per person.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I called the Chamber of Commerce and
confirmed that Tuesday 02 April could work, and indeed went ahead and made a
reservation for 10:00, good for whether the group included just my wife and
myself or a couple of dozen people. I figured we’d be ten or twelve at the most.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And I sent an email out to interested
parties:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>After several false starts trying to
coordinate a schedule mutually acceptable to those who have expressed interest
in making a short pilgrimage/tour of the Painted Churches of Texas, Anne and I
have decided on the following dates: Monday-Wednesday 01-03 April 2019.
The tour itself will be on Tuesday 02 April.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A good overview can be found at The
Catholic Travel Guide, “Central Texas: The Painted Churches of Texas,” </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/u-s-a/central-texas-painted-churches-texas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/u-s-a/central-texas-painted-churches-texas/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><br />
We would like to get a group together to accompany us, with the understanding
that each person would be responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
Anne and I can accommodate two passengers in the CR-V for the trips to and from
Schulenburg, but on the tour itself we would need to carry the Tour Guide and
thus could accommodate only one other person.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Itinerary:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Monday 01 April – Drive from Natchitoches, Louisiana,
to Schulenburg, Texas – approx. 325 miles, 5h30m. Hotels.com shows
several hotels in the area: Best Western Plus, Holiday Inn Express,
America’s Best Value Inn, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Tuesday 02 April – Tour<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Wednesday 01 April – Drive home (distance/time above)<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">[I
also included the above abstraction from the Chamber of Commerce page, and
ended with a short “budget”:]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>So, total cost per couple or individual
(estimated, again based on group of ten) would be, not including transportation:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Hotel, two nights – $300<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Food – variable<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Tour – $18 per couple<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Think about it, and let me know,</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><br />
Kent</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What happened was that virtually
everyone who had expressed interest was able to go – plus a couple more who heard
about it from them. We ended up being a group of thirteen: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">myself and my wife, Anne; Jeff and Carol; JoAnn; Rita; Ray and Gwen;
Sydney; Susan; Angel; and Sonny and Sue</b>. Unfortunately, not Fr. Louis –
which scotched our hopes to be able to have a private Mass in one of the
churches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJQ8Xd1t_MH2aJACh64Dgdpfupxxa5RiIFGdjs5nm_1TQY1GjI6cuEmFGbr76fj2XP6o_5T6a_qPsCpNsbyvQVgipolE0E8oEuWYfxbvBJhP5xDiUpkBPvV93mfobB3I9IYYn1qCCr4lT/s1600/Texas+Barbeque+Breweries+and+Painted+Churches+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="800" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJQ8Xd1t_MH2aJACh64Dgdpfupxxa5RiIFGdjs5nm_1TQY1GjI6cuEmFGbr76fj2XP6o_5T6a_qPsCpNsbyvQVgipolE0E8oEuWYfxbvBJhP5xDiUpkBPvV93mfobB3I9IYYn1qCCr4lT/s320/Texas+Barbeque+Breweries+and+Painted+Churches+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Painted Churches, Barbeque, and Breweries</b><br />
Source: h<a href="ttp://businessideasfor2013.blogspot.com/2017/04/painted-churches-of-texas-map.html" target="_blank">ttp://businessideasfor2013.blogspot.com/<br />2017/04/painted-churches-of-texas-map.html</a> ... <i>Hey!<br />Waitaminute! Where's Shiner?!?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I think we all got reservations at the
same place, the Best Western Plus, which will be nice. Except for the two
nights and the day of the tour in Schulenburg itself, the way things worked out
we have varying schedules – some are headed that way early (or part way – Anne
and I, going to Houston for the weekend to visit with our son and Anne’s sister
and brother-in-law, who all live there); others are coming back late (by way of
Houston or some other route). But it sounds like we will all be there together
pretty much from supper on Monday through breakfast on Wednesday. And I frame
it in those terms for a reason -- this group being who we are, conversation
immediately turned to food. Frankly, all the things we’ve talked in various
small groups during the intervening weeks would require more than the short
amount of time we’re going to be together: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kolaches</i>, I’m told are readily
available and totally unlike the “pigs-in-a-blanket” local donut shops pass off
as “kolaches”; real Texas barbeque; Tex-Mex; Texas chicken-fried steak (of
which Sonny is a connoisseur); and I’m likely forgetting something. Mention has
been made of the Shiner brewery being fairly nearby….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m anticipating these few days to
devastate the weight-loss I have managed since the first of the year….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qOyxdk2oInaIrYij47K7t2QF5ZixBXm9zS7Ah80ibGcbXiBJDkWBdwQqTjFN1FvF9NdDdfMTcvY_TWdAZxZ2SOBpwi3VQwfWgjz8yQvgm-yjLsxA5Kf7L_JqIxhv_8IFqS2zS-4ElIG6/s1600/Painted+churches+tour+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qOyxdk2oInaIrYij47K7t2QF5ZixBXm9zS7Ah80ibGcbXiBJDkWBdwQqTjFN1FvF9NdDdfMTcvY_TWdAZxZ2SOBpwi3VQwfWgjz8yQvgm-yjLsxA5Kf7L_JqIxhv_8IFqS2zS-4ElIG6/s320/Painted+churches+tour+map.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But I am looking forward to this very
much. I’m already doing research on the most likely churches for the tour there
in and around Schulenburg, and on the Painted Churches in general, both for the
short account of our tour itself and maybe a general overview posted either
before or after (depending on how this week goes). Interestingly enough, I’m
finding it a relatively obscure topic. Besides a great number of blog-posts and
travel-site accounts of tours similar to ours, there seem to be few overall
surveys. Even more astonishing to me is that there doesn’t seem to be any kind
of book about them – at least, an Amazon search of the most obvious argument,
“painted churches of Texas,” comes up nada. There is a single issue of a
magazine entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Texas Highways</i> –
currently unavailable; a DVD, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Painted
Churches of Texas: Echoes of the Heartland</i> – currently unavailable; and
what seems like the beginning of a series of romance novels collectively
denominated, “A Painted Church of Texas Novel,” individually titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Final Act of Redemption</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Random Act of Love….<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Actually, in compiling the following
list of websites, I did come across a privately printed and sold “guidebook” [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://paintedchurchesoftexas.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]
which looks promising, containing “<b>ten churches, each with the physical
address, GR code for the Google map, service times, short history, and items <span style="color: red;">NOT TO BE MISSED</span> </b>[their emphasis] <b>describing many unique and special
features. Photos that offer a quick look at the inside and out. This small 6x9
guide is easy to use and will fit in your car's glove box for safe keeping.</b>”
Unfortunately, at less than a week before we head out of town, I’m pretty sure
it could not arrive in time even if I order it right now, so I’m just going to
hope the authors have done the smart thing and placed them for sale at the
Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center (if allowed). Otherwise, I may order it
later, but it’s of no use to me in trip prep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In any case, here is a list of websites
I anticipate perusing, in no really particular order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Central Texas: The Painted Churches of
Texas,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Catholic Travel Guide </i>[</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/u-s-a/central-texas-painted-churches-texas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Day Trip From Austin to See Historical
Painted Churches of Texas” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Austinot</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://austinot.com/painted-churches-of-texas" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The Painted Churches Tour of Fayette
County” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Texas Escapes</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="http://texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/PaintedChurchesTour.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Painted Churches Tour” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TripAdvisor</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56640-d2460464-Reviews-Painted_Churches_Tour-Schulenburg_Texas.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Painted Churches of Texas” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blue Sky Traveler</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blueskytraveler.com/painted-churches-of-texas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Touring Painted Churches near
Schulenburg, Texas” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Travel Tales of a
Texas Nomad</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://donnaharshman.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/touring-painted-churches-near-schulenburg-texas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Painted
Churches Tour, Schulenburg” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inspirock</i>
[</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.inspirock.com/united-states/schulenburg/painted-churches-tour-a593499001"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Texas Painted Churches Tour” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is Our Texas</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="http://www.thisisourtexas.com/texaspaintedchurches.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Things to Do: Historic Painted
Churches of the Texas Hill Country” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Texas
Hill Country</i> [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://texashillcountry.com/historic-painted-churches/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“A journey to the ‘painted churches’ of
Texas” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aleteia</i> [<a href="https://aleteia.org/2017/08/14/a-journey-to-the-painted-churches-of-texas/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The Painted Churches of Texas” at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Modern Medievalism</i> [<a href="http://modernmedievalism.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-painted-churches-of-texas.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I also found a small number of videos
on Youtube, e.g., this one I leave you with...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BQ-qRIPN_K4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BQ-qRIPN_K4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>***UPDATE: I called Monday 25 March and confirmed our booking for 13 people at 10:00 Tuesday 02 April. <i>It's on! </i>***</b></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-81472419871120267942019-03-07T16:07:00.001-06:002019-03-07T16:32:12.758-06:00Two Radio Maria interviews about the 2018 Holy Land pilgrimage<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzfS91PxOECAYfV7SRsA_O6eZ2kSK2M8Kbuu_ovFJOcQkWQW2PxZHX3mBCNGKRKhBaTacnSLsRlft3bqr-XjI8UNb2CdYWQil-OL7xHtM9edLj_IRX38CC1SSCLwnGs3R_6J5SZA27MhX/s1600/Radio+Maria+square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzfS91PxOECAYfV7SRsA_O6eZ2kSK2M8Kbuu_ovFJOcQkWQW2PxZHX3mBCNGKRKhBaTacnSLsRlft3bqr-XjI8UNb2CdYWQil-OL7xHtM9edLj_IRX38CC1SSCLwnGs3R_6J5SZA27MhX/s1600/Radio+Maria+square.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radio Maria (US) [<a href="http://radiomaria.us/" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" target="_blank">LINK</a><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here are two episodes of <i>Sacred Treasures with Kathie Duggan</i> on Radio Maria [archive page <a href="https://radiomaria.us/sacred-treasures/" target="_blank">LINK</a>] discussing the August 2018 Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The first features myself; the second features our Israeli Christian tour guide Tony Azraq ... and myself (I'll explain below):<br />
<br />
Monday 01 October 2018: Kent Hare [<a href="https://radiomaria.us/audio/sacredtreasures/20181001sacredtreasures.mp3" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<br />
<br />
Monday 19 November 2018: Tony Azraq [<a href="https://radiomaria.us/audio/sacredtreasures/20181119sacredtreasures.mp3" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
+ + +</div>
<br />
Here's the backstory, including why these are being posted so long after the fact....<br />
<br />
A few weeks after we returned from the Holy Land in late August, Kathie invited me to join her on her weekly radio show to talk about the pilgrimage. Since it turned out the date she proposed, Monday 01 October, was the first day of my university's two-day fall break, I was able to drive down to Alexandria and join her in the studio rather than Skyping or just calling in on my cell phone. So I got to have lunch and visit with her and the staff at Radio Maria, including Fr. Emilio who was in the station for the periodic "Mariathon" fund raising campaign. It was an all around good afternoon.<br />
<br />
I always intended to post a link to the audio ... but weeks passed and it never appeared. I contacted the station and found out they had suffered a major data breach or virus (I don't remember which at this point) that had corrupted a lot of their files and their station engineer was working through reconstructing what he could salvage. Over time, my check-ins became less and less frequent, although I think I did check within the past few weeks.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in mid November Kathie put out the word that she had arranged for our tour guide Tony to appear, and invited pilgrims to call in during that show. I jumped at the chance and did so ... and inadvertently ended up basically being her guest for the back half of the show when Tony's Skype connection from Israel apparently failed. It was problematic during the time he was with us, then went out completely. And that's the story of the Monday 19 November episode, which provided another good chance to reminisce about the pilgrimage.<br />
<br />
Anyway, why now? A few days ago my wife saw in the Radio Maria newsletter that Fr. Emilio is stepping down as Priest Director [<a href="http://radiomaria.us/PDFs/newsletter/201903newsletter.pdf" target="_blank">LINK</a> -- page 2]. I decided to go in and see if there was an announcement on their web page and, on a whim, checked into the archives for the long-missing episodes -- and <i>voila</i>, there they were. So here they are.<br />
<br />
Regarding the departure of Fr. Emilio, I take this opportunity to wish him farewell, although it makes the chance our paths will ever cross again vanishingly small, I know. I always hoped maybe on one of his trips to the station in Alexandria we could somehow get together a reunion meal of as many pilgrims as are in driving distance, and once again reminisce about some good times. He will be missed by Radio Maria, I know, and he will be missed by me. <i>Vaya con Dios, Padre!</i><br />
<br />
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-77495174027987029302019-03-01T22:55:00.001-06:002019-03-02T11:46:37.301-06:00Guest Pilgrimage: Fr. Ryan Humphries’ Sabbatical 2018: The Camino and Other Sites in Europe<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpMNJtr7K-jgHR373YUbbcohb-jDAotUf_cak817gJ8J721rhy6JL77nLVdvhSTsSIGWZigfjtTf_uGdb4omzRF6Y_WTfy8PZM6xoLr1lb2FpKqL1dPRbjsdZDObfVjeJwC62mJWf1XJY/s1600/FrRyan+Talk+20190226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpMNJtr7K-jgHR373YUbbcohb-jDAotUf_cak817gJ8J721rhy6JL77nLVdvhSTsSIGWZigfjtTf_uGdb4omzRF6Y_WTfy8PZM6xoLr1lb2FpKqL1dPRbjsdZDObfVjeJwC62mJWf1XJY/s400/FrRyan+Talk+20190226.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
FATHER'S TALK:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oHlvib-40zM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oHlvib-40zM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">From 2007 to 2010, recently-ordained Fr. Ryan Humphries was the Parochial Vicar (assistant pastor) for my parish, the then Church of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches, Louisiana. In 2013 he returned for what became a three-year stint as Rector of what by then was the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I consider him my main spiritual adviser and a good friend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnYfI4D0WdzsZKSrM7CCjVhEFb1lt40ybKKHYOssszId949N54goW9o3PPHX27P76wkYzxffLXP0_zub2NkHwIjmCgK3IYPN828dmS3jfZBYwq-ZnOFw9cCi4ar_1Er_4k3mudsxDsxO3/s1600/IMG_8649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnYfI4D0WdzsZKSrM7CCjVhEFb1lt40ybKKHYOssszId949N54goW9o3PPHX27P76wkYzxffLXP0_zub2NkHwIjmCgK3IYPN828dmS3jfZBYwq-ZnOFw9cCi4ar_1Er_4k3mudsxDsxO3/s320/IMG_8649.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">June 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">As Father explains at the beginning of this talk, in early 2018 he approached our recently installed Bishop for a two-week extension to his four weeks of vacation to allow him to make a pilgrimage along the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Camino de Santiago</i> and unexpectedly came away from that meeting with a four-month sabbatical (August-November) and quite expanded agenda of pilgrimages all over Europe. That was just the first of a series of unexpected developments from which he took a profound spiritual message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Sunday 24 February 2019, I received a text message from him letting me know that he would be in Natchitoches on Tuesday evening 26 February, giving a talk on his pilgrimage with pictures and lots of anecdotes, and asking me to “get the word out.” By the end of the exchange that ensued, I had created a title, a banner, and a Facebook Event for the talk – and had arranged to meet Fr. Ryan for beer at the local pub beforehand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Facebook Event got some traction, being shared well outside my own circle, including to someone lamenting that she could not drive up to Natchitoches from New Orleans for the talk and hoping that someone would record it. So I asked Father if it would be okay to do so, suggesting that he just refer anyone wanting it to contact me but that I would not post it or anything. He responded to go ahead and post it, and offered his slideshow as well. And so was born the first-ever “guest post” to this little travel blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am definitely an amateur at wedding audio to video, and although I am overall satisfied with the result I nonetheless apologize for what is objectively a rather crude job of editing. I thought I had the timings down, but when it compiled some parts had drifted a few seconds out of sync. (My apologies as well for my phone alarm going off near the end of Fr. Ryan’s talk! I was using the phone to capture the audio, so that comes through loud and clear. I didn’t expect the talk to go over an hour in length and forgot about that particular alarm setting.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kevin Shanahan of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Natchitoches Parish Journal</i> attended the latter part of the talk, took pictures, and posted an article about Fr. Ryan’s adventures a couple of days later, which may be read here [<a href="https://natchitochesparishjournal.com/2019/02/28/pilgrimage-and-the-unexpected-fr-ryan-humpries-presentation-on-his-travels/" target="_blank">LINK</a>].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here are a few more links to a few (by no means all) interesting items:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Santiago de Compostela [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_de_Compostela" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Legend of St. James [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Camino [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Botafumeiro [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botafumeiro" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">National Art Museum of Catalonia [</span><a href="http://www.spainisculture.com/en/museos/barcelona/museo_nacional_de_arte_de_cataluna_mnac.html" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">LINK</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Viganò Testimony [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Maria_Vigan%C3%B2#August_2018_letter" target="_blank">LINK</a>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Louisiana Window in Westminster Abbey: [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/noe-laine-family" target="_blank">LINK</a>] [</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://stainedglasswindowsblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/the-louisiana-window/" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-327887296983690992018-08-31T19:36:00.001-05:002018-10-18T13:25:56.749-05:002018 Holy Land - Reflections on the Pilgrimage<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is hard to believe that it is nearing
three weeks since I departed on my pilgrimage to the Holy Land and well more
than a week since I returned. As usual, the time immediately before departure
seemed both incredibly long and incredibly short (especially in the last days in
the midst of my pre-departure misadventure); the time on the pilgrimage
likewise both long and short; but the time afterward has flown by. It is one
reason I have been working like a Trojan to get my blog record of the trip fleshed
out with as much detail as I could as well as get as many pictures as possible
posted to their correct places, before all the little details start receding
into the mists of time. Not only have I been reliving the experience by so
doing, I have been ensuring I can go back and do so in the future, but most
importantly, I think, I have been processing it all. Now, having finished the
blog series on “2018 Holy Land,” I feel ready to reflect on it with the benefit
not only of my own ruminations but also of discussions with friends who have
been eager to hear all about it and who have posed a number of questions that
have forced me to think about the experience as a whole and try to figure out
how to convey to them just how wonderful it was.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll begin with a couple of the most
frequent questions I've gotten: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Did you feel
safe?</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What did you like best?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As to the first of those questions, the
answer is a resounding Yes – at no time during the six days we were on the
ground in Israel – and in the Palestinian Territory – did I feel unsafe. With
the given, of course, that I was part of a group and therefore not “on my own,”
I still say with all sincerity that even more so than Mexico when we were there
in 2016, the reality on the ground is very different than the impression given
by the news media. I was perhaps a bit more expectant of what turned out to be
the reality since I did watch through the entirety of a couple of Steve Ray’s
videoblogged pilgrimages from earlier in the year – one before and one after
the uptick in tensions and reported violence in May – and perceived pretty much
no effect on a pilgrimage group much like our own; I also started pulling in
feeds from Israeli news media on the private news aggregator I set up just for
myself, and although there was of late a good bit of frank discussion of the
ongoing tensions and larger issues to do with them, as well as the specific unrest
currently churning down on the Gaza Strip, by and large the impression I got
was of a peaceful country in which the people went about their daily lives with
a feeling of security, not in constant fear for their lives that western media
reports would seem to indicate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i>
be the situation. And that security does not seem to exist at the cost of some
kind of visibly omnipresent police/military presence. Contrary to what people I
talked to who have travelled to Israel, whether on pilgrimage or not, seemed to
indicate, we did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> see an armed
security presence everywhere. To be sure there probably was more of a presence
than I perceived – I imagine they would not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i>
to be seen, that they would want to be discreet however vigilant and ready to
act quickly and decisively – but the fact is whatever security presence there
was in Israel was considerably less visible than it was in Mexico. With the
exception of the checkpoint agents at the Security Wall going into and out of
Bethlehem, I noticed armed security on just three occasions. Most notably,
there was a small security station on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Via
Dolorosa</i> right where it passed out of the Muslim Quarter of the Old City
into the Christian Quarter. I don’t specifically remember where the others
were, but they did not seem to be in any specifically memorable position other
than that – which I imagine is an intersection that violence might be expected when
tensions inevitably flare up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But to make a long answer short – Yes,
I felt absolutely safe the entire time. Even in Bethlehem – although I must
also say that our guide made it crystal clear that Bethlehem and the West Bank –
the Palestinian Territory – is not Israel, and is a different situation
entirely with regard to safety. As I wrote in the blog, as we approached
Bethlehem for the first time after several days in northern Israel, preparing
to pass through the Wall and make our way to our hotel, he cautioned us very
seriously to be vigilant if we leave the group or the hotel, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> to do so after dark. It was never an
issue. The only times we left the hotel were as a group, as far as I know. In
other circumstances it may have been different, but frankly our schedule was
such that we rolled out right after breakfast and only returned in time to unwind
in the hotel bar for a little while before supper, the with prospect of an
early morning start to send us to our rooms rather than be tempted to go “out
on the town” (if anyone from our group <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">would</i>
have been so tempted). The only exception to what I just said was that, I found
out afterward, late one afternoon the couple I rode to and from Houston with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> walk down to an ATM that our guide
suggested – and had no problem other than that the ATM “ate” his card. They
didn’t report any unease in making that daytime excursion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But that is way too much space given to
an issue that was no issue. Yes, I felt safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As to what I liked best on the whole
trip, it’s really a conundrum – how to decide? It also depends on exactly what
you mean by that question. I’m taking it as, what specific holy place or sight
in general did you find the most moving? … Yeah, it’s still a conundrum – how to
decide? There was so much – but hit with that question at, I think, the first
real get-together I had with any friends after arriving back home, my mind
immediately went to one thing, and I’m sticking with it – the Noon Angelus
Procession by the Franciscans at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
I heard them come out chanting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ave Maris Stella</i>
(I believe) and for the next ten minutes or so I was in hog heaven. I really
did turn to one of my fellow pilgrims at the end and say, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tell</i> me it’s not better in Latin!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course, that is not to denigrate in
any way all the other holy places we saw, holy spots I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">touched</i> – each of which had its own profoundly wondrous appeal just
from the knowledge that I was seeing – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">touching</i>
– places where heaven had in one way or another come down to touch the earth. As
Fr. Emilio refrained, again and again, in his homilies – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was here, in this place</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">[Side note: Another of my post-travels exercises,
in order to distill a thousand or more photographs down into a manageable subset
easy to show – believe me, people do not want to be bored with the full set,
most of which are duplicates, of things that have meaning only to yourself, or
just not that good as snapshots taken on the fly – and have them printed in a
nice photobook. I’ve done for one each of the other pilgrimages I’ve made and
the result is, in my opinion, nicer than printing out photographs and putting
them into a photo album. This time, I anticipate two volumes, most likely – one
for Galilee and one for Jerusalem and its environs – and I’m going to name them
respectively, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It Was Here</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In This Place</i>.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The importance of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">place</i> is something I truly realized only during and after my first
real – and belated – excursion to England and Scotland in 2008, after well over
a decade as a historian specializing in those areas during the early Middle
Ages. Walking the battlefield at Hastings or on Hadrian’s Wall (and I could
multiply examples) gave me a sense of connection to events that hitherto had
been, I realized, little more than stories. I suddenly felt a connection with
events and persons 1000 or 1500 years gone. That was true for the events of English
and Scotland I’d long studied – but it was nothing compared, I found in 2014 on
the pilgrimage to Italy or that to Mexico in 2016, to walking in or touching
the places important in the history of my Faith. And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">those</i> paled beside the experiences I had in the Holy Land. The
closest previous was being in the presence of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tilma</i> bearing the miraculous image of Our Lady from almost five
hundred years ago. But now I touched the place were, at least according to tradition,
she was born – where John the Baptist was born – where Our Lord Himself was
born; was within feet of the place where the angel announced to Our Lady that
she would conceive and bear a son who would be God Himself; walked – if not in
the very footsteps of Our Lord on his way to Calvary, at least very closely to
them; I touched the very peak of Calvary, where He suffered and died – then touched
… well, at least the marble slab covering … the shelf in the Tomb where His
Body was lain, and from which He rose again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There is no way to describe how moving
those moments were, so I don’t ever try. But I do recommend them. Take it from
me, there is no place like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">place</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course, important in any activity –
even a pilgrimage – which is done in a group, is the individuals who make up
that group. The way I have been putting it is, There was not a single pebble-in-the-shoe
among this group! I could not have asked for better travel companions –
especially in my suddenly debilitated state that arose only days before we
departed. From Kathie and Robert who had already, a couple months before,
offered me to ride with them to and from Houston, to Mary the nurse who found
herself professionally consulted when my pacemaker-pocket incision seemed
inflamed to me; from Ingrid who kept me on my toes with questions about
everything we were seeing once she found out I’m a history professor <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> has shared with me a thousand or
more wonderful pictures taken with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i>
camera (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> reported back to her son,
one of our seminarians, who reported back to our diocesan Director of
Vocations, who reported back to his parents, dear friends of ours, who reported
back to my wife that they were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>looking
out for me and that I was doing just fine), to Angela who somehow found my lame
sense of humor funny and offered to carry some of my acquisitions in her voluminous bag when I was trying to juggle a hat (on and off and we went in and out of churches) and two phones with only one working hand, and Maria with whom I found I could make comic-book movie
allusions and have somebody on this pilgrimage <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">get it</i> (I did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> expect <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>!); from Jennifer with whom I chanted the <i>Gloria</i> in the chapel at Shepherds' Fields, to Ann and Donna; from my wife’s sister-in-law Kristal, a late addition to the
pilgrimage, a Baptist who fit in perfectly with this group of Catholics and
mother-henned me more than any of them, to my infinite gratitude – to Brother
Miguel whom I don’t think <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anybody</i>
ended up calling “Mike,” who was funnier than I’d imagined any “religious brother”
would be, especially when he procured the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">keffiyeh</i>
and robes and mounted up on the camel like Lawrence of Arabia! And especially Padre
Emilio, who put this pilgrimage together, put up with a number of liturgical chant <i>faux pas</i> on my part ("The Mass of the Double <i>Sanctus</i>"), and kept us in mind throughout that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it was here, in this place….</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I miss you all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Especially singing the theme from <i>Rawhide</i> ... how did <i>that</i> get started?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A good guide can also make-or-break any
tour, religious or otherwise. We had the best. While not being a specialist in
Biblical history, I consider myself fairly well read in the subject – and I found
my knowledge paled beside his own as a Biblical archaeologist actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">working</i> there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in that place</i>. I was able to “talk shop” with Tony, to a degree, but
most importantly I just listened to him and learned so much! He was
congenial, funny, easy to get along with – and a fount of knowledge not just
about all the places we went to but, with great passion, about the conditions
of his fellow Christians in the Middle East, which I will return to in a
moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, the oft-forgotten wheels that
keep things moving, literally. One of the regrets I have, after putting out the
call to my fellow pilgrims seeking a picture of him and coming up nada, is that
our driver is at this point just a name to me – Wael. I’ve had good drivers in
all my excursions, but I think he was the best. He maneuvered that bus in ways
I don’t think is humanly possible. As I told him at one point after shouting
approval to Tony for something I don’t remember specifically, “Tony, you are The
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Man</i>!” – “Wael, Tony might be The Man,
but the way you drive this bus, you’re The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Other</i>
Man!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As I intimated just a moment ago, I
learned at lot on this pilgrimage. Perhaps the most important thing was how
blind we Christians are in the west to the tragic state of our brethren in the
east. Yes, we’ve heard about the persecutions of Christians by the so-called “Islamic
State” in Iraq and Syria – and been outraged by our own governments’
preferential treatment of Islamic “refugees” over the many, many Christians who
are being systematically eradicated from Islamic lands – but we never hear
about the lamentable conditions being endured by dwindling numbers of
Christians in the very birthplace of our Faith – in Bethlehem itself. I wrote
about this in a couple places in the blog proper, and won’t repeat the details
again, but I summed it up pretty succinctly – They are not even given the dignity
of being correctly identified as “Aramaean Christians,” what they have long
called themselves as natives of the land from which Christianity sprang, but
rather have been lumped in with their Muslim Arabic neighbors under a new “national
identification” based solely on geography, as “Palestinians” – and being caught
in the middle, with the Israelis considering them “Palestinians” and the Muslims
considering them Israeli collaborators. Trapped in enemy territory, behind the "West Bank Security Wall," their straits are desperate. Given what
Tony said about the implosion of Christianity in Bethlehem since 2000, I fear
we are just one Intifada away from losing Bethlehem altogether, a tragedy for those
poor people far and away beyond the tragedy it would be for the Church as a
whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Which brings me at last to our travel
broker, Nativity Pilgrimage. Tony is passionate about this – of all the many
Catholic pilgrimage companies there are out there, Nativity Pilgrimage is the
best. In his case, he’s talking about its legitimacy. For Nativity, the
pilgrimage business is not just a business, it is an apostolate, a mission,
whose purpose is beyond anything else to enlighten the world about the true
state of Christianity in Bethlehem and the Middle East and to do what it can to
help the brave Christians who have refused to give up and leave, who are
determined to keep at least a toe-hold in their – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i>, as brother Christians – homeland, not to let Bethlehem become
another Nain. It does so by providing top-notch service. I have been on
pilgrimages brokered by Magnificat (to Italy) and by 206 Tours (to Mexico City),
and I say absolutely this was the best overall experience of the three. They
were all good, mind you – but this was the best. Everything went off flawlessly
– even with a bit of a hiccough there at the beginning of the summer when it
looked like low numbers might scuttle the whole deal. And this great service
was provided at a price that neither of those others could touch – without sacrificing
on quality. We stayed in the very same beachfront hotel in Tiberias that Steve
Ray’s pilgrims are treated to – and having checked out his prices they are a
lot higher than what we paid for almost exactly the same package. I’m told that
Nativity Pilgrimage cut Radio Maria a special rate on this pilgrimage because
Jacob, the owner, is a supporter of Radio Maria and its mission, but looking on
the Nativity Pilgrimage website reveals that their regular prices are still fantastic.
From what I can see, Nativity Pilgrimage talks the talk and walks the walk, and
I will plug them whenever and wherever I can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I just have one more thing to say about
this pilgrimage. Hopefully I’ve conveyed how wonderful an experience it was. I would
just like to end with the first words I said to a friend whom I urged to come
with my on this journey, but who passed, when I saw him upon my return – “If
you ever get a chance to go to the Holy Land again, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t pass it up!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I certainly won't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">+ + +</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, just for kicks, since I don’t
think we did <i>anything</i> on this trip on
the day that was scheduled (except fly in and out), here is a comparison of our
