Maritza Martínez Mejía, AWA: The Fifth Gospel Experience

Saturday, April 30, 2022

The Fifth Gospel Experience - Day 6

LuzDelMes Experience in Israel

✞Saturday, April 30, Day 6: VIA DOLOROSA - JERICHO - QUARAM - DEAD SEA

We started early this morning praying at the Stations of the Cross along the "Via Dolorosa" or Way of the Cross. I offered my knee pain to Jesus while carrying the cross through the Fifth station: Simon of Cirene helps Jesus carry the cross.

We finished with the Mass at the Holy Sepulcher at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Then, we prayed at Calvary and the Tomb of Our Lord. (Matthew 27:31–33, Mark 15:20–22, Luke 23:26–32 and John 19:16–18.)

GOLGOTHA OR CALVARY: This is the place where Jesus was crucified on the hilltop and is located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The church is home to two of the holiest sites in Christianity – the site where Jesus was crucified, known as Calvary, and the tomb where Jesus was buried and then resurrected.

While touring the Old City of Jerusalem, we visited the Chapel of Flagellation, the Chapel of Condemnation, and the Lithostrotos, the site of the Antonia Fortress where Julius Caesar resided at the time of Christ and where Jesus was condemned to death. (Luke 23:13-25; John 19)

In the afternoon, we drove through the Judean Wilderness to Jericho. Visited Elisha’s Fountain place. (2 Kings: 2) Visited the ancient city of Jericho from which we viewed the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. (Luke 4:9-13)

We visited the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947.

After a long day we had time to relax in this incredible Dead Sea site where no fish lived for the salinity of the waters and you cannot swim, but float.