We only stayed for a few hours, since the main purpose was a meeting at the U.S. Consulate.
Just going is a really interesting process: I took a cab in with Patty, but another co-worker had to drive several hours to pick up his permit, then go through some more stress to get in to the city. The irony? Patty and I are obviously from another country. He was born in Jerusalem.
The streets around the Holy Sepulcher are just covered with shops and more shops. Note the "I heart Jerusalem" Tweety shirt on the right. Oh dear.
My main goal of the day was to make it to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is really just unreal.
I even got a shot of the ladder that's been there since at least 1892. It was used in a long-ago repair, but from what I can gather the fairly intense turf wars among Christian sects have prevented its removal:
I got to see the holiest places in Christianity, and it was amazing.
We also caught the tail-end of the Latin Patriarch's Corpus Christi Mass. The procession looked like every stereotype and imagination we have of religious ritual. Epic.
In addition to pretty extreme holy sites like the tomb, Golgatha, and the stone where the Lord's body was anointed, there's piles of art inside. Patty snapped a picture of Our Lady of Sorrows. Her friend, Moses, always brings the flowers for either side of her.
Here's some other photos I've found of the interior. It's all just incredible. What else do you say?
Interior Photos: Christopher Chan
I have big plans to return, and I just can't wait.
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