initial Itinerary <i>vs.</i> the Reality….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Itinerary<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Reality<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fly out of Houston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fly out of Houston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Land in Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Drive to Tiberias<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Land in Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Drive to Tiberias<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mt. Tabor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nazareth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Capernaum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tabgha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter’s Primacy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Galilee boat trip<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Capernaum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tabgha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter’s Primacy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Galilee boat trip<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nazareth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mt. Tabor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bethlehem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ein Karim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Depart Tiberias<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Haifa-Carmel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jaffa-Tel Aviv<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Arrive Bethlehem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mount of Olives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mount Zion<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bethlehem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mount Zion<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jerusalem Old City<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Via Dolorosa<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Holy Sepulchre<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Western Wall<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i>Free time</i></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ein Karim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jericho<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Qumran)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dead Sea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jordan River<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jericho<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Qumran<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dead Sea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mount of Olives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Via Dolorosa</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Holy Sepulchre<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Flight home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Flight home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, I was wrong … we went to Mount
Zion on the right day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mind you, I have no complaints. We
gained Mount Carmel at the price of Qumran (which we did see from the bus,
hence the parentheses), a muddy dip in the Jordan trickle, and the Western
Wall. I can certainly live with that.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I do regret somewhat losing Day 7-afternoon's free time in the Old City of Jerusalem, however.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As I discussed in the blog itself, moreover, there
were two sights I would have liked to see but were never on the itinerary –
Banias in the north, and Masada in the south. Considering geography alone, those two together would have added at least a full day to our stay and required a bit of reshuffling of the schedule. Not that reshuffling was a problem....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe next time….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-47863929812014477882018-08-22T06:36:00.002-05:002018-08-25T18:13:17.684-05:00Tuesday 21 August -- 2018 Holy Land Day 9: The Journey HomeWell, as you may notice from the date stamp on this post, it's actually the next day. That's because Tuesday was a whirlwind with no chance to set up, log in, and blog. Even though it was a loooong day.<br />
<br />
04:15: My alarm went off -- note that this is Bethlehem time ... eight hours ahead of US CDT, which was still Monday 20 August at 22:15.<br />
<br />
05:15: I had my bags outside the door and headed down to a pastries and coffee breakfast set up in the lobby. A few of my fellow pilgrims were already there, and the others trickled in over the next few minutes.<br />
<br />
06:00: A little later than planned, our bus had arrived, was loaded, and we departed the St. Gabriel Hotel. To our surprise, our driver was not Wael, which was disappointing since I for one had not properly bid him farewell and thanks for the fantastic job he did over the past week. We left Bethlehem and settled in for the drive to Ben Gurion Airport.<br />
<br />
There I got special treatment again because of my pacemaker. Not the pat down, but "many questions" about my arm sling and pacemaker card. Kristal had waited behind for me as the others went on toward our gate, which seemed <i>miles</i> away. We were worried we'd miss loading -- but it turns out our plan was late in loading and late in leaving for Istanbul.<br />
<br />
Istanbul was ... <i>mercy!</i> -- I don't know where to start. It's all a blur, but we went through at least three security checks, a mad dash across what seemed like an airport that had to, like Istanbul itself, span the Bosporus over into Asia Minor, long lines, etc. We had arrived late, of course, so were feeling the pressure on that count -- then at the gate a seemingly longer line for boarding that included two back-to-back, within-sight-of-each-other, security checks, one including a pat down. There was then a long wait in airplane. There seemed some confusion or something regarding some passengers. I wondered if there was some kind of heightened security alert level for some reason (although I found out later that one of the disturbances had to do with a family scattered from one end of the plane to the other, with at least one barely-toddler child isolated from the rest and the father not going to stand for it.<br />
<br />
Frankly, my impression of the Istanbul airport coming or going was not favorable, although at least this time we seemed to be in a more modern part. Last week it was more like a third world country, with even more people, and uncomfortably hot as well. And I'll spare you a description of the bathroom....<br />
<br />
The flight from Istanbul to Houston was supposed to be longer than it was. I'm not sure how, but the pilot made up most of the lost time and we landed less than a half an hour after our posted time, about 19:40 US CDT. But it was still a long flight, and I was stuck in the very center, the middle seat of the middle rank of three narrow seats, the middle of three men, none of us small. It was agony.<br />
<br />
Finally, we landed. As I expected, suddenly we were all going our separate ways and I never got a chance to properly bid farewell to some of my companions for this pilgrimage. Later, I did send a general WhatsApp to the group: "As I knew would happen, in the rush of deplaning and getting thru the Houston airport, I did not get a chance to say proper farewells to some of you. This past week has been a pleasure and a privilege. I especially thank all of you who were so solicitous of me in my debilitate state. Fr. Emilio, thank you for putting this pilgrimage together. I hope all our paths will cross again sooner rather than later. Kent"<br />
<br />
Kristal, Robert and Kathie, and I managed to stay together to the doors, where Kristal awaited an uber to take her to our mutual in-laws' where she would spend to night to fly home tomorrow and I departed with Robert and Kathie to retrieve their vehicle, drive out of Houston, eventually to find a hotel in Cleveland, Texas, to crash for the night.<br />
<br />
... Over 24 hours from when that alarm went off in Bethlehem.<br />
<br />
It's now the next morning. Don't you know I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep!?<br />
<br />
I will be backfilling the days of the pilgrimage in the next few days, and loading up lots of pictures and even some video. And I will write some kind of general summary of how wonderful this experience has been. But that will be later. I've got to finish getting packed to be ready at 07:00, when Robert said we were headed home to Louisiana.<br />
<br />
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-66855422381395756512018-08-19T22:52:00.000-05:002019-02-01T10:50:37.638-06:00Monday 20 August -- 2018 Holy Land Day 8: JERUSALEM<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D6EgBs5qv07Kx6XHMNRXS8TEKmROuQLSgz4ZIPb-vcdpzqMRURvcq-3SaA6JKr7f3HP_EgCTsIY8Swn_H7PHYbWp8GvIDhTz3b5M6lDapO_S5l4rFdHShxkpLtjBbdjQeSqrxrZ8O74J/s1600/DSC_2786_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D6EgBs5qv07Kx6XHMNRXS8TEKmROuQLSgz4ZIPb-vcdpzqMRURvcq-3SaA6JKr7f3HP_EgCTsIY8Swn_H7PHYbWp8GvIDhTz3b5M6lDapO_S5l4rFdHShxkpLtjBbdjQeSqrxrZ8O74J/s640/DSC_2786_800x534.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Radio Maria Pilgrimage 2018 Holy Land<br />Br. Miguel, Ann, Fr. Emilio, Ingrid, Mary, Kristal, myself, Kathie, Robert, Donna, Jennifer, Tony, Angel, Maria<br />(Photo taken by Tony's friend Karkash with Ingrid's camera)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[I initially posted a quick placeholder post -- the following map and a short itinerary -- early in the morning before we left the hotel. I later found that it was timestamped the previous evening, basically according to US Central Tiime....]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0m2vjVmhwtK2a3BRu_pe4NH41Sc6VG97TAlyfoBdufMy2uQzNIwF1jUPUdwvP1VXU6DiQdhp8mLPVy8weUNTRbHof5cbaW0ZRy92igrt5b1jql9oR9SYZqeckVgyyTLT0HHeZOxhC7B2/s1600/Jerusalem+map+for+Day+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="578" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0m2vjVmhwtK2a3BRu_pe4NH41Sc6VG97TAlyfoBdufMy2uQzNIwF1jUPUdwvP1VXU6DiQdhp8mLPVy8weUNTRbHof5cbaW0ZRy92igrt5b1jql9oR9SYZqeckVgyyTLT0HHeZOxhC7B2/s640/Jerusalem+map+for+Day+6.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A general map of the Holy Places <br /><u>in and around the Old City of Jerusalem</u></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><i>http://www.crystalinks.com/jerusalem.html</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once again, the morning began with an excellent breakfast at the St. Gabriel Hotel, then we were on the bus, out of Bethlehem and toward Jerusalem. We drove around the western and northern walls of the Old City. Along the way Tony pointed out his "house" to us -- actually a tenement or <i>insula</i> -- just to the west of the Damascus Gate, at the edge of the Christian Quarter. It is "his" house in the sense that all of the residents are members of his family, of which he is the head since the death of his father. As I discussed with him at lunch, their conception of "family" is very different from our own. It is very much an extended family, virtually a clan or small tribe -- brothers, cousins, inlaws, and so forth. If I remember correctly, his "immediate" family numbers six hundred! -- all living together in the building we saw.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ycV0DV8TqUeEq4UTq1AWFyL6ap8r2MZg6BGtVxDr1IUBPr1dDhCVuoP6sBmnmEQtUgOUpvOHPSGM3LoD_YiCaCoeLpnh8gTR7O0BERR5UK0QmQvClr5GSCM5xQJJeCPvScCeA7iIzKi/s1600/IMG_20180820_004419776_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ycV0DV8TqUeEq4UTq1AWFyL6ap8r2MZg6BGtVxDr1IUBPr1dDhCVuoP6sBmnmEQtUgOUpvOHPSGM3LoD_YiCaCoeLpnh8gTR7O0BERR5UK0QmQvClr5GSCM5xQJJeCPvScCeA7iIzKi/s320/IMG_20180820_004419776_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx7fQeIv14yT0jZZhuzUgZT-U2QvRxndle6vSW7staycPvTCStrmwqqjv0MNnP-p2BuEPJWjmng53qxMnJySIyeQWr2R5p1a4WkwvX-P02CNw3dCR7jy2Mc5ssVzoVsJwTRqw0vFhOWlX/s1600/IMG_20180820_004604917_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx7fQeIv14yT0jZZhuzUgZT-U2QvRxndle6vSW7staycPvTCStrmwqqjv0MNnP-p2BuEPJWjmng53qxMnJySIyeQWr2R5p1a4WkwvX-P02CNw3dCR7jy2Mc5ssVzoVsJwTRqw0vFhOWlX/s320/IMG_20180820_004604917_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJAmXmIIIAGAd2arf1QInCZ0p_JFEE79dmpFGXflQI_uxpBWqjRXHKFkKNM1C86Nec0ILRZhSGdq9w-gkWpg4-bQ5eFcGQm09rhJLFsM6LjHdDjnM5pZJMns0QiFnq_X0kbrbFwT1YhQB/s1600/IMG_20180820_004701989_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJAmXmIIIAGAd2arf1QInCZ0p_JFEE79dmpFGXflQI_uxpBWqjRXHKFkKNM1C86Nec0ILRZhSGdq9w-gkWpg4-bQ5eFcGQm09rhJLFsM6LjHdDjnM5pZJMns0QiFnq_X0kbrbFwT1YhQB/s320/IMG_20180820_004701989_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incidentally, its location right on the edge of the Christian Quarter faces directly toward the Muslim Quarter, which has led to it being shot at in the frequent times of tension. Not smart -- Tony shoots back!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZEqtz8WyzrJ_ZW5WsTbHjyozYibJP1wY5BpD8VsTIT5_B5bEZacjehwwPv_BXhKUhZOLozGA-tH5-tj_V5JRGgh3lqeJaxoUovw_JmDzX70vtasH419KGNYH-1BssXktXlmoxjDpBXHM/s1600/IMG-20180821-WA0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZEqtz8WyzrJ_ZW5WsTbHjyozYibJP1wY5BpD8VsTIT5_B5bEZacjehwwPv_BXhKUhZOLozGA-tH5-tj_V5JRGgh3lqeJaxoUovw_JmDzX70vtasH419KGNYH-1BssXktXlmoxjDpBXHM/s320/IMG-20180821-WA0008.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The bus dropped us at the peak of the Mount of Olives, the highest of the hills of Jerusalem, the ridge facing the eastern wall of the Old City, the peak of which is one of the sites associated with the Ascension ... marked by a mosque today (although the map above tags it as "Chapel of the Ascention"). The Muslims do revere <i>Issa</i> -- Jesus -- as a prophet who did ascend into heaven. But their beliefs about Jesus are very different from our own, e.g., that he is just a prophet, albeit conceived virginally (by Mary or Miriam ... the sister of Moses!?), who did not die on the cross but was rather miraculously replaced by a lookalike. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is a scandal that they control this site, but luckily they do allow Christians to visit. Inside can be seen two footprints -- not of Jesus, but carved to represent the very spot from which he rose into the heavens.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqEaoz9CMDdAVf2A0WHT22BXttx0QRtnLP_Fa5eTfLucJLppFtpUGPkBT_-I4Xyf5FTiCiK55zIENxW-uNddRS-3l528w0GlxnoC1wOC_v09VnimIr9swkrVsnC8SL03HFeHJ-ZW0XZsd/s1600/Ascension+footprints+question+mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqEaoz9CMDdAVf2A0WHT22BXttx0QRtnLP_Fa5eTfLucJLppFtpUGPkBT_-I4Xyf5FTiCiK55zIENxW-uNddRS-3l528w0GlxnoC1wOC_v09VnimIr9swkrVsnC8SL03HFeHJ-ZW0XZsd/s320/Ascension+footprints+question+mark.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4gKiXu7rALg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4gKiXu7rALg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlds2gUH7G42olp2zitqQIxqDux3KWo_LYbIOIho0N-z0ZT7yF7pfKLJZQlS00xC50KVS1WbnDoNyRzCyrTl12MUqtf0Hip2sL5P4ikMhOpCIcT84PreP4OLltEiYytWNiVudgC4aW48zz/s1600/IMG_20180820_020311895_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlds2gUH7G42olp2zitqQIxqDux3KWo_LYbIOIho0N-z0ZT7yF7pfKLJZQlS00xC50KVS1WbnDoNyRzCyrTl12MUqtf0Hip2sL5P4ikMhOpCIcT84PreP4OLltEiYytWNiVudgC4aW48zz/s320/IMG_20180820_020311895_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We started our descent of the Mount of Olives, following the path Jesus would most likely have trodden coming from Bethany to Jerusalem, most notably on Palm Sunday. We proceeded to the Church of Paternoster, one of the places where Jesus may have taught his disciples, at their behest, the only prayer he ever taught them. Tony put it into the context of the aftermath of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, which happened only a short time before Palm Sunday, and nearby at Bethany. That is not precisely how the Bible presents it. Matthew has the Our Father (Matt. 6: 9-13) as part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7); Luke does not, however (Luke 11: 1-4). Personally, I don't see any reason why he could not have presented this teaching more than once over the most likely three years of his ministry, and a final time on the Mount of Olives. In any case, also known as the Eleona, "The Olive Grove," the site is overseen by Carmelite nuns. In a small cave -- Tony explained why the entrance of a cave, its <i>mouth</i>, was the natural spot for simple acoustical reasons for a man to address a crowd -- we recited the Our Father as well as, at Tony's behest, left our written prayers and petitions for the nuns to pray over. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bwBLA8V9LvI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bwBLA8V9LvI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once again, there was a courtyard containing plaques of the Our Father in the various languages of the world. In this case, there were more than could be contained in a single courtyard, and plaques were in smaller nooks and crannies here, there, and yonder, to the tune (I believe) of 178! Tony explained why he believes that Jesus would have taught the Our Father to the disciples in Hebrew rather than, as commonly believed, in Aramaic -- and read it to us in Hebrew; in a different area, he pointed out that Chaldean, one of the world's oldest language that is still spoken although he said it would likely be a dead language within twenty or thirty years, is placed directly opposite one of the world's newest languages -- English -- and proceeded to read the Chaldean to us!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgV9vRAsO3-TPFQMchGTd8i6WsIkBDBa3hL27HL1cQyNiDg5qI6Z5VgXZ_O7Irck5kpoTuwLOYxIkB1QMniwPWGjXTA1ipQKBlWGSYrPVdpp0OQ2IyF0hAHuWXyTWKjJSswoSROUl-oCI/s1600/IMG_20180820_012006537_HDR_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgV9vRAsO3-TPFQMchGTd8i6WsIkBDBa3hL27HL1cQyNiDg5qI6Z5VgXZ_O7Irck5kpoTuwLOYxIkB1QMniwPWGjXTA1ipQKBlWGSYrPVdpp0OQ2IyF0hAHuWXyTWKjJSswoSROUl-oCI/s320/IMG_20180820_012006537_HDR_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H2QZEQIw_2E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H2QZEQIw_2E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Leaving there, most of us purchased olive sprigs and palm fronds from a young man recommended by Tony.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Proceeding a little further down, we entered the expansive Jewish cemetery. The Mount of Olives is a coveted place of burial because the Jews do expect that when the Messiah comes, those buried on the Mount of Olives will be resurrected first. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgB0JQLDlJkvkoEd3hBDNsZUsaBAmG_4DcpBLooyS54JlAHSzrm4L3FBIjkOjbow0fAgQq6EnciOzTN4eypQe4Cq-4WmxpdWFCjJRxYx5SE6-xby-NWqS1sCbiWlPntNiMJ1sbJySgJxg/s1600/IMG_20180820_020517686_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgB0JQLDlJkvkoEd3hBDNsZUsaBAmG_4DcpBLooyS54JlAHSzrm4L3FBIjkOjbow0fAgQq6EnciOzTN4eypQe4Cq-4WmxpdWFCjJRxYx5SE6-xby-NWqS1sCbiWlPntNiMJ1sbJySgJxg/s320/IMG_20180820_020517686_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The spot also provides a wonderful view of the Old City. Tony got one of his friends -- a seller of scarves whom he had already recommended we buy from, and we would, albeit later -- to use Ingrid's camera to take what would be our official group photo, at the top of this post. There were also a number of individual and smaller-group photos taken, including:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnneQxz6gBqjvC0E_F6aT32C0bYmPauJy2Jr25D4j1VJsQhRiLECm9XdxoHpcQ_4WHXZ81u6VNc_6km-U5euSmJPE0_8ZW0Mtc6rRSI-SsOFw8kcgh0dNJFkGGV1smKHndi78y1i10VFRb/s1600/Three+amigos_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnneQxz6gBqjvC0E_F6aT32C0bYmPauJy2Jr25D4j1VJsQhRiLECm9XdxoHpcQ_4WHXZ81u6VNc_6km-U5euSmJPE0_8ZW0Mtc6rRSI-SsOFw8kcgh0dNJFkGGV1smKHndi78y1i10VFRb/s320/Three+amigos_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Amigos -- Br. Miguel, Fr. Emilio, and myself<br />
(Photo from Ingrid)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We continued down a steep grade to a 1st-2nd-c. cemetery where we could see the niches where bodies would be entombed. After a year, the bones would be removed and placed into ossuary boxes, which we could also see there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgYOTNXF-xGiYfsqNOGheouiy2z0dnmMNBVL0F97k40Dhrk8AWJuR9MLCjmqLbW3fLUBxv_Hshzi_P0hOY38eBqlzks0ldLNmJ4-X6Kn3zyST_KWWlBYFeqrjO2rEQc-pCK-KX-RBZrIV/s1600/IMG_20180820_021144687_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgYOTNXF-xGiYfsqNOGheouiy2z0dnmMNBVL0F97k40Dhrk8AWJuR9MLCjmqLbW3fLUBxv_Hshzi_P0hOY38eBqlzks0ldLNmJ4-X6Kn3zyST_KWWlBYFeqrjO2rEQc-pCK-KX-RBZrIV/s320/IMG_20180820_021144687_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That was very near the Church of <i>Dominus Flevit</i>, "the Lord wept": </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> As he was now drawing near, at the descent
of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice
and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,
saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!" And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to
him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." He answered, "I tell you, if these were
silent, the very stones would cry out."</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> And when he drew near and saw the city
he wept [<i>flevit</i>] over it, saying,
"Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they
are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies
will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side,
and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not
leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your
visitation." </b>(Luke 19: 37-44)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM_LAvP8a2FVjQZ7bVHtXsg-ShdUp9Dic0TFCiN9OuQ6yTm7cRReD0ZoiywMF3zH8BIl1qVFN47y-gNXyQe8o9p5g7vs9JhlVfO4OFMyy_jOCdogj3MCtuaWU_Lg_eHVzHMGu12FrQPem/s1600/IMG_20180820_033607197_HDR_450x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM_LAvP8a2FVjQZ7bVHtXsg-ShdUp9Dic0TFCiN9OuQ6yTm7cRReD0ZoiywMF3zH8BIl1qVFN47y-gNXyQe8o9p5g7vs9JhlVfO4OFMyy_jOCdogj3MCtuaWU_Lg_eHVzHMGu12FrQPem/s320/IMG_20180820_033607197_HDR_450x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
church is very new, built by the Franciscan Custody in the 1950s on a
traditional site associated with the event, where hitherto there had been a
small chapel. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;">This is the other Catholic church in Israel oriented toward the west, this time across the Kidron valley toward Jerusalem, because that is the direction Jesus was facing, toward the Temple. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The teardrop shape evokes the tears of Christ. While digging the
foundations remains were found that inspired a wholesale excavation of the
site, which unearthed ancient Canaanite as well as more recent Byzantine tombs
and a Byzantine monastery, the latter containing mosaic floors incorporated
into the church. In the altar is a mosaic roundel of a hen and her chicks,
surrounded by the words, “</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">IERVSALEM
IERVSALEM QVOTIES VOLVI CONGREGARE FILIOS TVOS QVEMADMODVM GALLINA CONGREGAT
PVLLOS SVOS SVB ALAS</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,” “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I have wanted to gather
your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,” recalling another
lament over Jerusalem:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<b>O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How
often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood
under her wings, and you would not!</b>" (Luke 13: 34)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Behind the altar, a
great picture window incorporating a host-and-chalice design gives a panoramic
view of the city. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">... None of which did we see. We had been told we would have Mass at 10:30 inside the church. Unfortunately, as we arrived, I overheard Tony tell Padre that priority is given to larger groups and that our small group was bumped into an adjacent outdoor chapel (there seemed to be two). Padre's theme was, as usual, that Jesus came <i>here</i> -- knowing what was about to happen to him. "He suffered and he cried here<i> in this place</i>. ... One of those tears is <i>for you. ... </i>Let us be thankful to God for the blessings He has given us <i>here</i> in the Holy Land."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpChqyceX-Rvk-DqDC7wCDmvfVmKDv_TUegL0wcjXiEjWXCKadSLbGea5Do1CKD9uiZxCHIXw6reKJyQQJx1dimK9wzH9x4YxnVDX6MzhkYoVnuxQuFCbldKT0wAFCszXFymNDyl9xtZM/s1600/IMG_20180820_031320153_800x147+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="800" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpChqyceX-Rvk-DqDC7wCDmvfVmKDv_TUegL0wcjXiEjWXCKadSLbGea5Do1CKD9uiZxCHIXw6reKJyQQJx1dimK9wzH9x4YxnVDX6MzhkYoVnuxQuFCbldKT0wAFCszXFymNDyl9xtZM/s640/IMG_20180820_031320153_800x147+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a large courtyard adjacent to the Church of <i>Dominus Flevit</i> overlooking the city, Tony described what we could see from the Mount of Olives: from the earliest Jebusite city which became the City of David at left, in the south; across to the great extension of Mount Moriah created by Herod the Great which became the Temple Mount, now dominated by the Muslim Dome of the Rock shining brilliantly golden -- beyond which could be seen the grey domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the walled-up Golden Gate through which (an earlier incarnation of course, since the present walls date only from the 16th century) Jesus passed on Palm Sunday, through which the Jews believe the Messiah will arrive when he comes and Christians believe Jesus will arrive when he comes again -- for which reason the gate has been repeatedly walled up, even by Suleiman the Magnificent shortly after rebuilding the walls with an open gate!; to St. Stephen's Gate through which the first martyr was dragged out into the northern part of the Kidron Valley and stoned to death. We could also see, further down the slope of the Mount of Olives, such other landmarks as the golden spires of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBABBPFRfg6UbX3_b57pt0-hsGLczGNEuxAtJV8pu0pk6ADOLbwKL2ZGWaIWnRhZQlmJN3wRgfV4dSqPGonkWDOM3FrNsbhN7jS-WVRwsoKMJjrPAAG02b_D2LtBraVxgvfZ2pcHqTKG9G/s1600/Jerusalem+Hortus+Gethsemani_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBABBPFRfg6UbX3_b57pt0-hsGLczGNEuxAtJV8pu0pk6ADOLbwKL2ZGWaIWnRhZQlmJN3wRgfV4dSqPGonkWDOM3FrNsbhN7jS-WVRwsoKMJjrPAAG02b_D2LtBraVxgvfZ2pcHqTKG9G/s320/Jerusalem+Hortus+Gethsemani_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We continued our walk down to the bottom of the Mount of Olives at Gethsemane, the "place of the olive press" -- the garden to which Our Lord retreated after the Last Supper, where he suffered the agony of knowing every detail of his coming Passion, where he would be arrested by the Temple Guard, betrayed by Judas. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most
of the trees from which the Mount of Olives takes its name are long gone,
victims of various wars through the centuries starting with the Romans – who
pitched their camps there during the Jewish War and cut down every tree. So
although it is often said that some of the trees here in a small enclosed garden are “witness trees,” that
is, that they witnessed Jesus’ agony in the garden forty years earlier, that’s
probably not the case … for the most part. </span></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FCgIjRiy_pfbv1vSoJgpDfflJkk9fs9w8unlwBrUkv08VGO75q6EKmA4S4ZdkuyLioz2iYjW8SBX6m4EanIbtKEGJqjtpSkN1Cv3P9UsqLxG8D-Fwtmczeb4hUBvPfy44YgUZF2BsAGs/s1600/IMG_20180820_035827350_HDR_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FCgIjRiy_pfbv1vSoJgpDfflJkk9fs9w8unlwBrUkv08VGO75q6EKmA4S4ZdkuyLioz2iYjW8SBX6m4EanIbtKEGJqjtpSkN1Cv3P9UsqLxG8D-Fwtmczeb4hUBvPfy44YgUZF2BsAGs/s320/IMG_20180820_035827350_HDR_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On the other hand, olive trees are
among the longest-lived trees there are, and can grow back after being cut down
to their roots, so it would not be surprising if one of these trees’ progenitor
</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">did</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> stand here in mute witness ca. AD
30 or 33 when God Himself willingly took upon Himself the sins of the world, becoming
as the Scapegoat of Yom Kippur. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBABBPFRfg6UbX3_b57pt0-hsGLczGNEuxAtJV8pu0pk6ADOLbwKL2ZGWaIWnRhZQlmJN3wRgfV4dSqPGonkWDOM3FrNsbhN7jS-WVRwsoKMJjrPAAG02b_D2LtBraVxgvfZ2pcHqTKG9G/s1600/Jerusalem+Hortus+Gethsemani_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FCgIjRiy_pfbv1vSoJgpDfflJkk9fs9w8unlwBrUkv08VGO75q6EKmA4S4ZdkuyLioz2iYjW8SBX6m4EanIbtKEGJqjtpSkN1Cv3P9UsqLxG8D-Fwtmczeb4hUBvPfy44YgUZF2BsAGs/s1600/IMG_20180820_035827350_HDR_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcSWZgR15lNbyO8uMEqe7HNpoegloHIjLI8Q0cGxWv5WpaZ6CAp9ObC_-1EK02iTZc7pSdE7wCiqb3ysE9lJHW55zas-0UQr4wsgeRm3XbzZlUtRW2e2ngH8biMopjiKDmTE24We89Nwz/s1600/IMG_20180820_043256520_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcSWZgR15lNbyO8uMEqe7HNpoegloHIjLI8Q0cGxWv5WpaZ6CAp9ObC_-1EK02iTZc7pSdE7wCiqb3ysE9lJHW55zas-0UQr4wsgeRm3XbzZlUtRW2e2ngH8biMopjiKDmTE24We89Nwz/s320/IMG_20180820_043256520_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Immediately adjacent is the Church of All Nations inside of which is the Rock of the Agony, the spot where Jesus prayed that if possible the cup of his coming Passion might pass from him. Built in 1924, financed by contributions from many nations around the world and incorporating design elements from the earlier Byzantine church, the Romanesque facade with its great triangular mosaic has become one of the most oft-photographed landmarks in Jerusalem. The interior design purposely evokes the darkness and gloom of that Holy Thursday night two thousand years ago.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcSWZgR15lNbyO8uMEqe7HNpoegloHIjLI8Q0cGxWv5WpaZ6CAp9ObC_-1EK02iTZc7pSdE7wCiqb3ysE9lJHW55zas-0UQr4wsgeRm3XbzZlUtRW2e2ngH8biMopjiKDmTE24We89Nwz/s1600/IMG_20180820_043256520_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-V7iFj6zaWOR5ApCezza0-HbIC84UvEKPQ7K1KSjPcckEB28AO7-B0i5FhX41zBVnQs439UsPU8CGTqhmuaCs1A8d_9ybkKubNjpZBLNPxi4vi9_W4RJiFnMf-9GhQs903kPny_hZB1Ns/s1600/IMG_20180820_041450458_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-V7iFj6zaWOR5ApCezza0-HbIC84UvEKPQ7K1KSjPcckEB28AO7-B0i5FhX41zBVnQs439UsPU8CGTqhmuaCs1A8d_9ybkKubNjpZBLNPxi4vi9_W4RJiFnMf-9GhQs903kPny_hZB1Ns/s320/IMG_20180820_041450458_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNmMoPNmQtbUsIjrtBnJXyvwf6F_UJmGGaWhd89wjNTk__kqBdR0-vg_eHJEtyDAMfKJheuIjkJK08azGVqtFmxzt2w4QTB4YImvTjImQ2EHAlWFTTLR7FceVuAatI3KsG39FR2fb1kJE/s1600/IMG_20180820_041516120_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNmMoPNmQtbUsIjrtBnJXyvwf6F_UJmGGaWhd89wjNTk__kqBdR0-vg_eHJEtyDAMfKJheuIjkJK08azGVqtFmxzt2w4QTB4YImvTjImQ2EHAlWFTTLR7FceVuAatI3KsG39FR2fb1kJE/s320/IMG_20180820_041516120_800x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Rock of the Agony in the Garden</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXiTi5ypQTpuvkGmUWJCIWypt4ZlsZHUtLJEI3GTY_sKYvz2lvHoBZY5ix-MCSKGeRmsDrVmpVSyjnnpL1uVJ7jKJWwzV_OimdWu9_fJUUoruumPB89L5E1_ATBanTM905e0DHPqxlENY/s1600/IMG_20180820_041433149_450x600+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXiTi5ypQTpuvkGmUWJCIWypt4ZlsZHUtLJEI3GTY_sKYvz2lvHoBZY5ix-MCSKGeRmsDrVmpVSyjnnpL1uVJ7jKJWwzV_OimdWu9_fJUUoruumPB89L5E1_ATBanTM905e0DHPqxlENY/s320/IMG_20180820_041433149_450x600+-+Copy.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From there it was only a short walk to where our bus could pick us up to take us to lunch, at the Notre Dame Center, a Vatican property in Jerusalem. Part of the complex is a hotel (which Steve Ray's pilgrims use). Flanking the lobby were two establishments to eat in, a restaurant at left and a buffet at right. Somehow Kristal and I got separated from the group -- we went through the buffet line then could not find them in that area. Tony and Wael, our driver, were there, and waved us over to their table, where we had a very nice visit.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part of the Notre Dame Centre is a permanent Shroud Exhibit which several of us went into with Fr. Emilio, who gave an explanation of the image on the shroud and how perfectly -- and graphically -- it testifies to the sufferings of Our Lord as described in the Gospels.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJJcD0OD0jZrOjwk8pGM8J1BX1C5T9WOM5vF2mbCtE4BUYR6EcygUbDC5kpnrazQQSAtDOdKik1yrom4BfWtxhpbdn8XUdhBfV71cS-6lFovtyAJOO0PZpWoAdV8vIVclUfzfXSU-pEKP/s1600/IMG_20180820_061738526_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJJcD0OD0jZrOjwk8pGM8J1BX1C5T9WOM5vF2mbCtE4BUYR6EcygUbDC5kpnrazQQSAtDOdKik1yrom4BfWtxhpbdn8XUdhBfV71cS-6lFovtyAJOO0PZpWoAdV8vIVclUfzfXSU-pEKP/s320/IMG_20180820_061738526_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After lunch and that short exhibit, the bus took us back to a location near the northern gate of the eastern wall, variously named "Lion's," "St. Stephen's," "Sheep," etc. The walk to the actual gate went through a Muslim graveyard, which was not nearly so well taken care of as the immaculate Jewish Cemetery. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3y4hEYqxp0u5Q0WCtVp4FExmt1IxAM17n_pJa-bDkt0L0Ukz9P5QY3470dXSzhsBjCOiOAKIA8anCcsQFptggd-378obNNh6qzbDmR0TpuJp4Jg3hvi25-JoaT3SWan6e4jF3CSQTkWFj/s1600/IMG_20180820_004512586_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3y4hEYqxp0u5Q0WCtVp4FExmt1IxAM17n_pJa-bDkt0L0Ukz9P5QY3470dXSzhsBjCOiOAKIA8anCcsQFptggd-378obNNh6qzbDmR0TpuJp4Jg3hvi25-JoaT3SWan6e4jF3CSQTkWFj/s320/IMG_20180820_004512586_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9-taZH6qIbrzqxwl208xr8ESaZ3iRSi_xZXSwlQWoJiZ7oOQpE32qj0l7gDfWS3hg99AGH8DaawkI6WhPmLqiQmzl3Z9vCg4upAN5Af7KSC9it1x8nv52iGemf6errKwfuix4xJ-kgFf/s1600/DSC_2984_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9-taZH6qIbrzqxwl208xr8ESaZ3iRSi_xZXSwlQWoJiZ7oOQpE32qj0l7gDfWS3hg99AGH8DaawkI6WhPmLqiQmzl3Z9vCg4upAN5Af7KSC9it1x8nv52iGemf6errKwfuix4xJ-kgFf/s320/DSC_2984_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVw1SZhw7REvq9FWDcILcHU3mpTaRz0iHVh5A6liiKsv2WLzBYz7eN6BjvTJWtYvB2u25P-CmU9cOxaXU4F3NZEj20RciQwMX-VfmaXD5BOfHEhZ27gN7QYMyy6OKEyIBlSsFcUVfcQtNl/s1600/IMG_20180820_064754128_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVw1SZhw7REvq9FWDcILcHU3mpTaRz0iHVh5A6liiKsv2WLzBYz7eN6BjvTJWtYvB2u25P-CmU9cOxaXU4F3NZEj20RciQwMX-VfmaXD5BOfHEhZ27gN7QYMyy6OKEyIBlSsFcUVfcQtNl/s320/IMG_20180820_064754128_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEZ1wP8ynKVKm_qox_n2TdRHkZdj9x6wIkJ7bHxoEr3eOhNVVpqXFNLBVKKEa2C0K8d78hBJUb0HNyvfz3hlpKlGT_ib_qSp0Qg3yBQcbruQ_8N78zqCBBfhfZD5D-iWuhHeUOkOr2PRr/s1600/IMG_20180820_065126293_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEZ1wP8ynKVKm_qox_n2TdRHkZdj9x6wIkJ7bHxoEr3eOhNVVpqXFNLBVKKEa2C0K8d78hBJUb0HNyvfz3hlpKlGT_ib_qSp0Qg3yBQcbruQ_8N78zqCBBfhfZD5D-iWuhHeUOkOr2PRr/s320/IMG_20180820_065126293_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Entering that particular gate took us into the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The Old City – which is not contiguous with the city of Jerusalem
as it was in the time of Jesus, but rather as it developed in the later Middle
Ages and more recent centuries, is (very) roughly a square, roughly oriented
squarely north-south-east-west, and divided culturally, religiously, and even historically into four unequal quarters – with
the Temple Mount cutting into the eastern two quarters. The Muslim Quarter is
in the northeast, then clockwise there are the Jewish Quarter (the smallest) in
the southeast, the Armenian Quarter where my friend Angel Kitishian grew up in
the southwest, and the generically-named Christian Quarter in the northwest.
The present Old City is shifted north from the city 2000 years ago, when Mount
Zion and the City of David, presently outside the walls (which are largely of
Ottoman construction) to the south were within the city while much of the
Christian and Muslim Quarters were outside the city to the north. Most
obviously, of course, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, now in the heart of the
Christian Quarter, was at that time outside the walls.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="800" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bxl_IsRnTAvRrXXbyHLQ4yBsd0FML51cpI2uYU-kZkQdqua-4ICNCDhXlTcjdFzWjJCaAx72Gk8efFO6DPTSYdJcXv131JvSKIlSaP7Mo9t89Om0d9FlDsS8xlAqNz80EpqK6JM3-x1R/s320/Four-Quarters.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image from Holylandmark.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bxl_IsRnTAvRrXXbyHLQ4yBsd0FML51cpI2uYU-kZkQdqua-4ICNCDhXlTcjdFzWjJCaAx72Gk8efFO6DPTSYdJcXv131JvSKIlSaP7Mo9t89Om0d9FlDsS8xlAqNz80EpqK6JM3-x1R/s1600/Four-Quarters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Entering the Muslim Quarter of the city we walked to St. Anne's Church, commemorating the traditional site of Our Lady's birth. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75-7X4wZkJWkhj8jmTo2PHgiJl4d4KB4H1wqH-w5hNsMbr12K0Qu2PfVsDHlgjCXFikRC_vIDxrfQWv3H-fcLcXX3qMZiNMzENfJ-mmFBe9GvGwyOkJ0KzUzNrgiNhoTZJfqSGSpZUp3v/s1600/IMG_20180820_065858343_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75-7X4wZkJWkhj8jmTo2PHgiJl4d4KB4H1wqH-w5hNsMbr12K0Qu2PfVsDHlgjCXFikRC_vIDxrfQWv3H-fcLcXX3qMZiNMzENfJ-mmFBe9GvGwyOkJ0KzUzNrgiNhoTZJfqSGSpZUp3v/s320/IMG_20180820_065858343_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzi7kKQ1CMXl7MpXoPmj_DfC9ucp_RdQaPEKl2jJx8SHmlVLAbBWhTUeHJ1ctYxv1JHDbBwgdgoYlmYkccrdNL4_Qa6xMq1ww5b4SgQhqe-MYl95tt720yPgjpQ8dCK3t-Pvvt85M9fpB/s1600/IMG_20180820_070302605_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzi7kKQ1CMXl7MpXoPmj_DfC9ucp_RdQaPEKl2jJx8SHmlVLAbBWhTUeHJ1ctYxv1JHDbBwgdgoYlmYkccrdNL4_Qa6xMq1ww5b4SgQhqe-MYl95tt720yPgjpQ8dCK3t-Pvvt85M9fpB/s320/IMG_20180820_070302605_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNLYD2kYCeMqD6tnV7FoNu3gLrwV6k5nRtj2ST-t0_G3pe_8kTw0ruR9-yGNDhOfK5EVpixFtBuYcZ4nJKaSRLCLZO2Irkuazm3kUD5WJtrUNghpde2WWb10NW-O7540tuaznZsZ_m3af/s1600/IMG_20180820_070805457_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNLYD2kYCeMqD6tnV7FoNu3gLrwV6k5nRtj2ST-t0_G3pe_8kTw0ruR9-yGNDhOfK5EVpixFtBuYcZ4nJKaSRLCLZO2Irkuazm3kUD5WJtrUNghpde2WWb10NW-O7540tuaznZsZ_m3af/s320/IMG_20180820_070805457_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1-5y0UzbFFD75Fks8SXOXlAYCh3cFyqLZ_g-9FmIB4tIAM3ZAZkY3-2VxowPv_mbDCJF7efTXlFNDFLkgYVnO6PD35ZQRyUyc_jhPyy4iAt-FNKEaoChT8XhVkxtZ3dgJsXqnoNkl5-M/s1600/IMG_20180820_071929799_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1-5y0UzbFFD75Fks8SXOXlAYCh3cFyqLZ_g-9FmIB4tIAM3ZAZkY3-2VxowPv_mbDCJF7efTXlFNDFLkgYVnO6PD35ZQRyUyc_jhPyy4iAt-FNKEaoChT8XhVkxtZ3dgJsXqnoNkl5-M/s320/IMG_20180820_071929799_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3McqZiNrHpuqc1MTuXEwIlUSngUI23wJ2X4trzl6zrhbEQ3hIK4vWa4G9hGFmD9AIBldhJHclixokmPTQ2GFkrGax9Cli2_JrNhlSznGAJZqYA4VR_eZ0LNfqtMuZcIGHolB8h0dyMTc/s1600/IMG_20180820_072024022_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3McqZiNrHpuqc1MTuXEwIlUSngUI23wJ2X4trzl6zrhbEQ3hIK4vWa4G9hGFmD9AIBldhJHclixokmPTQ2GFkrGax9Cli2_JrNhlSznGAJZqYA4VR_eZ0LNfqtMuZcIGHolB8h0dyMTc/s320/IMG_20180820_072024022_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB3cEwBOCR9yvZ9gL1qJUblRoEFWnbLYYpsJBomEGmCHyz01gde7JMQDZqmYVDUYnU1z0auL0BtZf_k3oPPc_nZZyV_sxpRTQ-hXwU_RexIBwyPwjFideEdZI0SIx5V4rJneIAV3hiQZU/s1600/IMG_20180820_072316952_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB3cEwBOCR9yvZ9gL1qJUblRoEFWnbLYYpsJBomEGmCHyz01gde7JMQDZqmYVDUYnU1z0auL0BtZf_k3oPPc_nZZyV_sxpRTQ-hXwU_RexIBwyPwjFideEdZI0SIx5V4rJneIAV3hiQZU/s320/IMG_20180820_072316952_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDtHwZAytfjjOFE2sfAkwdcISG6ZKh-Yj1xupLrYkN3xM_mForruBiej-jYwph9OZ5b0YmhJyA_PmeDc7E9-KNhhekbxra9J8JXZb2wK3Tm15X5a_mvf0uCuZeKQI5YaHN-kbgpe3Llg6/s1600/DSC_3003_400x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDtHwZAytfjjOFE2sfAkwdcISG6ZKh-Yj1xupLrYkN3xM_mForruBiej-jYwph9OZ5b0YmhJyA_PmeDc7E9-KNhhekbxra9J8JXZb2wK3Tm15X5a_mvf0uCuZeKQI5YaHN-kbgpe3Llg6/s320/DSC_3003_400x600.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmckJHLOHjU5WG8oJ6oCYbaGY9j93R-OkQ2igKqkmTehfg3hBTp98lV6pQkbntGYL3A3mGi0kgHO5p6dmhDjicR20FjSIpCKnQfqe49Fqg2wDfAgr0e26GvAgv6Ev6AgtO-hrctZPOc6I2/s1600/IMG_20180820_072417379_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmckJHLOHjU5WG8oJ6oCYbaGY9j93R-OkQ2igKqkmTehfg3hBTp98lV6pQkbntGYL3A3mGi0kgHO5p6dmhDjicR20FjSIpCKnQfqe49Fqg2wDfAgr0e26GvAgv6Ev6AgtO-hrctZPOc6I2/s320/IMG_20180820_072417379_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The idea that this church, just north of the location of the Temple Mount, was in fact the birthplace of Mary engendered a bit of debate among our number, given the fact that Luke places her in Nazareth at the time of the Annunciation thirteen to fifteen years later. I for one have no problem with the tradition. Michael Hesemann, in his <i>Mary of Nazareth</i>, makes a strong case based on ancient tradition recorded in the apocryphal <i>Protoevangelium of James</i> and the <i>Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew</i> that Our Lady may well have been born here, in the shadow of the Temple.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This church is famed for its acoustics. Another group was there and a small group did a beautiful rendition of, I believe, the </span><i>Te Deum</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Once they were out, I was privileged to chant the </span><i>Salve Regina</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> along with Padre Emilio; Kathie and I were discussing getting the group together since most of them knew it when Padre, without being party to our hushed conversation, appeared and started chanting so I joined in. Great minds obviously think alike. Although I didn't perceive it at the time, the video sounds like others joined in as well. And the acoustics were indeed awesome, especially then and there, in the moment.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c5jhklFkCvk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c5jhklFkCvk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Video from Kristal</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A little later, just before we left, I stood right on top of the star between myself and Padre, and chanted one <i>Non Nobis Domine</i> -- and that was indeed, as I'd read, the sweet spot. Unfortunately, I got no recording.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not far from St. Anne's can be seen the remains of the Pool of Bethesda, renowned as where Jesus healed on the Sabbath:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water: whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.</b></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> Now
that day was the sabbath. ... </b>(John 5: 1-9)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, Jesus healing on the Sabbath was, to the Jewish authorities, worse than the sick man's lifetime of suffering which Jesus alleviated.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is now called the Lion's Gate or St. Stephen's Gate was then called the Sheep Gate, because the market for procuring sheep for the Temple sacrifices was just beyond it. I did not walk down to see this pool, however, instead using up all my time in St. Anne's Church. Those who did so saw the following:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfy1fUIUfpMYovrk5UtTHl2MKONjwS3XZ8NRfxD8GT3MIf62E0ppXlu2kyuov3r6G2scoZZg5SYZ3ZNaKb1ZwT4rzr9QPCSfxHMvC9QI4WkzYfprlWx-KcXGGDMZpkK_maWPQp9h1XeDvx/s1600/bethesda_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfy1fUIUfpMYovrk5UtTHl2MKONjwS3XZ8NRfxD8GT3MIf62E0ppXlu2kyuov3r6G2scoZZg5SYZ3ZNaKb1ZwT4rzr9QPCSfxHMvC9QI4WkzYfprlWx-KcXGGDMZpkK_maWPQp9h1XeDvx/s320/bethesda_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From St. Anne's we went a short distance to begin the </span><i>Via Dolorosa</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, the Way of Sorrows, and extended walk of about a quarter mile which is obviously not a "site" per se, but rather a route through the narrow streets of the Muslim Quarter into the Christian Quarter, with various individual locations traditionally associated with the the Stations of the Cross marked by placards on the walls of buildings. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchce2XbRFxrr3FwlmrQNXkr70HEghlDyQpjsiFvDeVq7euWcnXVrEE20BFBsw34sQJOlI-P4-p7h0vjrX6SK3IVGzPc2UWWSvydGCVuik5H154JvzXh2JGK0W63h8TjQPWDCdfN9gk5kj/s1600/jerusalem-via-dolorosa-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="700" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchce2XbRFxrr3FwlmrQNXkr70HEghlDyQpjsiFvDeVq7euWcnXVrEE20BFBsw34sQJOlI-P4-p7h0vjrX6SK3IVGzPc2UWWSvydGCVuik5H154JvzXh2JGK0W63h8TjQPWDCdfN9gk5kj/s400/jerusalem-via-dolorosa-map.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image from PlanetWare.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is not a dedicated way, by which I mean that the streets are part of the everyday life of the Old City, with all the hustle and bustle of the inhabitants going about their business even as we made our way along it. Businesses, markets, and so forth open directly onto the streets. It is as if a way were marked through the middle of Natchitoches and we were able to walk it devotionally -- which we do, of course, every Good Friday -- but without the police blocking traffic for us and with considerably narrower streets and greater crowds than we experience back home. As millions, at least, through history have done, however, we stopped, meditated, and prayed at each Station -- "We adore you Oh Christ, and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world...."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vHTD9uspgmU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vHTD9uspgmU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2B3JyhE1Pj6dp3GzKBe6N2wHUVn0vPATOumYwEGUR6uyQeZFIMu6aEvaBATUDTVUmerIDaBFWvgdGVRZSjDBgrViv8648r7rfgjBD_9xTyGbu7pJDXse2ABgGCCIUgNisLACSTm9pRNm/s1600/IMG_20180820_080149063_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2B3JyhE1Pj6dp3GzKBe6N2wHUVn0vPATOumYwEGUR6uyQeZFIMu6aEvaBATUDTVUmerIDaBFWvgdGVRZSjDBgrViv8648r7rfgjBD_9xTyGbu7pJDXse2ABgGCCIUgNisLACSTm9pRNm/s320/IMG_20180820_080149063_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBr7wPzZGQw7wwlKaP8tEWISlRivAW-aLwY-9IPwI6UtFdC4NuMDBagKS84L2193Il23zthIlEAcHvpNuv_wkHDl2s-BEGBs6UZBsnhOSCq3gTM5EQ_abMds9Ssg7rl_WyOVmiJSeWbAq/s1600/IMG_20180820_080549120_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBr7wPzZGQw7wwlKaP8tEWISlRivAW-aLwY-9IPwI6UtFdC4NuMDBagKS84L2193Il23zthIlEAcHvpNuv_wkHDl2s-BEGBs6UZBsnhOSCq3gTM5EQ_abMds9Ssg7rl_WyOVmiJSeWbAq/s320/IMG_20180820_080549120_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PdTbogryOt6vRB-Vtg7i0XSc2KtQJte6o10Sp1yZaZqLooLWpN-yKfA0ludxTPiFhHA4X9UDKqO04pG-TXwjnAVk-hRx9Qc6OKrlWrYxred7KrDjscuLUWgnaq94Yp1erFl2YTT6oMLi/s1600/IMG_20180820_080729575_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PdTbogryOt6vRB-Vtg7i0XSc2KtQJte6o10Sp1yZaZqLooLWpN-yKfA0ludxTPiFhHA4X9UDKqO04pG-TXwjnAVk-hRx9Qc6OKrlWrYxred7KrDjscuLUWgnaq94Yp1erFl2YTT6oMLi/s320/IMG_20180820_080729575_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2MEwYbaLA4-heUajoiPX68pakEBD_puexyqP1pPv-XoxqMTtBroeLc4pvK7XEtWLvCIiBvLY_gzT9MZYuf16YUDH6R5Bc1pMQZQ0hfnCjqUCNnh3InK0DcMkkV26G2E-7PWpmOm5Q_c9/s1600/IMG_20180820_080909122_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2MEwYbaLA4-heUajoiPX68pakEBD_puexyqP1pPv-XoxqMTtBroeLc4pvK7XEtWLvCIiBvLY_gzT9MZYuf16YUDH6R5Bc1pMQZQ0hfnCjqUCNnh3InK0DcMkkV26G2E-7PWpmOm5Q_c9/s320/IMG_20180820_080909122_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuizXWFnTvTYWxAe78ToCjNbga_8Lf0xruh4YohdEfJQaRNlxIIhWrUu_t3jnd5L1H3pn5o42XlBas6Nq6UBG7P6oYvbN_94EoRjw8EEzf3_VRdCdVwbXyF6vr1JZetlUnnAZWDvyMtQq/s1600/IMG_20180820_080949354_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuizXWFnTvTYWxAe78ToCjNbga_8Lf0xruh4YohdEfJQaRNlxIIhWrUu_t3jnd5L1H3pn5o42XlBas6Nq6UBG7P6oYvbN_94EoRjw8EEzf3_VRdCdVwbXyF6vr1JZetlUnnAZWDvyMtQq/s320/IMG_20180820_080949354_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiPnDulyGQwqx39RQTWyr5Pkeo5sQKgdoLCYF3U5utF5p3Lp2WMnuKeDMkspCvB__eBkvvzeN-9SktfkVrzJzmQ0DqRD4rIOfwUWI8avfJ4wHB011EYVhWVeWQ0tqKvv3vVSGX2d4bzqM/s320/DSC_3043_800x534.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiPnDulyGQwqx39RQTWyr5Pkeo5sQKgdoLCYF3U5utF5p3Lp2WMnuKeDMkspCvB__eBkvvzeN-9SktfkVrzJzmQ0DqRD4rIOfwUWI8avfJ4wHB011EYVhWVeWQ0tqKvv3vVSGX2d4bzqM/s1600/DSC_3043_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-sLGN4_i6X1gN1E_iB1nwqzOj77BAE00T0WpDvvaavcTJqsPl6J7O6ynGOb3RqaZiH68bpaNJ172Fs16g8vIVvkd-b4QR5Lxiz_T68_ptRWOIApo6fFfNKTQ-6B1OXtvzDzmcSja4zJP/s1600/IMG_20180820_081003000_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-sLGN4_i6X1gN1E_iB1nwqzOj77BAE00T0WpDvvaavcTJqsPl6J7O6ynGOb3RqaZiH68bpaNJ172Fs16g8vIVvkd-b4QR5Lxiz_T68_ptRWOIApo6fFfNKTQ-6B1OXtvzDzmcSja4zJP/s320/IMG_20180820_081003000_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYs_yhpMT_E_pEVasSdjkPmuMLiSxzCwraG39NCI5H7FA3alavp4Rff7M9AdEnXwABzVVXkCsqJLYnsxvZGt_MlKEAeLUnL0iH1LIvAxxJfgNPkFLN35ZvPlnBKBRRrtlShREyp274rUlI/s1600/IMG_20180820_081246442_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYs_yhpMT_E_pEVasSdjkPmuMLiSxzCwraG39NCI5H7FA3alavp4Rff7M9AdEnXwABzVVXkCsqJLYnsxvZGt_MlKEAeLUnL0iH1LIvAxxJfgNPkFLN35ZvPlnBKBRRrtlShREyp274rUlI/s320/IMG_20180820_081246442_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9Z_5Y30v63x7jDMWku6NXOSITnEI8levqWUbByDKPt_-g4p9_1ZA0YcKpIx3p9l_u2NtwAa2RO8kXqDhhFe6wtne-Tr0r-5wrLN_lwUfJy95wlxWO-NZ4EWsJ4aC0Dakf0mXONmYiPTI/s1600/IMG_20180820_081316658_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9Z_5Y30v63x7jDMWku6NXOSITnEI8levqWUbByDKPt_-g4p9_1ZA0YcKpIx3p9l_u2NtwAa2RO8kXqDhhFe6wtne-Tr0r-5wrLN_lwUfJy95wlxWO-NZ4EWsJ4aC0Dakf0mXONmYiPTI/s320/IMG_20180820_081316658_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5X_bHHUXV_9s9vF9c4t2kmnDM6v2Sw40nYxrgy3Tnyoft4cXmy1i-G6ZxzhZrBkbykCoMs13h0UePM0amdN6E3pZ2-gje3hiPy44tT9AUfWL_6SxvSZA8Sd8w2XMNUtRde_RUjl8YPE1/s1600/IMG_20180820_081325860_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5X_bHHUXV_9s9vF9c4t2kmnDM6v2Sw40nYxrgy3Tnyoft4cXmy1i-G6ZxzhZrBkbykCoMs13h0UePM0amdN6E3pZ2-gje3hiPy44tT9AUfWL_6SxvSZA8Sd8w2XMNUtRde_RUjl8YPE1/s320/IMG_20180820_081325860_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfGXWc_I4KITayXZX2w6aLSyyHuX-03NLBkdaJQdVAqk5q9GznIaxqWB5oj8xcoY0q3-b-NgNUsvZwhMyJ9j5iKo6NvG_y7GgsUwi5_3GtcWz_tMtqv1pAzUlXgxcq2-heiegv7JtxyBD/s1600/IMG_20180820_082026702_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfGXWc_I4KITayXZX2w6aLSyyHuX-03NLBkdaJQdVAqk5q9GznIaxqWB5oj8xcoY0q3-b-NgNUsvZwhMyJ9j5iKo6NvG_y7GgsUwi5_3GtcWz_tMtqv1pAzUlXgxcq2-heiegv7JtxyBD/s320/IMG_20180820_082026702_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
[Here follows a video from Youtube, of a different group -- not ours -- following the <i>Via Dolorosa</i> in the early morning of 04 Apr 2017]</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ISGQq-CyKi8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ISGQq-CyKi8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Proceeding through the narrow streets of the Muslim Quarter, into the Christian Quarter, we ultimately arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, called the holiest place in Christendom. The last five of the fourteen Stations are inside that massive church, which encompasses what remains of the mount of Calvary as well as the Tomb in which Jesus "was crucified, died, and was buried ... On the third day, he rose again from the dead..." (The Apostles' Creed"). </span>The sites of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection are really within just a few yards of each other (contrary to most people’s
mental image), and all beneath one roof within the walls of this great church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It is pretty much as certain as certain can be, historically speaking, that this is indeed the site of Golgotha/Calvary and the Tomb. It was revered as such from a very early period – at least the 2nd c., when according to the early church historian Eusebius the Roman Emperor Hadrian built a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus atop the site to preempt Christian worship there. Two hundred years later, the first Christian Emperor Constantine the Great ordered the temple to be replaced by a church – during which construction his mother, St. Helena, is said to have rediscovered the tomb and the True Cross. In the process of the construction, much of the rock of Calvary and around the tomb was removed in order to isolate the two sites and level the ground. Constantine’s church (actually two adjacent chapels in one complex) was damaged by wars, attacks, and earthquakes through the subsequent centuries – the Persians in 614 when they captured and carried off the True Cross (recovered and restored by the Emperor Heraclius in 630 – the 14 September Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross), long centuries of Muslim rule from 638 – until 1009 when the Mad Caliph Al-Hakim ordered it destroyed completely, and helped set up the beginning of the Crusades by the end of the 11th c. despite a meager rebuilding negotiated by the Byzantine Emperor and Al-Hakim’s son at mid-century.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The current building is perhaps the greatest monument to the First Crusade, called in 1095 at least in part to restore the Holy Sepulchre. Their capture of Jerusalem on 15 July 1099 inaugurated most of a century, the 12th, of Christian rule over the Kingdom of Jerusalem. By 1187 when Saladin took the city, the great church as it exists today was more or less in place although there have been, of course, extensive repairs, renovations, and even expansions through the following centuries. Like the Basilica of the Nativity, management of the Holy Sepulchre is a complicated “cooperative” between religious communities – Catholic and multiple Orthodox – with even more jealously guarded claims, rights, and privileges given rise to sometimes ridiculous oddities such as the workman’s ladder which has stood in one place for over a century and a half because to remove it would violate one or the other denomination’s rights!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(As an aside, here too there is an “alternative,” however. Protestants generally prefer what is known as “the Garden Tomb” some distance away, “rediscovered” in the 19th century by British Major-General Charles Gordon – but no reputable scholar today, Catholic <i>or </i>Protestant, disputes the location of the Holy Sepulchre. Even the Protestant trust overseeing the Garden Tomb refrains from promoting it as the very site, rather emphasizing it as better representative of the site described in the Bible. Perhaps it is ... but it is <i>not</i> the spot.)</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqj8kFAPfTx5dNQkyHLPsSBXLeKk1z_-JRC5XxZblM5sUhWs49tyUYuEP_K_og0Bh-dtmvF8WpRO6LFwPXq6roRWuiFCUf3rNj4p3Pqg6qjexhUeYVEEEtILjI0wzHyzWdn9g2gWdH10TZ/s1600/IMG_20180820_082907922_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqj8kFAPfTx5dNQkyHLPsSBXLeKk1z_-JRC5XxZblM5sUhWs49tyUYuEP_K_og0Bh-dtmvF8WpRO6LFwPXq6roRWuiFCUf3rNj4p3Pqg6qjexhUeYVEEEtILjI0wzHyzWdn9g2gWdH10TZ/s320/IMG_20180820_082907922_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Inside the Holy Sepulchre, one can ascend to the top of Golgotha and the site of the Crucifixion and touch the actual rock; one can see the Stone of Unction, where Jesus’ body was laid out for hasty preparation before entombment; and view the Tomb, which was renovated to much fanfare within the past couple of years. But one cannot do those things quickly.... </span>We were in the Church for a long time, and indeed our praying of the last five Stations of the Cross broke down simply because of the press of people, the bustle and the noise. There was no way for us to stay together as a group and pray. We did make our way in and up to the level where a small shrine encompassed a hole down which one could stick one's arm pretty much up to the elbow and touch the naked rock of Golgotha. The wait there was between a half and a full hour. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lmlPwcqV0JJ36tMboOCgZmatwlPItGVX_8cedg86aKTxZQHF4Z_kwMnpjiecXcXsyKgNNZnZ9eYjdCenz7WyE6ll-EXCYpLNLweoluZdVUok80iyCvCakaY9R87jdlpwrGqJjO75g4lG/s1600/IMG_20180820_082932115_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lmlPwcqV0JJ36tMboOCgZmatwlPItGVX_8cedg86aKTxZQHF4Z_kwMnpjiecXcXsyKgNNZnZ9eYjdCenz7WyE6ll-EXCYpLNLweoluZdVUok80iyCvCakaY9R87jdlpwrGqJjO75g4lG/s320/IMG_20180820_082932115_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3it7zAHDNlNIeuMASE7rDUQ_ug0YIOiimw3MGpYqVprRAfTTiQsiy0CHArQyAmfAUhw4gydUpm0lE3YiWTVVIrx7iDVFaJ3wYrw67pqUIjI9MujVMmck4rf_C3TQkDP38TMxa3ityXDc/s1600/IMG_20180820_083007775_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3it7zAHDNlNIeuMASE7rDUQ_ug0YIOiimw3MGpYqVprRAfTTiQsiy0CHArQyAmfAUhw4gydUpm0lE3YiWTVVIrx7iDVFaJ3wYrw67pqUIjI9MujVMmck4rf_C3TQkDP38TMxa3ityXDc/s320/IMG_20180820_083007775_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See the infamous ladder below the middle window?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIJI1g53gn7bkzW8pxSANlpGddxQ9ytnS_gniQwyH7Mif6YzNrs1wealvKKW8UV54ikz5pR9p-BnIUbqqXq2uuVEzqgTfhiWjdy001MlBDntUXl9KBym9jGY1QRaEITvoBzj8hMqlmyaW/s1600/IMG_20180820_083604220_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIJI1g53gn7bkzW8pxSANlpGddxQ9ytnS_gniQwyH7Mif6YzNrs1wealvKKW8UV54ikz5pR9p-BnIUbqqXq2uuVEzqgTfhiWjdy001MlBDntUXl9KBym9jGY1QRaEITvoBzj8hMqlmyaW/s320/IMG_20180820_083604220_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0vN6kd07_7B9NnYdE0_MWIhqewIChAfPTgFUasUd1uPm3Wv_Yi3orDV9kZH_egN-8e-mkGzTVxTq7AG_DHbCMh6a_HYXJwhT62az8pRSQS4jIT2OvjTCOQo479ZcUzZ0QYZ1HhIIGWSr/s1600/IMG_20180820_083636742_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0vN6kd07_7B9NnYdE0_MWIhqewIChAfPTgFUasUd1uPm3Wv_Yi3orDV9kZH_egN-8e-mkGzTVxTq7AG_DHbCMh6a_HYXJwhT62az8pRSQS4jIT2OvjTCOQo479ZcUzZ0QYZ1HhIIGWSr/s320/IMG_20180820_083636742_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4o51vWEhbGEP-53F53xTecHIRwp0p5nWjYihQ3uD_DueUrcdufKVSRGp1XGASo98TVvGB3b13XS7VQYJC5yDKi-dcfDnuPh0_SYe3E2O9wT-g021SGiu7S5tulav0K3WpWNzFRU0KumfB/s1600/IMG_20180820_083720426_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4o51vWEhbGEP-53F53xTecHIRwp0p5nWjYihQ3uD_DueUrcdufKVSRGp1XGASo98TVvGB3b13XS7VQYJC5yDKi-dcfDnuPh0_SYe3E2O9wT-g021SGiu7S5tulav0K3WpWNzFRU0KumfB/s320/IMG_20180820_083720426_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSScyoe1eFZs7AxVw6hsx3oak6syTnCNl5XAekMEelF-i0Gs8DZcCrRdQ2rONwSrvTN1ZIqDF1lF0k6QAyOziyiKZ-BY1kqmcygHE_cRlciLVSG5oVqjzuYhje3y9Mi_maeXI8vNKgipNS/s1600/IMG_20180820_083819827_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSScyoe1eFZs7AxVw6hsx3oak6syTnCNl5XAekMEelF-i0Gs8DZcCrRdQ2rONwSrvTN1ZIqDF1lF0k6QAyOziyiKZ-BY1kqmcygHE_cRlciLVSG5oVqjzuYhje3y9Mi_maeXI8vNKgipNS/s320/IMG_20180820_083819827_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qes9TuG7ehnHMrS-seBkZ04MZblUGWp7Pa5VZXpwE16le4ATQMOJwY_CrxXRWMyGe0tH047Vef4zk13TFaFt57t55Fhd2JQEZoLekDBeA7zJfXIGIoZdotKwXSdTiqK3LxragC3yEdhb/s1600/IMG_20180820_084200213_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qes9TuG7ehnHMrS-seBkZ04MZblUGWp7Pa5VZXpwE16le4ATQMOJwY_CrxXRWMyGe0tH047Vef4zk13TFaFt57t55Fhd2JQEZoLekDBeA7zJfXIGIoZdotKwXSdTiqK3LxragC3yEdhb/s320/IMG_20180820_084200213_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-auW3NO4QCPmNqsrQ4R_TNpEUVu9ZxNUta0l7P0fHstnQOPtyTuxF5DCn1JXLV8Mjxmj8w-Lk7H1W_cGtF4xsVe1oFlnj_Tu3U3NG4tBYamcIOzrpjJmCnfgQvZUBPpOWBepewMEXfkS/s1600/IMG_20180820_084214833_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-auW3NO4QCPmNqsrQ4R_TNpEUVu9ZxNUta0l7P0fHstnQOPtyTuxF5DCn1JXLV8Mjxmj8w-Lk7H1W_cGtF4xsVe1oFlnj_Tu3U3NG4tBYamcIOzrpjJmCnfgQvZUBPpOWBepewMEXfkS/s320/IMG_20180820_084214833_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W0re1llaT_HDbx3ZLdkJePTnM35ycz0CBklWHElKbeDoJb5uMkaYTgR2kC6EimLj8Nbs7AeTErf_D7GRxP30muv1ynlSyopXgXcxtTohq7wmIvMcVd3xyyvRreJQwA5SX7WbCqrRKX4x/s1600/IMG_20180820_084455206_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W0re1llaT_HDbx3ZLdkJePTnM35ycz0CBklWHElKbeDoJb5uMkaYTgR2kC6EimLj8Nbs7AeTErf_D7GRxP30muv1ynlSyopXgXcxtTohq7wmIvMcVd3xyyvRreJQwA5SX7WbCqrRKX4x/s320/IMG_20180820_084455206_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEnCR9mBxGiR8V344BdGbMoIm4qpMd8wf8xOEmcalBKLZO7ARdUcWoMnCN1j6Idz2pNkQI1YZb-o9ez-_oSH94W9IhTgEYA-vah9eSzyR5OF3rlZI81JOWSe29RzBUohKixeHpf-aGxCQ/s1600/IMG_20180820_084837000_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEnCR9mBxGiR8V344BdGbMoIm4qpMd8wf8xOEmcalBKLZO7ARdUcWoMnCN1j6Idz2pNkQI1YZb-o9ez-_oSH94W9IhTgEYA-vah9eSzyR5OF3rlZI81JOWSe29RzBUohKixeHpf-aGxCQ/s320/IMG_20180820_084837000_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqaCKPrPtAlCyKl8d-mEF3dpd1GerwANHTqu7a6MbhLV8LD2yhTz7OvalVCDz1UERhpFZRUycjdyKzYLEMIowl3-FlFoEsdRnXQlNW1HlJk-THVOL1ZuG3hfwl1DwIMqJUfATnNdLUDoi/s1600/IMG_20180820_084909084_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqaCKPrPtAlCyKl8d-mEF3dpd1GerwANHTqu7a6MbhLV8LD2yhTz7OvalVCDz1UERhpFZRUycjdyKzYLEMIowl3-FlFoEsdRnXQlNW1HlJk-THVOL1ZuG3hfwl1DwIMqJUfATnNdLUDoi/s320/IMG_20180820_084909084_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyqWvWz7pu5xJ1EyIbMbWi9KkdWF4k4gMMLea4jgV004t9BKODIftT-MemHZG-IGR7RLA7B5bY5xAx5NUEV182oG8KgR90pvYo07sJbWzQYJOLBX_WiwSP2H4OyAMneJOMskDQaBL4y79/s1600/IMG_20180820_084929053_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyqWvWz7pu5xJ1EyIbMbWi9KkdWF4k4gMMLea4jgV004t9BKODIftT-MemHZG-IGR7RLA7B5bY5xAx5NUEV182oG8KgR90pvYo07sJbWzQYJOLBX_WiwSP2H4OyAMneJOMskDQaBL4y79/s320/IMG_20180820_084929053_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fDnzdKN8AUggO0grqIQVlMtzRYbRH_PGOckEsqOwNdVPEomCCw1CuiXbBlUnNtyC5Y25in4SJPlZzZLemR2cP3GOYstKkIReW2T62qsDN0IYxdWRUzAcmJfy-li8nNfXL57UPW_5sCz_/s1600/IMG_20180820_085030896_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fDnzdKN8AUggO0grqIQVlMtzRYbRH_PGOckEsqOwNdVPEomCCw1CuiXbBlUnNtyC5Y25in4SJPlZzZLemR2cP3GOYstKkIReW2T62qsDN0IYxdWRUzAcmJfy-li8nNfXL57UPW_5sCz_/s320/IMG_20180820_085030896_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WDNl08fzoQGPpyLz3REPqxfyjTQJ8TOhudyJYV0-UqH-42K1bGX8kptR7mp4lcgxqw8R7dGGEiSaIvrQW5ucjG_DShvh-wr0uoY16Ef17mK06aqTy2p7ddwy03vF0SiYEgQkQ44w03W2/s1600/IMG_20180820_085210235_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WDNl08fzoQGPpyLz3REPqxfyjTQJ8TOhudyJYV0-UqH-42K1bGX8kptR7mp4lcgxqw8R7dGGEiSaIvrQW5ucjG_DShvh-wr0uoY16Ef17mK06aqTy2p7ddwy03vF0SiYEgQkQ44w03W2/s320/IMG_20180820_085210235_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfW48bLEO6mHhFDCdW_ISKf2CitCif9MdRg704DzK9Z6O0GOx1s9QKlG__EqdV2LGthpZ544uGvjZlOsC7dHqz1lqxAMY3VnYZGbv2X4KMN-JIqs7WyRJomxKQchHF2OFtWZj_-CCH9kc/s1600/DSC_3065_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfW48bLEO6mHhFDCdW_ISKf2CitCif9MdRg704DzK9Z6O0GOx1s9QKlG__EqdV2LGthpZ544uGvjZlOsC7dHqz1lqxAMY3VnYZGbv2X4KMN-JIqs7WyRJomxKQchHF2OFtWZj_-CCH9kc/s320/DSC_3065_800x534.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T9oD7IVpG8M1P91tRMrR7Ty6LMRy3KTUCzRTQRgjUR0HEMmuOsAs_1zK11v0BWd-gJo8gVrFDa37SJTORBEcTtqnBys6I93bM2Iii8oBHwcwruI5K_EUU0XiXq56invlvQzzAH2VV6OG/s1600/DSC_3072_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T9oD7IVpG8M1P91tRMrR7Ty6LMRy3KTUCzRTQRgjUR0HEMmuOsAs_1zK11v0BWd-gJo8gVrFDa37SJTORBEcTtqnBys6I93bM2Iii8oBHwcwruI5K_EUU0XiXq56invlvQzzAH2VV6OG/s320/DSC_3072_800x534.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3UKVkrK3QjZtef3H_FFSAbbS92i9PuXGQuK7oIIf1-lUjQBJ2ERmfZ_8aL3od8R4Z0o9b1CQfRfvknBF8ZQQBI0U2zhu6g9JN9nfRotGYxeQM1ZM2h72l0C82lQ4wvM1vvWky-bZAQdb/s1600/DSC_3073_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3UKVkrK3QjZtef3H_FFSAbbS92i9PuXGQuK7oIIf1-lUjQBJ2ERmfZ_8aL3od8R4Z0o9b1CQfRfvknBF8ZQQBI0U2zhu6g9JN9nfRotGYxeQM1ZM2h72l0C82lQ4wvM1vvWky-bZAQdb/s320/DSC_3073_800x534.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr0ee-TaD-7OjLK0h8TlfPjxKP3H6HbgQASiFEtiqrZ-NhNxXV_gk390I-RKfou6OIwUg0wM13t_ulUsmhys3I_pCEyBI8pmgdKecE4J6uQ1ZQSztAf-4Ws59QhFJdeHaWjHIArpdS_zS/s1600/IMG_20180820_085323463_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr0ee-TaD-7OjLK0h8TlfPjxKP3H6HbgQASiFEtiqrZ-NhNxXV_gk390I-RKfou6OIwUg0wM13t_ulUsmhys3I_pCEyBI8pmgdKecE4J6uQ1ZQSztAf-4Ws59QhFJdeHaWjHIArpdS_zS/s320/IMG_20180820_085323463_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then, back down stairs we saw -- and touched -- the Stone of Unction, where the Blessed Mother and her companions washed and anointed His Body once it was taken down from the Cross. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EicnecC3gTjMk2jKXaJOV83CJ8qrV75a-4hMFxPVr-TnLry4N7stNUBuE8i9c5MqnnMdN-senhyyyroz9TR1tyzv4werX_iGBYd7YSXpJ7cz6N0JWolH-T7SqZlpk5rMcxudCbLs4zPI/s1600/IMG_20180820_085621609_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EicnecC3gTjMk2jKXaJOV83CJ8qrV75a-4hMFxPVr-TnLry4N7stNUBuE8i9c5MqnnMdN-senhyyyroz9TR1tyzv4werX_iGBYd7YSXpJ7cz6N0JWolH-T7SqZlpk5rMcxudCbLs4zPI/s320/IMG_20180820_085621609_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKoOjDxaNoF9-Qd9K6cx_ySrQ2mGzRvOMiM_2Jo5oID-EygLeEinMy3zYkXaB6N0-hOOIgv97njbSEsh9BhccElLH6IN4CujoxShLdm5_vPpcwzP167oShvijNzundqdoCeN9G18_PFsi/s1600/IMG_20180820_085637195_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKoOjDxaNoF9-Qd9K6cx_ySrQ2mGzRvOMiM_2Jo5oID-EygLeEinMy3zYkXaB6N0-hOOIgv97njbSEsh9BhccElLH6IN4CujoxShLdm5_vPpcwzP167oShvijNzundqdoCeN9G18_PFsi/s320/IMG_20180820_085637195_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then we went into the main part of the church -- the Rotunda at the center of which is the small chapel, the Edicule, in which is the Tomb itself. The shelf on which His Body would have been lain is now covered by a marble slab, but we were allowed in to pray before it ... after a wait for well more than two hours. It was not a line; it was simple a mass of people pressing to get through a very small door for a few seconds in that holiest place in Christendom, where Our Lord was dead and rose again to life. It was hot; people were rude (especially a group of Russians, one woman of which kept pressing to push me out of the way, and when I pressed back to hold my place she looked at me and either hissed or spat; I looked back at her and said, "</span><i>Pfft</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to you too!" Not my finest moment, but tempers were short all around. The line moved inches at a time, and stopped entirely twice, once when the Franciscans sang Vespers, I believe, and once to accommodate a group of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre who can show up unannounced and immediately be given precedence, private access to the tomb for thirty minutes. But Tony assured us we were actually lucky -- imagining the circuit of the Edicule as a clock with the entrance at 12:00, we began our wait at about 04:00; Tony said he had seen the "line" filling the Rotunda, extending out into the plaza and into the street, with a wait lasting many hours.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhe9zXBYql7C_VJbXFE4wHZqd4BuR4XHrUyc1cURDvnIeBQuT2Pcz7hhHqUNcpPcScewPgLVQUn46OqAAbzfFl46rRHXBLFWGBRXRofFIyahqT9JOFCyxnud78NX5IuXBhVMG-HiP8X9LZ/s1600/IMG_20180820_085943101_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhe9zXBYql7C_VJbXFE4wHZqd4BuR4XHrUyc1cURDvnIeBQuT2Pcz7hhHqUNcpPcScewPgLVQUn46OqAAbzfFl46rRHXBLFWGBRXRofFIyahqT9JOFCyxnud78NX5IuXBhVMG-HiP8X9LZ/s320/IMG_20180820_085943101_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx1u30GnayBlY52y7rQeNo7lvHNPpZXGsuAiPwb3u3OuAiFw_kJ3acoigH15CdcaCBkkGQx7Kh3SJ8k3HhMocDaR-Hfg1MaSRZi5k2oivbVVYzkFJQc-tHHg1DbR_rsOG-rgsCQePmkXp/s1600/IMG_20180820_090557695_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx1u30GnayBlY52y7rQeNo7lvHNPpZXGsuAiPwb3u3OuAiFw_kJ3acoigH15CdcaCBkkGQx7Kh3SJ8k3HhMocDaR-Hfg1MaSRZi5k2oivbVVYzkFJQc-tHHg1DbR_rsOG-rgsCQePmkXp/s320/IMG_20180820_090557695_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBIYVfItXmJe85m0kseCJJZ7CZ0c_PrJCmtkUVI6iUPcxuHyegV9fXvTCtNl1JI4pOOvfzVthxlmbv7GpLzUzsZjitHKGeRPo8l1L5qJKrX4TcndKYGbgoYIJye02OdI5jxvo9fm6CalA/s1600/IMG_20180820_090621437_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBIYVfItXmJe85m0kseCJJZ7CZ0c_PrJCmtkUVI6iUPcxuHyegV9fXvTCtNl1JI4pOOvfzVthxlmbv7GpLzUzsZjitHKGeRPo8l1L5qJKrX4TcndKYGbgoYIJye02OdI5jxvo9fm6CalA/s320/IMG_20180820_090621437_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note, at about 06:00 of the circuit was the entrance of a small Armenian chapel in which I lit (or rather had one of our number light, because there was no way I could maneuver my way there in the crowd!) the last of the many candles I set all across the Holy Land for my friend Angel and her family, as I had promised to do. Angel grew up in the Armenian Quarter.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpBja70Bk5XCSQapccyq6ey95Imu2OgQH4Bo-o_nfbQ8FcGimA1YZcNnXkYzt87lulyvdw-Qz73ILk7UKZrSrGtIcvJYwEEjbV80gz5Q8R_Y33hVz9-u0vXzWUVmBdngp0mgslAHttLLu/s1600/IMG_20180820_092018507_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpBja70Bk5XCSQapccyq6ey95Imu2OgQH4Bo-o_nfbQ8FcGimA1YZcNnXkYzt87lulyvdw-Qz73ILk7UKZrSrGtIcvJYwEEjbV80gz5Q8R_Y33hVz9-u0vXzWUVmBdngp0mgslAHttLLu/s320/IMG_20180820_092018507_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdamqSgVnBgbfdtvET2oeLtOc0YufoaRjRCpzeYRiqLa6zShzDCTFEeXkm-_WNCmREHxtM6p-4Oz2wS8IGSOYFwbs4TbX55xv8BaD6V7acu-tojCrJZ0zrMhnVTGAjoSFLvB5H_P0QDnBu/s1600/IMG_20180820_095105583_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdamqSgVnBgbfdtvET2oeLtOc0YufoaRjRCpzeYRiqLa6zShzDCTFEeXkm-_WNCmREHxtM6p-4Oz2wS8IGSOYFwbs4TbX55xv8BaD6V7acu-tojCrJZ0zrMhnVTGAjoSFLvB5H_P0QDnBu/s320/IMG_20180820_095105583_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f12amkFFi8-qzUw2mGp-D5QhUzPEqC1ej-8uCX-Ux74KZO150J3AJNt47EMbs80yz5K8nZTgJNBVPseryUq6JuhY_thgw-BB0MFp7Asra25lGxqg1XtIpK_HEA1ZgHV-F8xJvB9RxEdh/s1600/IMG_20180820_102712897_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f12amkFFi8-qzUw2mGp-D5QhUzPEqC1ej-8uCX-Ux74KZO150J3AJNt47EMbs80yz5K8nZTgJNBVPseryUq6JuhY_thgw-BB0MFp7Asra25lGxqg1XtIpK_HEA1ZgHV-F8xJvB9RxEdh/s320/IMG_20180820_102712897_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYCJvKFh-QjeCiG7AbRpgzH-jl8h-vthYZbM9QhA5H9hZo2xd9gLWE7Qsgijhou8yi0sZp2UU6c_z36ogxnuTYQaUsRZzGjkQZB-CKS20gZMv9cQh_Bzz5ihlU78ydROIC3vdyAZqaMVz/s1600/IMG-20180831-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYCJvKFh-QjeCiG7AbRpgzH-jl8h-vthYZbM9QhA5H9hZo2xd9gLWE7Qsgijhou8yi0sZp2UU6c_z36ogxnuTYQaUsRZzGjkQZB-CKS20gZMv9cQh_Bzz5ihlU78ydROIC3vdyAZqaMVz/s320/IMG-20180831-WA0000.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Donna</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUrc1GGv1C9G7hSeB9qamdWZCS-BYyA9XdXtstMd2zLgaKSsWEKEMq6lyLm5rXeZ-vUX7atEgzyj-qKRlSOpVbBZavZHJwr_zElWOBpB5fuuQjr07Hp6iBMsrBv1SyJ5jnczVU2aYBQa9/s1600/IMG_20180820_105825922_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUrc1GGv1C9G7hSeB9qamdWZCS-BYyA9XdXtstMd2zLgaKSsWEKEMq6lyLm5rXeZ-vUX7atEgzyj-qKRlSOpVbBZavZHJwr_zElWOBpB5fuuQjr07Hp6iBMsrBv1SyJ5jnczVU2aYBQa9/s320/IMG_20180820_105825922_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdHOLU8xis70nb5-koKDxjAqtjzkFtVdCmBygQqQRk_Jwq9wA98X-VnR3B1a1lfLpZHJSK72lQYkNhQRWS9Ca2xfCkHmv2PvPzpuVSOLgCb3iNkhj4UHfZBBuxXrWueXgNMZNvXFVt69g/s1600/IMG_20180820_105840091_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdHOLU8xis70nb5-koKDxjAqtjzkFtVdCmBygQqQRk_Jwq9wA98X-VnR3B1a1lfLpZHJSK72lQYkNhQRWS9Ca2xfCkHmv2PvPzpuVSOLgCb3iNkhj4UHfZBBuxXrWueXgNMZNvXFVt69g/s320/IMG_20180820_105840091_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The wait was worth it. Being there in the Tomb was a profoundly moving experience although it lasted only a minute or so. A monk was moving pilgrims in and out in groups of five or six one after another, no nonsense. </span><i>That </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was a thankless job, I'm sure! He allowed no pictures, but here is a shot I found on the Internet:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8y6Sx0s1tDwarBIaZ8hyphenhyphenUoXe2WqT-ayohcTOaVUa0SlYABYI3QFPt6CzFF1xndjWoJvXGzIZqvuufBEWi_rH0VuPe_w6WGGu8VRMkmQ0LKc79HHoT2549wQ_q85sZ1yTPaV-Z9Aq0Rl3/s1600/Church-of-the-Holy-Sepulchre8_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8y6Sx0s1tDwarBIaZ8hyphenhyphenUoXe2WqT-ayohcTOaVUa0SlYABYI3QFPt6CzFF1xndjWoJvXGzIZqvuufBEWi_rH0VuPe_w6WGGu8VRMkmQ0LKc79HHoT2549wQ_q85sZ1yTPaV-Z9Aq0Rl3/s320/Church-of-the-Holy-Sepulchre8_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.investingbb.com/sepulcher-tomb.html</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Exiting the Tomb, we were to gather in the courtyard. Passing by the Stone of Unction, the crowd had thinned considerably, and some of our number venerated it again without the hustle and bustle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16tbbGU59JN6OubxM4YQUSBgvf5Q-PtLBdXrmArRM85YloRZBnDJDoVMdciF4O2l7D_ytiQC0p4PSAqS0mY8Z3EEpF1-VYGd4h53AjIUx_0yGqPzk3oB5fh0qnpIs8_0zFB8Qscdy5Avk/s1600/IMG_20180820_110337441_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16tbbGU59JN6OubxM4YQUSBgvf5Q-PtLBdXrmArRM85YloRZBnDJDoVMdciF4O2l7D_ytiQC0p4PSAqS0mY8Z3EEpF1-VYGd4h53AjIUx_0yGqPzk3oB5fh0qnpIs8_0zFB8Qscdy5Avk/s320/IMG_20180820_110337441_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[An excellent overview of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with diagrams and high quality images of the 90% or so that we did <i>not</i> see can be found here: <a href="http://www.generationword.com/jerusalem101/52-holy-sepulcher.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once we came out of the Church, we had initially been planned to walk across to the Western or "Wailing" Wall. Given the lateness of the hour -- it was past 19:00 -- the length of the walk, and Tony's advice, we ended up walking through the Christian Quarter and ultimately out the Jaffa Gate to meet our waiting bus, to be taken back to Bethlehem and our last night in the St. Gabriel Hotel. Along the way we passed by the Razzouk Tattoo Parlor; I asked Tony, "Is that the famous tattoo parlor?" He answered yes -- and that it was where he got his tattoos. At one time I had hoped, time allowing, to come away with a traditional pilgrim's tattoo of a Jerusalem Cross on my right wrist, but time did not allow. And once I got the Jerusalem Cross ring at the Nativity Souvenirs Co-op that was off the table anyway.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w6TJfG4R1kYYjkUYgrA4Ex5SSHptg9m_qbxQwn4zVoQ_wkQ0sbqwut0HdUfLZ6PzieRAi3q3vcMkvAb_BIOmUYi_g03ULGOJKp4ihujHLafZXhVHOuOf2FOg8r5nHnPuuDSnQw8tXXgh/s1600/IMG_20180820_111305057_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w6TJfG4R1kYYjkUYgrA4Ex5SSHptg9m_qbxQwn4zVoQ_wkQ0sbqwut0HdUfLZ6PzieRAi3q3vcMkvAb_BIOmUYi_g03ULGOJKp4ihujHLafZXhVHOuOf2FOg8r5nHnPuuDSnQw8tXXgh/s320/IMG_20180820_111305057_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLYEeG8Qa0bwOjTwY1gWtB7m8KoPoSWDVYtDHDbrKgL44zIuz_KIJYDufpN2YHv6xRV4Z1MXxHr9xARodU73JsdYPkOH8N8_1m1dtmEaUV8Ti_kC0TKayE93FEYtpQiHoKqMsDs4t760G/s1600/IMG_20180820_111936554_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLYEeG8Qa0bwOjTwY1gWtB7m8KoPoSWDVYtDHDbrKgL44zIuz_KIJYDufpN2YHv6xRV4Z1MXxHr9xARodU73JsdYPkOH8N8_1m1dtmEaUV8Ti_kC0TKayE93FEYtpQiHoKqMsDs4t760G/s320/IMG_20180820_111936554_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1pSzpFhU97OUZc74mfgNkpOEa2qb56L8oVJ-t4U5vzbNfDy3AD85gf2U582sWsr-nt_M4rhF2fwSoBn9LMCyEQdowCxQgXD5vSaMmv__iHHAJRZFwHCnt1zFKydMVQ8p4WNOk7YFImh7/s1600/IMG_20180820_111854289_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1pSzpFhU97OUZc74mfgNkpOEa2qb56L8oVJ-t4U5vzbNfDy3AD85gf2U582sWsr-nt_M4rhF2fwSoBn9LMCyEQdowCxQgXD5vSaMmv__iHHAJRZFwHCnt1zFKydMVQ8p4WNOk7YFImh7/s320/IMG_20180820_111854289_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmrQbeZ402MMnMLSEWi8xajeI7zvhA1AFh5Q2F4c42PRcUE8wjeWS3FedKdI3R5Diy5GkwM6S41JQ7c5frrJTNh8OQgp0CBGxrcAWOmjMl1VkWtN_D4U5M3pdS-Wp2JRVcQsnIxEp7k9c/s1600/IMG_20180820_111952693_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmrQbeZ402MMnMLSEWi8xajeI7zvhA1AFh5Q2F4c42PRcUE8wjeWS3FedKdI3R5Diy5GkwM6S41JQ7c5frrJTNh8OQgp0CBGxrcAWOmjMl1VkWtN_D4U5M3pdS-Wp2JRVcQsnIxEp7k9c/s320/IMG_20180820_111952693_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95-t5XmQxDwR5XoMofMUXo6pBEIVPDBzw375iLt419BGjnLCzEBzWxCgkUnuo0ZKrFcwaSJN7vGW9xeZJGPypPQzzO6v9IdILfc-cXBwr6yWrdw0tGtJVL02UVrEDxtOVt8WEyh_C6Q_S/s1600/IMG_20180820_112037396_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95-t5XmQxDwR5XoMofMUXo6pBEIVPDBzw375iLt419BGjnLCzEBzWxCgkUnuo0ZKrFcwaSJN7vGW9xeZJGPypPQzzO6v9IdILfc-cXBwr6yWrdw0tGtJVL02UVrEDxtOVt8WEyh_C6Q_S/s320/IMG_20180820_112037396_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we arrived back at the St. Gabriel, another bus was leaving a new group of pilgrims, a couple of dozen Ethiopians, and suddenly that hotel which had been very quiet got very busy, with a full buffet laid out for both parties, us and them.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After supper, Kristal and I took the opportunity to go down to the bar one last time to bid Tony farewell, although we did not order anything. Both of us had a lot of packing to do in order to get to bed at a decent hour, because we were told to have our suitcases outside our doors no later than 05:15 for a planned departure at 05:45.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
And so ended, for all intents and purposes my (hopefully just the first) pilgrimage to the Holy Land.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">+ + +</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is an interesting little addendum, however. In the evening, as we packed, there was a flurry of posts of pictures going up on WhatsApp. Among them, Br. Miguel posted the following....</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4digM3vajXpHRH7gr_lJwC6RHbvWxvJmewyT6e4Hx5I23wtaqS5LzDVgxHh97_gLFxT_MuNGDRSR2GcEywCp5QnsS8WA2RnRtHzGp-bHL3inp0uChvxfrPKf_v_Ll3LJR5t6au_CaCzjP/s1600/IMG-20180821-WA0001_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4digM3vajXpHRH7gr_lJwC6RHbvWxvJmewyT6e4Hx5I23wtaqS5LzDVgxHh97_gLFxT_MuNGDRSR2GcEywCp5QnsS8WA2RnRtHzGp-bHL3inp0uChvxfrPKf_v_Ll3LJR5t6au_CaCzjP/s320/IMG-20180821-WA0001_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A "consecrated layman," he is an architect by training (and was, I noticed throughtout, taking pictures that were often focused on the architectural feachers of churches we were visiting), but he is also an artist. So is his mother. She painted the above portrait of the Virgin Mary, pregnant with Our Lord, some time back and presented it to his religious community. Quite a good painting, what is really interesting about it is that, if you look at Our Lady's abdomen, very faintly you can see the Holy Face of Our Lord. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0NOyF7xK4yTqytbdum8JD7zUbeNOKvc2Ro8LLN6E4Nju22or08NaQJ50n0EjzKHAqElA8p7dtL7z7EW60vvZZec5n0XA49F-HniptAI_aF1nsUU-UsrnjJRuT0BtOa0foYh5FyEofhXy/s1600/IMG-20180821-WA0000_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0NOyF7xK4yTqytbdum8JD7zUbeNOKvc2Ro8LLN6E4Nju22or08NaQJ50n0EjzKHAqElA8p7dtL7z7EW60vvZZec5n0XA49F-HniptAI_aF1nsUU-UsrnjJRuT0BtOa0foYh5FyEofhXy/s320/IMG-20180821-WA0000_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Br. Miguel says his mother did not paint that image -- rather, it started appearing very faintly, about a year after she presented it to his community. I believe what prompted him to share it with us was our short visit to the Shroud of Turin exhibit at the Notre Dame Center earlier in the day, and there is indeed a close resemblance between this image and that of the Shroud -- its coloring; its faint, ethereal nature; how it actually looks more clear to the eye if you do not look directly at it. But most of all, the features -- it is clearly the same face, but portrayed here in life rather than in death. As I understand it, the "apparition" has not been declared to be miraculous -- as yet. But it <i>is</i> under investigation by the Vatican. At this point, Miguel says, no natural explanation has been proposed for its appearance.</span>Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-31217511829893323042018-08-19T14:46:00.001-05:002018-09-02T14:26:22.809-05:00Sunday 19 August -- 2018 Holy Land Day 7: Ein Karem, Jericho, the Dead Sea<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgnoVQBGd5x2tA8EfyuM_L31LyUo-n08hN3eXWIDLi4nJ2MEJ_l8aOeiot8P2xHrRFHu2MWFnJtwZSxbojXgT1JkYoHGQjqFO9Vhs6LMNplMmZgy_h19nukzaCB5kot0v1BzZk3wB6pyB/s1600/IMG_20180818_223259510_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgnoVQBGd5x2tA8EfyuM_L31LyUo-n08hN3eXWIDLi4nJ2MEJ_l8aOeiot8P2xHrRFHu2MWFnJtwZSxbojXgT1JkYoHGQjqFO9Vhs6LMNplMmZgy_h19nukzaCB5kot0v1BzZk3wB6pyB/s320/IMG_20180818_223259510_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bethlehem in the morning</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was a pretty normal morning -- up, dressed, breakfast, then heading out for another full day. One perceived difference was that it was pleasantly cool when we boarded the bus to head out, and remained so for most of the morning. The afternoon would make up for that, though!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We left out of Bethlehem, passing through the Wall checkpoint again without incident, driving up around the west of Jerusalem toward Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. Along the way, Tony expanded on his own deep Christilean roots in the Holy Land. Among his ancestors he claims Maltese Crusaders as well as a direct line of descent from the native Christians of the Holy Land as far as records will carry him -- which is 1400 years, all the way back to the devastating Persian conquest in the early 7th century when a lot of records were lost.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GMaL7fh3skQxbGq-CMPY3jatZv1lJCZ3MKn4jsSqrN1HZLzz9YMEDgtF19hyphenhyphenTX6-URoLI4qx5h2pNQwpSYllDKxsY8IVj_gCTh-IaPYIbVmH_Z1lc5-rOFhLq-0bGHGtYv5Q6-V9eDbA/s1600/IMG_20180819_003957639_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GMaL7fh3skQxbGq-CMPY3jatZv1lJCZ3MKn4jsSqrN1HZLzz9YMEDgtF19hyphenhyphenTX6-URoLI4qx5h2pNQwpSYllDKxsY8IVj_gCTh-IaPYIbVmH_Z1lc5-rOFhLq-0bGHGtYv5Q6-V9eDbA/s320/IMG_20180819_003957639_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We also passed the large Israeli Holocaust Memorial complex, Yad Vashem, on the forested western slope of Mount Herzl, "the Mount of Remembrance." It is more than just a museum -- it includes a school, as well as archives and a library. There is also a section of train track and one of the cattle cars in which victims were transported to the death camps. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our first stop in Ein Karem was the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. We saw the very site, which is marked by what I believe Tony said is the oldest Jerusalem Cross ever found. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIoNAlZiiRyRqd52eKyN4P1m4BcKOxO7pFFwz8VabfPuIGk_SFe7Ip4G-ZRwk7OHRwtOvFP-S73-EoIAxFLSOPMOEo6wmcZ-xSVMML4T26ElaJRzMmD_VCIBSPvf1RaBac-Ti-XpJa73y/s1600/IMG_20180819_011310064_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIoNAlZiiRyRqd52eKyN4P1m4BcKOxO7pFFwz8VabfPuIGk_SFe7Ip4G-ZRwk7OHRwtOvFP-S73-EoIAxFLSOPMOEo6wmcZ-xSVMML4T26ElaJRzMmD_VCIBSPvf1RaBac-Ti-XpJa73y/s320/IMG_20180819_011310064_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eEhSlaqvKISjyw8XRt3RwhmvNOadTmc4S5AlpMNWXFcDaqOlBlMtKnC87Bkl1krxtJ5znFFNzrSsYBOev7aefynWPei1jkaBTAgn29x50h-8pYZK2atqkP_fXMjXffNdBaVHdXPA_y3x/s1600/IMG_20180819_010232636_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eEhSlaqvKISjyw8XRt3RwhmvNOadTmc4S5AlpMNWXFcDaqOlBlMtKnC87Bkl1krxtJ5znFFNzrSsYBOev7aefynWPei1jkaBTAgn29x50h-8pYZK2atqkP_fXMjXffNdBaVHdXPA_y3x/s320/IMG_20180819_010232636_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7-GLmwhf-PyXMArsOtFMlqomqMssH5OGpUIGt6VogXKsMmasBAm3p5Dj_6rLTt9b3GXhaPXAzWMgK8ps2dpshNY0TV_5mGMc1z5xnN1C1XsCWzULQXxw1bryaI9KEtiUtV3mUhGhKCQZ/s1600/IMG_20180819_011542551_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7-GLmwhf-PyXMArsOtFMlqomqMssH5OGpUIGt6VogXKsMmasBAm3p5Dj_6rLTt9b3GXhaPXAzWMgK8ps2dpshNY0TV_5mGMc1z5xnN1C1XsCWzULQXxw1bryaI9KEtiUtV3mUhGhKCQZ/s320/IMG_20180819_011542551_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesEwOsBZPbcq5aI5ihHdH-NvY6czLlDJzve_M5D8rLrhRpscrqTr7xGRwpapSwE_7HeS4lXvVaGT933j2w2-I2RB10nW9G5KDErinqnj-pmHdc98eqc7NdemLNAQaPkRcfcYkLVLtCnrK/s1600/DSC_2484_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesEwOsBZPbcq5aI5ihHdH-NvY6czLlDJzve_M5D8rLrhRpscrqTr7xGRwpapSwE_7HeS4lXvVaGT933j2w2-I2RB10nW9G5KDErinqnj-pmHdc98eqc7NdemLNAQaPkRcfcYkLVLtCnrK/s320/DSC_2484_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7f_XeJuh7yGmT4_srvlN2kVOw6ZAO66IsojPWBoZsbRiMcz3Xiay1lZeU5NYhSc0QxIdCJW-RRlXYLgBo9eyE3IswXNLsQMwGeNb1XUAC1dzFd2miscuZ8JsNYpE7zr_3gcrLGnEumPU/s1600/IMG_20180819_011840228_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7f_XeJuh7yGmT4_srvlN2kVOw6ZAO66IsojPWBoZsbRiMcz3Xiay1lZeU5NYhSc0QxIdCJW-RRlXYLgBo9eyE3IswXNLsQMwGeNb1XUAC1dzFd2miscuZ8JsNYpE7zr_3gcrLGnEumPU/s320/IMG_20180819_011840228_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPwgl0zFuROCA98aVHizvFGbEOGDTEfovqhhsXwGsslSo6X-7y9asmW0jX-GWzuHLHqoVpe0Z3KcDdpIt9sxRdj-WgMEb55r_ScncT4NINzPkvOFtpPI-YzYfBOx2BzDzINpF8rEJTgzt/s1600/IMG_20180819_010439999_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPwgl0zFuROCA98aVHizvFGbEOGDTEfovqhhsXwGsslSo6X-7y9asmW0jX-GWzuHLHqoVpe0Z3KcDdpIt9sxRdj-WgMEb55r_ScncT4NINzPkvOFtpPI-YzYfBOx2BzDzINpF8rEJTgzt/s320/IMG_20180819_010439999_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Outside the church, we recited the <i>Benedictus, </i>the Canticle of Zechariah, proclaimed when he regained his voice after the birth of his son, which is posted on a series of plaques around the courtyard in many different languages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he has come to his people and set them free.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He has raised up for us a mighty savior,</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">born of the house of his servant David.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Through his holy prophets he promised of old</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that he would save us from our enemies,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from the hands of all who hate us.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He promised to show mercy to our fathers</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and to remember his holy covenant.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to set us free from the hands of our enemies,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">free to worship him without fear,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">holy and righteous in his sight</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">all the days of our life.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to give his people knowledge of salvation</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by the forgiveness of their sins.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the tender compassion of our God</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the dawn from on high shall break upon us,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and to guide our feet into the way of peace.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Note: This is not the translation that was posted. It is instead the one that I am most familiar with as printed in the Liturgy of the Hours. I will follow the same practice for the <i>Magnificat</i> and any other such prayers we come to.)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDGd84QA_zfiN4PwSJXHH68fdSTiMhigTDSm9lbll8YQa_y5s3JzaxP9AskIRqWNlF3YDY6HnoH-Y-UEqRqrpj-N1dsLLuQMkxAR_9l1VtWmvksjqpNw7EZ_h6Pe1VAsmkhFdZkgmdDZh/s1600/IMG_20180819_015441390_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrTi9slM3dLlovTboSa9W5xvIz2EhvOywQgkVo_OSezA0zZmSfgCUb3Z1gfiVI4COEXsRhY8Xs0gf9DnCO2ze0MnZfNPFRask3uvqSdJ3IwbMRDV12QDqybI8ycr48L0Bv3J34VJQQi5-/s1600/IMG_20180819_014242668_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrTi9slM3dLlovTboSa9W5xvIz2EhvOywQgkVo_OSezA0zZmSfgCUb3Z1gfiVI4COEXsRhY8Xs0gf9DnCO2ze0MnZfNPFRask3uvqSdJ3IwbMRDV12QDqybI8ycr48L0Bv3J34VJQQi5-/s320/IMG_20180819_014242668_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDGd84QA_zfiN4PwSJXHH68fdSTiMhigTDSm9lbll8YQa_y5s3JzaxP9AskIRqWNlF3YDY6HnoH-Y-UEqRqrpj-N1dsLLuQMkxAR_9l1VtWmvksjqpNw7EZ_h6Pe1VAsmkhFdZkgmdDZh/s1600/IMG_20180819_015441390_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDGd84QA_zfiN4PwSJXHH68fdSTiMhigTDSm9lbll8YQa_y5s3JzaxP9AskIRqWNlF3YDY6HnoH-Y-UEqRqrpj-N1dsLLuQMkxAR_9l1VtWmvksjqpNw7EZ_h6Pe1VAsmkhFdZkgmdDZh/s320/IMG_20180819_015441390_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jd8b0AON-s7P9_ilsm2D-f_cogl63GHrta45VQJLjFqfQb29G85m38UGTZ_DVgDUA9vrh5Q2NTrWub81jfphlkYYb2h9eHg6lwpqx5VBVKuA98Gt5LOkCLXv6wVmk55_MWgikdCYQmuk/s1600/IMG_20180819_024738500_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jd8b0AON-s7P9_ilsm2D-f_cogl63GHrta45VQJLjFqfQb29G85m38UGTZ_DVgDUA9vrh5Q2NTrWub81jfphlkYYb2h9eHg6lwpqx5VBVKuA98Gt5LOkCLXv6wVmk55_MWgikdCYQmuk/s320/IMG_20180819_024738500_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then we took a long half-mile walk, <i>uphill all the way</i> ("many steps"!), to the Church of the Visitation. Along the way we recited the Rosary. I led the last decade right at the gate into the courtyard right outside the church; instead of concluding in English, I continued without pause directly into chanting the <i>Salve Regina</i> in Latin. Almost everyone joined in, I believe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was right at 10:00, time for Mass in the main Church of the Visitation, commemorating Mary, newly pregnant with the Son of God, came to her aged cousin Elizabeth, six or more months along in her own miraculous pregnancy:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <b>And the angel said to [Mary] ... "And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”</b> (Luke 1: 35-45)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary as the Ark of
the New Covenant explains why the preborn John the Baptist leapt in his
mother’s womb. In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the
dwelling-place of God Himself, before which King David danced as it was brought into Jerusalem. Mary, in conceiving Jesus, became the
dwelling-place of God Himself. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into
Jerusalem, David danced before his God. When Mary approached Elizabeth, John
danced before his God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGDMKWGZ4neqbNRNsZQEAjtSUQfrDHQKxTiQePJ34JEaHQ-VbzmzHC3SRZ0y0XGbL3klQlupTfDYIaQTN34Jm6BjDIv0_RiBjKnwLSXMQchHgZ9EpJL-fF-qtuJmHfJAnBkDqXjQy5xcC/s1600/IMG_20180819_024807378_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGDMKWGZ4neqbNRNsZQEAjtSUQfrDHQKxTiQePJ34JEaHQ-VbzmzHC3SRZ0y0XGbL3klQlupTfDYIaQTN34Jm6BjDIv0_RiBjKnwLSXMQchHgZ9EpJL-fF-qtuJmHfJAnBkDqXjQy5xcC/s320/IMG_20180819_024807378_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM_mUDyiyLVsro_cP-yUOOOqUujIdlcd4ioVLGnKns3nsy96Uh8NgqLuiatOvq8FOXiG7gdRnoEQOX0eO9OqoGy_9KIahDLQGPxbZjbzNHQuAeXk3lonDrz8zrVUTjUh4GlqnqE51kzvC/s1600/IMG_20180819_024811739_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM_mUDyiyLVsro_cP-yUOOOqUujIdlcd4ioVLGnKns3nsy96Uh8NgqLuiatOvq8FOXiG7gdRnoEQOX0eO9OqoGy_9KIahDLQGPxbZjbzNHQuAeXk3lonDrz8zrVUTjUh4GlqnqE51kzvC/s320/IMG_20180819_024811739_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In his homily, Padre's theme was: Mary came </span><i>here</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in haste, from Nazareth, on foot, a journey comparable to our own of a couple days ago which took us a couple hours driving all told, in air-conditioned comfort. Hers was much longer, much less difficult, much less comfortable. (An amusing story. I had offered after the first day to start chanting the Responsorial Psalms, which I then did at every Mass. Just the day before I had proposed to Padre that we chant the simple Latin Mass Parts at least for Sunday, which he had okayed as well. And then I proceeded to mess it up. For whatever reason, I zoned out after the Creed if we said it this particular day; I may even have dozed off for a moment sitting up -- by this point in the pilgrimage I was dragging a bit. Whatever the reason, I suddenly zoned back in, heard Padre say something about "and we say...." -- and thought it was time for the </span><i>Sanctus</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, which I launched off into. Others joined in after a moment, but since I often sing with my eyes closed if I know the piece fairly well, I didn't see what others reported to be an amused grin on Padre's face -- because he had actually been introducing the Intercessions! I only realized it when Br. Miguel took up with the Intercessions immediately upon us finishing the </span><i>Sanctus.</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> All I could do was a quiet face-palm. So, in my mind at least, our Mass at the Church of the Visitation became the "Mass of the Double </span><i>Sanctus</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">." And, of course, I was wide awake from that point; sudden humiliation with a side of adrenaline kind of does that....)</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP7d0XvYFekFjfrTv7zE8CWg9CqKxaLi4HCtao7MrxH9HFR-Yt1S7Y5nZABxiucJ9Mgu4xvcNdp6Pbjs_RIXPCbuZ-our639hLuHr_kINy8-e9XUgHLUTuUmS_UdmZ2jRpLhFrvbusgUz/s1600/IMG_20180819_024814924_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP7d0XvYFekFjfrTv7zE8CWg9CqKxaLi4HCtao7MrxH9HFR-Yt1S7Y5nZABxiucJ9Mgu4xvcNdp6Pbjs_RIXPCbuZ-our639hLuHr_kINy8-e9XUgHLUTuUmS_UdmZ2jRpLhFrvbusgUz/s320/IMG_20180819_024814924_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Church of the Visitation contains
magnificent paintings of scenes both from the Bible and from Christian history
– Mary and Jesus at Cana; the 431 Council of Ephesus where the question of
Mary’s status as Mother </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">of God</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was
definitively decided; Duns Scotus, the great Franciscan philosopher who
advocated for the understanding that Mary was not just born and lived without
sin, but was indeed </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">conceived</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> without
sin through the prevenient grace of God (the Church of the Visitation is under
the authority of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land); the 1571 Battle of
Lepanto – 07 October (now commemorated as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary) – … and of course, the Visitation itself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">High on the back wall of the church is one of the most beautiful paintings of the Virgin and Child I've ever seen, modernistic though it be:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2qbE3Kud5MXxD-f5leftoScu6P3jufHAYU0LZ41HzdpBmD9lbP80xvFQ83oXLTl7VaEGE0_67pqj1ZtSukIQ67-0KY8-c9ctFXNaQzYWwte8rQ7HBMCPrz_ESzpVGwaFuKembr1zhn26/s1600/IMG_20180819_024757008_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2qbE3Kud5MXxD-f5leftoScu6P3jufHAYU0LZ41HzdpBmD9lbP80xvFQ83oXLTl7VaEGE0_67pqj1ZtSukIQ67-0KY8-c9ctFXNaQzYWwte8rQ7HBMCPrz_ESzpVGwaFuKembr1zhn26/s640/IMG_20180819_024757008_450x600.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0DKJhA1efPz1h1PYYbmXTrVxOYX-s_DpuzvV3utYr01oxq7UPgNFH4h5dl_pgTAaIMKZgsz9NvVvcdCy6G1F5v5UGRbrz9MOjs7np_NnPrOQZ93IR1O0mZ7oywpFccvWOt5NL02xh_Di/s1600/IMG_20180819_025614932_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0DKJhA1efPz1h1PYYbmXTrVxOYX-s_DpuzvV3utYr01oxq7UPgNFH4h5dl_pgTAaIMKZgsz9NvVvcdCy6G1F5v5UGRbrz9MOjs7np_NnPrOQZ93IR1O0mZ7oywpFccvWOt5NL02xh_Di/s320/IMG_20180819_025614932_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Not in the church itself, but in a room adjacent can also been seen a huge rock set into the wall -- the "Rock of the Hiding," </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">behind which an
angel is said to have hidden the baby John the Baptist when Herod’s soldiers came to kill all the
babies under two years old. Ein Karem was fairly close to Jerusalem (it's part of the city now) and would
have been part of that jurisdiction. A painting above depicts the scene.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV_gSahZnCTEXzpRzUQaxzGZvjlDA154S_cFNsa62-h9p5VU9AB90QfkeiKBKmcKsjoYT8EaI9lezliuxC33cThZVs0tEBS1Q52cNoGI2IRny5cZNeqqUC28XwScZYxzBGWtPs5VP9Uk6/s1600/IMG_20180819_025716542_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV_gSahZnCTEXzpRzUQaxzGZvjlDA154S_cFNsa62-h9p5VU9AB90QfkeiKBKmcKsjoYT8EaI9lezliuxC33cThZVs0tEBS1Q52cNoGI2IRny5cZNeqqUC28XwScZYxzBGWtPs5VP9Uk6/s320/IMG_20180819_025716542_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the courtyard outside, like in the church at the bottom of the hill, there are many plaques displaying Mary's song which followed immediately from the Visitation quoted above -- The <i>M</i><i>agnificat </i>(again quoted in a more familiar English translation):</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>my spirit rejoices in God my Savior</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>From this day all generations will call me blessed:</b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwwPA3DXZlr1SJFzZddqFcWkGYeqn9Y5gMMmO8FbMkdmihOZGsUHggiGCU1dJmvwPZTpaJ9hxyBRFmL4uz0txeIBiC3YYdTrPUQNBLGwPWgAf3dXLz-dYW87NSvbLQE0HTQz3A76UGxC_/s1600/IMG_20180819_030031845_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwwPA3DXZlr1SJFzZddqFcWkGYeqn9Y5gMMmO8FbMkdmihOZGsUHggiGCU1dJmvwPZTpaJ9hxyBRFmL4uz0txeIBiC3YYdTrPUQNBLGwPWgAf3dXLz-dYW87NSvbLQE0HTQz3A76UGxC_/s320/IMG_20180819_030031845_HDR_800x600.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the Almighty has done great things for me,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and holy is his Name.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has mercy on those who fear him</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>in every generation.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has shown the strength of his arm,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>he has scattered the proud in their conceit.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and has lifted up the lowly.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has filled the hungry with good things,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and the rich he has sent away empty.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has come to the help of his servant Israel</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>for he has remembered his promise of mercy,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the promise he made to our fathers,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to Abraham and his children for ever.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEdeT0YFx_ZoHbyGdAwX4G4piocabinZ6IxOg2M9O5IS4ClREtYsrEmbrlNGe6VXzQCkqYPNro_HUOBZRcpEHr9bq102oN19upbcdz7SPh1XgFDsVgmxHV-8_MejC4vvm35lv9wJFAjVy/s1600/IMG-20180829-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEdeT0YFx_ZoHbyGdAwX4G4piocabinZ6IxOg2M9O5IS4ClREtYsrEmbrlNGe6VXzQCkqYPNro_HUOBZRcpEHr9bq102oN19upbcdz7SPh1XgFDsVgmxHV-8_MejC4vvm35lv9wJFAjVy/s320/IMG-20180829-WA0000.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Padre, Angela, and Maria</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Photo from Ann via WhatsApp)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KAr1ULyGPiK00bWxw54vbRryPkiwuAbpZlV9uI6tWGvMOlNNI6Tk0-p0A6vw-5oRuEdO6P3-RWEgpW_0cl_LP_WOSyseaTDXg6-MI_-5czFVonkIj2tuBOwqXTG_nHCzHlXXRRLNBVEx/s1600/IMG-20180829-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KAr1ULyGPiK00bWxw54vbRryPkiwuAbpZlV9uI6tWGvMOlNNI6Tk0-p0A6vw-5oRuEdO6P3-RWEgpW_0cl_LP_WOSyseaTDXg6-MI_-5czFVonkIj2tuBOwqXTG_nHCzHlXXRRLNBVEx/s320/IMG-20180829-WA0001.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donna, Kristal, Ann, Jennifer, myself, I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ngrid, Br. Miguel, Kathie,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Photo from Ann via WhatsApp)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We walked back down. Halfway, we stopped at another religious articles store vouched-for by Tony. I think it may have been connected with the Sisters of the Rosary, who also run a guest house for pilgrims. At the bottom of the walk -- <i>a gelato</i> shop!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then we took a long bus ride into the Judaean Wilderness to the east, to Jericho, descending from Jerusalem's altitude of about 2500 feet above sea level to about 850 feet below sea level. The thicker air plus temperatures pushing 100F were not nearly so pleasant as the morning had been, even though the humidity was pretty low. Along the way the stark contrast with the western approaches to Jerusalem was impressive. There is pretty much <i>nothing</i> here but rocks. And yet we did see some ramshackle Bedouin camps as well as the goats they herd. Amazing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF63hLhIoTlvlC476QWV6O-9p59OqElBu2ZZlaV-e4xbDXrfbeqi-OSQcW-u5x8e6YWBOdK0F7IFLPdTiEfDoPSo15ijZVWyVp7eMTzHWWf9KWkCx__08C-Gi-i4aaOvNGrtkKN5Q24Va/s1600/The+Wall_799x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF63hLhIoTlvlC476QWV6O-9p59OqElBu2ZZlaV-e4xbDXrfbeqi-OSQcW-u5x8e6YWBOdK0F7IFLPdTiEfDoPSo15ijZVWyVp7eMTzHWWf9KWkCx__08C-Gi-i4aaOvNGrtkKN5Q24Va/s320/The+Wall_799x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMzNCsI4UK4zXt7pT8Sr8rugnxc33Fik6quAccm2ZTWAhhHn_G4k_t2RZo4rJU_Xxt9Ij_ZxkKQd2wiU8MzLikJnufDdAJLv9XCUXByqKnXaADZuFCUII5-hEhyphenhyphenRMOF9gsqnSNTZZKV34/s1600/IMG_20180819_043225141_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMzNCsI4UK4zXt7pT8Sr8rugnxc33Fik6quAccm2ZTWAhhHn_G4k_t2RZo4rJU_Xxt9Ij_ZxkKQd2wiU8MzLikJnufDdAJLv9XCUXByqKnXaADZuFCUII5-hEhyphenhyphenRMOF9gsqnSNTZZKV34/s320/IMG_20180819_043225141_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HCZw_0DH2113uLLKZPHdVufwyg323AajnT1bInVscEW-xXqdOYPjLgBme_N5TwYh6gxNTbCLXvmYmOY8o3UOd6nV1GINswTA8-VLlS5kVuS4TH6pFvXkvGnwT0cDcbZoINYQgTdlD0Gj/s1600/IMG_20180819_043427507_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HCZw_0DH2113uLLKZPHdVufwyg323AajnT1bInVscEW-xXqdOYPjLgBme_N5TwYh6gxNTbCLXvmYmOY8o3UOd6nV1GINswTA8-VLlS5kVuS4TH6pFvXkvGnwT0cDcbZoINYQgTdlD0Gj/s320/IMG_20180819_043427507_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZi3HFUWEkZsDkNUOxSEuFyLWLeCyViPhu60WPcgSL3wRODJ-90QotIoBFXO6IWzUCMeh4gXpdeL-Q7Jixwq_UBdTzo23qXTROFAOjs7t0YOvC4lTxXcse8cb7B6Qte5WPJcl9TTqURp63/s1600/IMG_20180819_044250475_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZi3HFUWEkZsDkNUOxSEuFyLWLeCyViPhu60WPcgSL3wRODJ-90QotIoBFXO6IWzUCMeh4gXpdeL-Q7Jixwq_UBdTzo23qXTROFAOjs7t0YOvC4lTxXcse8cb7B6Qte5WPJcl9TTqURp63/s320/IMG_20180819_044250475_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSke3PEdwrNzXLHY3Lfyv6uF7D9rJQBBq9JXZArPv1TeTIiAzepwQEMe_LRyJAoLEMBJDhvelahJEiH5y_8lSTcp9UGSS3UgK5RG9vSKkiGyI1Z9Udr0kh4CSgvUdGzzYWjeLf4LNvB7d/s1600/Jericho+Sycamore+Tree_338x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSke3PEdwrNzXLHY3Lfyv6uF7D9rJQBBq9JXZArPv1TeTIiAzepwQEMe_LRyJAoLEMBJDhvelahJEiH5y_8lSTcp9UGSS3UgK5RG9vSKkiGyI1Z9Udr0kh4CSgvUdGzzYWjeLf4LNvB7d/s320/Jericho+Sycamore+Tree_338x600.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sycamore Tree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Kristal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAytxPdEXpF1Vq_MjWOCvG-hKFFDgDFLe_VHQI1qdeV3QIZAvoH6f9quSBqRSb_AXZQppWZL6BeTAySGnjFxJ1h6MKajb2UvLZIphRvX9rA1CLLAUSKAP1fbX01O2tCdw-emH94_mxp6Ol/s1600/Jericho+Mount+of+Temptation_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAytxPdEXpF1Vq_MjWOCvG-hKFFDgDFLe_VHQI1qdeV3QIZAvoH6f9quSBqRSb_AXZQppWZL6BeTAySGnjFxJ1h6MKajb2UvLZIphRvX9rA1CLLAUSKAP1fbX01O2tCdw-emH94_mxp6Ol/s320/Jericho+Mount+of+Temptation_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Kristal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3STI5MYFYjHX9QaOr-esRrsZzdzIgaVCv0qM-FHjGLiV3RhYfrl_dWFOO5ADlY-uOgrx5OldxpWx0PX7lEHaTGO7zZ4uF4lSVcDCmEfK03gaPE3lk6lUCgqIshgYMMQcqln4c_bjyGOJc/s1600/DSC_2673_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3STI5MYFYjHX9QaOr-esRrsZzdzIgaVCv0qM-FHjGLiV3RhYfrl_dWFOO5ADlY-uOgrx5OldxpWx0PX7lEHaTGO7zZ4uF4lSVcDCmEfK03gaPE3lk6lUCgqIshgYMMQcqln4c_bjyGOJc/s320/DSC_2673_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jericho - Tony's house near center</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jericho is, however, an oasis -- literally -- with gardens and orchards, by comparison with the surrounding landscape downright lush and green. Looming over it all -- the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting immediately after his Baptism in the nearby Jordan River. (By the way, we did not go there; Tony gave us the option, but said that this time of year we would only see a bare trickle of water </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">through a narrow ribbon of mud in a mostly dry river bed. We opted out.) Tony pointed out that, given the proximity, during his long fast, culminating in the Temptations for which the mountain is named, Jesus could have seen immediate relief from the torments of hunger and thirst looming below him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we pulled in to an open-air bazaar facing the Mount of Temptation, Tony pointed out his own vacation home some distance away in Jericho itself. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRtyEdl-ZWq5M22vsQHtLBdwOhgqXm0U_YoE7KOo2Usd34ZZoHxkm3hUldbNxjx1aEsQKYyuzaPhxGtaJJrB-rzwt8zBqWGWaanEbtaeq33OLlatX9rYxlIHmFZkiX6C_gE2SoIuydUse/s1600/IMG_20180819_051456174_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRtyEdl-ZWq5M22vsQHtLBdwOhgqXm0U_YoE7KOo2Usd34ZZoHxkm3hUldbNxjx1aEsQKYyuzaPhxGtaJJrB-rzwt8zBqWGWaanEbtaeq33OLlatX9rYxlIHmFZkiX6C_gE2SoIuydUse/s320/IMG_20180819_051456174_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of our group rode a camel there. We went into a couple of shops as well -- including the main (I believe) Dead Sea Company store, where I was able to get Anne some of the cosmetics and soap products that I had seen but passed up at the Nativity Souvenir Co-op yesterday (and which I will always associate with our breakfast companion in Shrewsbury, England, ten years ago now -- my repeatedly hearing the young lady saying she worked for the "Detsi Company" until she said it very slowly for me! [<a href="https://theprofstravels.blogspot.com/p/uk-2008.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>, Tuesday 25 March]).</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ8Nq6DMzx9s9sP_PljjNMd8-1_jfFEoixlXcNYszZS7AkpPohTx4MIWjFOUcsuEZ-3n87idD8aI3SxvQwuqds90IBwZMX7niZYeTIJd8YQFwYZcCR5BXZWKytbpOpojsoJ1QkiF_hRzs/s1600/Dead+Sea+Scroll+cave_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ8Nq6DMzx9s9sP_PljjNMd8-1_jfFEoixlXcNYszZS7AkpPohTx4MIWjFOUcsuEZ-3n87idD8aI3SxvQwuqds90IBwZMX7niZYeTIJd8YQFwYZcCR5BXZWKytbpOpojsoJ1QkiF_hRzs/s320/Dead+Sea+Scroll+cave_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Leaving Jericho, we drove past Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Tony told us the story of the most important archaeological discovery of the 20th century: A young Bedouin goatherd, seeking a stray, cast a stone into one of the many caves dotting these cliffs. He was startled to hear the sound of clay pottery shattering. Hoping to find treasure, he did -- just not the kind he expected or even recognized as such. Some of the many clay jars contained old scrolls, most in fragments. As it turned out, some were copies of Hebrew scriptures a thousand years older any any existing Biblical manuscript. The result was a revolution in Biblical studies that is still ongoing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But we did not stop there -- Tony said it really was not worth it and just showed us the caves in which the scrolls were discovered, visible from the road, as he told us the story of the Qumran community of Jewish "monks" called Essenes -- and we continued on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We reached the Dead Sea. Some of our number did go "bathing" or "floating"; knowing of my recent pacemaker implantation, Tony flatly forbade me -- and indeed I saw a sign warning against heart patients and those "owning" high blood pressure entering the highly salinated and mineralized water. I did walk down to the water's edge, take some pictures, then trudged back up a ways to "The Lowest Bar in the World" and had a really good Goldstar Dark Lager at about 1300 feet below sea level. It was quite pleasant, especially since I'd snagged a table by an evaporation air cooler. tAfter a while, most of our "floaters" having gone back up, I trudged the long walk back up to the entrance mall where I found most of our number in a cantina around another evaporation air cooler.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxlAZAzPxLJFTOcJ7sxsa7wpHVn0J9wj1zwGQux3uYxPdUntRGM0wD_jEukM1KyGFDlspv85Ahz97sMwaKt77hacCJGpwqnOV6QXvS2n06w-sah1lwplhiLuHT46GIRJ6gHsd6fV6Xs4E/s1600/IMG_20180819_061936783_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxlAZAzPxLJFTOcJ7sxsa7wpHVn0J9wj1zwGQux3uYxPdUntRGM0wD_jEukM1KyGFDlspv85Ahz97sMwaKt77hacCJGpwqnOV6QXvS2n06w-sah1lwplhiLuHT46GIRJ6gHsd6fV6Xs4E/s320/IMG_20180819_061936783_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"DEAD SEA BATHING DANGEROUS [TO]</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">HEART PATIENTS AND OWNERS</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiHG8v7QVBJPVOqWg5K-21J_dtYhcGL0VfSZbWGTCYL-amJGW0GMxoHd6Yl0pGR3OI3NSrbxus60EffEa0_ivNpPvT1M0HRL_SGngV0DcoLuSSutpW2IevWGoSRxyxO8_0v9C3Mu15Ri4/s1600/IMG_20180819_063947712_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiHG8v7QVBJPVOqWg5K-21J_dtYhcGL0VfSZbWGTCYL-amJGW0GMxoHd6Yl0pGR3OI3NSrbxus60EffEa0_ivNpPvT1M0HRL_SGngV0DcoLuSSutpW2IevWGoSRxyxO8_0v9C3Mu15Ri4/s320/IMG_20180819_063947712_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCthTB3rnjGyaWwW8Ml3WH6uk1xRzuZfZsJrhJE5gEwgZkxl69MfuxI0QnuWO2VL0uUsWZCZr50rpPgLfl1pMAyWIF3JAgzCuDVo28msIzeamVAVQN1ctK0GSt1plzznpRJBeX06vAS_n/s1600/IMG_20180819_064019468_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCthTB3rnjGyaWwW8Ml3WH6uk1xRzuZfZsJrhJE5gEwgZkxl69MfuxI0QnuWO2VL0uUsWZCZr50rpPgLfl1pMAyWIF3JAgzCuDVo28msIzeamVAVQN1ctK0GSt1plzznpRJBeX06vAS_n/s320/IMG_20180819_064019468_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MH4Gd9ozuzZRRYpjFMjz91yZBpM7a4WXa2vgepEGTAJhtPlYgRvvQm5rc0nwjj5uTYdATOxPKODBq3rHciaFpy11iRBkEt3XZa6xJsTFEif7j7DyBgIKZCU0bLkv_Odz8t-P9k4U4TKd/s1600/Dead+Sea_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MH4Gd9ozuzZRRYpjFMjz91yZBpM7a4WXa2vgepEGTAJhtPlYgRvvQm5rc0nwjj5uTYdATOxPKODBq3rHciaFpy11iRBkEt3XZa6xJsTFEif7j7DyBgIKZCU0bLkv_Odz8t-P9k4U4TKd/s320/Dead+Sea_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">VIDEO</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pMP71hpvJHg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pMP71hpvJHg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKx3zHfrxcxBXMmCc7ulxwCDgsjXXrGPRC0qiEonMhaToWSA43rp1SDIh0l2BcRkl4blV4AlsUzAz1ZsJ170AIbnWnO9gIRZAUh1lq39fNrgiCZGL_cVceQmYO6R8NptZ64ksPr_MvGb6/s1600/IMG_20180819_063849287_HDR+1_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKx3zHfrxcxBXMmCc7ulxwCDgsjXXrGPRC0qiEonMhaToWSA43rp1SDIh0l2BcRkl4blV4AlsUzAz1ZsJ170AIbnWnO9gIRZAUh1lq39fNrgiCZGL_cVceQmYO6R8NptZ64ksPr_MvGb6/s320/IMG_20180819_063849287_HDR+1_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WVOcwRdEc-Q0UsLqsKURe18yeIkflIlBpRTS7PsNUZ0fycTaN20NsMcRu-Mv_rdPKznrCdDw-3DajBMPo22UyDrzYh846E2VIoEcsDExOGAZDYKv2BdYBKxbAHYzevi111PiuLUrqMLh/s1600/20180819_150058_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WVOcwRdEc-Q0UsLqsKURe18yeIkflIlBpRTS7PsNUZ0fycTaN20NsMcRu-Mv_rdPKznrCdDw-3DajBMPo22UyDrzYh846E2VIoEcsDExOGAZDYKv2BdYBKxbAHYzevi111PiuLUrqMLh/s320/20180819_150058_800x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About 16:00 we rode back toward the hotel, back through the Judaean wilderness, arriving a bit after 17:00. We had some free/rest time until 19:00.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I mentioned above, upon leaving
Galilee, that there were two things that I would dhave liked to have seen that
were not on our itinerary, both doubtless in consideration of time and cost
(time <i>is</i> money), in part because both
would have required fairly long drives out of our way. In the north there was Banias; in
the south there was Masada – Herod the Great’s fortress atop a great rock which served as
the last bastion of Jewish resistance against the Romans after Jerusalem fell
and the Temple was destroyed in AD 70, at the end of the Jewish War. It was
ultimately less Roman military force than Roman military engineering that
brought the fall of Masada – the remains of a great ramp built by the Tenth
Legion under General Flavius Silva stand even today in remembrance of how the
Romans ultimately moved their siege engines into place 1300 feet above the
desert floor, against the walls of the fortress, and breached them … to find
that a thousand Jewish rebels had committed mass suicide rather than be
slaughtered or taken. That happened in either AD 73 or 74 – amazingly, we are
not absolutely certain which, but then Josephus could be amazingly careless with
his chronology. Masada looms over the Jewish psyche even today, a rallying cry
more powerful by far even than Texans’ “Remember the Alamo!” or the Greatest
Generation’s “Remember Pearl Harbor!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0-lDHeQNDcEpzhZRNItCcDPwFs2grfK4UFTl-6_8H-uqACBRx9zbRMSzx7LcTuc4L-rGnL48WWMutTaKdan9vYLoWfQ6OyewIz2RyX36-rehIrcil7gfd52wJVR942j7Q6SWtRMnhQ5n/s1600/IMG-20180819-WA0008_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0-lDHeQNDcEpzhZRNItCcDPwFs2grfK4UFTl-6_8H-uqACBRx9zbRMSzx7LcTuc4L-rGnL48WWMutTaKdan9vYLoWfQ6OyewIz2RyX36-rehIrcil7gfd52wJVR942j7Q6SWtRMnhQ5n/s400/IMG-20180819-WA0008_450x600.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Inside the St. Gabriel Hotel:<br />(Bottom to top, left to right)<br />Kathie, Robert, Donna, Ann,<br />Kristal, Kent, Jennifer, Mary,<br />Ingrid, and Br. Emilio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Photo from Kathie)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For dinner tonight we went out of the hotel back across to Shepherd's Fields, to the Grotto Restaurant across from the one we had lunch at yesterday. There we had, a night early, our semi-formal "farewell dinner." It was virtually the same menu as lunch yesterday, but maybe even better. Hatem, the local head of Nativity Pilgrimages, was there and joined us, as did Tony. There were thank yous and testimonies all around -- as to the value of Nativity Pilgrimages and the work it does as not just another tour company, not even just another pilgrimage company, but indeed a ministry or apostolate to, among other things, support the native Christians of the Holy Land especially those identified as "Palestinians." That is one of the most important things I think I have learned and experienced on this trip, that there is a whole group of essentially original Christians whose story is not told, or even worse, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">misrepresented</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. The other topic was the role and value of Radio Maria, and almost everyone there's important role in that apostolate.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjq4QP3C2G1TGyu1EWxQTOcqXillwVVyapLyalgEzClSzyDJ6tRrUQcO9PinG6PBxhENQBQhSJ8_rfHp7BUiBr6-zWVeokeU1FW5Jnt11FB0qtiaYJZDZaGj5tIoL2al6oq9CHuCXQ12p/s1600/IMG_20180819_113937952+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjq4QP3C2G1TGyu1EWxQTOcqXillwVVyapLyalgEzClSzyDJ6tRrUQcO9PinG6PBxhENQBQhSJ8_rfHp7BUiBr6-zWVeokeU1FW5Jnt11FB0qtiaYJZDZaGj5tIoL2al6oq9CHuCXQ12p/s320/IMG_20180819_113937952+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjV2hEkW6lx4T9EU02YV_ADl3apH2o82nF8vzZQqqmMuITDM4IX7hea3-uF8uEd4-wGCXXtYrQQZiOSObndz9fT5hUysKxvTMef4k2Wld5G-DMmo7gtDpfTysYcvQgRJWu8tw0VTZK1pW/s1600/IMG_20180819_114009008+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjV2hEkW6lx4T9EU02YV_ADl3apH2o82nF8vzZQqqmMuITDM4IX7hea3-uF8uEd4-wGCXXtYrQQZiOSObndz9fT5hUysKxvTMef4k2Wld5G-DMmo7gtDpfTysYcvQgRJWu8tw0VTZK1pW/s320/IMG_20180819_114009008+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTf0gdj4Eqg7V4DjHaxtt5j2CG9rMAasAaN6CEzxMsDaiAmS790KaQOq-78nkeL7UNMmmkS0GvaY9kK4raI2fzZa7O4zMxB1019zgNhqpZNz8FTcXaAKaUY5FS-IM1R-gkikRZFKrUCus/s1600/IMG_20180819_122030671+%25282%2529_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTf0gdj4Eqg7V4DjHaxtt5j2CG9rMAasAaN6CEzxMsDaiAmS790KaQOq-78nkeL7UNMmmkS0GvaY9kK4raI2fzZa7O4zMxB1019zgNhqpZNz8FTcXaAKaUY5FS-IM1R-gkikRZFKrUCus/s320/IMG_20180819_122030671+%25282%2529_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WPZIFJwkcv05_FuQyten8EVotUMrXHlNTOxkKS1Swxc72ysRbnHuxP7S-56Icm-q96y8zsQ6qnlIAsaby4r7gyzSeKDFUjxyUTsqvk5sBfjJHijwlPMlz49_hnNuZj6wasJmtU-LBT4r/s1600/IMG_20180819_122037626+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WPZIFJwkcv05_FuQyten8EVotUMrXHlNTOxkKS1Swxc72ysRbnHuxP7S-56Icm-q96y8zsQ6qnlIAsaby4r7gyzSeKDFUjxyUTsqvk5sBfjJHijwlPMlz49_hnNuZj6wasJmtU-LBT4r/s320/IMG_20180819_122037626+%25282%2529_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It would have been a good way to end the pilgrimage ... but we have one more day. Tomorrow -- Jerusalem.</span></span>Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-44271739030442363222018-08-18T13:48:00.001-05:002018-09-04T14:29:18.109-05:00Saturday 18 August -- 2018 Holy Land Day 6: Bethlehem and Mount Zion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfhDIh4ftFoem3u5u7uJJsSC5f9y0tcnHEDvWubYEnaunYUFB86OlZQ7KUg-SQzDobrpWFl88taaL8PmwK5qFuk6RKvvRLzFCnvjbVYgSsATNBHfA7VY7mgLd22Nx9D5Kbt1pJH7wfqxM/s1600/20180818+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="743" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfhDIh4ftFoem3u5u7uJJsSC5f9y0tcnHEDvWubYEnaunYUFB86OlZQ7KUg-SQzDobrpWFl88taaL8PmwK5qFuk6RKvvRLzFCnvjbVYgSsATNBHfA7VY7mgLd22Nx9D5Kbt1pJH7wfqxM/s320/20180818+map.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, ignore the<br />
distance and time stamp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got up a little after 06:30 for 07:15 breakfast. It was a little more modest than the Ron Beach Hotel, but, again, our group are the only people currently staying in the Saint Gabriel Hotel. There was no ginormous buffet, but a good spread was right there on our tables, with coffee, cereals, and breads available in a corner of the buffet room.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCPIsmAod8srRM7qmnWRFSvlrYwVdy6vGIkdsBj7wRwpgu9I2Ci8rE4ATY1vY0-xrAJKEtqmEJ_Aq1NENureUoqgfl3Ns8BFmuzuQ3G1WucZPBkNeLo2zfuYTrUeoyHg0f8D2Ynsjnl-w/s1600/IMG_20180818_003633982_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCPIsmAod8srRM7qmnWRFSvlrYwVdy6vGIkdsBj7wRwpgu9I2Ci8rE4ATY1vY0-xrAJKEtqmEJ_Aq1NENureUoqgfl3Ns8BFmuzuQ3G1WucZPBkNeLo2zfuYTrUeoyHg0f8D2Ynsjnl-w/s200/IMG_20180818_003633982_800x600.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4o5rReyq8qfyxi8Gm-Cyz-Lyr0CLjMpZ8Nb32vyQot2xXcsIyI2IoD47mv1-x0ngPk9VpQPGxPHj2vRNVKCRL0gN52U3yDIN6JhWd_4AD4mH1zf7p_Jhp6LVZjFPSYKt_6cv7snQwYqbp/s1600/IMG_20180818_003638497_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4o5rReyq8qfyxi8Gm-Cyz-Lyr0CLjMpZ8Nb32vyQot2xXcsIyI2IoD47mv1-x0ngPk9VpQPGxPHj2vRNVKCRL0gN52U3yDIN6JhWd_4AD4mH1zf7p_Jhp6LVZjFPSYKt_6cv7snQwYqbp/s200/IMG_20180818_003638497_800x600.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At 08:15 we went to the Religious Articles Co-op, Bethlehem Nativity Souvenirs<br />, that we had by that time heard so much about. Tony explained more about how it came to be. It was a 2009 project spearheaded by the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, in which Nativity Pilgrimages has participated from the beginning. 64 Bethlehemite families participate in the co-op, rather than competing against each other with smaller religious articles shops individually too small to survive. It gives jobs to young Christian Bethlehemites for whom there is virtually no other opportunity in the increasingly Muslim-dominated city. It is essential to the survival of the Christian community in Bethlehem, and must be supported. We certainly did that!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F2HJOraiqp0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F2HJOraiqp0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifqbBl1tZWWCo8ARhUHHnzgNUNfzjf_XN9PI0IONE61guiayamsz7U_FD9y3gZxzy_ql-bFb74HsR1QVFA5e2pL8idFHyp6Sg-hO5v2-QwlvoV0LFjXK792SAg1PQqHmh7Vc4SqACUEW6/s1600/IMG_20180818_015817405_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifqbBl1tZWWCo8ARhUHHnzgNUNfzjf_XN9PI0IONE61guiayamsz7U_FD9y3gZxzy_ql-bFb74HsR1QVFA5e2pL8idFHyp6Sg-hO5v2-QwlvoV0LFjXK792SAg1PQqHmh7Vc4SqACUEW6/s320/IMG_20180818_015817405_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristal's sister wanted a Nativity....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGXXuBdWYL8sSwUx_fH9lje7SyQrae72ovGsMB0ldY4zoyqLUBrfL6rj02P1rH6vKUj5XKzeJGHPhh7jn3oC5yPNThnvsEhXQOfI9FWrXRwBCqxLvtOjMMuhMKnK6A79NFFMN0m_xtmBD/s1600/IMG_20180818_014845121_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGXXuBdWYL8sSwUx_fH9lje7SyQrae72ovGsMB0ldY4zoyqLUBrfL6rj02P1rH6vKUj5XKzeJGHPhh7jn3oC5yPNThnvsEhXQOfI9FWrXRwBCqxLvtOjMMuhMKnK6A79NFFMN0m_xtmBD/s320/IMG_20180818_014845121_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNzJ6UxeQdFyURnuMEZ_NaZC1n6hFbRJRHP9tkZG_qDyxGNiioAVrM8ZErB1h-wzrJPENPG1cRQSHc_wWjh9XG2NvPQW5lKVG0KJX5kqIBkFSlmGoDdm2aUKvUYxWVchDqpfds8VO2qzf/s1600/IMG_20180818_015720741_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNzJ6UxeQdFyURnuMEZ_NaZC1n6hFbRJRHP9tkZG_qDyxGNiioAVrM8ZErB1h-wzrJPENPG1cRQSHc_wWjh9XG2NvPQW5lKVG0KJX5kqIBkFSlmGoDdm2aUKvUYxWVchDqpfds8VO2qzf/s320/IMG_20180818_015720741_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't know how long we spent in there. It was a huge showroom, a bit overwhelming. By far and away the most impressive sight was a huge quantity of obviously high-quality, individually hand-carved articles made from olive-wood. I do not know for certain, but am as sure as anything that the people who appear at my home Basilica just about every year are from this group. And there was much more than just the olive-wood -- scads of jewelry, icons, and all kinds of other products. I ended up spending way more money than I ever anticipated I would.... I take consolation that it went to a good cause.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Here's an oddity: When I was making up my map for the day, I tried to include Bethlehem Nativity Souvenirs. Google Maps would not find it; it would find other souvenir shops, but not this one. What does that mean...?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's an interesting story: Yesterday evening, when we arrived at the St. Gabriel Hotel in Bethlehem, one of the ladies among our number missed her walled, which she had been carrying with her throughout the pilgrimage thus far. She had no specific memory of when she last had it in hand, other than that she had it at lunch when she paid for her meal. We knew where we had been that day since, so with Tony's help inquiries were made backtracking along the way. At some point either later in the evening or early the next morning, the wallet was reported found -- with all money and cards still enclosed -- at the Church of St. Peter in Jaffa. Some kind soul had found it in a pew there and turned it in to the religious who oversee the church. But the problem then presented itself as to how to reunite it with its owner? As it turned out, hearing of the debacle as he showed her a necklace in Nativity Souvenirs, the manager had one of his employees drive the hour to and from Jaffa and bring the wallet to the hotel, where it was waiting when we returned in the evening. (Although Nativity Souvenirs is in Bethlehem, and "Palestinian" residents of Bethlehem are forbidden to cross into Israel, as might be expected the co-op has Israeli citizens in its employ, who <i>can</i> pass freely through the Wall.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I include this story as an example of how genuinely good the Christians of Bethlehem are, as well as the unknown individual who found the wallet in the church and turned it in with all its contents intact. As well as, of course, the power of prayer, because I know we were all praying that our companion be reunited with her belongings. And, yes, Nativity Souvenirs did obtain a sale by this good deed, but the drive to and from Jaffa was a very generous deed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just before we left the co-op, Tony handed off the job of guiding us in Bethlehem to a native Bethlehemite Christian named Sana -- when I confirmed her name she told me it means "light." She too gave a very impassioned description of the plight of Christians in Bethlehem -- not in a self-pitying way, but making clear her own family's defiant determination not to retreat and let the Muslims turn it into another Nain. She described the 19th-c. Status Quo agreement that is one thing that has helped thus far -- part of the agreement was that the Mayor of Bethlehem must always be Roman Catholic, while the Vice Mayor must be Greek Orthodox. But harsh realities have driven an insidious emigration dropping the percentage of Christians in Bethlehem to only 20% of the population of 39,000, who are very cautious about wearing their faith on their sleeves. The other 80% are Muslims, but she reiterated that there are many Christians in Bethlehem who are determined to remain. She certainly is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-7PmEOczHVCeqjAP3bNIHUzTKDWAj-6GS3zdUOvns12pRbfJM7fg3Ww5HcEtQVeVUVGOF718vXyrKj7dns4EIVJBl4cdH6_xacTXdba9LAC_G4RkM9HEy0VacWa5PO24YDbwXs4nuFGk/s1600/IMG_20180818_023039201_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-7PmEOczHVCeqjAP3bNIHUzTKDWAj-6GS3zdUOvns12pRbfJM7fg3Ww5HcEtQVeVUVGOF718vXyrKj7dns4EIVJBl4cdH6_xacTXdba9LAC_G4RkM9HEy0VacWa5PO24YDbwXs4nuFGk/s320/IMG_20180818_023039201_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Making it to Manger Square (which we hear of every Christmas Eve as the site of major celebrations -- even if muted in some years by the ever-present troubles), we arrived at the complex of the Basilica of the Nativity. When I say "complex," I mean "complex." Paradoxically, having visited it I am now <i>less</i> sure of what exactly it comprises! It certainly has a structure I do not entirely understand. Here is what I pre-wrote in my research before the pilgrimage, intending to import it into this blog at the proper place:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Church of the Nativity is properly a Basilica. It <span style="font-size: 12pt;">hosts the oldest site venerated by Christian worshipers and is the
oldest major church in the Holy Land. It was originally commissioned by Emperor
Constantine the Great and his mother St. Helena in AD 327, on the site already long reverenced as the
birthplace of Jesus. When the Emperor Justinian rebuilt it two centuries later
after it was destroyed in one of the Samaritan rebellions against the Byzantine
Empire, he maintained the architectural tone of Constantine and Helena’s
original. The basilica as it stands now essentially dates from that time,
although from what I understand it should benefit greatly from a major restoration
project between 2013 and should have been completed earlier this year -- but is still in process. Like several other important sites, most notably
the Holy Sepulchre which we’ll see on Sunday, custody of the Church of the
Nativity is actually cooperative (well, “cooperative” is probably far too
positive a term! – it’s really an uneasy, sometimes downright hostile, truce more than anything else) between
three major middle eastern Christian bodies – Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox,
and Armenian Apostolic – and a couple other minor players – Coptic and Syrian
Orthodox. Given that, I’m actually a bit surprised that the restoration project
ever began at all.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Church of St. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Catherine of Alexandria is right next door. Dating from 1347 it has been
modernized a number of times since, most notably after Vatican II – and in this
case the term “wreckovated” does apply. This is the actual Catholic parish church
in Bethlehem, where the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrates Midnight Mass
on Christmas Eve.</span></span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I wrote a few weeks ago. My confusion is that, whereas I thought the Basilica and St. Catherine's are two separate entities, with the Basilica being shared between the various denominations, Catholic and Orthodox, the way I understood Sana to explain it is that St. Catherine's is the Catholic part of the Basilica. I'm not sure how the Orthodox groups play into it other than that in the main church I think she said that the main sanctuary is Greek Orthodox. I could have totally misunderstood. In any case, St. Catherine's is Sana's own parish church, and she did not hesitate taking us where we needed to be and making needed changes on the fly. At one point, going out a clearly marked entrance-only, she said as much -- "This is my church -- I can take you where I want!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As to making changes on the fly, as a for instance, we apparently were supposed to have Mass at 11:00 in a chapel adjacent to the cave in which St. Jerome lived and translated the Vulgate Latin Bible in the 4th c.; when that didn't work for whatever reason, she quickly got us space in a side chapel of the main church. Father's theme for this Mass was, again, emphasis on the fact that the infinite God of the Universe showed His face </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">here</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> -- assuming humanity in humility. We too must be humble to be like him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are a few pictures of St. Catherine's ... "wreckovated" might be considered too strong a word, but compare the blandness of this church with the glory that is the Basilica of the Nativity -- right next door, even in the midst of a true renovation....</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDioo-qFeVHVyGDxYFzZ9p_GVZStv3JLokHbraKHOxpoeS-1iKtF8E_RwnrhqIzPWU2OPvLOCi5WVzRdineDanGOprqDNGKZ56v1ssJdWcJG8lLk5P-TmFScssltD7vGpzBvtDmph1M6L/s1600/IMG_20180818_023407224_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDioo-qFeVHVyGDxYFzZ9p_GVZStv3JLokHbraKHOxpoeS-1iKtF8E_RwnrhqIzPWU2OPvLOCi5WVzRdineDanGOprqDNGKZ56v1ssJdWcJG8lLk5P-TmFScssltD7vGpzBvtDmph1M6L/s320/IMG_20180818_023407224_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's St. George doing here (besides<br />
slaying the dragon)? Read Taylor Marshall's<br />
<i>Sword and Serpent</i> trilogy to find out....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zLvtVCR2E7zI75nsQZC6803u8xl7p4tq9jTils7OZMjs8mVBZshgbr-pV_qONQ1MtbdWmGHcXqYa4UrCRhK3gDqZ8-P_TWkOJf_LvgNbLXS34ueN1wBL7jQFTGlLSIOk72P5pp2prQqN/s1600/IMG_20180818_023440283_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zLvtVCR2E7zI75nsQZC6803u8xl7p4tq9jTils7OZMjs8mVBZshgbr-pV_qONQ1MtbdWmGHcXqYa4UrCRhK3gDqZ8-P_TWkOJf_LvgNbLXS34ueN1wBL7jQFTGlLSIOk72P5pp2prQqN/s320/IMG_20180818_023440283_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNimZY8grQ6SqZW7qnJoVIEAnAApDfrId3Xnkhyphenhyphenn8HCtc0JVPc6RBMviYFPepNaoYNKu0uWIVYmYvNdvuT1svPbOSNMXIWVqUCQ3nRtNa8xHtoLQZfDHcpp0GOWVke90qxraVXjPbPZqk/s1600/IMG_20180818_023755887_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNimZY8grQ6SqZW7qnJoVIEAnAApDfrId3Xnkhyphenhyphenn8HCtc0JVPc6RBMviYFPepNaoYNKu0uWIVYmYvNdvuT1svPbOSNMXIWVqUCQ3nRtNa8xHtoLQZfDHcpp0GOWVke90qxraVXjPbPZqk/s320/IMG_20180818_023755887_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_feK8ThFPE0Zh0I9DR0PPQz_f4e4L1gNhQkFY2h50gx9-ddJhVjF0ZMhV4CMuIoJ0wYrqgMF__QYblgHpVCmAh8KL5LWGkrAPMSGuiBvBqVO2Wn9b7RwnflCP2u07EtY9rDiTVK3-Pc7D/s1600/IMG_20180818_024457301_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_feK8ThFPE0Zh0I9DR0PPQz_f4e4L1gNhQkFY2h50gx9-ddJhVjF0ZMhV4CMuIoJ0wYrqgMF__QYblgHpVCmAh8KL5LWGkrAPMSGuiBvBqVO2Wn9b7RwnflCP2u07EtY9rDiTVK3-Pc7D/s320/IMG_20180818_024457301_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_29srldRngJo5cQQs2OCAvElDpNiIIvMJY-hWHuwUlBUCrR59g_MVFAGZtuAvTFu4Y__5I_Qk5t7FxmTYU7EWYb_6fhgml_b0n0bGAiIdA2oFpZ4HvGBOYNOJk5AuZYM3WJ9UjamSk1Q/s1600/IMG_20180818_025107169_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_29srldRngJo5cQQs2OCAvElDpNiIIvMJY-hWHuwUlBUCrR59g_MVFAGZtuAvTFu4Y__5I_Qk5t7FxmTYU7EWYb_6fhgml_b0n0bGAiIdA2oFpZ4HvGBOYNOJk5AuZYM3WJ9UjamSk1Q/s320/IMG_20180818_025107169_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAE-tcqKaqaOFdlL8HCDG_HkpKMHHzx9Fp4YSPpT3kEAhecPOHvjCkGWEVbmoGXo4kE4AXgAm3aEakipxsoVDCeVLPERBhqPf09bNZLXeFGq6dpc3ErMHyzbp_VycTTgfGKQlvea_AzZ7/s1600/IMG_20180818_033628453_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAE-tcqKaqaOFdlL8HCDG_HkpKMHHzx9Fp4YSPpT3kEAhecPOHvjCkGWEVbmoGXo4kE4AXgAm3aEakipxsoVDCeVLPERBhqPf09bNZLXeFGq6dpc3ErMHyzbp_VycTTgfGKQlvea_AzZ7/s320/IMG_20180818_033628453_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBOcq6vMpeEZsmjrImGqFjoel9Vkt5Mv2E4XvyQcNkjgXDogdNOVOLfJTMLc0wwSi4gkx9lXgjrjGILmqp7DOHMlEROJTMu1kM0Ku7mfxgOlnYUHYO31ZBECviDOJ0Kl6Q47FEfWFUrHi/s1600/IMG_20180818_033730735_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBOcq6vMpeEZsmjrImGqFjoel9Vkt5Mv2E4XvyQcNkjgXDogdNOVOLfJTMLc0wwSi4gkx9lXgjrjGILmqp7DOHMlEROJTMu1kM0Ku7mfxgOlnYUHYO31ZBECviDOJ0Kl6Q47FEfWFUrHi/s320/IMG_20180818_033730735_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then we entered the main Basilica -- which, unlike the sanitized modernity of St. Catherine's, reeks of antiquity. It certainly is more what I think I envisioned for the churches of the Holy Land. As I learned in my pre-trip research, it is currently under renovation, with a lot of construction equipment and debris in the nave. But great murals line what would be termed the gallery or perhaps the clerestory -- if those western church architectural terms even apply -- and the Greek Orthodox sanctuary with its great iconostasis as well as the right side aisle leading to the entrance to the grotto. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRr2s_XoXhpdS3lMYsIjau6-MwJQWZDckP6iS0bdy4hoMZ38lF3RLWo6HZ6Ump6Wz3VFnK5RNxGuf-atH2uPHGjix2EA6j7yzYjLAB94exz4jo9e1TMQu7Aw3r6xIsqUVQvj7OowaFPfMx/s1600/IMG_20180818_035335617_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRr2s_XoXhpdS3lMYsIjau6-MwJQWZDckP6iS0bdy4hoMZ38lF3RLWo6HZ6Ump6Wz3VFnK5RNxGuf-atH2uPHGjix2EA6j7yzYjLAB94exz4jo9e1TMQu7Aw3r6xIsqUVQvj7OowaFPfMx/s320/IMG_20180818_035335617_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It seemed like every surface was covered with tapestries and icons and carvings and metalwork. And an incredible number of people were in there. Here is where we encountered the first of the truly claustrophobia-inducing crowds. We fought -- successfully -- a standing-room-only mass of people for about an hour to get through to the Grotto of the Nativity and the Place where the Manger was. As we got closer, Sana warned us that others would shamelessly push their way in front of us if we let them, and insisted that we lock ourselves into an impassible wall spanning the gap. I imagined Uhtred son of Uhtred bellowing out "</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Shield -- WALL!</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">" as in </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Last Kingdom</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq-70iXC3MuYg3V3ApJoTld4uUUaa0gLc1QM6xWcVENigTSYjsVqOj3WX9JtkhIzmmqZ4zZLPR1aihY152TBGJMu3xyahMmGgBuOTNo61UpUh5m664-SG8whmfkeCIRYlGbFzVEbxpFdE/s1600/IMG_20180818_035345048_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq-70iXC3MuYg3V3ApJoTld4uUUaa0gLc1QM6xWcVENigTSYjsVqOj3WX9JtkhIzmmqZ4zZLPR1aihY152TBGJMu3xyahMmGgBuOTNo61UpUh5m664-SG8whmfkeCIRYlGbFzVEbxpFdE/s320/IMG_20180818_035345048_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
It worked -- mostly. In any case, we did finally make it into the narrow steps down into the Grotto of the Nativity, where was the stable-cave in which Our Lady gave birth to Our Savior. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>And while </b>[Joseph
and Mary]<b> were </b>[in Bethlehem]<b>, the time came for her to be delivered. And she
gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid
him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.</b></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Luke 2: 6-7)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGh2IkXNSyEL5bgwpjJbP4b5XIFCnOFBTJUnAA8rJxiQhmaAPUT3oOr_redoTIbTDxF1nnXkVvsJod7VtLTLbGZBd27WiXRt3wCrZ1m38eps-lFvv_OI9XQrV5ohAb7exHXJ6KP2DgnaR/s1600/IMG_20180818_044602893_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGh2IkXNSyEL5bgwpjJbP4b5XIFCnOFBTJUnAA8rJxiQhmaAPUT3oOr_redoTIbTDxF1nnXkVvsJod7VtLTLbGZBd27WiXRt3wCrZ1m38eps-lFvv_OI9XQrV5ohAb7exHXJ6KP2DgnaR/s320/IMG_20180818_044602893_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The spot is marked by a 14-pointed silver "Star of Bethlehem" -- which we were able to touch as millions of other believers have before us. Only feet away was the place where the Manger was. I say "was" because the Manger itself was taken away long ago -- I do not remember if it was by St. Helena the mother of Constantine the Great or by Latin Crusaders -- but I had actually seen it before, in Rome, in the grotto beneath the altar of the Archbasilica of St. Mary Major.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHSnzjm6ZBb69Cjm4Kp1ji3W5HuO4qByKzwpP-iQ8qxyn5Isl3yJB10ylkOwOiZQvoL3QQUSQ_tZHLQiR6UbAOptgXTjW0W3KjzY9bPJt4Kshou-x_X0o56imnnO6jaUSnIW3o5Ga-dSM/s1600/IMG_20180818_044619948_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHSnzjm6ZBb69Cjm4Kp1ji3W5HuO4qByKzwpP-iQ8qxyn5Isl3yJB10ylkOwOiZQvoL3QQUSQ_tZHLQiR6UbAOptgXTjW0W3KjzY9bPJt4Kshou-x_X0o56imnnO6jaUSnIW3o5Ga-dSM/s320/IMG_20180818_044619948_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(As an aside, the lack of a place in the inn may not have been for the
reasons usually assumed, either because of great crowds of visitors or
indifference on the part of the innkeeper. Michael Hesemann, in his <i>Mary of Nazareth: History, Archaeology,
Legends, </i>suggests that may have because of Mary’s obviously imminent
birthing, which would have rendered anyone coming into contact with her
immediately afterward ritually impure. He considers that to have been of
particular concern because he considers Jesus’ birth to have been most likely
just before Passover – an interpretation I do not share, but it seems to me the
issue would have been of concern before any feast, for instance, <i>Hanukkah</i> at the more traditional season
for Jesus’ birth in mid winter.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On a short drive from Manger Square to Shepherds' Fields, Tony described the relative types of herding and shepherding of sheep and goats. They are entirely different animals, requiring entirely different techniques. For instance, the shepherd's crook is used to train and control an alpha male sheep, and the others will follow that alpha male; on the other hand, herding goats sounds like herding cats -- with great skill with a slingshot, <i>not </i> to hit and injure the goat (which would be a blemish rendering it unusable in the Temple Sacrifice), but rather to plant one right in its path and thus divert it the direction you want. Quiz: What kind of herder was King David?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPo7ekT8kC4u707Xf29dMh3CnwbQT4fq3Wp-J29Wtc-R64TDx2m42WUqJ4VEhIML8SdQwIap6K_2eEZh3THX9FqDNoYmy39cUC0M9zZ3V6Pd7KtgpUPyOAr8tTQilYfWXVM4pV06D3wQ5/s1600/IMG_20180818_051137164_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPo7ekT8kC4u707Xf29dMh3CnwbQT4fq3Wp-J29Wtc-R64TDx2m42WUqJ4VEhIML8SdQwIap6K_2eEZh3THX9FqDNoYmy39cUC0M9zZ3V6Pd7KtgpUPyOAr8tTQilYfWXVM4pV06D3wQ5/s320/IMG_20180818_051137164_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At Shepherds' Fields (while Sana went into the restaurant we would be eating at to arrange our lunches), we passed through a large gate over which arch the words in red, <span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,”
“Glory to God in the Highest,” the song of the angels announcing the birth of
their Lord, you pass into a courtyard garden where Tony continued talking about herding in ancient Israel, which was more to service the Temple Sacrifices than anything else.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuxxE1iB5bZpkaMONca3ihuOrJm984OGiKLoctN53JtVVu4PXrOYsUn8sw2E36xrBpdhQWLPSiy9Yd0JzkE9HHwsYWxvXKUGOdvi8zqJeN6CX-or9N_LOQ72xA5rIRFYP0wodX0rj-TH4/s1600/IMG-20180821-WA0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuxxE1iB5bZpkaMONca3ihuOrJm984OGiKLoctN53JtVVu4PXrOYsUn8sw2E36xrBpdhQWLPSiy9Yd0JzkE9HHwsYWxvXKUGOdvi8zqJeN6CX-or9N_LOQ72xA5rIRFYP0wodX0rj-TH4/s320/IMG-20180821-WA0005.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Emilio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuldeVav0XfwV00Pm1NNjoc4QL6x2kmt102r95qk4-5lzqpBBwB0v3sohnLz410soI24WoaC9YMO3b0svCyCiArMLG0c2khOp8Mmj-vFdrSle_d3OCr916lSH_UAxuU4zAQhThYYGvAIPD/s1600/IMG_20180818_051544598_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuldeVav0XfwV00Pm1NNjoc4QL6x2kmt102r95qk4-5lzqpBBwB0v3sohnLz410soI24WoaC9YMO3b0svCyCiArMLG0c2khOp8Mmj-vFdrSle_d3OCr916lSH_UAxuU4zAQhThYYGvAIPD/s320/IMG_20180818_051544598_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the
angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a
great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the
city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for
you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with
whom he is pleased!" When the angels went away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Luke 2: 8-15)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqsQa0sxUauKFQMzqXea_SJRBleNzqcqt1QzdI2L0QY0VycMiiDnl4g6L8UfNjv1FRl0BeywDfKR9_loCg4X1JrhQvPRCyy8vtpLcfgWAaMEh2qnSKwlS0DJeI3QekNCZyd6XZtojCAod/s1600/IMG_20180818_052122866_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqsQa0sxUauKFQMzqXea_SJRBleNzqcqt1QzdI2L0QY0VycMiiDnl4g6L8UfNjv1FRl0BeywDfKR9_loCg4X1JrhQvPRCyy8vtpLcfgWAaMEh2qnSKwlS0DJeI3QekNCZyd6XZtojCAod/s320/IMG_20180818_052122866_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ad8zCiu1s4S8mtN4CSi9zm_LrVsYeIlLClB4Fa6IsgtYRmEycd7Qi5l2AovtGXxyK8vXSDj0AeKpQiBYoY5oXBvD-Sb_AZK1akhiOe2-NkhSpc4ZtmG5s4n3ls0o2BhPDdTKtAXjoSuO/s1600/IMG_20180818_052213243_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ad8zCiu1s4S8mtN4CSi9zm_LrVsYeIlLClB4Fa6IsgtYRmEycd7Qi5l2AovtGXxyK8vXSDj0AeKpQiBYoY5oXBvD-Sb_AZK1akhiOe2-NkhSpc4ZtmG5s4n3ls0o2BhPDdTKtAXjoSuO/s320/IMG_20180818_052213243_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Part of the site was a </span>small chapel which had fantastic acoustics -- Jennifer and I chanted the <i>Gloria</i> in mode 8 -- and then we took a quick look into a typical cave such as would have been used by the shepherds to shelter their sheep. It has been converted into a small chapel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMnKGT0T7fFJx5pImmvHvpAhyGPjt-HCleRZazu36zLflHzhZ11qPP7PP-_esZinf8GifNBpISGd-seelLhwfgf2_6TTaAGkYtkJYWjNVb4SwUFTWzzUqggwiwG0W3sMTAE4TTf9IH_l8/s1600/IMG_20180818_052955224_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMnKGT0T7fFJx5pImmvHvpAhyGPjt-HCleRZazu36zLflHzhZ11qPP7PP-_esZinf8GifNBpISGd-seelLhwfgf2_6TTaAGkYtkJYWjNVb4SwUFTWzzUqggwiwG0W3sMTAE4TTf9IH_l8/s320/IMG_20180818_052955224_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Almost across the street was the Shepherds' Nai Restaurant, which served us a form of barbecue as well as the customary salad dishes. It was very good, but the barbecue was very different from our own. There was chicken, which was basically kebobed (without the stick); it was seasoned very well, very tasty. Then there was something that tasted much more like our barbecue. It was some kind of ground meat -- a mixture of beef and lamb, I believe, in a roughly conical shape about four inches long on some kind of skewer. It was quite good. <i>All</i> the food we had was really good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu1eRBstw4GUxfBlhJVMFClNrJ_7Nzq0EGO97glvYde9Yl8CwA2Uiv6tJ4aJ-pfB1odbw-A7yL0pJkqkmXaR9j0P9LGEsOkwIus6IGwxtyGjjpRWzXCCqxBE-xEOd7pBjCjNMo3QXX_wD/s1600/Shepherds+Field+lunch_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu1eRBstw4GUxfBlhJVMFClNrJ_7Nzq0EGO97glvYde9Yl8CwA2Uiv6tJ4aJ-pfB1odbw-A7yL0pJkqkmXaR9j0P9LGEsOkwIus6IGwxtyGjjpRWzXCCqxBE-xEOd7pBjCjNMo3QXX_wD/s320/Shepherds+Field+lunch_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Kristal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then Sana said her farewell -- as a "Palestinian" Christian native of Bethlehem, she is not allowed to cross the Wall into Israel. At all. And we were headed out of Bethlehem to Mount Zion, perhaps the most important mountain that makes up Jerusalem, the one that became synonymous with the city itself -- and is ironically outside the Old City walls! It's a somewhat funny story. Soon after the Ottoman Turks took over Jerusalem in the early 16th century, Suleiman the Magnificent ordered built what are the present Old City walls. Unfortunately, his architects messed up and left Mount Zion out. Unfortunately ... for them. The way the story goes, their heads are now inside the walls.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arriving at Mount Zion, we first went to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the church of the "Cock Crowing," commemorating where Peter, <span style="font-size: 12pt;">after
having promised Jesus he would follow him even unto death and been rebuked for
it, with Jesus predicting he would betray him three times ere the cock crowed,
did just that. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rz-YEa8iyHYSFMkq8maULJHShLea5muasgn9s_ZOYDwsBdw2Xr7sNcDdJyHRj_cmWds2CGV2nA5D7vlZeLweHgXTGHDcZqM4p1yLitLjjCk6gczmwK06Yw6f22QJU1jvz9n6kt55o3Cv/s1600/IMG_20180818_071300100_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rz-YEa8iyHYSFMkq8maULJHShLea5muasgn9s_ZOYDwsBdw2Xr7sNcDdJyHRj_cmWds2CGV2nA5D7vlZeLweHgXTGHDcZqM4p1yLitLjjCk6gczmwK06Yw6f22QJU1jvz9n6kt55o3Cv/s320/IMG_20180818_071300100_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2ETMHv_XS_63e1s9X7MeJ3AxO0zwp9nrq7HCwh-1CFhZ6NNm7U_nVXfA4OGc0DyXDh1_oquwy4GPQsxkZKWF7fcPBm2Z-iAQzMhRegH6AmaUVvKWb6ryd9o5D8SUEggc6uiCgf6Ji3wS/s1600/IMG_20180818_071617383_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2ETMHv_XS_63e1s9X7MeJ3AxO0zwp9nrq7HCwh-1CFhZ6NNm7U_nVXfA4OGc0DyXDh1_oquwy4GPQsxkZKWF7fcPBm2Z-iAQzMhRegH6AmaUVvKWb6ryd9o5D8SUEggc6uiCgf6Ji3wS/s320/IMG_20180818_071617383_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoVb8pDYiSawhkmlqlTn-BGu6uBwgfluR5nfke_S3layE4cSe_oZ82FFnv4OSbDQIZTIlyjw1CMPZdPwU7A_UJQKA0e12yVL0uCbub_7tplq0t8GWuVoMlX42IyVZ7I531_i3I_rP5DwA/s1600/IMG_20180818_071630851_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoVb8pDYiSawhkmlqlTn-BGu6uBwgfluR5nfke_S3layE4cSe_oZ82FFnv4OSbDQIZTIlyjw1CMPZdPwU7A_UJQKA0e12yVL0uCbub_7tplq0t8GWuVoMlX42IyVZ7I531_i3I_rP5DwA/s320/IMG_20180818_071630851_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Close-up of the door to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">St. Peter in Gallicantu.<br />Christ's finger, pointing toward Peter<br />as he predicts the threefold denial,<br />is actually raised to point out<br />to the observer.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yLQelmEImCRDjIIw2qsatOR08WmwAh4RAb136DG_FKWwuP3vWE_WQ1duNK6F7fxYXpS6L1dDORl3hoJvWq29ll8xln899Pon9wlu8i6qlsn2YvM1chDgXDiY3o5VJ-CFx_bp71nb3897/s1600/IMG_20180818_071808271_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yLQelmEImCRDjIIw2qsatOR08WmwAh4RAb136DG_FKWwuP3vWE_WQ1duNK6F7fxYXpS6L1dDORl3hoJvWq29ll8xln899Pon9wlu8i6qlsn2YvM1chDgXDiY3o5VJ-CFx_bp71nb3897/s320/IMG_20180818_071808271_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">H</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ere Tony's experience excavating at the site made his exposition so effective. The church is built over what was the house of the High Priest Caiaphas where Jesus was taken directly from being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane -- up steps which have been preserved. Immediately adjacent was the courtyard where Peter denied his Lord, below which was the dungeon where horrific tortures would have been inflicted on Jesus overnight, between the preliminary trial before Caiaphas and dawn when he would be taken to Pilate.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IoK1Au-rDDU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IoK1Au-rDDU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<b>Then those who had seized Jesus led him to C′iaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’” And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”</b><br />
<b> Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him, and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.</b><br />
<b> When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death; and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor. </b>(Matt. 26: 57-27: 2)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What occurred would have been within earshot of the courtyard. Peter would have heard it all. Tony expressed great understanding and sympathy for Peter -- </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">anyone </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">would have lost their nerve hearing their Lord screaming in agony as Tony says any man would, and Jesus was fully man as well as fully God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8lUd9RlwW4U/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lUd9RlwW4U?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DoO2nfUkbYk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DoO2nfUkbYk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vJy5GnAl04xqKGkHJMilB0nf5tKUxCElC-c3vulYDWzfj4O5IbIRVV94-LtY-RTriYaXAuv8Z1ZxSpDOpGa0w1uyx_NI1Dq9NDrzd6qCeDe4CBufDBxj70Hg1hDmwOmb9FzzcpxeKipX/s1600/IMG_20180818_074121640_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vJy5GnAl04xqKGkHJMilB0nf5tKUxCElC-c3vulYDWzfj4O5IbIRVV94-LtY-RTriYaXAuv8Z1ZxSpDOpGa0w1uyx_NI1Dq9NDrzd6qCeDe4CBufDBxj70Hg1hDmwOmb9FzzcpxeKipX/s320/IMG_20180818_074121640_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the dungeon itself, in deference to his own spoken English being heavily accented, Padre Emilio offered me the privelege of reading Psalm 88 aloud:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-JgUuxC03X4pDzqu9J-Hf3sQ3Hg0JdN_hrjvoXHP4n4FU7eyIdFzJwzDes5tkHb7-P8ML9ylc1n7IaOecn0_dL3lVnIQfGlLXptcFLG98SdlRR3kBNhG5sDdVZImp-IIodGRANu64Mff/s1600/IMG_20180818_074914611_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-JgUuxC03X4pDzqu9J-Hf3sQ3Hg0JdN_hrjvoXHP4n4FU7eyIdFzJwzDes5tkHb7-P8ML9ylc1n7IaOecn0_dL3lVnIQfGlLXptcFLG98SdlRR3kBNhG5sDdVZImp-IIodGRANu64Mff/s320/IMG_20180818_074914611_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">O LORD, my God, I call for help by day;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I cry out in the night before thee.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let my prayer come before thee,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> incline thy ear to my cry!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For my soul is full of troubles,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and my life draws near to Sheol.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am reckoned among those who go down to the Pit;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I am a man who has no strength,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">like one forsaken among the dead,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> like the slain that lie in the grave,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">like those whom thou dost remember no more,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for they are cut off from thy hand.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thou hast put me in the depths of the Pit,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the regions dark and deep.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thy wrath lies heavy upon me,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and thou dost overwhelm me with all thy waves.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thou hast caused my companions to shun me;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> thou hast made me a thing of horror to them.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">am shut in so that I cannot escape;</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NcKL_KsLzWS5hwQ632awwrrmuSvBpZR3QkYCpfVjG2xy-3atb9N48PCF4HY7_zDryeJU92LmZzKRI4DehwsDzg8zKzkCFaQAh-mK6YA4jUtyL1lmny4howieIokybGv4f-b3w7aA6u0T/s1600/IMG_20180818_074910488_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NcKL_KsLzWS5hwQ632awwrrmuSvBpZR3QkYCpfVjG2xy-3atb9N48PCF4HY7_zDryeJU92LmZzKRI4DehwsDzg8zKzkCFaQAh-mK6YA4jUtyL1lmny4howieIokybGv4f-b3w7aA6u0T/s320/IMG_20180818_074910488_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> my eye grows dim through sorrow.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every day I call upon thee, O LORD;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I spread out my hands to thee.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dost thou work wonders for the dead?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Do the shades rise up to praise thee?Selah</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Is thy steadfast love declared in the grave,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> or thy faithfulness in Abaddon?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Are thy wonders known in the darkness,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> or thy saving help in the land of forgetfulness?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I, O LORD, cry to thee;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the morning my prayer comes before thee.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">O LORD, why dost thou cast me off?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Why dost thou hide thy face from me?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I suffer thy terrors; I am helpless.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thy wrath has swept over me;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> thy dread assaults destroy me.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They surround me like a flood all day long;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> they close in upon me together.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thou hast caused lover and friend to shun me;</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> my companions are in darkness.</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlHyIz7UC53XcjVvYz1fKEhpGT2x1Jc6Y8EusnRJGTPaHqduUZoKHKoHHKkZQddLLW87tLTMQocxNrtNLd52Ib1Q_zyGd2mx9cra-ChoA8nEcNf2NRBkGLM0ycmY3lyVa96zD7XE66zcQ/s1600/St+Peter+Gallicantu+ceiling+window_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlHyIz7UC53XcjVvYz1fKEhpGT2x1Jc6Y8EusnRJGTPaHqduUZoKHKoHHKkZQddLLW87tLTMQocxNrtNLd52Ib1Q_zyGd2mx9cra-ChoA8nEcNf2NRBkGLM0ycmY3lyVa96zD7XE66zcQ/s320/St+Peter+Gallicantu+ceiling+window_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a few minutes for pictures, we walked to Dormition Abbey, passing by the outside of the Zion Gate leading into the Old City. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGiupuhyphenhyphenAjSotlLgnfJ86yCb6bJGBNvAoE3sheFE4wKkjrOLO0NvGqWEF38wsC0Lc5Nn-B9LkiyJ1olavKdnmO2eywuYkYW0w_0ZYifELI0OpS5ymclxULwIQIKg4O_5OUqfoXHPp8Bjt/s1600/Zion+Gate+Jerusalem_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGiupuhyphenhyphenAjSotlLgnfJ86yCb6bJGBNvAoE3sheFE4wKkjrOLO0NvGqWEF38wsC0Lc5Nn-B9LkiyJ1olavKdnmO2eywuYkYW0w_0ZYifELI0OpS5ymclxULwIQIKg4O_5OUqfoXHPp8Bjt/s320/Zion+Gate+Jerusalem_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All around the gate is severely pockmarked -- with bullet-holes from, Tony informed us -- a diversionary assault by the Israelis during the Six Days' War of 1967 which left another gate undefended against the <i>real</i> attack by which Israel regained control of the Old City and access to the holy sites for the first time in nineteen years. Hitherto, ever since the end of the 1948 War, the Old City and East Jerusalem as well as the West Bank had been under the control of the Kingdom of the Transjordan, modern Jordan, and Jews had been barred entry at all. Henceforward, Israel would control the city in its entireity, but would allow Muslim entry to the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock -- for all the thanks it has ever gotten them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m_CFKdGZba_D0ZFy3n5KAxzpzQ_cQ4FyVkHOhP2_DGG3rkkomTTIhL-N2mWynm4G8ueupOw4YZ7XIlc1Y2zLYtVIg-DySek5G-xG46nm3obC1Auo9R_wKxSthrtFENYOvEORbNtDgEZu/s1600/IMG_20180818_081747217_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m_CFKdGZba_D0ZFy3n5KAxzpzQ_cQ4FyVkHOhP2_DGG3rkkomTTIhL-N2mWynm4G8ueupOw4YZ7XIlc1Y2zLYtVIg-DySek5G-xG46nm3obC1Auo9R_wKxSthrtFENYOvEORbNtDgEZu/s320/IMG_20180818_081747217_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFhPtH3OcUXobZlCByoCJqgG8gqxTVYIyfOmA7WX5euvRPO4A2Uuy5BbrzLmWfRZQPvAOzo_q_-CpnkkAWnoDsoT8CiKdYoUKdZy02gElHpUZgxEmm4PyDrvWIJdTCmp0XUn0SpePHPqQ/s1600/IMG_20180818_082709598_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFhPtH3OcUXobZlCByoCJqgG8gqxTVYIyfOmA7WX5euvRPO4A2Uuy5BbrzLmWfRZQPvAOzo_q_-CpnkkAWnoDsoT8CiKdYoUKdZy02gElHpUZgxEmm4PyDrvWIJdTCmp0XUn0SpePHPqQ/s320/IMG_20180818_082709598_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NjzG2zU4qMYPvmU1TKKfWTg9Qd8Dzk76_7ulDqk0uGnVs4K-RYBQnPq9vP5auwcC1Q-toIpfQ8oIvzRV0sunUWSw9P3GY5eC1L5JzqZMzWvPfWjQ26RvUQ3A08akAg8GrOeaVKg7anva/s1600/IMG_20180818_082605289_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NjzG2zU4qMYPvmU1TKKfWTg9Qd8Dzk76_7ulDqk0uGnVs4K-RYBQnPq9vP5auwcC1Q-toIpfQ8oIvzRV0sunUWSw9P3GY5eC1L5JzqZMzWvPfWjQ26RvUQ3A08akAg8GrOeaVKg7anva/s320/IMG_20180818_082605289_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeAZBcBL7fsKi4ImTAsGE09gaJO0mW2gw2Q11vNB4iT6iMVSneI73DI92KTeDMIhtHYk0JQlK0TdFYwxu2Z0oKZMrDQZkCUmbrDYvRMGXqMBLZzaE-RJBTGk9kAGGGij0sgDzvfMXJe_P/s1600/IMG_20180818_083137404_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeAZBcBL7fsKi4ImTAsGE09gaJO0mW2gw2Q11vNB4iT6iMVSneI73DI92KTeDMIhtHYk0JQlK0TdFYwxu2Z0oKZMrDQZkCUmbrDYvRMGXqMBLZzaE-RJBTGk9kAGGGij0sgDzvfMXJe_P/s320/IMG_20180818_083137404_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dormition Abbey is where </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mary is said to have “fallen asleep” before being assumed into heaven.
Although, since 1950 the Assumption of Mary is a dogma of the Church (like
other such late definitions or decrees, believed consistently and only defined
as such when called into question), whether she died or simply fell asleep has
never been defined by the Church. In general, I believe, the western (Catholic)
tradition is that, her Son having tasted death, Mary chose to die in union with
him while the eastern (Orthodox) tradition is that, being sinless and thus not
subject to death – which, after all, came into the world through the sins of
Adam and Even – she did not die but rather fell asleep and then was taken up. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A7dqlFY0RDTmm45ydEJPvTDX_wwAAfM4ktuidKMFeR3FFQ1WY411uj5zSmQoJgCYFu_9QY0eamajncUIbknaRanYR9y2e5y69BdABaj3x5Z0zQJfEU9IV54orZjIQxcw5yDztOsymYPx/s1600/IMG_20180818_084142072_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A7dqlFY0RDTmm45ydEJPvTDX_wwAAfM4ktuidKMFeR3FFQ1WY411uj5zSmQoJgCYFu_9QY0eamajncUIbknaRanYR9y2e5y69BdABaj3x5Z0zQJfEU9IV54orZjIQxcw5yDztOsymYPx/s320/IMG_20180818_084142072_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">That is only a generalization, however and there is plenty of overlap. In
either case, she joined the rather exclusive club of those who are even now
bodily in heaven before the general resurrection of the dead at the end of time
– Enoch and Elijah as stated in the Bible (and, according to Jewish tradition,
Moses). (By the way, as in so many of these traditional sites, there is a
competing for the site of Mary’s Assumption. An ancient Catholic tradition has
it that she died and was buried near Ephesus in Turkey, where she lived out the
rest of her life on earth with John the Beloved Disciple, with the tomb having
been found empty three days later. This is the version that plays a role in
Michael D. O’Brien’s novel </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Father Elijah</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I <i>think</i> it was immediately after Dormition Abbey -- or rather in its gift shop -- that I earned the dubious distinction of being our first "goat." I tarried a little overlong trying to procure an item that one of my friends asked me to get, a large panoramic poster of Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives. My Whisper (a radio system for the guide to be able to narrate to a group without shouting) was off. Someone from our group came in and asked me if that were the case -- the group was ready to move on. As I hot-footed it out and back to them, turning on my Whisper I heard Tony's voice calling me: "<i>Keh-eh-eh-eh-eh-ehnt! </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Keh-eh-eh-eh-eh-ehnt!</i>" -- like a goat braying. Well played, sir, well played. I would not be the last goat, however ....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSshP98F6fIH-oKJkiGO0q9MNfNaPpb4qCksdqKpEhlipLqrLMq4CysK2TxtBUqqef6P7DKfb_FMxjHwxT_OUG95kMLggNZ0AD04f_M8j2pp5GTnnFqst1hPj1vQWsK-_RBOWZtySzT6-I/s1600/IMG_20180818_085254021_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSshP98F6fIH-oKJkiGO0q9MNfNaPpb4qCksdqKpEhlipLqrLMq4CysK2TxtBUqqef6P7DKfb_FMxjHwxT_OUG95kMLggNZ0AD04f_M8j2pp5GTnnFqst1hPj1vQWsK-_RBOWZtySzT6-I/s320/IMG_20180818_085254021_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From there we proceeded to the Cenacle or U</span>pper Room of the Last Supper. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the householder, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. </b>(Mark 14: 12-16)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwn_UVXW1QXE0mW_CamVnrzhFaQlIl5XXWtJt1VpX6CwKmHfHE9-E9-Kt9y9dbwJPkQEUQMQw2LsaTaMLglAUFcC9a-PJpgLGr_NJvblx-RGgd11J5dV0CExtZ8-xQ979DC-Cwgnpgghw/s1600/IMG_20180818_085342782_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwn_UVXW1QXE0mW_CamVnrzhFaQlIl5XXWtJt1VpX6CwKmHfHE9-E9-Kt9y9dbwJPkQEUQMQw2LsaTaMLglAUFcC9a-PJpgLGr_NJvblx-RGgd11J5dV0CExtZ8-xQ979DC-Cwgnpgghw/s320/IMG_20180818_085342782_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7AnuOwZoj3YhuU15BbHXQgs2l58c308iVhShO5ghPG90x-K5tQypUXB7U86vVEmA9gREt5YWCvBJKQ9YotR0BZwWCR5kMsMh2AUObILfKMIBBqwkU75pFu7jEnR75XAiuGP_JJd8dMRg/s1600/IMG_20180818_085358663_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7AnuOwZoj3YhuU15BbHXQgs2l58c308iVhShO5ghPG90x-K5tQypUXB7U86vVEmA9gREt5YWCvBJKQ9YotR0BZwWCR5kMsMh2AUObILfKMIBBqwkU75pFu7jEnR75XAiuGP_JJd8dMRg/s320/IMG_20180818_085358663_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
present construction is not how it would have appeared in Jesus’ time, however,
with vaulted ceilings and columns surmounted by obviously medieval carvings –
it dates from the era of the Crusades and at times both a synagogue and a mosque. Despite which -- and despite efforts to erase it -- the basic Christian character of the room survives in some of the iconographic stone work. In this spot, two of the great
events of salvation history took place, the Last Supper and the first Pentecost
– the institution of the Eucharist and the Sacramental Priesthood and the
descent of the Holy Spirit 54 days later. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately the varied history of the site has left its mark in a modern agreement that no religious activities can take place on the spot. Someone proposed praying the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Come Holy Spirit</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">, but Tony dissuaded us, cautioning us that we could not chant it aloud because of that agreement.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jnT1a_vNY0Lh_4Y8moHGRmvUUrANzlt0d6vpiMWvthfNyC4BbrzggwWrYVcE4BxKu6HefK0VOT_YQR0WqWNc1Eqc0m-Rw1dFZMyrsicOHSRXCpC2S4eTtwAx3mK6MxeKaCImLaUHsdjV/s1600/IMG_20180818_085544814_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jnT1a_vNY0Lh_4Y8moHGRmvUUrANzlt0d6vpiMWvthfNyC4BbrzggwWrYVcE4BxKu6HefK0VOT_YQR0WqWNc1Eqc0m-Rw1dFZMyrsicOHSRXCpC2S4eTtwAx3mK6MxeKaCImLaUHsdjV/s320/IMG_20180818_085544814_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it[b] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." </b>(Luke 22: 14-20)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJTydrkX3DDPmg0-H1oYK26g_A9j1L2TetLAP_4vKwhILId99ON-tE-cnzvgf5qMi0fEvKBIiUDyctOgpJQAwho4XnK0Gc6V84CB_WGhSQd873ayT-YvFEtnxodJPIcRagcFeIQ2HVOrp/s1600/IMG_20180818_090002468_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJTydrkX3DDPmg0-H1oYK26g_A9j1L2TetLAP_4vKwhILId99ON-tE-cnzvgf5qMi0fEvKBIiUDyctOgpJQAwho4XnK0Gc6V84CB_WGhSQd873ayT-YvFEtnxodJPIcRagcFeIQ2HVOrp/s320/IMG_20180818_090002468_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the intersection, the Lamb of God</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DSferRn3qJthTSEMeNzAt91LkO-v72AfVkwqAC2u9AyPJrqKFHMWzd1z9sSK1xtO4MpJ8-f_Yr14qeqSZC321VEX9GdQlTVxMG0fy-qec0VO3Cz1BgNRjjdK60C7-iYw_SHb5LyRjHGs/s1600/IMG_20180818_090158145_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DSferRn3qJthTSEMeNzAt91LkO-v72AfVkwqAC2u9AyPJrqKFHMWzd1z9sSK1xtO4MpJ8-f_Yr14qeqSZC321VEX9GdQlTVxMG0fy-qec0VO3Cz1BgNRjjdK60C7-iYw_SHb5LyRjHGs/s320/IMG_20180818_090158145_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pelican feeding her young<br />
from her own flesh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.</b> (Acts 2: 1-4)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lastly, we went into a </span>working synagogue at what is celebrated (wrongly, Tony says) as the Tomb of David. It was an interesting experience. It was the Sabbath, of course, so it was relatively filled with Orthodox Jews chanting individually resulting in a cacaphony of noise. Women, of course, had to go to the women's side, and I do not know what their experience was, but I, Fr. Emilio, and Br. Miguel did not spend very long in there. We had to don the cheap disposable yarmulkas before entering, but we -- I -- felt like we stuck out like a sore thumb and really were not welcome there.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the way back to our hotel, Tony again expressed his admiration for those Bethlehem Christians such as Sana who are courageous and tough and determined not to give in. She is one of only a few women in the guide business in Bethlehem, but he considers her the best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back at the hotel, we had about an hour's happy hour in the bar before 19:00 dinner. Once again I enjoyed two Taybeh beers which are native Israeli brewed. This evening, Tony joined us and regaled us with some stories of the local culture that some in the front of the bus had heard, but we toward the back had not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After supper, I came up to the room and once again worked on this blog until almost 22:00.</span>Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-17671136608081681472018-08-17T14:20:00.000-05:002018-08-30T15:31:20.968-05:00Friday 17 August -- 2018 Holy Land Day 5: From Galilee to Bethlehem via Mount Carmel<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanSTODQlF79hDtNpinx2WRPWYGrGwdAlJpVzBFAQcSnxMjSaCx54UVniu5NOSmIAU1f1KSwSccflSlf031Xye22Vjw4ecEgLroYVmpv_YBrHS-fBHhhFY9uBQ1C1xJ_ob16KvX7RL-3Vq/s1600/2018-08-17+Day+5+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="638" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanSTODQlF79hDtNpinx2WRPWYGrGwdAlJpVzBFAQcSnxMjSaCx54UVniu5NOSmIAU1f1KSwSccflSlf031Xye22Vjw4ecEgLroYVmpv_YBrHS-fBHhhFY9uBQ1C1xJ_ob16KvX7RL-3Vq/s320/2018-08-17+Day+5+Map.jpg" width="282" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We did not drive this in one shot, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rather stopped in Haifa and Jaffa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also not sure that middle leg is correct.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It looks too close to the Mediterranean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">coast which I was not seeing out to our left.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Well, today was nothing like the itinerary we'd been given or was posted on the Nativity Pilgrimages web site, which would have had us either last night or this morning driving to Bethlehem. We did drive to Bethlehem, but took all day to do it.... And there was no activity in Bethlehem once we arrived except for happy hour in the bar and dinner in the restaurant. I asked Padre at one point how we are going to squeeze the announced four days' activities into our three remaining days. He seemed not to see a problem....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In any case, I woke up at 06:30 and went out on the balcony for the first time, where I prayed Lauds from the <i>St. Benedict's Prayer Book.</i> Then I finished packing up -- I'd done a good bit last night -- and had my bags waiting outside the door at 08:00, where the bell-hop picked them up. I went to breakfast, which was every bit as good as previous mornings. Then we were to the bus by 09:00 -- I stopped in briefly to the little gift shop and picked up a mug showing the mosaic from the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As an aside, allow me to comment on something we unfortunately missed. Without a doubt, this pilgrimage is giving us a lot<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – covering an incredible amount of spiritual and religious
geography in a very short time. With two calendar days getting to Israel and
one getting back home, our “Nine-Day Pilgrimage” is really only six. And,
doubtless because of time as well as money, there are two places not on our
itinerary I really wish had been. One is in the north and one is in the south.
In the north I would have really like to have gone to Banias. As a Catholic
group its absence is particularly ironic, because <i>it was there, in that place </i>(to paraphrase Padre), at Caesarea Philippi
(not to be confused with Herod’s seaport town of Caesarea Maritima), in the
shadow of a great pagan shrine to Pan, that Jesus asked his Apostles the most
important question of all – “Who do </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">you</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
say that I am?” … </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Now when Jesus came
into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say
that the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say
Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who
do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona! For flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I
tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the
powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Matt. 16: 13-19)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Protestants like to minimize the significance of this event, including the
context of Jesus changing Simon’s name to “Rock,” based on some fancied
distinction of meaning between Greek </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">petros</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
(Peter’s name bestowed here) and </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">petra</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
(the form used a few words later) as respectively “little rock” and “big rock,”
but it does not work either in Greek (the language in which the Gospel was
written) or Aramaic (the probable language Jesus and his apostles would have
been speaking). In Greek, since </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">petra</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
was grammatically feminine, giving that name to a man necessitated changing the
grammatical gender to masculine ending in </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">-os</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.
In Aramaic, like in English, moreover, there is no distinction anyway – </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">kepha</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">kepha</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, “rock” is “rock.” What Jesus did </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">not </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">say was, “You are a pebble, and on this boulder I will build my
church….” It would have made no sense whatsoever. He said, “You are a rock, and
on this rock I will build my church….”</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Banias” is from an
ancient pagan shrine which the Greeks identified with the god Pan. It is an
incredibly picturesque site, a huge rock with a cavern (an entry to the
underworld, a gate to hell) underneath it – out of which flow the headwaters of
the Jordan River. A <i>rock</i> from which
flow the <i>waters</i> which give Israel <i>life</i>. With the Roman imperial associations
of Caesarea Philippi, consider the immense symbolism of Jesus essentially
founding the life-giving Roman Catholic Church on Peter in that specific
location! </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16: 18
KJV). It is a shame we did not go there! But we could not do everything. And the fact is, we ended up doing so much more than was on the itinerary ... starting with today.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUzoFgA7dp8tHSdXqL2u_EvVzekoccKwZdu6uPYNOTTBGnfenfP8tocS4eY8ihUPE62MErh7eE4ImHBMOGe_8eDC8alGfYVcNS6TUfwt4hCsu-BH3cWoye_AsVNjtaoSh4VUVR6QgwyXK/s1600/IMG_20180817_020349448_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUzoFgA7dp8tHSdXqL2u_EvVzekoccKwZdu6uPYNOTTBGnfenfP8tocS4eY8ihUPE62MErh7eE4ImHBMOGe_8eDC8alGfYVcNS6TUfwt4hCsu-BH3cWoye_AsVNjtaoSh4VUVR6QgwyXK/s320/IMG_20180817_020349448_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pardon the window reflections</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About an hour's drive across northern Israel brought us to within sight of the Mediterranean Sea at Haifa -- on the spur of the long ridge of Mount Carmel that sticks out into the Sea. Along the way Tony related the story of Elijah and the Prophets of Ba'al:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b><b> When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?" And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Ba′als. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba′al and the four hundred prophets of Ashe′rah, who eat at Jezebel’s table." </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Ba′al, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Ba′al’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let two bulls be given to us; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; and I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, and put no fire to it. And you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." Then Elijah said to the prophets of Ba′al, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it." And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Ba′al from morning until noon, saying, "O Ba′al, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made. And at noon Eli′jah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside --</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b>
-- at this point in Tony's narrative, I interjected that the original Hebrew basically means, "he's gone to the bathroom"! --</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b>
<b>-- or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice; no one answered, no one heeded. </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down; Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name"; and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood." And he said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it a third time. And the water ran round about the altar, and filled the trench also with water. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God." And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Ba′al; let not one of them escape." And they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of the rushing of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." And he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again seven times." And at the seventh time he said, "Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising out of the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'" And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezre′el. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezre′el." (</b>1 Kings 18: 17-46)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One interesting aspect of Tony's narration of this story is that he likened the priests and prophets of Ba'al, who did, after all, sacrifice babies to their god, to today's terrorists. So brainwashed and desensitized to the slaughter, they became addicted to it -- and there was little if any hope that they could be "rehabilitated." Elijah <i>had to</i> kill them. Tony's implication was clear....</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He also described what we were about to see -- how Haifa, the major port, industrial, and military center of northern Israel, is now a pretty secularized city with a fairly substantial representation of five different faiths: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahai, and Druze. Rather amusingly, when someone asked for confirmation that the two large towers that could be seen off in the distance were a nuclear plant, he deadpanned, "No, that's a chemical plant." ... Right. ... </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bQoWmukvm8AJK1TiuSb_GeRqy58ZgXwm2KdJe8LRWxKt-fy_sMZ00IyKi_cqtxaWDbvVcRzQO37hLrO-7gLYM2Tv-6C7W7pd6lgW0ubIjTphM3Gdp_5TO08oUa84n9FZjaeNsrfUq4df/s1600/IMG_20180817_022936019_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bQoWmukvm8AJK1TiuSb_GeRqy58ZgXwm2KdJe8LRWxKt-fy_sMZ00IyKi_cqtxaWDbvVcRzQO37hLrO-7gLYM2Tv-6C7W7pd6lgW0ubIjTphM3Gdp_5TO08oUa84n9FZjaeNsrfUq4df/s320/IMG_20180817_022936019_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first thing we stopped and viewed, from afar, was the tomb and gardens of the father of Bahaism. Just to summarize the story very quickly, Bahai was founded in Iran in the 19th c. nominally as an offshoot of Shi'a Islam but in reality a syncretic hodge-bodge of different religions -- and its founder was executed there. But he had expressed a desire that he be buried on Mount Carmel, which his followers eventually did, purchasing a large area on the side of the ridge which they then developed into the great terraced garden that can be seen today, which Tony likened to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They were pretty spectacular, a great photo-op everyone took advantage of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Another amusing tidbit -- Bahai is by no means a large religion by numbers, only a few million around the world, but each and ever member is obligated to automatically deposit one dollar per day into the bank account of the religion. The religion is not large -- but it is very, very rich! Also, each member is obligated to spend one month during his life there in Haifa, tending the tomb and the gardens, for free.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was only a short ride from the Bahai Gardens to the <i>Stella Maris,</i> "Star of the Sea," Carmelite Monastery where we had Mass in a small chapel. The name comes in some way from that aforementioned miracle by which Elijah saw the end of the drought. </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGymQK-6zmfGPr1yYC-uhRPxAngNzZYJDHxufk1tou6zvtuvyz2E0u3ZWusyESwqUhQKhA_PjbabXuR4n0_-JlhwZrgTIWJI3hJCFnDUKxS-ghz-mc5fAIchknGuQzto-aYCtu5YTc3GqU/s1600/IMG_20180817_031115126_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGymQK-6zmfGPr1yYC-uhRPxAngNzZYJDHxufk1tou6zvtuvyz2E0u3ZWusyESwqUhQKhA_PjbabXuR4n0_-JlhwZrgTIWJI3hJCFnDUKxS-ghz-mc5fAIchknGuQzto-aYCtu5YTc3GqU/s320/IMG_20180817_031115126_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Padre's theme was that Mary is our Mother in heaven, praying for us. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-2GsKfYBXFazG2OVpvaqorWcm35aK70FqMV4zoqFjp29ZSfwDohlFdwcoeUYoZZUSLTNCZFqZPRulSx68TjKDuUopBMYjyACWETPuQwJXoZzNz4ZpFLqVWV5fdxSDIST6s04Xp2RGtQK/s1600/IMG_20180817_034809804_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-2GsKfYBXFazG2OVpvaqorWcm35aK70FqMV4zoqFjp29ZSfwDohlFdwcoeUYoZZUSLTNCZFqZPRulSx68TjKDuUopBMYjyACWETPuQwJXoZzNz4ZpFLqVWV5fdxSDIST6s04Xp2RGtQK/s320/IMG_20180817_034809804_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elijah's Cave</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We then had a few minutes taking pictures in the basilica, where we were able to enter a grotto beneath the main altar, the cave where Elijah hid from Ahab's wife Jezebel when she would have had him killed in retaliation for his execution of the priests of Ba'al. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFMjgr6tnrtiVN-t_bUyqYy_5b015rXqMoGVIH13WM38IgSEpzvW-p3nCH-b-7CxRm2IDwki5GAjDZogl3nz1iR3sZIu2BBJws40oe7wPxFrYAxOiKN0n5fqkvZVscBy2-KhH6_0XNpDe/s1600/IMG_20180817_035643452_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFMjgr6tnrtiVN-t_bUyqYy_5b015rXqMoGVIH13WM38IgSEpzvW-p3nCH-b-7CxRm2IDwki5GAjDZogl3nz1iR3sZIu2BBJws40oe7wPxFrYAxOiKN0n5fqkvZVscBy2-KhH6_0XNpDe/s320/IMG_20180817_035643452_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robert, Kathie, Mary,<br />Fr. Emilio, and Maria</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We also stepped across the street to an overlook looking over at the harbor toward the mountains of southern Lebanon in the distance, Acre (the last Christian stronghold in the Holy Land at the end of the Age of Crusading) a bit closer, as well as checking out the souvenir shop. Although Padre and Tony had warned us again that we should buy our tourist items in Bethlehem, I went ahead and picked up specifically Carmelite items -- a new scapular and a Rosary with the Carmelite emblem on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s8JdKdzya0g/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s8JdKdzya0g?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tony had planned for us to eat at an adjacent restaurant, but it was too full so we got back on the bus and rode maybe half an hour before stopping at a small restaurant beside the road to Jaffa-Tel Aviv. Along the way, Tony gave us another very impassioned and frank assessment of the current state of Christianity in Israel vs. the Palestinian territories, whom he insists are not "Palestinian" but rather "Aramaean." The state of the latter is pretty grim; Islam is fairly quickly worming its way into the remaining historically Christian territories, with Christians being quickly squeezed out. It seems a demographic inevitability, the "Soft Jihad" compounded by the fact that although under Israeli law a man can have only one wife, under Muslim Shariah law he may have up to "four" -- one legally, the other three not, but therefore classified as "unwed mothers" and therefore entitled to state support which essentially gives the man four incomes. The result, predictably, is that the state is essentially subsidizing the expansion of Islam -- just as is happening in Western Europe and to a lesser degree even here in the United States. He again expressed his support for Trump, and strongly defended the recent definition by the Knesset of the "Nation-State" Law that Israel is a Jewish state (which drove the Muslims insane)! The law does not disenfranchise other faiths; it simply requires that the government be officially Jewish, that the president and the prime minister be Jewish. It disenfranchises no one; it explicitly grants freedom of religion and worship for Israeli citizens although it gives a preferential option to Judaism. As an Israeli Christian, he for one would much rather be governed by a tolerant Jewish government than persecuted as is inevitable under Islamic rule.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMMo3LwZrQovdJ_oz1M5SKoj0nXqQgzRIpzKN0z9gD26gIF9H__I8P_Hb1PyrEHxovCuZG392I_mhEKSIRWHBgwbx8KIuKbD05xVTlmVuItdpApDTUrtJSovvd0aYV27Q-4dKW6xD2iVw/s1600/IMG_20180817_060032214_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMMo3LwZrQovdJ_oz1M5SKoj0nXqQgzRIpzKN0z9gD26gIF9H__I8P_Hb1PyrEHxovCuZG392I_mhEKSIRWHBgwbx8KIuKbD05xVTlmVuItdpApDTUrtJSovvd0aYV27Q-4dKW6xD2iVw/s320/IMG_20180817_060032214_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our choices for lunch were chicken or felafel; it being Friday I got the felafel, which was very good. I did not get the name of the establishment, but I suspect it is run by Druze, a family if I understand correctly. The Druze are another minority sect with some pretty odd beliefs (for instance, the Messiah when he comes will be born of a man!), usually persecuted by Islam but historically allies of the similarly persecuted Christians.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we continued the drive southward (not really in sight of the coast as the map above seems to indicate), it was time for our daily Rosary. We said one, as well as a Divine Mercy Chaplet, almost if not every day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By the standards of this pilgrimage and the size of Israel it was a relatively long drive to Jaffa, just north of Tel Aviv. Tony described Tel Aviv as essentially the San Francisco of Israel -- with all the decadence that entails. Less than a hundred years old, it is the wealthiest city in Israel. It is the world center for diamond trading, which is the number one source of Israel's national income. Second is military manufacturing. Third is Jesus -- the pilgrimage industry. It's also renowned for its beaches, where the decadence comes out full swing. Tony said he would not take his children there.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Right next door is, as I said, Jaffa -- our real destination for that leg of the journey. In contrast to brand new Tel Aviv, Jaffa is the oldest harbor in the Mediterranean Middle East, dating from the fourth millennium BC. Biblically it is the site of two important stories involving St. Peter: the raising of Tabitha and the vision which began the evangelization of the Gentiles<i>.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b>
The first story goes like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas or Gazelle. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive</b> (Acts 9: 36-41).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Which is immediately followed by the second as the entireity of Acts 10:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> At Caesarea </b>[Maritima] <b>there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror, and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation; for I have sent them.” And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?” And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say.” So he called them in to be his guests.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his kinsmen and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered; and he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit any one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, saying, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the seaside.’ So I sent to you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> And Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. </b>(Acts 10: 1-48)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T0LbTZfygj-IHf1pdSP21RY_JN0jfBlRlEUdWuVhhGvvUp9YxPe83nv-ryXfmU9eOG5MgGLsze2OdczzNrDXoOz4nshF5x07o2NiRvwN-8jOPl8p4pLhyphenhyphenfk9ydMQ7hEJpapqF5TD6qR1/s1600/IMG_20180817_080510410_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T0LbTZfygj-IHf1pdSP21RY_JN0jfBlRlEUdWuVhhGvvUp9YxPe83nv-ryXfmU9eOG5MgGLsze2OdczzNrDXoOz4nshF5x07o2NiRvwN-8jOPl8p4pLhyphenhyphenfk9ydMQ7hEJpapqF5TD6qR1/s320/IMG_20180817_080510410_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We stopped and went in the Church of St. Peter -- one of two Catholic churches in Israel oriented west, toward Rome, because of the latter story symbolizing that ultimately the great missionary drive of the book of Acts is <i>toward Rome</i> -- where we said the Divine Mercy Chaplet, took some pictures both inside the church and looking down on the waterfront, then were off again.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyxIEXyTLhuxVQgruHvVgWuinD9bOnI9Ws1u7cVDWVRvuj5Wpatx2R6wdZqZZedH6T-cnVLJvNVD59n03KykjqdDcTPJQOPikZARs4qzeIcycz32RAtzAGqOTz_1bu_BljTNlFjinpHAz/s1600/IMG_20180817_074617318_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyxIEXyTLhuxVQgruHvVgWuinD9bOnI9Ws1u7cVDWVRvuj5Wpatx2R6wdZqZZedH6T-cnVLJvNVD59n03KykjqdDcTPJQOPikZARs4qzeIcycz32RAtzAGqOTz_1bu_BljTNlFjinpHAz/s320/IMG_20180817_074617318_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagiE5FgCymKrY5_o7F8d-nYZllWRNky4OkJ24lSbid4eZ_DpvlSwl2r4gAa3b3iui1f-iOzlxTboPlKb6oWy0Dr_mNoCLFPVvXUc3G7IivpllXFK4Ko0aezm-C883gGzSyXd9PNeAydbP/s1600/IMG_20180817_075916141_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagiE5FgCymKrY5_o7F8d-nYZllWRNky4OkJ24lSbid4eZ_DpvlSwl2r4gAa3b3iui1f-iOzlxTboPlKb6oWy0Dr_mNoCLFPVvXUc3G7IivpllXFK4Ko0aezm-C883gGzSyXd9PNeAydbP/s320/IMG_20180817_075916141_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLabfMUWMtiwKFz0phsjpKYhF5-oT8b49TaF9AkCcb2tzpfw750S5L8VLo9KYoLHUFsObcjbftosibQJrjkGqWU-tWV_ur17JH0NzMGwb_itPNwsZJcb63w7IaS8XJs4ttYSkU16nuOKAR/s1600/IMG_20180817_081143149_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLabfMUWMtiwKFz0phsjpKYhF5-oT8b49TaF9AkCcb2tzpfw750S5L8VLo9KYoLHUFsObcjbftosibQJrjkGqWU-tWV_ur17JH0NzMGwb_itPNwsZJcb63w7IaS8XJs4ttYSkU16nuOKAR/s320/IMG_20180817_081143149_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTebWL_GcGxW8a2Biud4C_TBkJv-_shaIySDwtADgVdEkQd1EMKs1eeyNloUnV03oxs2vWPLJ9yIcRe_Erqxef7w9S1kZKmZbIH3zQQb7ikdz4rGhJFY-yF29cyIULDL5hgJIrNx-wQSO/s1600/IMG_20180817_075925271_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTebWL_GcGxW8a2Biud4C_TBkJv-_shaIySDwtADgVdEkQd1EMKs1eeyNloUnV03oxs2vWPLJ9yIcRe_Erqxef7w9S1kZKmZbIH3zQQb7ikdz4rGhJFY-yF29cyIULDL5hgJIrNx-wQSO/s320/IMG_20180817_075925271_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was the last leg, passing Tel Aviv, Ben-Gurion Airport, and at least one area where burned-out husks of transport vehicles have been preserved as a memorial of a tragic incident in the lead-up to the outbreak of the 1948 War. I had asked Tony if we would see them as we started along the highway, remembering the evocative passage in Collins and Lapierre's 1972 opus, <i>O Jerusalem! </i>Dominque Lapierre recalls:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> Just as my partner </i>[Larry Collins] <i>and I began our search for a new book to write, I accepted an invitation to give a lecture in Tel Aviv on Paris' miraculous survival in the fading months of WWII. Having never had the chance to see Jerusalem, I decided to jump in a taxy for a quick tour of the holy city before catching my plane back to Paris. Who could have guessed that that cab ride would last three years?</i></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTF6UpTp3vonftUaoQr7AtSe05brhA-GgoPt3Y6raOJi9tCuIg848H8KHzvOPeJn59v5rLnHxsgKqsGl3v9gPx0stM9WQ0Xiw6CcUuGV47j9C41W1WwhnJ96he1rWamqrklMk7M-IHKY3/s1600/IMG_20180817_090257909_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTF6UpTp3vonftUaoQr7AtSe05brhA-GgoPt3Y6raOJi9tCuIg848H8KHzvOPeJn59v5rLnHxsgKqsGl3v9gPx0stM9WQ0Xiw6CcUuGV47j9C41W1WwhnJ96he1rWamqrklMk7M-IHKY3/s320/IMG_20180817_090257909_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <i>On the narrow road that winds its way from Tel Aviv through the hills of Judea, I suddenly saw dozens of burned-out trucks scattered by the roadside. Some of them were decorated with flowers, others boasted inscriptions in Hebrew and commemorative plaques. I questioned my driver about these tortured carcasses that lined the road to Jerusalem. His reaction was almost one of outrage: had I never heard of the tragedy that had unfolded here in the spring of 1948? He stopped his taxy beside the debris of one of the trucks and, in a trembling voice full of respect, began his tale.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Spring 1948. Just a few weeks before the birth of the state of Israel. Jerusalem found itself surrounded by armed Arab-Palestinian partisans led by the charismatic Abdel Kader el-Husseini. More than a hundred thousand Jewish inhabitants were trapped in the holy city with neither food nor water and were on the verge of surrender. In order to prevent a disaster, the then-leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, David Ben-Gurion, requisitioned all the trucks and utility vehicles he could lay his hands on in order to get water and supplies to the desperate population. During the night of March 23, 1948, a convoy of more than three hundred trucks, driven by immigrants recently arrived from Europe, set off toward Jerusalem.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Having been warned by his scouts, el-Husseini unleashed his partisans, who fell on the convoy like a wave of locusts, burning the trucks, killing the drivers, and looting the precious supplies. Fire, blood, and hate ruled that night. Not one single ounce of food or a drop of water leaked through to Jerusalem. The graveyard of carcasses that had lined the road to Jerusalem since that fateful night became silent witnesses keeping alive the memories of those terrible days when the State of Israel almost disappeared even before it was born.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> The tragic tale of this convoy inflamed my imagination: this was the story that Larry and I had to tell in our next book. I could picture the men and women gripping the steering wheels of their trucks as all hell broke loose around them. Most had probably just escaped Hitler's death camps, and struggled across a war-torn Europe to embark on a windy, desperate road while trying to save their starving brethren in Jerusalem. Then there suddenly appeared in front of my eyes the Queen of all cities rising majestically in all her splendor in the distance, as if spread on a lunar landscape. </i>(<i>O Jerusalem!</i>, Introduction)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDDx4_mNusjsGxUIEKnawb9xg92itbbeaHTA25t59TeG70d8JPWQtAJbQNToqUb8_OCuMjs0aG7zgapW2Rbwqj_bVZ7PL9PAkd2Cb8vqCqPmQwheJDpglL-F1XLphp6oxzgq7g_HXJRNv/s1600/Jerusalem+west+first+glimpse_800x534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDDx4_mNusjsGxUIEKnawb9xg92itbbeaHTA25t59TeG70d8JPWQtAJbQNToqUb8_OCuMjs0aG7zgapW2Rbwqj_bVZ7PL9PAkd2Cb8vqCqPmQwheJDpglL-F1XLphp6oxzgq7g_HXJRNv/s320/Jerusalem+west+first+glimpse_800x534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Ingrid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The effect of nearing the city from the west is somewhat different today. The landscape is not so barren, as the desert has bloomed back to some life -- trees planted by Jews from throughout the world, many of them in lieu of immigrating to the young state; the highway itself is more modern; and the city has expanded and modernized, which is all we saw today we bypassed Jerusalem and went directly to Bethlehem.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we approached Bethlehem, Tony got serious in cautioning us <i>not</i> to leave this hotel after dark. We would not be in Galilee, in Israel, anymore, but for all intents and purposes in another country. Then, in the late afternoon sun, we saw the massive security wall with watchtowers and barbed-wire fencing running along its top. Bethlehem is part of the West Bank -- under the Palestinian Authority -- and its people are strictly forbidden from entering Israel. This is a relatively recent development -- a legacy of the 2000-2005 Second Intifada, when the Muslim Palestinians started sending continuous waves of suicide bombers into Israel, many of them into Jerusalem from Bethlehem. The Israeli response was to initiate a great building project variously called the “West Bank Barrier” and far worse names, but most practically simply "The Wall." The Israelis consider such defensive measures imperative; the rest of the world largely considers it a gross violation of international law and the Palestinians' rights -- but the rest of the world does not have to live with the threat of daily suicide attacks that went from a daily occurrence to a rarity. It has, however, had tragic consequences, especially devastating the dwindling Christian community in the birthplace of Our Lord, who are now trapped behind enemy lines -- considered Palestinians by the Israelis, considered Israeli collaborators by the Muslims.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WPf_pQQi3R-Kowsno55xnYaHjNUHsiT5dxCA1RsaVzVwJLApU5Il4rOibVdnx_cVVk666xJpRZ-DGTSHeItrlU54EI7byihvf4mC4zktqTPhwZOs1hjqHrytQgTnOAEoY-6yMqCXJll6/s1600/IMG_20180817_092830984_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WPf_pQQi3R-Kowsno55xnYaHjNUHsiT5dxCA1RsaVzVwJLApU5Il4rOibVdnx_cVVk666xJpRZ-DGTSHeItrlU54EI7byihvf4mC4zktqTPhwZOs1hjqHrytQgTnOAEoY-6yMqCXJll6/s320/IMG_20180817_092830984_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wall (inside)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We passed through the checkpoint without incident -- passage into the Palestinian Territory is easy, it's the getting out that is so difficult -- and we would pass through the Wall several more times over the next few days, but that first time made quite an impression. And, as Tony had warned us, we were suddenly in essentially another country. Whether it really is or is not is immaterial. It certainly feels like it. Suddenly, no Hebrew signage -- just Arabic and English. There were clearly visible signs of a moribund economy -- I've seen figures that the overall unemployment rate in Bethlehem is around 70 percent -- and among the Christians it's even worse. Graffiti -- most of it political, much of it anti-American -- covered the walls as well as <i>The </i>Wall.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For all that, I will say that we never felt unsafe -- in our bus, in our hotel. And none of us ventured out away from there further than line-of-sight of the hotel. And that only during daylight. And we were now in Bethlehem, where the light came into the world.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In those days a
decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all
went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be
enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Luke 2: 1-5)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleuPwGjjRdn7-kZrDxSl4XzpJbIvyfqNGfM94ZqYKXWlcMCB-du0IOZolrFmXYwbKkKY_MI3xgfVypjpDfocJSz_j2ikGP3h1hpjJcgu83cr-vOAIxV2MmVu82GgZhhfNdctYirsifFOH/s1600/IMG_20180817_123046009_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleuPwGjjRdn7-kZrDxSl4XzpJbIvyfqNGfM94ZqYKXWlcMCB-du0IOZolrFmXYwbKkKY_MI3xgfVypjpDfocJSz_j2ikGP3h1hpjJcgu83cr-vOAIxV2MmVu82GgZhhfNdctYirsifFOH/s320/IMG_20180817_123046009_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF4knAxezwlAsiBMAukuikDj5ZWCrHpg3ysNYAambx2Wv6KWeI6WwEOVu7PJv6DEHWUURGMhRl_PcCBLIOL1pM2xjIzoNwr-hKvHJyOTX6IFjFgZ0PizS_MZejrpiiUy8ykWtN_i973bs/s1600/IMG_20180819_235903067_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF4knAxezwlAsiBMAukuikDj5ZWCrHpg3ysNYAambx2Wv6KWeI6WwEOVu7PJv6DEHWUURGMhRl_PcCBLIOL1pM2xjIzoNwr-hKvHJyOTX6IFjFgZ0PizS_MZejrpiiUy8ykWtN_i973bs/s320/IMG_20180819_235903067_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We arrived at the St. Gabriel Hotel and checked in. Kristal and I, as well as several other of our group, were on the first floor ... which was really, as we would count it, the fourth floor. The ground floor was the lobby; above that was the bar; above that was the restaurant. Others of our group were on the two floors above our own -- and there were several floors above that, but as far as we could tell we were the only guests for the first few nights of our stay. We were given cards making it happy hour for us in the bar all that first evening, and a group of us ended up there as soon as we freshened up. I discovered a good Israeli beer -- Taybeh -- then we went up to supper at 19:00. Since we were the only group, there was no expansive buffet like at the Ron Beach Hotel, but rather the food was served to two tables seating eight people each, what we would call "family style." But the food was just as good.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After supper, I excused myself, came back up to the room, and worked on this blog until soon after 22:00, when I decided I need to get to bed.</span></span>Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-71854269043531198272018-08-16T15:10:00.000-05:002018-08-30T22:07:24.645-05:00Thursday 16 August -- Holy Land 2018 Day 4: Galilee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OXXlz7KWQk_SSZzafAWIoHIdTaVOjpc9mxUVtl7qfXnhzh0IrKiOMNuy13Pq9o0AUnr8m8kA_9E397O1oks75W11hOO7fNmbINxmO44oe2KskFRiuCG7aTyNnDDrvkbgN9JmnUckH9uj/s1600/20180817+map_800x405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="800" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OXXlz7KWQk_SSZzafAWIoHIdTaVOjpc9mxUVtl7qfXnhzh0IrKiOMNuy13Pq9o0AUnr8m8kA_9E397O1oks75W11hOO7fNmbINxmO44oe2KskFRiuCG7aTyNnDDrvkbgN9JmnUckH9uj/s320/20180817+map_800x405.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The alarm went off at 06:45 and I got up within (a few) minutes,
dressed and was down to breakfast [only a few minutes after] 07:30. It was
pretty much the same amazing spread.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">The lady who fell and twisted her ankle yesterday was still in pain from it, with it visibly swollen and wrapped in an bandage. But people took turns pushing her around, and she was able to hobble on it whenever the wheelchair was not usable. Unfortunately, for all my lingering sense of guilt that I was talking with her and thus distracting her when she fell, with one arm out of commission I was not able to help out.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
were on the bus by 09:00, headed to Cana, saying a Rosary – the five Luminous
Mysteries, two of which were most appropriate for our day: The Baptism of
Jesus; <i>The Wedding at Cana</i>; Preaching the Kingdom; <i>The Transfiguration</i>; and The
Eucharist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Along the way we passed by the “Valley of the Pomegranates” – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rimmonim</i> – and as we neared and entered
Cana Tony told us a sad fact. What was in 2000 a town of almost 100% Christian
is now overwhelmingly Muslim -- about 80%. Later he would explain why, and why that fact is
not just sad but frightening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cana is, of course, most commonly associated with the site of
Christ’s first known miracle, the beginning of his public ministry. The story
is told by John: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b> On the third day </b>[after his arrival in Galilee and calling
of Philip and Nathanael]<b> there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the
mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his
disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no
wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour
has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification,
each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with
water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out,
and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. When the steward of
the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from
(though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast
called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first;
and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good
wine until now." This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,
and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.</b>” (John 2:
1-11). </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Without getting into the full exegesis of this passage, note that the
first emphasis is on the presence of Mary, <i>then </i>Jesus and his disciples
– and that she instigates him to the performance of this first known “sign,”
which “manifested his glory” such that “his disciples believed in him.” They
are Mary’s last recorded words in scripture. Moreover, forget any idea that Jesus' addressing his mother as "woman" was a sign of disrespect; it was, on the contrary, a term of the very deepest respect. Finally, the Church holds this event
to constitute Jesus’ sanctification of the covenant of marriage (CCC 1613),
sacramentalizing it by transforming into wine the very element of water which
he had previously sanctified at his own Baptism – the element by which we are
likewise sacramentally reborn.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuqFDZJpf_k76ys5E9vbaL7xVLcxgoN2TtyaO2W7n_aanGpjzmyZpWJoZPP90keii-qezH7hR5Z9Vxy7wW-fN95a93Qp8xIq4Wjt0KedBoUWXIaSqcfJft7wzY320raa5mPtSqvDkTfex/s1600/IMG_20180816_013243023_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuqFDZJpf_k76ys5E9vbaL7xVLcxgoN2TtyaO2W7n_aanGpjzmyZpWJoZPP90keii-qezH7hR5Z9Vxy7wW-fN95a93Qp8xIq4Wjt0KedBoUWXIaSqcfJft7wzY320raa5mPtSqvDkTfex/s320/IMG_20180816_013243023_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We parked and walked to the Wedding Chapel at Cana. “The Cana
Catholic WEDDING CHURCH” – that’s what it’s called, in three languages,
English, Arabic, and Hebrew – is a brilliant white church that would not be out
of place in Italy, I think. It’s run by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy
Land. The Franciscans have, of course, had a major presence ever since the
12th-c. when St. Francis himself came to the Holy Land, intent on converting
the Sultan. He did not succeed in that, of course, but he did impress the
Muslim warlord in such wise that the Franciscans have managed to keep a working
relationship with the Muslims pretty much continuously through the centuries
when the Holy Land was under Turkish rule (which was until less than a century
ago). I don’t know if that has any significance regarding what Tony had earlier
told us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
actually went into the small chapel set aside for what was the highlight of
that stop, our only married couple, Robert and Kathie with whom I rode from Pineville to Houston, renewing their marriage vows within a week
of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">54<sup>th</sup></i> anniversary of
their wedding. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zxNZu844a9Q/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zxNZu844a9Q?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKK8WPiBxsT6keOH32jCutMWP_JVcxzSUKYDZnxnj0_kQmzL-h5ZgoagaiY6M8bOkwh07KRFNLw4Lv9XMSutI-b7ZHEicf7KbNnfi7vWHZB_mklepqw14z73myBsAnkVjYVZbUOphCvIZ/s1600/IMG_20180816_021133775_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKK8WPiBxsT6keOH32jCutMWP_JVcxzSUKYDZnxnj0_kQmzL-h5ZgoagaiY6M8bOkwh07KRFNLw4Lv9XMSutI-b7ZHEicf7KbNnfi7vWHZB_mklepqw14z73myBsAnkVjYVZbUOphCvIZ/s320/IMG_20180816_021133775_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
Tony took us down to the archaeological area after which he let us loose to take pictures. I think he said that a large stone jar-like object usually described as being one of those described in the scripture quoted above was not that, but rather an olive press; the stone water jugs were quite a bit smaller, what is called a "gallon" in this cased being more the volume of a liter or quart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsb_kOIs0FMH6R6PpPSfKJz9nlMs8PGDd_OpDtS9YxbkUG03ikS5z3Ld801d9DM75cw4UTGLM3H63q84iPWo2EqxQ7bOCV47R-mCqiTotbRcohIn4n0Y0i4Nh9sK-HUKdFbZxmQQtQkYmw/s1600/IMG-20180826-WA0000_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsb_kOIs0FMH6R6PpPSfKJz9nlMs8PGDd_OpDtS9YxbkUG03ikS5z3Ld801d9DM75cw4UTGLM3H63q84iPWo2EqxQ7bOCV47R-mCqiTotbRcohIn4n0Y0i4Nh9sK-HUKdFbZxmQQtQkYmw/s320/IMG-20180826-WA0000_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Kristal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKK8WPiBxsT6keOH32jCutMWP_JVcxzSUKYDZnxnj0_kQmzL-h5ZgoagaiY6M8bOkwh07KRFNLw4Lv9XMSutI-b7ZHEicf7KbNnfi7vWHZB_mklepqw14z73myBsAnkVjYVZbUOphCvIZ/s1600/IMG_20180816_021133775_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For
whatever reason, people dawdled when he called us to assemble to head for the
bus, and we started out for Nazareth late – and consequently almost missed
having Mass there. Some speculate, although I do not know for sure, that we may
have been relegated to a smaller, nondescript chapel rather than the main
Basilica because we arrived almost fifteen minutes late. Tony mildly – but firmly
and deservedly – rebuked the group later when he had a chance.</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfTUa7wOm84rz2YQ_7eiCr9nd6PMcUPEdVISXYUiuHgUqHtSCwlm-RyZLdMcOnDP2cqlhE2ra-nDbSQL5rPy5si6hCK13cVKDbpgU6ZsnIgRklYg6Y4IQVlPdGzaLKEsCCRGSsTgk6FB5/s1600/IMG_20180816_033010109_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfTUa7wOm84rz2YQ_7eiCr9nd6PMcUPEdVISXYUiuHgUqHtSCwlm-RyZLdMcOnDP2cqlhE2ra-nDbSQL5rPy5si6hCK13cVKDbpgU6ZsnIgRklYg6Y4IQVlPdGzaLKEsCCRGSsTgk6FB5/s320/IMG_20180816_033010109_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
any case, we did have Mass </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">at</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> the
Basilica of the Annunciation, albeit in a chapel which we reached via a spiral staircase
that seemed to go up forever. It was still within mere yards of where God
entered history via a virgin’s womb. Padre Emilio’s homily focused on that as
the obvious theme – “</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">here</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">” is where
the Incarnation happened; “</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">in this place</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">” is
where Mary said “Yes,” “</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fiat</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.” As the
first creation began with a </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">fiat</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, so
did the new creation.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At that Mass, in the Basilica of the Annunciation, Padre let me lead the chanting of the <i>Magnificat</i>, and I began chanting the Responsorial Psalms as well. By the end of the pilgrimage I had even managed to introduce chanting the <i>Kyrie</i> in Greek, and the <i>Sanctus</i>, and <i>Agnus Dei </i>in Latin.... Give me an inch with regard to Latin in the liturgy, and I will happily take a mile!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lek1XCYg7qk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lek1XCYg7qk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Basilica of the Annunciation is built on the site of the home
in which young Mary lived with her parents. Like many houses in the area in the
ancient world, the house was actually backed up to a hill, extending back into
a cave, either natural or hollowed out. The parts of the house backed up into
such a grotto enjoy somewhat ameliorated temperatures compared to the extremes
– generally hot, as it was today – out in the open. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <b>In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to
her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly
troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this
might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a
son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called
the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall
this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold,
your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is
the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be
impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be
to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.</b> (Luke 1:
26-39).</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-d7Nl7rxvHun1R3HBSoTz_Dot3oc0EC79nYsTPRBpHbaDYEVje3UoNU4ulAtFqNIhIKu6Q_lSHSZK3IYQDQ5XjqtspQqZ2fDOKnMqwmA93glp9t6xFb3zr77jTl4KF4BGZ0Ic21xkkZa/s1600/IMG_20180816_042157533_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-d7Nl7rxvHun1R3HBSoTz_Dot3oc0EC79nYsTPRBpHbaDYEVje3UoNU4ulAtFqNIhIKu6Q_lSHSZK3IYQDQ5XjqtspQqZ2fDOKnMqwmA93glp9t6xFb3zr77jTl4KF4BGZ0Ic21xkkZa/s320/IMG_20180816_042157533_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">The basilica itself is what I might term “mod-exotic” – a concave
conical tower above a brilliant white facade built in the 1960s. Etched into
the concave front are images of Mary and the Angel, below which are the four
Evangelists, with the words, in Latin, “<i>Verbum Caro factum est et habitavit
in nobis,</i>” “The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHDnXAmgJnIRkSLBZc7-mGGJh8JhWIZmaRYvsUxCTd0b-tSHtVCsl20l7I9ATpm4nFwjclZqU2yhiv3-W3hQhUls2f0Gpq6ge2LP8HSIlKH_RDJPIIEMseH4TFgX84ZYqGev6UjSQ_gDy/s1600/IMG_20180816_043629882_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHDnXAmgJnIRkSLBZc7-mGGJh8JhWIZmaRYvsUxCTd0b-tSHtVCsl20l7I9ATpm4nFwjclZqU2yhiv3-W3hQhUls2f0Gpq6ge2LP8HSIlKH_RDJPIIEMseH4TFgX84ZYqGev6UjSQ_gDy/s320/IMG_20180816_043629882_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inside the basilica, the altar backs up into the grotto where, on
the floor, there is a similar inscription – “<i>VERBUM CARO HİC FACTUM EST,</i>”
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH <b>HERE</b>” (I think the dot above the<i> I</i> in <i>HIC</i>
represents a macron, which I don't think I've ever seen in an inscription – but
it does lend emphasis – “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">here</i>”).
Again, the fairly recent construction of the church stripped away a little of
the sense of antiquity even though intellectually I knew I was standing on two
thousand years of history going to the very beginning of our Faith. And it was overall quite magnificent, especially on the inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
magnificence was amplified by something we barely finished Mass in time to witness
– the Franciscan friars Grotto Procession at Noon, built around the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Angelus</i>, sung in Latin. I said to
another pilgrim afterward, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tell</i> me
Latin is not better!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PjJ0r2Bmjuo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PjJ0r2Bmjuo?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lV8kBEgmMkPkRKrL1UcsnT9JCm-kH59xsoP6hAVIQeebjaWqK9zLHDz8vJaWTWB5KsTrSzQFrbUnf4IZskzuHEwV6ASVUAeD4SvtVqhEMrLI3MUQ8MlYP_Cw3jTZ2eY-YtByGcULyFOj/s1600/IMG_20180816_042242867_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lV8kBEgmMkPkRKrL1UcsnT9JCm-kH59xsoP6hAVIQeebjaWqK9zLHDz8vJaWTWB5KsTrSzQFrbUnf4IZskzuHEwV6ASVUAeD4SvtVqhEMrLI3MUQ8MlYP_Cw3jTZ2eY-YtByGcULyFOj/s1600/IMG_20180816_042242867_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lV8kBEgmMkPkRKrL1UcsnT9JCm-kH59xsoP6hAVIQeebjaWqK9zLHDz8vJaWTWB5KsTrSzQFrbUnf4IZskzuHEwV6ASVUAeD4SvtVqhEMrLI3MUQ8MlYP_Cw3jTZ2eY-YtByGcULyFOj/s320/IMG_20180816_042242867_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Tony
explained the site, its archaeology and history, with his usual skill and insight. For instance, why was Mary so "greatly troubled" by the appearance of the angel? The encounter is believed to have taken place in the natural or man-made cave part of the house, one of the uses of which </span>was to isolate women during times when they were considered ritually impure once a month. Suddenly, the angel -- not what we imagine as having wings and a halo, but rather in the form of a man. A strange man, in a culture when women, certainly young women, did not associate with men who were not related to them. What young woman, alone, suddenly confronted with a strange man where he should not have been -- <i>in the most private part of her home</i> -- would <i>not </i>be afraid? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1uzaE1h8mvxY74uMw_vImEs2Zt8SxJ1gVWtUp8Lrp1k5L0CRxys2Nw86GsWzSK9c2IMe7RPvN-46Ocs9_ZSnGHUqKWhqL2Fdd4A2UFg2BPSJEy2u0LBYNctptzUbiqO0qrWvB7LvZFBn/s1600/IMG_20180816_043810373_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1uzaE1h8mvxY74uMw_vImEs2Zt8SxJ1gVWtUp8Lrp1k5L0CRxys2Nw86GsWzSK9c2IMe7RPvN-46Ocs9_ZSnGHUqKWhqL2Fdd4A2UFg2BPSJEy2u0LBYNctptzUbiqO0qrWvB7LvZFBn/s320/IMG_20180816_043810373_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo kindly taken by Ingrid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> then again turned us loose to explore the site. I mainly concentrated on the
grotto discussed above. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9fvpShmbsCl43q9QFS7KyrgwV3ws_aZrW-t27Pqx79vQAZsNXfgM3la9-RHTO1GkYRDED69npC-iMTAY4CY3grEEKW2AFaHovQAPEoOzkQRvbMUMRwlIwqrLVEWpVAY47ZJ_apDDacHR/s1600/IMG_20180816_044051980_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9fvpShmbsCl43q9QFS7KyrgwV3ws_aZrW-t27Pqx79vQAZsNXfgM3la9-RHTO1GkYRDED69npC-iMTAY4CY3grEEKW2AFaHovQAPEoOzkQRvbMUMRwlIwqrLVEWpVAY47ZJ_apDDacHR/s320/IMG_20180816_044051980_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I passed on the other important site nearby, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">St. Joseph’s Church. The Church of St. Joseph the Carpenter
is built over a another grotto containing the ruins of what is said to be St. Joseph’s
workshop and/or house. Nothing I found in my pre-trip research said it, but I
wonder if this is where the angel appeared to Joseph: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14nrTOP6-oJODtJPJRKWgFmLov2CKV6RfjIkJ96t21BnY0EIWssI5diiD9od0jVHQ9e8yrG31U_8Ps8eE1lNG1v92dS1H5SVc4MPmYDDCcqNkYPcY6p3x-X45ACXXqkj9YAq_Qq63JB8n/s1600/IMG_20180816_044200769_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14nrTOP6-oJODtJPJRKWgFmLov2CKV6RfjIkJ96t21BnY0EIWssI5diiD9od0jVHQ9e8yrG31U_8Ps8eE1lNG1v92dS1H5SVc4MPmYDDCcqNkYPcY6p3x-X45ACXXqkj9YAq_Qq63JB8n/s320/IMG_20180816_044200769_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Basilica of the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Annunciation</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>When his mother Mary
had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be
with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and
unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he
considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All
this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel"
(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of
the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne
a son; and he called his name Jesus.</b>” (Matt. 1: 18b-25)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is probably where the Holy Family would have lived once they
returned from their extended journey to Jerusalem and thence into Egypt. That
is the ancient belief, in any case – a round plaque declares, “<i>HIC ERAT
DOMUS ILLIS</i>,” “HERE WAS THEIR HOME.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I did not actually see this, however. When we finally figured out where we needed to go, and Padre
ended his directions with “Many steps!” – I bailed. I was just about stepped
out for a while. Instead, I and a couple of others sat and watched a docent
regulating entry into the Basilica. He took his job quite seriously, especially with
regard to women with uncovered shoulders or knees. We watched him turn several away, and others would have been turned away had they not been able to pull out
scarves they could drape strategically to do the job to his satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We ate lunch almost next door to the Basilica -- wonderful, thick, and loaded <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gyros</i> sandwiches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Walking from and to the Basilica from where our bus parked, we did pass through the Old Market of Nazareth, containing plenty of open air shops and skads of souvenirs. Tony had, however, cautioned us against shopping indiscriminately, for several reasons. One, he said, was that most of the religious items we would find would be cheap "fakes," made in China, whereas he promised to take us to a shop in Bethlehem whose wares he guaranteed would be authentic, made by local Christians, and indeed would be an important way we could support them in a society becoming increasingly hostile to them. Along those same lines, secondly, he said most of these sellers would indeed be Muslims, buying from whom would in fact be supporting them -- against the local Christians. Thirdly, the prices would be inflated. Finally, especially, he warned us against using credit cards except where he advised. He promised -- and did, throughout the trip -- tell us beforehand of a legitimate, safe seller; but he also cautioned us never to <i>ask</i> him about one in their presence, which would put him in a bad spot. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDbzz4bDUCtmrNAGODrearHYgRfpfFZ94ljSjUMznO22Ubo5tvtbCGey5wbpL647JgV1IyKWxwsUba2oCDovFU-6KzRsj8wNdLt0HOizB_yiE91Qi7GPztYiBMU3OHD6encpWtu-4srqT/s1600/IMG_20180816_055746419_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDbzz4bDUCtmrNAGODrearHYgRfpfFZ94ljSjUMznO22Ubo5tvtbCGey5wbpL647JgV1IyKWxwsUba2oCDovFU-6KzRsj8wNdLt0HOizB_yiE91Qi7GPztYiBMU3OHD6encpWtu-4srqT/s320/IMG_20180816_055746419_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the way back to the bus, Tony did duck into a sweets shop and come out with a good-sized box of Israeli </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">baklava,</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> which was enjoyed by all once we got back on the bus. Tony is The Man.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpNRRGL_XBTj7f36QW6agwjJEhcByGy0s4v7B6y8jijCI8t1Td-vYHMM0qJkkGCTD8kYyhZ4_HCck_R7mC3p49uCyM0HB52Tyw_-6Obznc1HLJfGCZLD7On0hUhn5Gtan7VSG2sUZrLKf/s1600/IMG_20180816_065641839_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpNRRGL_XBTj7f36QW6agwjJEhcByGy0s4v7B6y8jijCI8t1Td-vYHMM0qJkkGCTD8kYyhZ4_HCck_R7mC3p49uCyM0HB52Tyw_-6Obznc1HLJfGCZLD7On0hUhn5Gtan7VSG2sUZrLKf/s320/IMG_20180816_065641839_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mount Tabor and Nain</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leaving Nazareth, we headed out for Mount Tabor. Along the way we saw the Jezreel Valley, figuring prominently in several places in the Old Testament,
and Tony pointed out Nain, the home of the widow whose son Jesus raised from
the dead. But we did not go there. Tony says it is not safe – it is a case
study of the Muslim “Soft Jihad” by which that religion is spreading so
insidiously. It was 100% Christian in 2004 – when they allowed one family of
Islamic “refugees” from Iraq to move in. To be immediately followed by relatives, etc. – as soon
as their population reached critical mass, they took over, imposed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shariah</i> law, Christians fled, and the town is now 100%
Muslim. The church – which sponsored that original family – is now closed, a
garbage dump behind the newly constructed mosque. Tony related the story as a
warning – Europe, he says, is already far along the same road; The United States has pulled back, for now -- explaining why, for Donald Trump’s policies regarding Islamic “refugees” alone, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he likes Trump</i> (something he’s said
already several times, but not with such force as this time).</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshYu7Wqs6I1Dtg2EKCqkgzrxatbJ2xUQzwaoF_rS7W862IH-Grq8XNYyPpHSLORtMoikEkOb3cZfYiOwxRCWHaMeb8zZe9hSDw_qDboD9hXAg5bs0adwyagxCF3qRi5Tme7bD3SrVtOWR/s1600/IMG-20180821-WA0003_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshYu7Wqs6I1Dtg2EKCqkgzrxatbJ2xUQzwaoF_rS7W862IH-Grq8XNYyPpHSLORtMoikEkOb3cZfYiOwxRCWHaMeb8zZe9hSDw_qDboD9hXAg5bs0adwyagxCF3qRi5Tme7bD3SrVtOWR/s320/IMG-20180821-WA0003_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Mary Bourgeois</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(A lot of Israelis like Trump; we saw "Trump make Israel great" signs on several occasion ... the Muslim Palestinians are not nearly so fond, however....)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mount Tabor is most famously the site of the Transfiguration: “<b>And
after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and
led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his
face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold,
there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to
Jesus, ‘Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three
booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still
speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud
said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with
awe. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear.’ And
when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only</b>.” (Matt. 17:
1-8).</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Standing apart from the mountain range containing Carmel to the
west, between Nazareth to the nearer west and the Sea of Galilee to the east.
Mt. Tabor rises like a great dome above the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley
as only one possibility for the location of the Transfiguration – but since the
4th c. the tradition has been firm. Its relative isolation does make it a
suitable “high mountain apart”; perhaps that relative isolation – similar to
that of far-off Mount Sinai – helped inspire long before the time of Christ its
association with the one true God, El Shaddai, “God Most High.” At the summit
today, built on 4th-6th-c. Byzantine and 12th-c. Crusader foundations, the
Franciscan Roman Catholic Church of the Transfiguration (finished in 1924)
affords spectacular views both within and without. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBiU1fxIvS29OAq0W2gXAgEdg_9oZBjGtbGbkAlR0Ky2Tt8zfu4U1iaHX40-3RYLKcTPTnHSffjCb9ljEytDqeGlk0ObWhiSOq6Jk8W9B76Siafrdm3SBpmmiTQDA4J0fNKQjuaQZdndX/s1600/IMG_20180816_074524407_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBiU1fxIvS29OAq0W2gXAgEdg_9oZBjGtbGbkAlR0Ky2Tt8zfu4U1iaHX40-3RYLKcTPTnHSffjCb9ljEytDqeGlk0ObWhiSOq6Jk8W9B76Siafrdm3SBpmmiTQDA4J0fNKQjuaQZdndX/s320/IMG_20180816_074524407_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBZmRAfaC970HfFrY2Fk-vWq_iojt8rE_R-Wt9EHpasmtIJ5BE9gn9Y8T6c9JpkYFN1g3ffFMurBeMDNmaQ8m4J9wATSx_ZOjwvV3UDvpDxE7D_68YOtkpwZGaAJT82xafAHrGmjI3BFR/s1600/IMG_20180816_080325184_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBZmRAfaC970HfFrY2Fk-vWq_iojt8rE_R-Wt9EHpasmtIJ5BE9gn9Y8T6c9JpkYFN1g3ffFMurBeMDNmaQ8m4J9wATSx_ZOjwvV3UDvpDxE7D_68YOtkpwZGaAJT82xafAHrGmjI3BFR/s320/IMG_20180816_080325184_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBZmRAfaC970HfFrY2Fk-vWq_iojt8rE_R-Wt9EHpasmtIJ5BE9gn9Y8T6c9JpkYFN1g3ffFMurBeMDNmaQ8m4J9wATSx_ZOjwvV3UDvpDxE7D_68YOtkpwZGaAJT82xafAHrGmjI3BFR/s1600/IMG_20180816_080325184_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6p5c8Ee6_M-iw7YG-fBnLp0EhbgYnubq41zsmGbUq-A_VcDTHKs4pJiCMOdjYM_SUD2DF7bGbpKxUUdnCiGmQ5hLw2u_U7L0Be-ob2w8kfecVcHDZSD20mJx0-BcorA78n52GtkR84b-Z/s1600/IMG_20180816_075102405_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6p5c8Ee6_M-iw7YG-fBnLp0EhbgYnubq41zsmGbUq-A_VcDTHKs4pJiCMOdjYM_SUD2DF7bGbpKxUUdnCiGmQ5hLw2u_U7L0Be-ob2w8kfecVcHDZSD20mJx0-BcorA78n52GtkR84b-Z/s320/IMG_20180816_075102405_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qyiKlxEeUGk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qyiKlxEeUGk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Getting to the top, however, entailed a rather harrowing trip in a
smaller van up a very windy road with a ton of switchbacks. I can’t imagine,
however, being a pilgrim of old having to climb this mount on my own two feet
(likely all fours, feet and hands). The ancient pilgrims’ path has almost five
thousand steps cut into the bedrock of this mountain.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Videos going up then back down Mt. Tabor</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OWepBMVV0H4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OWepBMVV0H4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/beslXJKW6JY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/beslXJKW6JY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm53gmBuKDwkk3j7cZTyiQBOalcM9O4S2NtcfbKtdaxQrGN4xRocrcDb1TjKm3F-pLa_5r8x8nqQ1S9FBQ975ElMK_d-40UssZaI9ApHLk1coJI655anLNTfEH4lSSxEmwp79qWhvzyRPf/s1600/20180817_Fish+food_800x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm53gmBuKDwkk3j7cZTyiQBOalcM9O4S2NtcfbKtdaxQrGN4xRocrcDb1TjKm3F-pLa_5r8x8nqQ1S9FBQ975ElMK_d-40UssZaI9ApHLk1coJI655anLNTfEH4lSSxEmwp79qWhvzyRPf/s320/20180817_Fish+food_800x450.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">On the drive back to Tiberias, we prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Once again, we had a bit of free time before dinner. I took my prayer book and headed down to the beach, where I found, I believe, every one of the ladies with our group benefiting from a "fish pedicure." Very small little fish would school up around exposed flesh, especially the feet, and nibble away at any dead skin. I'm told it felt very weird. I would not know; despite their urging I did not take off my shoes and socks and dip my feet in. I did take some video, but probably will not post it.... Let's just say it ended with -- "<i>Are you <b>filming</b> this?!</i>" -- to which I admitted, "</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Yes</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">," and shut it down....</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I retreated up a ways and enjoyed the beach as I prayed the abbreviated version of Vespers in the <i>St. Benedict's Prayer Book</i>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="color: black;">After dinner, after which I came up here to get my room and
packing in order. We are to have our bags outside our doors at 08:00, have
breakfast, and head out for the south tomorrow. I got a first draft of this post written, which I would later build on for the full account, making for another late night although I did shut it down a little before midnight.</span></span></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-28847534926569312572018-08-15T16:15:00.000-05:002018-09-05T08:37:44.268-05:00Wednesday 15 August -- Holy Land 2018 Day 3: Around the Sea of Galilee<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fQYB9GTg16tV4eZ-WTkHU94c2cDEXGA_x7xcpwZrOSfdyKlqugRug2MplSCjs_hoCwLUNjsKBhQfW9PweeWgES3yXm22c24EbmdjEG9F9zzeq9bpoL2mUtDuORx9BFV7PLz1YChdA4CK/s1600/20180815+Day+3+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="800" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fQYB9GTg16tV4eZ-WTkHU94c2cDEXGA_x7xcpwZrOSfdyKlqugRug2MplSCjs_hoCwLUNjsKBhQfW9PweeWgES3yXm22c24EbmdjEG9F9zzeq9bpoL2mUtDuORx9BFV7PLz1YChdA4CK/s320/20180815+Day+3+Map.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ignore the time/distance tag</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This, our first full day in the Holy Land, was the Feast of the Annunciation -- </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">a Holy Day of Obligation commemorating the Assumption of Our Lady
into heaven at the end of her earthly life. Preserved free from Original and
Actual Sin by the prevenient graces of her Son, it was only right that her body
should not know corruption any more than that of her Son. Such has been
believed since time immemorial although it was only declared a dogma of the
Catholic Church in 1950. We will be going to the Church of the Dormition on Mt.
Zion later during this pilgrimage – one of the reputed sites from which Our
Lady was taken up bodily into heaven – and had our schedule not changed for reasons unknown to me, it would have been very fitting for our Mass for this
holy day to take place at the site of another great event associated with
Mary – Cana, where Jesus worked his first miracle at her urging. But Cana would have to wait for tomorrow. Instead, Mass was at a site central to her son's mission in Galilee, with a message central to his very identity....</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">+ + +</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjCYkO5dt2botg3vekUGmWpdG_UE2hr5KjfS0FNCwDmB1W6D0oOUuvD8etNEqbM1LGZ4EiMPo0apF6Y_MKtqmUUG3hmbpIQ__JyNamk3Z7iC0umqYhxej3ni8MnuTvR3o2FoK7cctBpN4/s1600/20180815_090500_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjCYkO5dt2botg3vekUGmWpdG_UE2hr5KjfS0FNCwDmB1W6D0oOUuvD8etNEqbM1LGZ4EiMPo0apF6Y_MKtqmUUG3hmbpIQ__JyNamk3Z7iC0umqYhxej3ni8MnuTvR3o2FoK7cctBpN4/s320/20180815_090500_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">A phone call woke me up at 07:30, but longer time getting ready due to my impaired left arm made me a little late to breakfast. It was a magnificent spread, though! We found out that we are already departing from our published schedule, flip-flopping the next two days, today staying in the environs of the Sea of Galilee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73oot8trdPIx5b_oEyk0mixLi1iDcPgGeSOyDDYDnC1UCGHCZQSSTNmTCw3Wmu1NrdjM0yccOliZZaBJzhyphenhyphenywQ5NP2bZHLay-0YcFn_Us6nE23D7hvp5XN5cYv8X_DP-u48PIxQPjA3Ie/s1600/20180815_082913_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73oot8trdPIx5b_oEyk0mixLi1iDcPgGeSOyDDYDnC1UCGHCZQSSTNmTCw3Wmu1NrdjM0yccOliZZaBJzhyphenhyphenywQ5NP2bZHLay-0YcFn_Us6nE23D7hvp5XN5cYv8X_DP-u48PIxQPjA3Ie/s320/20180815_082913_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We began with a bus trip around the
northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. In the daylight the rugged nature of the landscape was even more impressive than what I saw from the bus last night. During that first drive we met our guide, named Anton or just "Tony," an Israeli Christian (Melkite Catholic) born and with deep roots in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. He didn't join us last night because he did not arrive back from a period of service in the Israeli Defense Force until too late to join on that ride. He is great! -- a Biblical archaeologist, he has worked on at least one of the sites we are going to be seeing! He knows his stuff -- both historically and religiously. I (and everyone else) immediately liked him. (See Note at bottom of page.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPj78gJfbzzycv1UzO-wC-5naZ4LYrO2zNyTqeM3D1fhs064FZlNWZC0jJ9Y6MzySvmkbfjwGvvXYdfVQ-5zpF10iDPdcH0oitN4cuMgBbw3DUFlhFwEVmzsgBJtqeOB913xzFpFGG5Ec/s1600/IMG_20180815_015237170_HDR+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPj78gJfbzzycv1UzO-wC-5naZ4LYrO2zNyTqeM3D1fhs064FZlNWZC0jJ9Y6MzySvmkbfjwGvvXYdfVQ-5zpF10iDPdcH0oitN4cuMgBbw3DUFlhFwEVmzsgBJtqeOB913xzFpFGG5Ec/s320/IMG_20180815_015237170_HDR+600x800.jpg" width="232" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Capernaum –
“CAPHARNAUM THE TOWN OF JESUS” as the sign declares – was Jesus’ home and base
of operations for most of his period of ministry as described in the Gospels.
It was also the home of half of the disciples, including the fishermen among
the group – Peter and Andrew, James and John – as well as of Matthew the tax
collector. Not inhabited for over a thousand years, the town is now important
for its archaeological sites, including a synagogue that has been dated mostly
to the AD 4th c. (the white part) atop a 1st c. foundation (the black part), as
well as a church built over the ruins of what is said to have been St. Peter’s
house, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag78lJ_IN4vE6IY3TR8_pnTYIaUiLZ5ZRSt7wSwMH3v5-H7W51Xdb0KWNTrquNtjeh-SJ00Q8t_yzYArOxfxZJJMSLJ4noi1tlusuhvJVkHtkyDfsX9IBIDYRUjOlvy3VetDB9OutE6Vg/s1600/IMG_20180815_015721008_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag78lJ_IN4vE6IY3TR8_pnTYIaUiLZ5ZRSt7wSwMH3v5-H7W51Xdb0KWNTrquNtjeh-SJ00Q8t_yzYArOxfxZJJMSLJ4noi1tlusuhvJVkHtkyDfsX9IBIDYRUjOlvy3VetDB9OutE6Vg/s320/IMG_20180815_015721008_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a “church”
it’s dreadfully modern in its construction – in the round, open and airy. But
it might be excused because, in truth, its primary function is not as a church
at all, but rather as a showcase for the archaeology. In the center, below a
glass floor surrounded by rails – you can’t walk on it! – can be seen the excavated
remains of Peter’s house. You can also see those same remains from the side, underneath the church, which is specifically built so as to leave the site undisturbed and protected from the elements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6_UXb57xli-pN-LGHOvjTBy5YxaQpjiavwsYsjFBlrSSMsAMHv4-mGPrPQOuSpSUCvjpLSt-yQSVh7Z00O51CNrU99-ghrgE_t8tUpoVfssoRXZeyTM_ZTlk4PGOS-zGdL3Z-h3m4xuk/s1600/IMG_20180815_031141013_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Padre said our first Mass here in the Holy Land, with a homily emphasizing how <i>it was here, in this place</i> -- at Capernaum, in the Galilee, in Israel in general -- that the Son of God came into history and changed everything. <i>It was here, in this place</i> would figure in Padre's every homily and much of Tony's exposition throughout the week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Afterward, Tony described the archaeology of the site, as well as the adjacent ruins of the Jewish </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Synagogue -- the one where
Jesus preached.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/PBBOd-XzcUk/default.jpg?sqp=CPiXiNwF&rs=AOn4CLDIFOfq63pgFQ9bZZNlUfui92gvvQ" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PBBOd-XzcUk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Apologies for poor audio quality</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in this and other videos.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYA4hrTrT8_9xm-pMySlIDtczQYBpfQOL6XI87QMQvRqroqDfUT6beVq9pIJeA6KHIJGbmoBWm0W8pF1mXvROLVteWncj9tuPpUZ9rFAfKeDgoI2N-YFcwdwV8uJhsuxXhuNYfbpRS1Fs/s1600/IMG_20180815_033239397_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYA4hrTrT8_9xm-pMySlIDtczQYBpfQOL6XI87QMQvRqroqDfUT6beVq9pIJeA6KHIJGbmoBWm0W8pF1mXvROLVteWncj9tuPpUZ9rFAfKeDgoI2N-YFcwdwV8uJhsuxXhuNYfbpRS1Fs/s320/IMG_20180815_033239397_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the
sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his
teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (Mark 1: 21-22)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">According to John’s Gospel – in the long Bread of Life
Discourse in chapter 6 – Jesus scandalized the people and many of his own
followers by declaring:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at
the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who
eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living
Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live
because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the
fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." This he said
in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(John 6: 53b-59).</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpZu2o5jOCPndu1V1e69ouXvYvc9BbM3Y7MRjyXm_FGCc5GCQz_CnhUHmbheePFTcwnZPCad5hbtvQAkpQq-xaQhTiyeERbHYd9u29eUR_hyphenhyphenWpJXBu97lcmaaO_NfONmD6B1U0GNQWPZ9/s1600/IMG_20180815_041946976_HDR_409x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="409" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpZu2o5jOCPndu1V1e69ouXvYvc9BbM3Y7MRjyXm_FGCc5GCQz_CnhUHmbheePFTcwnZPCad5hbtvQAkpQq-xaQhTiyeERbHYd9u29eUR_hyphenhyphenWpJXBu97lcmaaO_NfONmD6B1U0GNQWPZ9/s320/IMG_20180815_041946976_HDR_409x600.jpg" width="217" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We drove only a short distance -- none of our drives were long today -- to T</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">abgha, the site of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. The name comes from the Greek <i>Heptapegon</i>, "Seven Springs."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJL17118hEBkx_vegDdw5a5omRYzDXMvYbgn4YD4J8zuSKEVIqHFW7CiWiNNxtTFtsDEPpwf6r_w0bCzGHa9i8uwrtRTmZN-wMZAb4a-rTD_OCrT3yHdd2wgZzSi6rk6V2IJVk3xiQu7N/s1600/Tabgha_800x533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJL17118hEBkx_vegDdw5a5omRYzDXMvYbgn4YD4J8zuSKEVIqHFW7CiWiNNxtTFtsDEPpwf6r_w0bCzGHa9i8uwrtRTmZN-wMZAb4a-rTD_OCrT3yHdd2wgZzSi6rk6V2IJVk3xiQu7N/s320/Tabgha_800x533.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo from Wikipedia</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (Matt. 14: 13-21).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp51fQrZe4oinYsXmJocMNyyRWyZARNFYQMsQN6outyKmfqvTYEtb9FlbbdJllbZfPzkJaYnnsFPHeY-ha-2i0RnYloZKBc20quTztJZN0dwW3efheFpIBhJEqBlcRXmxZjsPEGua94BC/s1600/IMG_20180815_042001734_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp51fQrZe4oinYsXmJocMNyyRWyZARNFYQMsQN6outyKmfqvTYEtb9FlbbdJllbZfPzkJaYnnsFPHeY-ha-2i0RnYloZKBc20quTztJZN0dwW3efheFpIBhJEqBlcRXmxZjsPEGua94BC/s320/IMG_20180815_042001734_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes is another good example of our -- or at least my -- false expectation of incredibly ancient churches. Most we are seeing turn out not to be that old. They are fairly modern, although they have ancient elements. And overall they are, I am afraid, relatively bland as far as decor goes – nothing like the spectacular churches of Italy or even more so Mexico. I think there may be a reason for both of these “oddities.” First, most of the churches are of fairly recent construction, for one reason or another. The historical violence of this part of the world has a lot to do with it; most of the earliest churches from the Byzantine era (taking that to basically be from the legalization of Christianity in the early 4th century) were destroyed by the Persians in 614; at various times afterward, the Muslims including the so-called "Chivalrous Muslim" Saladin, wiped out most of the churches or converted them to mosques. Secondly, I imagine that, even when a particular church might be overseen by a particular Christian group or denomination, the fact is that pilgrims from every denomination imaginable come to Israel and worship at these sites, so that the relative blandness is ecumenical in origin. But ultimately, if the reconstruction is Post-Vatican II Catholic, well … <i>quid plura?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65CJRpZy4gVipxbsyQBCY1f8W5dHtWGgef6mgi7vEGSKQWtp9kIt_1U9JAWOJ0gIyrWhdBLzan-iksSCIfFLg__b7Grw__kbFVp-oaJ2mKkz7f8GNfNC-ewws_o8FVBHtJ2KAcwOrTZtM/s1600/IMG_20180815_042525081_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65CJRpZy4gVipxbsyQBCY1f8W5dHtWGgef6mgi7vEGSKQWtp9kIt_1U9JAWOJ0gIyrWhdBLzan-iksSCIfFLg__b7Grw__kbFVp-oaJ2mKkz7f8GNfNC-ewws_o8FVBHtJ2KAcwOrTZtM/s320/IMG_20180815_042525081_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each church does, nonetheless, have their own special aura, if only from knowing the significance of what they are commemorating if not exactly <i>how</i> they do it. In the Church of the Multiplication there is, beneath the altar (a post-Vatican II free-standing altar, naturally), a famous mosaic of two fish flanking a basket of bread like a set of parentheses. Oddly, the basket has only four loaves ... "oddly" until the symbolism is explained -- Jesus Himself is "the fifth loaf."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-R_N_VwxN11q7PVm_yg06YF8YojZgwJ-KppvyaxOVpjlae0pa5BwX4WZZmcm-A1pUX1yEpQKdwzl6umVbYmmW68IXCTAgVyF9D5c736DzykMXb76ZLc1cx5umyThsJn2ri0fBinNkfKz/s1600/IMG_20180815_044128988_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-R_N_VwxN11q7PVm_yg06YF8YojZgwJ-KppvyaxOVpjlae0pa5BwX4WZZmcm-A1pUX1yEpQKdwzl6umVbYmmW68IXCTAgVyF9D5c736DzykMXb76ZLc1cx5umyThsJn2ri0fBinNkfKz/s320/IMG_20180815_044128988_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">We then drove a short distance to the Church of Peter’s Primacy, right on the shore of the Sea. The story is told basically as the last chapter of John’s Gospel: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. </b></span></span><br />
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. </span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw-y4-W5yhX7PM_Jc0AeesxYetl-VjNjwWK34jJBm_Ibcgp1razd6jFI00oOodv79Jpc_nxdlEQbEU0ckVKfVyeck15bF6tcQwuMWdU-8Hx-7VIX9X3KZ7R-ySjGUfwQbOtbuM61eWAIX/s1600/IMG_20180815_045354661_HDR_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw-y4-W5yhX7PM_Jc0AeesxYetl-VjNjwWK34jJBm_Ibcgp1razd6jFI00oOodv79Jpc_nxdlEQbEU0ckVKfVyeck15bF6tcQwuMWdU-8Hx-7VIX9X3KZ7R-ySjGUfwQbOtbuM61eWAIX/s320/IMG_20180815_045354661_HDR_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me." </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" T</b><b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">he saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" </b></span><br />
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. </b><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">(John 21: 1-25)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnNgaARQgacxSvQWGgXYSTB_K9mWKy6Gt3DedZJbn-nSBlZHZaJmCZ13bUDZsQAKMbvk8N7yODPhps1QOJDPw67zuD_eRGERjaQZxR1WRwd5_Zz_NGIQqELxlcn1obBcOt6AGXeewo9r3/s1600/IMG_20180815_045751233_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnNgaARQgacxSvQWGgXYSTB_K9mWKy6Gt3DedZJbn-nSBlZHZaJmCZ13bUDZsQAKMbvk8N7yODPhps1QOJDPw67zuD_eRGERjaQZxR1WRwd5_Zz_NGIQqELxlcn1obBcOt6AGXeewo9r3/s320/IMG_20180815_045751233_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">The large rock upon which was the “charcoal fire” in which Jesus had grilled some fish and baked some bread is called the </span><i style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Mensa Christi</i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">, the “Table of Christ.” There, by his threefold affirmation of love for Christ, Peter atoned for his earlier threefold betrayal (by a </span><i style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">charcoal fire</i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">) during the Passion. There, Jesus commissioned specifically him, Peter, to feed and tend his sheep – but also foretold Peter’s own ultimate end in martyrdom.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrCxzHRx-ABsynFsICmciBaLMbDErwP68AJgptbVvjrR7Sg1RaWuG6jiymxwNPvRGEGZPHD5tadNpE7IYcczrTgBJAVhyphenhyphenjXXiEt5JYf7pFbNZStLvRMNmZF8ZM7ZJcE-0Pa7Lhrv8avLC/s1600/IMG_20180815_050227235_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrCxzHRx-ABsynFsICmciBaLMbDErwP68AJgptbVvjrR7Sg1RaWuG6jiymxwNPvRGEGZPHD5tadNpE7IYcczrTgBJAVhyphenhyphenjXXiEt5JYf7pFbNZStLvRMNmZF8ZM7ZJcE-0Pa7Lhrv8avLC/s320/IMG_20180815_050227235_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As might be expected given the story, there was easy access via a beach straight down from the church to the shore; several went down there but I did not. At some point this morning, however, I did get a chance to chat a bit with Brother Miguel about his religious status. He was introduced to us as a "consecrated layman" of the same order that Padre Emilio belongs to, the<i> Sodalitium Christianae Vitae</i>, founded by a layman in Peru in the 1970s. Specifically, I wondered if his status was anything like a Benedictine Oblate such as I am myself. It is not. As I understand it, his is more akin to a monk or a friar, including the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Wikipedia has a good summary of the order here [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodalitium_Christianae_Vitae" target="_blank">LINK</a>] (unfortunately including accusations of scandal -- financial, sexual, and political -- that have plagued the order and ultimately led to a Papal take-over earlier this year. I only just discovered those, although they have been widely reported in both the Catholic and the secular press, and the subject never came up on this pilgrimage. I would not expect it to, and frankly, in this day and age of ubiquitous "fake news" I don't know what to believe about it -- except to say that from what I witnessed in a week with Fr. Emilio and Brother Miguel, I have no doubt that they are in no way involved in anything of the sort.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcxFgWuhG6apYbn1_whYZUpdZ7-gpOQwdYsmj5Ry7nbYuZgUUeZQtFQIIkH1Xwcv0LxS7IP4uL-Qg8vsJ4WNFZZ990CTLtgqutSXCi6CjdW4HDX4nnMOPTtxW_6UaaNWJMr6VPbFetfpq/s1600/IMG_1101_800x600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcxFgWuhG6apYbn1_whYZUpdZ7-gpOQwdYsmj5Ry7nbYuZgUUeZQtFQIIkH1Xwcv0LxS7IP4uL-Qg8vsJ4WNFZZ990CTLtgqutSXCi6CjdW4HDX4nnMOPTtxW_6UaaNWJMr6VPbFetfpq/s320/IMG_1101_800x600.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo by Kathie</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lunch was at the nearby Tanureen Galilee Restaurant (another Steve Ray site, I believe), where I had the full <i>St. Peter's Fish</i>, with the head left on it. I didn't do it justice in eating it (especially the head, <i>especially </i>the eyes!) -- I got it that way, I said, mainly for "bragging rights." Of course, the fish is really tilapia -- but I had it full on, on the Sea of Galilee! ... I just picked at it around the many bones; Brother Miguel, on the other hand, <i>demolished</i> it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Incidentally, the proprietors at Tanureen are Lebanese Christians; throughout our pilgrimage, Tony would steer </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">us </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">whenever possible </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to Christian establishments for reasons that would become clear. Also, although our breakfasts and dinners were included in the pilgrimage package overall, our lunches were not; nevertheless, quite wisely, rather than letting us scatter on our own for lunch Tony generally set up our plans all together and told us how much it would be (generally ten to twenty dollars) ... so we all ate together, which is, I repeat, best -- I can't imagine the difficulty of trying to gather us back in after lunch to head out on our next jaunt were we </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">not</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> already together!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1ZeTDN0aFvUOYoptgs4EaEib21B3uKRQ-9aHv7ISfhuhTdr3PNKiBV7kXhB2N_piJ2pMRpEWojPQdzo_NKufx8tIWjU_xtJUbMqif7LhkNj54WEW9mzBcvZ8fC-Z9sCDtO-v3Ihets6V/s1600/40021561_10217136438829981_9178757759124897792_n_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1ZeTDN0aFvUOYoptgs4EaEib21B3uKRQ-9aHv7ISfhuhTdr3PNKiBV7kXhB2N_piJ2pMRpEWojPQdzo_NKufx8tIWjU_xtJUbMqif7LhkNj54WEW9mzBcvZ8fC-Z9sCDtO-v3Ihets6V/s320/40021561_10217136438829981_9178757759124897792_n_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo by Kristal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After lunch, it was time for the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, departing from the Kibbutz Ginosar. The boat was a replica of the 1st-c. boat discovered fairly recently, almost miraculously preserved. Ours was auspiciously named "Noah." As we motored out (that's actually one big difference!), after they ran up the American flag and played the <i>Star Spangled Banner</i>, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tony gave a really good talk about the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee as an image of the Life of Christ, as well as describing the surrounding terrain. Near the end, the boat captain invited everyone to learn to dance the Hava Nagilla,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">the</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> traditional Jewish celebration dance. I begged off since I cannot extend my left arm -- instead I took the following video:</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8VoK3t--78E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8VoK3t--78E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">We did not go into the exhibit of the actual 1st-c. Galilean boat there at the kibbutz, but instead mounted back up for the ride to the Mount of the Beatitudes, during which we had time to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGF02U7rD3A2kvTjMHu38N6pV5_b5CtVo5BKGAkkI3BXeRsQBNtYCo_Ay8-VB5G7HVMg_vz7G2glusUU10K3qtYYXuDelr8F9lEODjsmboIO5Giw7XTSaqjOgyhCIsMEN6kOShsMhb2w-/s1600/IMG_20180815_081359241_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGF02U7rD3A2kvTjMHu38N6pV5_b5CtVo5BKGAkkI3BXeRsQBNtYCo_Ay8-VB5G7HVMg_vz7G2glusUU10K3qtYYXuDelr8F9lEODjsmboIO5Giw7XTSaqjOgyhCIsMEN6kOShsMhb2w-/s320/IMG_20180815_081359241_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Of course, the Beatitudes are just the opening of the long Sermon on the Mount, but they are the most familiar part to almost everyone. They are perhaps the best exposition of Jesus' preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven and the blessings that are ours for following him. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5sZY2jtpeeRwe5Xfmtq1rX-9UUbyCG7joSTxiJMiMYTc0Z4bzUDoGWS4dRExnwpOqeeGBxbbeX5x8LdsBeECps6fNS_h08oAAcl9HMWykBlcAvLhm0zt7rrDA8y3hsERflemXLrgmPbJ/s1600/IMG_20180815_080252096_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5sZY2jtpeeRwe5Xfmtq1rX-9UUbyCG7joSTxiJMiMYTc0Z4bzUDoGWS4dRExnwpOqeeGBxbbeX5x8LdsBeECps6fNS_h08oAAcl9HMWykBlcAvLhm0zt7rrDA8y3hsERflemXLrgmPbJ/s320/IMG_20180815_080252096_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Seeing the crowds, he
went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And
he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:</b></span><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are those who mourn, for they
shall be comforted. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be
satisfied. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they shall see God. </span></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy4p_HCukX5OvVlGBrddEt_rJPWN72V51-fyoiVUnuMaguMxTM9V1nnKBRlTny3q79rQ7HzWfNvbOJ296_uCfFqGkX_Xi2G1dzYfLzJ08UuK-FRebqMTtaZYaPkzk8Wf1EFbRflZahcuU/s1600/IMG_20180815_081500693_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy4p_HCukX5OvVlGBrddEt_rJPWN72V51-fyoiVUnuMaguMxTM9V1nnKBRlTny3q79rQ7HzWfNvbOJ296_uCfFqGkX_Xi2G1dzYfLzJ08UuK-FRebqMTtaZYaPkzk8Wf1EFbRflZahcuU/s320/IMG_20180815_081500693_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first glance I misread this,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Blessed are the pacemakers...."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Works for me!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called sons of God. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> "Blessed are you when
men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on my account. </b><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,
for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ …</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhs7V7Pw6QKOhwBCqgFADpJvhiStswm7ZdR2562SnQt26Umzssitvo8zjToGS4FW6FoAWy5avT9cTSoejqk0PI0HmsCRZm0NIiH2H-3XGRD4l_-zLLkV9fn2gWMSI8zt2Y6BWXTDQBpXi/s1600/IMG_20180815_080330681_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhs7V7Pw6QKOhwBCqgFADpJvhiStswm7ZdR2562SnQt26Umzssitvo8zjToGS4FW6FoAWy5avT9cTSoejqk0PI0HmsCRZm0NIiH2H-3XGRD4l_-zLLkV9fn2gWMSI8zt2Y6BWXTDQBpXi/s320/IMG_20180815_080330681_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> And when Jesus
finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he
taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Matt. 5:
1-7: 29). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqivtonGULBeuR4h9-B9nIRYLp-4Gtzn1uv0ie1ZYBhuMIw3_RApNFMNLl55b9fg-iQkyToHa78-dMD2oWM3vyPuZG_SgybjUSe9i_kMcyIHVmr6DXxytOBZRrq-OiOSiWqbLwC_6gnrTm/s1600/IMG_20180815_080705707_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqivtonGULBeuR4h9-B9nIRYLp-4Gtzn1uv0ie1ZYBhuMIw3_RApNFMNLl55b9fg-iQkyToHa78-dMD2oWM3vyPuZG_SgybjUSe9i_kMcyIHVmr6DXxytOBZRrq-OiOSiWqbLwC_6gnrTm/s320/IMG_20180815_080705707_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Padre led a few of us inside the church in praying the Beatitudes. There was also, open on display, a chant manuscript of the Beatitudes. I so wanted to stand there and take the time to learn and intone them properly! -- in Latin!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIZf6Gqs942JEPURo06vYFTiyvZhpipXgrTqXQSHaCfDEvxU7dxUJ9fugq70K4TbIWqdVhLhf2EpNoOaYrD1hoL9-_tXCKQGWU2Rgbj0qHoO-fA_4ZK6tEs_q9xaLe6mRUyWtLHaknxKF/s1600/IMG_20180815_091505368_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIZf6Gqs942JEPURo06vYFTiyvZhpipXgrTqXQSHaCfDEvxU7dxUJ9fugq70K4TbIWqdVhLhf2EpNoOaYrD1hoL9-_tXCKQGWU2Rgbj0qHoO-fA_4ZK6tEs_q9xaLe6mRUyWtLHaknxKF/s320/IMG_20180815_091505368_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Next, we did an unplanned excursion to a newly excavated and just being developed site at what is the </span><i>true</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> town of Magdala -- near, but not identical to, a site long misidentified as the town of Jesus most famous female disciple (after the Blessed Mother, of course). </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXseqRIJrhs4o2X-Hd1XZU39La2OAClvVu35glKFvT1Feph2eTn2uaHEaUk-kmfP5ggjDrSIv2o7XyMpXB2qVbn34safwa1ZxHpDZRPTu9HPaLxaz_ktngCw0uT9Gr0FhaHXA0aag52R_/s1600/IMG_20180815_090456662_HDR_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXseqRIJrhs4o2X-Hd1XZU39La2OAClvVu35glKFvT1Feph2eTn2uaHEaUk-kmfP5ggjDrSIv2o7XyMpXB2qVbn34safwa1ZxHpDZRPTu9HPaLxaz_ktngCw0uT9Gr0FhaHXA0aag52R_/s320/IMG_20180815_090456662_HDR_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The nature of the town itself, as revealed by the excavations, seems to finally explain exactly what Mary Magdalene's unspecified "sin" was, if not adultery which scholars do not believe it was. In the shadows of rock-hewn tombs which rendered the site unclean for observant Jews, it seems that Magdala was a town specifically settled by the unclean -- including sinners and lepers, whose descendants such as Mary would then be saddled with the stigma of being identified with such a place. Perhaps ironically, therefore, the excavations at Magdala have uncovered the first intact reading platform in the ruins of the town's synagogue.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-buaJvBo0-TMDZuosseUwR2o1Tn-UYK9EUoPcfOEzBVm14CX69sIibuGQCUtx8A9rpWB-o70RLJKKTxmbj4CkswD3tXNzdzT-l9H7vmzJUZiEZVHeo8xYg0yaL6oEfs_c-HCKHxPfDywY/s1600/IMG_20180815_092102723_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-buaJvBo0-TMDZuosseUwR2o1Tn-UYK9EUoPcfOEzBVm14CX69sIibuGQCUtx8A9rpWB-o70RLJKKTxmbj4CkswD3tXNzdzT-l9H7vmzJUZiEZVHeo8xYg0yaL6oEfs_c-HCKHxPfDywY/s1600/IMG_20180815_092102723_450x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-buaJvBo0-TMDZuosseUwR2o1Tn-UYK9EUoPcfOEzBVm14CX69sIibuGQCUtx8A9rpWB-o70RLJKKTxmbj4CkswD3tXNzdzT-l9H7vmzJUZiEZVHeo8xYg0yaL6oEfs_c-HCKHxPfDywY/s320/IMG_20180815_092102723_450x600.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just adjacent, we went into a new development, the "Chapel of the Boat," overlooking the sea. There we actually met a young lady from the States, Colorado to be specific, who is volunteering at this new chapel which is dedicated to the women of the Bible, as evidenced by the columns bearing the names of many of them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From there, we traveled back to the Ron Beach Hotel. Along the way, Tony pointed out shrubbery along the road which he identified as the very same "thorns" of which would be woven the "Crown of Thorns" which was imposed onto Our Savior's Sacred Head during his Passion. Unlike the huge knitting-needle like thorns we usually envision, these were much smaller -- but ended in something akin to fishhooks that would dig into the flesh when pushed down on his head in the form not of a ring-like "crown" but more of a full-head "<i>cap</i>" as scholars now believe was done. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Back at the hotel, we had about an hour or so to rest and refresh before dinner. Some went to the pool, others went down to the beach itself. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I got my computer online and started finalizing the previous blog posts.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUejlFjDVs3KF2cJUsYWuFBQoluSkOYOmHqK3pGqHSPQbS0aBDAXdUFQFJIZ7Fcw8wPUwfv-un53keW44XQIRb_2bZ_FkWlaZpe49mAMJzU_Y2V7DcAfGpudwzMs0La7YNnzIFhI_4ZCG/s1600/20180815_192752_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMP3Nw1uSfvndqNko9eqqgHk06VyKbde9MHoGqfC8hcrml6uLIPjBq9OM3sW3yfnGaA0wQgQIPQWBeaAPk-1CV0NtK34WpXU5JkVl-A5EpfnkT3lou66p08osIhWfehsk6LWxhukWghRZ-/s1600/20180815_191110_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUejlFjDVs3KF2cJUsYWuFBQoluSkOYOmHqK3pGqHSPQbS0aBDAXdUFQFJIZ7Fcw8wPUwfv-un53keW44XQIRb_2bZ_FkWlaZpe49mAMJzU_Y2V7DcAfGpudwzMs0La7YNnzIFhI_4ZCG/s1600/20180815_192752_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUejlFjDVs3KF2cJUsYWuFBQoluSkOYOmHqK3pGqHSPQbS0aBDAXdUFQFJIZ7Fcw8wPUwfv-un53keW44XQIRb_2bZ_FkWlaZpe49mAMJzU_Y2V7DcAfGpudwzMs0La7YNnzIFhI_4ZCG/s320/20180815_192752_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Supper was at 19:30; when I headed down to the restaurant, I passed Kristal in the stairwell just headed back from the pool. Supper was, like all our meals there at the Ron Beach, a substantial buffet on several tables -- salad, main courses, desserts. I got a little from each spread, and it was all good.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMP3Nw1uSfvndqNko9eqqgHk06VyKbde9MHoGqfC8hcrml6uLIPjBq9OM3sW3yfnGaA0wQgQIPQWBeaAPk-1CV0NtK34WpXU5JkVl-A5EpfnkT3lou66p08osIhWfehsk6LWxhukWghRZ-/s1600/20180815_191110_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMP3Nw1uSfvndqNko9eqqgHk06VyKbde9MHoGqfC8hcrml6uLIPjBq9OM3sW3yfnGaA0wQgQIPQWBeaAPk-1CV0NtK34WpXU5JkVl-A5EpfnkT3lou66p08osIhWfehsk6LWxhukWghRZ-/s320/20180815_191110_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">When we were driving back to the hotel earlier, Tony had offered anyone who wanted to accompany him a trip walking up the street to another hotel which has in its old wine cellar a wine-tasting bar he likes. Kristal and I and several others took him up on the offer, meeting him out by the pool and setting out. There was a, thankfully in the bigger scheme of things although we could not know it then, minor mishap along the way. I was walking along chatting with one of the ladies from Alexandria when she missed her footing and took a fall, twisting her ankle in the process. Her ankle started swelling immediately, although the consensus was that it was not broken; it was very painful, however. One of our number sprinted like The Flash back up toward the hotel to arrange for a wheelchair and ice to be put on it. Meanwhile, we flagged a cab down and Tony proceeded to pick the injured lady up under one arm and put her in the cab -- as if she were a child; it was a sight to behold that unfortunately no one got a picture of! (Nonetheless, the next day when she was in a wheelchair, whenever there was something a wheelchair would not handle, she got the same service, e.g. the this picture...)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGltyysW_h1Uf-8e-aL3K8z2hoE6PjT_ldf68KB-wzuTMWqOFnd-oYCfgBjYHkmGl0c3H8WKkq92btyxmp7Y3qBmef4xiAt4Svd4RTgIRQCfrQboxckPqQRbe3vqIbuhkVf1q8A1Xx2D0a/s1600/Tony+carrying+Ann_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGltyysW_h1Uf-8e-aL3K8z2hoE6PjT_ldf68KB-wzuTMWqOFnd-oYCfgBjYHkmGl0c3H8WKkq92btyxmp7Y3qBmef4xiAt4Svd4RTgIRQCfrQboxckPqQRbe3vqIbuhkVf1q8A1Xx2D0a/s320/Tony+carrying+Ann_800x600.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo by Kristal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT1I3nXtar7Ijm0Wudnqt_ttwNKIZyhd68b6G_PGWO9nRu9eSwVIM4sibNBTC3pb-0-y46lZXgUV7Q6WgZgflwO0gPkFO6uMB0iB9TNTF56KBaq5y3ae4NG2SHICcERaWMPaCq-yGfy4A/s1600/20180815_210013_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT1I3nXtar7Ijm0Wudnqt_ttwNKIZyhd68b6G_PGWO9nRu9eSwVIM4sibNBTC3pb-0-y46lZXgUV7Q6WgZgflwO0gPkFO6uMB0iB9TNTF56KBaq5y3ae4NG2SHICcERaWMPaCq-yGfy4A/s1600/20180815_210013_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT1I3nXtar7Ijm0Wudnqt_ttwNKIZyhd68b6G_PGWO9nRu9eSwVIM4sibNBTC3pb-0-y46lZXgUV7Q6WgZgflwO0gPkFO6uMB0iB9TNTF56KBaq5y3ae4NG2SHICcERaWMPaCq-yGfy4A/s320/20180815_210013_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wC4P69FoU1ZUT5JHpD7TFo0oBR_ZgwAYaoBQqj5DSJDzrsNo9BjnEzMmOCqvjsV_7Tyif9ICUQ-gbycki3ALrSUJ1tN_Pmo2HUcFS-2wvBM_K49shxImeUDcQofT5nNfPzNuOMj37wgv/s1600/20180815_210019_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wC4P69FoU1ZUT5JHpD7TFo0oBR_ZgwAYaoBQqj5DSJDzrsNo9BjnEzMmOCqvjsV_7Tyif9ICUQ-gbycki3ALrSUJ1tN_Pmo2HUcFS-2wvBM_K49shxImeUDcQofT5nNfPzNuOMj37wgv/s320/20180815_210019_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wC4P69FoU1ZUT5JHpD7TFo0oBR_ZgwAYaoBQqj5DSJDzrsNo9BjnEzMmOCqvjsV_7Tyif9ICUQ-gbycki3ALrSUJ1tN_Pmo2HUcFS-2wvBM_K49shxImeUDcQofT5nNfPzNuOMj37wgv/s1600/20180815_210019_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The rest of us proceeded on up to the Scots Hotel and down into its wine cellar where a gentleman named Omri gave us a lesson in the history of oenology in Israel and wine-tasting in general, with six samples -- three white and three red -- all of which were good. One of the whites, if I recall, was from a strain of grape just recovered through DNA analysis of seeds from ancient tombs dating from the time of Jesus [<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3341187/Could-soon-drink-wine-Jesus-DNA-ancient-seeds-used-resurrect-2-000-year-old-drinks.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]. My preference being red, however, one of those struck my fancy and I ended up buying a bottle to take home. It was a very interesting experience.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Our return walk to the hotel was without mishap, thankfully. We arrived after 22:00 and I ended up working on this blog until midnight -- far too long!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">+ + +</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note: I found the following interesting articles including comments and information about Tony Azraq. All are from 2015 and seem to be related to an Archdiocesan Pilgrimage from Indianapolis that Tony served as guide for... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nancy Hoefer, "A land of calm and chaos: ‘There’s a militarized wall around Bethlehem?’ and other Holy Land pilgrimage observations," <i>Archdiocese of Indianapolis: The Criterion Online Edition</i>, 13 March 2015 [<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-13/holyland.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nancy Hoefer, "Life for Catholics in Holy Land involves persecution and economic hardship," <i>Archdiocese of Indianapolis: The Criterion Online Edition</i>, 20 March 2015 [<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-20/holyland.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nancy Hoefer, "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tour guide gives cultural, historical </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and archaeological insight," <i>Diocese of Oakland: The Catholic Voice Online Edition</i>, 18 May 2015 [<a href="http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/2015/05-18/inthisissue11.htm" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also interesting considering some of the things Tony would tell us over the course of our time together -- Nancy Hoefer, "How Catholics in central and southern Indiana can help keep a Christian presence in the Holy Land," <i>Archdiocese of Indianapolis: The Criterion Online Edition</i>, 13 March 2015 [<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-13/holyland-sidebar.html" target="_blank">LINK</a>]</span></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-29645522004668794572018-08-15T10:47:00.001-05:002019-01-21T17:41:29.889-06:00Tuesday 14 August – Holy Land 2018 Day 2: Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Tiberias<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSnYMMdcgZK51jmBjQWfcZxSN7wzqXmqPzXlk4_RW7bnVYR5JtJrz63K6jeNrKA96jFaBgvdY7SwvrWA2XZwc5JQqUyLdM2goJPIG-TaPph64vGXtFJoChMTyqGqyMxF8bjsa9AcQObBv/s1600/20180814_055553-800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSnYMMdcgZK51jmBjQWfcZxSN7wzqXmqPzXlk4_RW7bnVYR5JtJrz63K6jeNrKA96jFaBgvdY7SwvrWA2XZwc5JQqUyLdM2goJPIG-TaPph64vGXtFJoChMTyqGqyMxF8bjsa9AcQObBv/s320/20180814_055553-800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I managed to nap for a short time a couple of times along the way, maybe an hour or two each, but really I never sleep well on a plane. We landed in Istanbul, Ataturk Airport, at about 09:00, almost on schedule despite our late departure. My phone international plan kicked in almost immediately after coming off "Airplane Mode," but with no Internet, which was frustrating. But it did mean my time shifted almost immediately to the local time of about 17:00 (the same time zone as Israel, so I'm going to report that from now on). Flying eastward as the sun progressed westward meant that we
had a very short “night.” [By my calculations: We crossed the dawn terminator in the
mid north Atlantic at about 50-55 degrees North latitude at bit before 03:00
CDT.] I let Anne know I was on the ground.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Just a note: Ataturk (“Father of the Turks,” <i>recte</i> Mustafa Kemal) was the first president of modern
Turkey after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in the wake of World War I.
A secular nationalist, his anti-Islamist philosophy dominated the country for
most of the 20th c., only recently giving way to increasing Islamization and
increasing friction with the western world. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4A2wTTKYXJQyz8d8DmF77pdfaG0uhFIolWWX8Mu_d03mxJKXUGg53OHVkL-4vI78CGJfhADuCMmNwEobqLtrnIFvKxp-3Inwd-gn24ucrHWhoT7BxcqidIStzwU9n8NNcMtRRPNCCo9b/s1600/20180814_190624_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4A2wTTKYXJQyz8d8DmF77pdfaG0uhFIolWWX8Mu_d03mxJKXUGg53OHVkL-4vI78CGJfhADuCMmNwEobqLtrnIFvKxp-3Inwd-gn24ucrHWhoT7BxcqidIStzwU9n8NNcMtRRPNCCo9b/s320/20180814_190624_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The airport itself was, as I heard a rather irate woman describe it, "crowded worse than a Mumbai train station." It was also very hot in there. And we had a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">2h50m layover. Ugh. Although we had been supposed to meet up with two other members of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">our party who flew directly from
New York – Maria and Angela -- they never showed. I later found that there were medical emergency issues on their plane as well which set them back; we would not meet up until Tel Aviv.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We were scheduled to depart at 19:45 local time on Turkish Airlines Flight 864 for a
2h10m flight to Tel Aviv. We did not leave for almost an hour after that, for reasons I do not know. But we were finally off for the second and last leg of our trip.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
+ + +<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your
kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will
make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so
that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who
curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless
themselves." ... and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had
come to the land of Canaan, … the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, "To your
descendants I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who
had appeared to him.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (Gen. 12: 1-3, 5b, 7) </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So did the Father of the three Faiths
calling this land “holy” first come to it. As pilgrims we too are answering the
call of God, although our journey has not been so far nor will our presence
here, at least physically, last so long. (Well, at this point our journey <i>seems</i>
to have been pretty long!)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q42iBTbPTPMeMrbXyv6Kl2bjFOb91D_0Mh_dm0JZXF023pvN8_oVlGuGbsg8tZZ6SWoKqdbv_Fxu6vrPMdxU4ACWjXQmXqzXrnL1Ksg-mcGSw9rxRgGSWT1Y2spHcAj3x1Pj0A6EK2wR/s1600/.facebook_1535905079971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q42iBTbPTPMeMrbXyv6Kl2bjFOb91D_0Mh_dm0JZXF023pvN8_oVlGuGbsg8tZZ6SWoKqdbv_Fxu6vrPMdxU4ACWjXQmXqzXrnL1Ksg-mcGSw9rxRgGSWT1Y2spHcAj3x1Pj0A6EK2wR/s320/.facebook_1535905079971.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Kristal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We arrived in Tel Aviv at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Terminal
3, at 22:30 Israel time. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 16px;">It’s now 14:30 CDT, approximately eighteen hours after leaving Houston … and about 31 hours since I left Natchitoches, I think…. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">A kind young man in the passports line helped several of us get on the airport wifi, and immediately Internet and data kicked in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyLeQx4jNVdQOisDYV8SMJzFm5UnWgtzTHOaLxZVrfYLPzOMjfImrNKs1T94O8YXoCzN30VljEtek6_jivWZLHEYrjsAPD8fqscPVb0Xna3OmYILBeQCHwJNzAFp-hHVzi0dDAs7smdK3/s1600/0814+David+Ben+Gurion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="660" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyLeQx4jNVdQOisDYV8SMJzFm5UnWgtzTHOaLxZVrfYLPzOMjfImrNKs1T94O8YXoCzN30VljEtek6_jivWZLHEYrjsAPD8fqscPVb0Xna3OmYILBeQCHwJNzAFp-hHVzi0dDAs7smdK3/s200/0814+David+Ben+Gurion.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This airport was named after David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), the
wild-haired first prime minister of Israel. An ardent Zionist, David Ben-Gurion
was for all intents and purposes the founder of the modern state of Israel. In
May 1948 he personally proclaimed the new State of Israel even as the British
withdrew from the Palestinian Mandate which they had hitherto overseen and the
armies of the surrounding Arab powers invaded. He united the various Jewish
militias into the new Israeli Defense Forces and oversaw their successful
defense of the fledgling nation. He is rightfully called “Israel’s Founding
Father.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We met up with the last members of our party, Brother Miguel (“Mike”)
from Costa Rica as well as Maria and Angela from New York. Maria is the president of Radio Maria (Fr. Emilio is the national director of Radio Maria USA).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As an aside, I must say that these are all incredibly nice people. Not that I doubted they would be, but I am really touched by how solicitous they are of my semi-handicapped state at this point, unable to use my left arm for much of anything for fear of "unplugging" myself -- pulling the leads from the pacemaker out of my heart before they have had a chance to "scar" into place. I could not ask for better companions!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzfj6yQrqKUJ6gYAsq0RsSImyQ2OA86CY-iMiIIVIv8IHdMkYpKiOANxoPJhtH9_Z_AXKhQ5RlQEVE0koPqvOi0Whl6O4MYqnK0uQeNmXlWxk0hq456VQCVUS8oS5cgZ89dicuflD9B-d/s1600/Google+Maps+Ben+Gurion+to+Ron+Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzfj6yQrqKUJ6gYAsq0RsSImyQ2OA86CY-iMiIIVIv8IHdMkYpKiOANxoPJhtH9_Z_AXKhQ5RlQEVE0koPqvOi0Whl6O4MYqnK0uQeNmXlWxk0hq456VQCVUS8oS5cgZ89dicuflD9B-d/s320/Google+Maps+Ben+Gurion+to+Ron+Beach.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">As late as it was, we still had miles to go … well, maybe not
before we sleep. About midnight we boarded our Nativity Pilgrimages bus north to Tiberias on the western coast of the
Sea of Galilee – 150 km, about 1hr45min. Part of the way, Padre gave us an overview of the history, peoples, and cultures of Israel and Palestine, which he considers two separate countries. Tiberias itself was a Roman city, built and named in honor of the Emperor Tiberius by Herod the Great, about the time of Jesus. But it wasn't too long before the bus settled down to quiet and I'm sure others, like me, dozed a bit despite the excitement of being in a new land -- even at night when we really could not see much.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad3uE6ZPmdEjlH9IdhnQgg5wLMyAgkayjgXoundDiah02Xb8-lyuhCA1ImFCh6Iq-EIO6ZwnXuMSvzM1QP-tgYIDXFnTZUUZLXC3HN1mfIAR2grgDV-3V-sXHQevitu5-7FRl_MKT1W7S/s1600/20180815_014333_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad3uE6ZPmdEjlH9IdhnQgg5wLMyAgkayjgXoundDiah02Xb8-lyuhCA1ImFCh6Iq-EIO6ZwnXuMSvzM1QP-tgYIDXFnTZUUZLXC3HN1mfIAR2grgDV-3V-sXHQevitu5-7FRl_MKT1W7S/s320/20180815_014333_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We got to the Ron Beach Hotel – <i>right</i> on the beach – about
01:45, I think. This is, of course, the same hotel Steve Ray’s pilgrims frequent, which
(because of his video blogs I’ve watched) imparted a somewhat disorienting
sense of familiarity – even <i>deja vu</i> – when we pulled up and entered the
lobby! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-9r5Czkiw6yNkf9qVoAUWqYMiZM6uJCTTzXkUf9OcK9It3YnAsMTCSI8rpTNhI2P2SWhWPcSZz_ES1E95BY2rJrpFI5pb_lznRQu-csjOnCOmxZjZxFZhfw9pMjBaUgUeA9NnkCNSHsH/s1600/20180815_015544_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-9r5Czkiw6yNkf9qVoAUWqYMiZM6uJCTTzXkUf9OcK9It3YnAsMTCSI8rpTNhI2P2SWhWPcSZz_ES1E95BY2rJrpFI5pb_lznRQu-csjOnCOmxZjZxFZhfw9pMjBaUgUeA9NnkCNSHsH/s320/20180815_015544_800x600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By the time I hit the sack it was after 03:00, having unpacked what I needed, set up for tomorrow, and showered ... and eaten a very light snack left for us since we were arriving so late. It was much appreciated! We had arranged to meet for breakfast at 08:00, to head out for our first day's adventures at 09:00, so it was going to be a short sleep!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But I was in the Holy Land -- and even at night the view out across the Sea of Galilee from my balcony was impressive.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsySDnVPeZeEmtW2zfPUM2PoEezhgr3jZkdvW20FJPuJjB8YDXl3IL_6BTbwt8d631tLYX0yZkJcWzgHe2HIhKpYNNrQNDUjypoLB5YFYboslAO3PJezn2dtOPmYiVOxF6U4enpNBkVsR/s1600/20180815_015618_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsySDnVPeZeEmtW2zfPUM2PoEezhgr3jZkdvW20FJPuJjB8YDXl3IL_6BTbwt8d631tLYX0yZkJcWzgHe2HIhKpYNNrQNDUjypoLB5YFYboslAO3PJezn2dtOPmYiVOxF6U4enpNBkVsR/s320/20180815_015618_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-54436822876463700772018-08-15T10:23:00.001-05:002018-09-02T05:08:17.371-05:00Monday 13 August – Holy Land 2018 Day 1: Departure<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoPHISlXP3Z6I81DJQTDym1HYKcUNp0lxACKxEtX6LZLkXh7YCBVXnjBdYT5k1LKPp4AoCPXs2C2VYI0Ia97WJo07mfRQYyGSonoiLMRmrT984JXddAMmwBbHDKtoQ0-JfCWQ_mikiB2j/s1600/IMG-20180813-WA0002_337x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="337" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoPHISlXP3Z6I81DJQTDym1HYKcUNp0lxACKxEtX6LZLkXh7YCBVXnjBdYT5k1LKPp4AoCPXs2C2VYI0Ia97WJo07mfRQYyGSonoiLMRmrT984JXddAMmwBbHDKtoQ0-JfCWQ_mikiB2j/s320/IMG-20180813-WA0002_337x600.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristal, myself, Donna, Ann<br />
Houston airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Got up</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">at my normal time and went to Mass.
Afterwards Fr. LaFleur gave me a blessing, and then Anne and I went to my 08:00
appointment with my cardiologist Dr. Ingram. My brand-new pacemaker is doing
fine. By 08:45, I was able to send out a message that I was cleared to go and
would be headed to Alexandria to meet up with my ride as soon as I took care of
a couple of last-minute things in Natchitoches.</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br />
About an hour later, Anne and I headed out. She took the morning off work to
take me to meet a couple from Pineville (just north of Alexandria), who had
graciously invited me to ride with them even <i>before</i> the latest drama.
About an hour later, she dropped me off at their house and we said our
goodbyes. We were off within minutes of that, Anne back to Natchitoches, myself
and Robert and Kathie toward Houston. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif;">We arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport around 15:30, I believe
-- the first of our pilgrimage group to do so. Others departing through Houston trickled
in over time. We – myself, Fr. Emilio, my wife's sister-in-law Kristal, Robert and Kathie, Mary, Donna, Ingrid (whose son is one of our Alexandria seminarians) Jennifer, and Ann -- passed
through check-in and security with no hassles, although my new pacemaker card
got me ... <i>personal</i> ... treatment. Our plane departed Houston just a
little late, about 21:30 rather than 21:05 -- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turkish Airlines Flight 34, for an 11h50m
flight to Istanbul. It was mostly uneventful, although about three hours out
there was a medical crisis of some sort two rows ahead of me. I'm not sure what
it was, but the lady seemed okay and back in her seat several hours later.</span></div>
</div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-16749583468511523812018-08-15T10:10:00.001-05:002018-09-02T13:40:37.652-05:00What NOT to do at the end and beginning of international travel ....<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjVQmFXp-dZ8mj8vMaGrau_tAfUTklk-pwDfwWQsJLMwMENVUX6JHN-wSm_4wQcI9FfQ6YpumjetWYMUq4n1KuaJclSJa8EE2V74C3FHRcnZQEj4GQaS9l9hQvwFQC_h_HHgIKK5ba2Id/s1600/img20180831_09010278_464x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjVQmFXp-dZ8mj8vMaGrau_tAfUTklk-pwDfwWQsJLMwMENVUX6JHN-wSm_4wQcI9FfQ6YpumjetWYMUq4n1KuaJclSJa8EE2V74C3FHRcnZQEj4GQaS9l9hQvwFQC_h_HHgIKK5ba2Id/s320/img20180831_09010278_464x600.jpg" width="247" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not that kind of doctor, but<br />even I know the top is good, the<br />bottom is not so good....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This post has nothing specifically to do with the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land or any other trip, and I'm not entirely certain why I'm posting all this, other than the explanation why people tend to post way too much personal information on social media of various sorts -- pure, unadulterated narcissism. But the fact is that two major personal crises in my life occurred in close junction with international travel....<br />
<br />
If you read the account of our family vacation in England and Scotland entitled "UK 2010," linked above, it ends with the cryptic words once we were back home, "Little did I know what was coming next …." For a while I was more circumspect about it than I am now, but what came next was that as we began to deplane in Houston, and I stood after the long transatlantic flight to pull our cabin luggage out of the overhead bins, I felt like suddenly every muscle in my upper back pulled all at once, from elbow to elbow. It took my breath away. I managed to get our bags down and stagger out onto the jetway, but I was not doing well at all. I told my son, fourteen at the time, "You're going to have to take some of these," which he did -- and I immediately felt better. By the time we were in and through customs and passport control, I was feeling fine. "What happened?" was on my mind, I remember, but the pain had subsided as my sister-in-law picked us up and drove us to her home. Everything seemed good.<br />
<br />
Then, overnight I woke up with the pain returned, although not as sudden or intense. I didn't sleep any more, unable to get comfortable. "Man, I really pulled something bad!" I said.<br />
<br />
Then, in the morning, I just felt worse and worse as we started getting ready to go to Mass. I ended up going back to bed, begging off that I just didn't feel well. But I was getting worried now, and eventually, just before they were to leave for Mass, I told my wife, "I think you need to take me to the ER. It's probably nothing...."<br />
<br />
It was not nothing. I was having a heart attack. I presented at North Cypress Hospital about 10:30, I believe. On that Father's Day morning, nevertheless, the head of cardiology was in the ER, so I got immediate attention. It was a whirlwind from that time. By 13:00, I was in recovery, having had two new stents put into my Right Coronary Artery.<br />
<br />
Then I spent the next three days in CCU, being released on Wednesday....<br />
<br />
Now, although I certainly have not done everything I should have to get and stay healthy in the years since, I have had no problems. Until a week ago.<br />
<br />
There's actually some background that even predates the 2010 heart attack. 2004-2005 was a bad time. In short order we lost my paternal grandmother (January 2004), my father (February), and his only sibling, my only aunt (July). There were other things going on that I don't want to detail, both personal and professional, as I desperately worked to try to establish myself to get tenure at my University, which was going through one of its periodic shakeups. Long and short, I was under a great deal of stress when, toward the end of 2004 I suddenly started having "fainting" spells. I would not completely lose consciousness, but I would suddenly "brown out" with tunnel vision, my ears would roar, I'd break out into a cold sweat, and I would (usually) have to lie down. It would pass in a few minutes, but leave me wiped out for the rest of the day. Sometimes they wouldn't be quite so intense, and I would feel an attack coming on -- if I closed my eyes, remained still, hanging onto something to make sure I didn't fall down, it could actually pass without anyone around me being the wiser. Nevertheless, with a history of heart disease in my family, although there was no chest pain involved in these spells I was worried.<br />
<br />
My doctor ran blood tests, and I wore a Holter monitor around for either 24 or 48 hours (I don't remember which, now), and nothing showed amiss. After a couple of months of these spells happening at least once or twice every couple of weeks, at random, with no discernable patterns or triggers, they just disappeared ... or more accurately, got a lot less frequent. I might go a year or two without having one. Ultimately, we attributed either to stress or maybe inner-ear, more likely the former.<br />
<br />
2010 and the heart attack came and went, seeming to make no difference. I would still have one of the spells every couple of years or so, but they would pass and I'd go about my business. I figured it was just stress. If in fact it was not related to what eventually developed, it may well have been.<br />
<br />
Then, last October, I had a particularly severe "fainting" spell on a Saturday morning. I remember telling my wife that if it were accompanied by chest pains I would be really worried. But it passed, and even though I felt "wiped out" for the rest of the weekend, I just thought it was more of the same. Except that it did seem to mark a shift.<br />
<br />
Over the next few months, I started experiencing what I considered "abortive" "fainting" spells. I would feel like one was coming on for a few seconds, but it would never manifest. A short-lived period of dizziness or lightheadedness would pass and I would feel fine. Odd, but since I just figured it was a different, less intense form of the same problem of undetermined cause, I really wasn't worried. Even though they seemed to get a bit more frequent with time, I just went on about my business; they just became part of my life.<br />
<br />
Except that I really started feeling a sense of weariness over the summer. Now, at the same time, my Restless Legs Syndrome was ramping back up, leading to some degree of sleep deprivation, so weariness was easily explained. The RLS -- people do not understand how it dominates your life, especially the fear that if you start nodding off suddenly your legs are going to go to dancing, waking you up right when you want nothing more than to sleep -- got so bad that I started exploring various options. One was to do an intensive study of my medications, their side effects and interactions -- and I am on a butt-load of medications! -- and it seemed like not only did several have RLS listed as a possible side effect, but even more had dizziness and lightheadedness listed! I had also added a homeopathic herbal/vitamin blend for RLS (with seemingly great results) that <i>also</i> listed dizziness and lightheadedness as a possible side effect.<br />
<br />
So as the momentary waves of dizziness grew more frequent, I didn't really think much of them. Well, I thought enough of them that I mentioned them to my family doctor in mid July, along with the list of my meds that have just that as a possible side effect. It was really more just informational, letting him know what was happening. He made no suggestions other than that once I was back from my upcoming travels, we might go back and reevaluate my medications and see if that made any difference.<br />
<br />
The first weekend in August was particularly bad. Friday and Saturday I had several periods of a couple hours each where waves of dizziness would hit but pass just as quickly -- every few minutes. At least once, my wife noticed, but I just attributed it to getting up too suddenly -- which sometimes did seem to trigger one, and I had indeed just stood up from the breakfast table. I didn't make a big deal of it. For one thing, it was nothing new to me; for another, we were at a family get-together for my wife's niece's college graduation and I didn't want to be <i>that guy</i>....<br />
<br />
Monday came, however, and at mid morning I started having an intense pain just below the juncture of my right shoulder and my neck, in the back, seeming to intensify whenever I would take a breath. My first thought, having just gotten back home from being in a hotel for three nights was that the strange bed and scrawny little pillow had giving me a crick in my neck. Tylenol and a heating pad made it feel a lot better.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, overnight, I never could get comfortable. I had a rough night. On Tuesday morning, I made it to Mass and helped count the collection from the preceding weekend as usual, but the pain had progressed more generally into my upper torso, still on the right, and was pretty persistent -- and increasingly worrisome especially given my prospective departure on the pilgrimage. I finally excused myself and said I had something I needed to take care of.<br />
<br />
My intention was to go to my doctor's office, but on the way there I realized that he would not be there (it was about 07:30 at latest), and that if anyone were in his office and I said "chest pain," they'd send me right across the street to the ER, so I decided to just cut out that step and go there directly. I passed my wife headed to work (at the hospital) as I approached our house to get a few essentials before going on to the ER (we live only a few blocks away). I told her what was up and she said she'd meet me there.<br />
<br />
So, I presented myself in the ER with chest pains and was taken back in short order. An EKG and blood-enzyme test came back negative. "You're not having a heart attack," which was a relief. Maybe it was indeed just a crick in my neck...? My wife was with me as they started to discharge me and I berated myself for a "useless" ER visit....<br />
<br />
... When I felt one of the lightheaded spells come on and the heart monitor, to which I was still connected, went bonkers. "BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!" "What's that?" my wife asked? "I don't know," I replied, "I just had one of those spells.... I'm sure if it's important they'll be back in." And they we waited. And waited. And waited. And then things got all exciting -- the ER doctor ran back in and asked if I have Afib. "Uhhh... not that I know of." He ordered another EKG which was totally different. I don't know the details, but I was having something called bradycardia which is basically slow heartbeat -- it had dropped all the way down into the 30s when it normally runs in the high 50s or low 60s, and has for years mainly due to my heart meds.<br />
<br />
About that time, my own cardiologist swept in and started dropping terms like "heart block" and "Afib" and "we need to look at your medications" and "you're going to be in the hospital overnight at least" and "you may need a pacemaker" and so forth -- that quickly -- "and I've got clinic, I'll see you this evening."<br />
<br />
Uh, WHAT? The words "heart block" alone are scary! I did a quick Internet search and found a bunch of jargon that I didn't understand (I'm not that kind of doctor), but it seems to be related to but something different than Afib.<br />
<br />
Long and short, they ended up putting me in ICU. I don't remember the sequence of events, but over the next couple of hours (we're in the early afternoon by now), there were various things said and so forth. They did give me my Plavix as well as lunch, soon after which my cardiologist came back with a long tape showing my heart beating, then stopping, then restarting -- with long flatlines. [It's not exactly what is shown at the top of this post, but something similar.) My wife says he said, "up to eight seconds" -- !! "This is dangerous," he said. "You need a pacemaker -- right now. My colleague is doing three or four others this afternoon. I'm going to check and see if he wants to do another one this evening. If not you'll be first thing in the morning." To make a long story short, it ended up being in the afternoon -- late in the afternoon -- even though I had eaten lunch <i>and </i>had not stopped my Plavix for three days. It was that critical.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, my wife broached the subject of cancelling the trip to the Holy Land. To which my cardiologist replied -- to our surprise -- "Oh, that won't be a problem. They've got better medical facilities than we do. I mean, it's not like you'll be staying on the West Bank or something." "Uh, actually, our last few nights are in Bethlehem." "<i>Bethlehem</i>? Behind the Wall? In Palestinian territory? -- I've never heard of anyone doing that!" And I thought that was it -- no go. But, Bethlehem is only a few miles from Jerusalem itself, and as it turned out all of my doctors and nurses were determined that I would be able to go. My cardiologist even rearranged his morning schedule on Monday so he could evaluate me and give me the final "Go -- No go" clearance.<br />
<br />
But first we had to get the pacemaker in, which was it's own bit of trouble! They took me out of my room in ICU about 15:30 and were started about 16:15. They told my wife it would take about an hour or an hour and a half. It took at least twice that long. They put me under Conscious Sedation since I had eaten and could not be fully under. I did not feel a thing, but I could hear everything going on -- the banter among the OR team, specifically joking about the stupid new California law banning plastic straws -- but also I can hear the surgeon getting more and more frustrated and have a sense that it's taking a long longer than it should. I was right. It took at least twice as long. They did keep my wife apprised that I was okay, but that things were taking a long time -- but no information beyond that. Finally, they brought me out. The surgeon assured my wife I was fine, and specifically that -- in light of my still being on Plavix -- he glued me back up really good. More importantly, he explained the long procedure. It seems I'm weird on the inside just like on the outside. I have a one in a thousand benignly abnormal configuration of my heart plumbing which makes some the arteries go upside down and backwards. It doesn't interfere with function, but it means that the surgeon putting the pacemaker into its customary position by the left collarbone did not have a straight shot down into the heart to put the leads. No, he had to make a couple of switchbacks and U-turns and generally would have been a lot better off going in from the right side. Nevertheless, he finally got it in.<br />
<br />
And I passed a good night. It wasn't until in the afternoon -- after lunch -- that we found out things weren't quite right. The tech from the pacemaker company, who was in the OR, came in to run a diagnostic, and obviously did not like what he saw. He disappeared for a bit, then came back in with the surgeon. They ran more diagnostics, then the surgeon said they needed to take me back to the OR. One of the leads was not seated well and was misfiring every once in a while. I wasn't even feeling it, but it needed to be corrected. So, once again, having eaten, having had my meds, I went back into surgery. Once again it took longer than expected, but that was not because of anything unanticipated, rather that the surgeon took the opportunity to reseat the other lead as well. He said, however, that he was very pleased with the results. The only thing is, now the wound had been opened and closed, then reopened and reclosed, and that made the trauma there a lot more painful. Tylenol alone did not really help that second night even though it had pretty much knocked out the pain the first night. Nevertheless, everything checked out fine the next day and I was released.<br />
<br />
It was a rough couple of days painwise, as well as adjusting to being effectively one-armed since my left arm had to be in a sling so I wouldn't extend it and possibly pull the leads out of my heart before they had a chance to scar into place. But to make a long story short, I was considerably better by Sunday, and Monday morning I met my cardiologist first thing in the morning and got my clearance to fly.<br />
<br />
I still don't advise heart trouble immediately before or after international flight, however....<br />
<br />
P.S.: I still don't know what the right-side chest pain was Monday and Tuesday. I think it may have just been God telling me to get myself to the ER....<br />
<br />
P.P.S.: Fri 31 Aug 09:07 -- I just got back from a follow-up visit with my cardiologist. Everything is good. He did clarify a bit. With my heart stopping for seconds at a time, the heart muscle was protesting the lack of blood flow (i.e., oxygen), and that is, medically speaking at least, probably the cause of the chest pain I experienced, since it immediately subsided. Be that as it may, I still think it was a divine kick in the rear, "Get thee to the ER!"Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-78765839665566983312018-08-01T23:38:00.000-05:002018-08-01T23:38:26.308-05:00Getting Oriented: Building a Mental Map of Jerusalem<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I described in a previous post, I've been doing quite a bit of reading and preparation for this pilgrimage. In studying any kind of history, I'm a firm believer that you have to have a good map handy. I'm the same way about dates and the basic chronology, by the way, and one of my mantras that I try to impress on my students is, "If you don't know <i>when</i> it happened and you don't know <i>where</i> it happened, you don't know <i>what</i> happened." But I think it's also important to have a fairly good "mental map" when reading so you're not continually breaking back and forth to look at the map for the major features. Often more minor features will be defined in terms of those major features anyway, at least. Obviously, a large part of Biblical history is set in Jerusalem, as is -- just as obviously -- a great deal of modern Israeli history. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obviously John A. Beck, author of <i>The Holy Land for Christian Travelers</i>, agrees -- he begins his chapter on Jerusalem with a suggestion, "It can ... be helpful to draw your own simple map ..., using the [a simple schematic map he provides] as a guide. Your assignment is to become familiar with the location of five hills, three valleys, and a sixteenth-century wall and its seven gates" (pp. 41-43). I did just that, and realized that the process of adding bit by bit in a logical fashion helped me retain the mental image. So I decided to share the process here. Nothing will substitute for doing the exercise for yourself, however.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Please note that this <i>is</i> just a rough schematic, for orientation purposes. It will not be in any way to scale and will be very grid-like, seeming perfectly oriented along a compass' axes. The Old City of Jerusalem -- that we're focusing on, of course -- is not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Before we begin, let's just take a look at a sort-of historical overlay of the various stages in the growth (and recession) of Jerusalem through history. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSFPOi0GZHYB23t85mA0HiecQncPNIZKBa_VxhySLVAC6C4MFvAzjm0DVYQu9JzfeAHPkdom7sG895Bu1g99uoRrOdbnYQllhYwXZYpGFYy4PjflUeA6TuFICmsKTTkKuLit39GrsuxQM/s1600/ancient_jerusalem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSFPOi0GZHYB23t85mA0HiecQncPNIZKBa_VxhySLVAC6C4MFvAzjm0DVYQu9JzfeAHPkdom7sG895Bu1g99uoRrOdbnYQllhYwXZYpGFYy4PjflUeA6TuFICmsKTTkKuLit39GrsuxQM/s640/ancient_jerusalem.jpg" width="417" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Generally speaking, the "inner" red lines delineate the walls of Jerusalem as they stood about the time of Jesus. The darker black lines defining a "box" shifted northward from there represent the 16th Ottoman walls that still encompass the Old City. <i>That's</i> what we're looking at.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">So, let's begin with a box representing the Old City walls:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutFk7qNAtodRoRabe7Gez8RLmpZmtzVbFa6fNjcz6u9enKjnI1Ypm6XcRIxlzDapqBa7TjORlJaUnzy5vivCQ_rKizm2aRQhmKKsIrm657ijmGn3v7nL3xVSSKvankBM5Yjj2yn6kioSh/s1600/01+Walls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutFk7qNAtodRoRabe7Gez8RLmpZmtzVbFa6fNjcz6u9enKjnI1Ypm6XcRIxlzDapqBa7TjORlJaUnzy5vivCQ_rKizm2aRQhmKKsIrm657ijmGn3v7nL3xVSSKvankBM5Yjj2yn6kioSh/s640/01+Walls.jpg" width="576" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Now, let's add the most significant feature, in the east but shifted a bit south within those old walls, the Temple Mount.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FO30jRSezyd-1jU1qBhgNdbEphq-so8OQj3k12GdwdYA9fV3sBtUDPUTuV1sHCb-vnuXQ8f0TKAuk43HVfK62WpY3F4ZlwgwVFqaKkJAxURbaHmX0NhlLKi33kwqIXqabxfwZr4vCIhn/s1600/02+Temple+Mount.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FO30jRSezyd-1jU1qBhgNdbEphq-so8OQj3k12GdwdYA9fV3sBtUDPUTuV1sHCb-vnuXQ8f0TKAuk43HVfK62WpY3F4ZlwgwVFqaKkJAxURbaHmX0NhlLKi33kwqIXqabxfwZr4vCIhn/s640/02+Temple+Mount.jpg" width="576" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Simple enough, eh? That gives us a template with which to reference everything else. So let's throw in the physical topography. As Beck says, they are five hills and three valleys.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdP-pLBAIwRdoyRaO_daNlgwvWnRrcLz78p7AzxbBDQ968c2tETHgrENfMNJUfWMh0maD-_MQ7uI6oVd8q2cK6IjlL1lRvxUtm_me3BqfLNgYkz5VY-OZ9SzcNuCtpS7ouEXUNBAOL7WQ/s1600/03+Hills+and+Valleys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdP-pLBAIwRdoyRaO_daNlgwvWnRrcLz78p7AzxbBDQ968c2tETHgrENfMNJUfWMh0maD-_MQ7uI6oVd8q2cK6IjlL1lRvxUtm_me3BqfLNgYkz5VY-OZ9SzcNuCtpS7ouEXUNBAOL7WQ/s640/03+Hills+and+Valleys.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
Let's build the picture....<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">First for the hills. The Temple Mount is one. South of it, outside the walls, is the long, skinny "City of David" -- the oldest part of Jerusalem, ironically enough <i>outside</i> the Old City! It's the old Jebusite city that David captured sometime shortly before 1000 BC. From there, in the reign of his son Solomon, the city expanded northward with the building of the First Temple -- but that history is not what we're interested in here, so stay on task, Kent! -- City of David -- that's two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Next, to the east of the city is the Mount of Olives -- longer and skinnier, a ridge running north-south the length of the eastern wall and continuing down parallel to the City of David. That's three.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Then, to the west of the Temple Mount, within the city, is the Western Hill -- that's four.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Finally, south of the Western Hill, west of the City of David -- Mount Zion. That's five.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Before we go any further, make sure you have the hills clear in your mind:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">East -- Mount of Olives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Middle, North then South -- Temple Mount then the City of David</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">West, North then South -- Western Hill then Mount Zion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Or:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Western Hill .....Temple Mount .... Mount</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"> of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Mount Zion ...... City of David .... Olives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Got it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Now for the valleys</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> ... three? Well, yes, since the western and southern valleys are really one. But let's not start there. Let's start with the Kidron Valley. It runs north-south between the eastern wall of the city and the Mount of Olives, again, continuing southward along the eastern flank of the City of David.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Next, cutting right through the middle from the northern wall down between the Western Hill and the Temple Mounth, continuing between Mount Zion and the City of David -- the "Central Valley." Easy enough to remember? -- right down the middle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Finally, the Hinnom Valley -- north-south outside the western wall, continuing down around Mount Zion, turning eastward to intersect the Central Valley and the Kidron Valley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Or:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">East: Kidron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">North to South in the middle: Central</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">West and across the South: Hinnom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Now we have the major features -- the walls, hills, and valleys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Now for the gates:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMY3C4rxDA19Fbi7P0AfGmEx8vyzJLIbq5S2y8qGzsyEZGZp-gCJX0ZKifWrI7eUtnU1spdvlPpiNfbljkDaCTc0Kbz1vGiYQAZ1OIQQzxH2gN_N_3PLQnvwgc4RK4UKxl5tkANULnCtX/s1600/04+Gates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMY3C4rxDA19Fbi7P0AfGmEx8vyzJLIbq5S2y8qGzsyEZGZp-gCJX0ZKifWrI7eUtnU1spdvlPpiNfbljkDaCTc0Kbz1vGiYQAZ1OIQQzxH2gN_N_3PLQnvwgc4RK4UKxl5tkANULnCtX/s640/04+Gates.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The walls have seven gates: three in the north, two in the south, one each west and east. They are indicated on the map with letters (and numbers since there are two D's):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">In the north, going west to east: N = the New Gate; D1 = the Damascus Gate; and H = Herod's Gate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">In the south, also west to east: Z = the Zion Gate (opening toward Mount Zion); and D2 = the Dung Gate -- wait, what? Yep, that's what it's called!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Then to the west: J = the Jaffa Gate; and to the East: L = the Lion's Gate (also called St. Stephen's Gate).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Clockwise from northwest: N - D1 - H - L - D2 - Z - J. (Don't know if that helps or not....)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But wait, Dr. Hare? What's this about the four quarters of Jerusalem? I was just getting to that.... </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9BNc-gKM2XA6wlNm_6ZhsB44zntva3hXY0wMROkfQYOtNlcQjMaenE3KZiJKGdnMETYJa-8GvlqzrGVfwY9VclF_LihDkOCl0AlJT1uFe1eRCGmzAI9NclHnzk53xgZcBPV8FtVlwpL5/s1600/05+Quarters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9BNc-gKM2XA6wlNm_6ZhsB44zntva3hXY0wMROkfQYOtNlcQjMaenE3KZiJKGdnMETYJa-8GvlqzrGVfwY9VclF_LihDkOCl0AlJT1uFe1eRCGmzAI9NclHnzk53xgZcBPV8FtVlwpL5/s640/05+Quarters.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">They are not really "quarters" at all, if by that you mean equally sized. But they are fairly easy to remember. First for the boundaries. One axis of a cross dividing the city in four runs straight down the Central Valley. The other runs straight across from the Jaffa Gate to the Temple Mount. The four very unequally sized quarters that result are, from northwest clockwise again -- and indicated by large grey letters: C = Christian; M = Muslim; J = Jewish; and A = Armenian.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Finally, just for kicks, let's very lightly indicate the walls as they stood in the time of Jesus, to emphasize that although the Holy Sepulchre is now right in the middle of the Christian Quarter, Calvary or Golgotha was then outside the northern wall. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP8_1g5iP7-boCCorM7mbOy8Gwm6fJOTi_DvNIfq0mKYoBZoKZ9GzRhVySZ37JndY02kZHBhkAeozUOObjoZQw7v7Psk2steTn04rMX7waRnVTKX9M4z_QjhG0IDYCKTefZGPJwalaouU/s1600/06+Jesus+Walls+%252B+Calvary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP8_1g5iP7-boCCorM7mbOy8Gwm6fJOTi_DvNIfq0mKYoBZoKZ9GzRhVySZ37JndY02kZHBhkAeozUOObjoZQw7v7Psk2steTn04rMX7waRnVTKX9M4z_QjhG0IDYCKTefZGPJwalaouU/s640/06+Jesus+Walls+%252B+Calvary.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The 1st-c. walls are light grey, two being indicated: the north wall from the northwest corner of the Temple Mount southwest to the Jaffa Gate, the south wall running southward from the southeastern corner around the Mount of Olives around the southern tip of the City of David, back up to the southeastern corner. And the Holy Sepulchre/Calvary is indicated by a Cross. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"> There you have it. Hopefully by following this, better yet, sketching it out for yourself, you now have a fairly good mental map of the major features of the Old City of Jerusalem, and some idea of how it relates to the city in the time of Jesus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Just as a reminder, remember this is <i>just a schematic</i>. The reality was is more like this:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrxQeR51f7m7gR8CUF6-h1Y-KBVPlXnmsR7SSLr7R0Lo7Vca21vIeP5mdL6ISu3kbKxnDXGyERQuqPJ4LwTq8haxspVBt46pE84FkDkFDz49wQGkEA9bxqrO905FFWq1Yi5LC1_ab0bBi/s1600/jerusalem-map-quarters-800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrxQeR51f7m7gR8CUF6-h1Y-KBVPlXnmsR7SSLr7R0Lo7Vca21vIeP5mdL6ISu3kbKxnDXGyERQuqPJ4LwTq8haxspVBt46pE84FkDkFDz49wQGkEA9bxqrO905FFWq1Yi5LC1_ab0bBi/s640/jerusalem-map-quarters-800px.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8210654537445553624.post-86723698472268929222018-07-25T21:49:00.000-05:002018-07-27T16:17:50.482-05:00Pilgrims’ Mass and Meet & Greet<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqOW0y2YiV6mOdMu1Q-6RfCGJ6-jbz_a6gf4Kj5YHvuDAGnBWrZGrIwEp-919K_z45Q4-62fwHAjzoX09WXGPIGJVpCfGUIHgGOBbF5XmESRZV3twO87USxm8M1MGQGtY1DGhOWsXW1Yn/s1600/P.-Emilio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqOW0y2YiV6mOdMu1Q-6RfCGJ6-jbz_a6gf4Kj5YHvuDAGnBWrZGrIwEp-919K_z45Q4-62fwHAjzoX09WXGPIGJVpCfGUIHgGOBbF5XmESRZV3twO87USxm8M1MGQGtY1DGhOWsXW1Yn/s320/P.-Emilio.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Emilio, National Director of Radio Maria USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
evening the Radio Maria/Holy Land 2018 pilgrims from the local area got
together for the first time, at the Radio Maria station and national headquarters
in Alexandria. Fr. Emilio said Mass for us at 17:00, then presided over a long
meeting. There were a total of eight of our thirteen pilgrims present – the two
from New York; one from New Iberia, Louisiana; one from Kansas (my wife’s
sister-in-law); and a religious brother from Costa Rica – were not.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fr.
Emilio gave a long description of the pilgrimage. He has been to Israel four
times, and assured any who had any doubts that it will be an unforgettable experience.
He has flown Turkish Airlines, and dispelled any notions any of us might have
had that it is some kind of second-class carrier – he said it has any amenity
you can imagine. The meals provided at the hotels – which are very nice, he says
– will be predominantly buffets, tending toward a lot of salads, vegetables,
and very healthy fare. It turns out that once we get to Bethlehem in the later
part of the trip, the family who runs our pilgrimage company, Nativity
Pilgrimage, run the hotel, have restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. – in short,
are very involved in every aspect of religious tourism. Fr. Emilio did advise
that if we are planning on bringing back olive-wood Rosaries, etc., the prices
there in Bethlehem will be much better than they will in Jerusalem – and of
course there is time built-in to the first day in Bethlehem for that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
was a lot of discussion about the logistics of meeting up at the beginning. The
majority of us will be flying out of the States through the Houston airport. The
two from New York will meet us in Istanbul; Brother Miguel (“Mike”) from Costa
Rica will fly directly to Tel Aviv. There will be a couple of carloads headed
down to Houston from Alexandria on the morning of Monday 13 August; since seats
will apparently be assigned when we check in at the airport, and we would all
like to sit together for the flight, there was some discussion of how to meet
up there. We are going to use Fr. Emilio’s messaging platform of choice, “WhatsApp,”
creating a Group just for us which we will use for coordinating things like
that before and during the trip. So we will need to have our phones with us and
enabled for international use.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After
the meeting, we had a very good meal of lasagna, salad, brownies, and so forth,
over which the two groups who will carpool from Alexandria nailed down when and
where they would meet, what time they would leave, and so forth – as well as
discussed the logistics of getting back home after we return. There was some
debate about just hunkering down and driving back – but after most of 24 hours
travelling even before we arrive back in Houston in the 19:00 hour plus time getting
through passport control and so forth, I think the wiser decision was made to get
through all that and hit the road, yes, but plan on just getting out of Houston
then finding a hotel for the night. Otherwise, we would probably be sometime well
after midnight making it back to Alexandria! – and I for one would have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">another</i> hour to get home!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
was quite a bit of other discussion throughout, but it was all pretty common
sense – appropriate dress for the climate (hot), including a hat and sunscreen;
currency exchange; electrical issues; and so forth. I’m not even going to try
to remember it all. I didn’t take notes for all that since it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> pretty common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They
seem like a very nice group. I am really looking forward to this experience.
Time is counting down – at this point, I think we are just less than three weeks
out.</span></span></div>
Kent G. Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05432812900069534679noreply@blogger.com0