After all this time, after all those years, I’m still rediscovering Jerusalem. Oddly enough, it’s not just me, but also those who are of higher authority in the history and culture of the old city of Jerusalem (e.g. my dad :P) are still able to rediscover new and fascinating things in unexpected places.
While going to visit the old city with my dad in the week before Easter, just before Palm Sunday, we came across an alley that my dad was not too familiar with. We decided to go in and explore…
So, this is the little hidden alley, which does not seem like it may lead to anything…
Going in, you walk through the narrow alley till you reach this at the end…
Both of us weren’t sure, but my dad quickly recalled that this is the Syriac Orthodox Church. Luckily enough, a group of tourists were going to go in with a local guide from the church and after I’ve been introduced as “He’s from Hong Kong” (convincing!) we went in and listened to a facinating lecture about the origins of this church – which the guide claims is the oldest church in the world dating back to the 1st century when Christians were still hiding and running away from persecuting authorities.
The Syrians speak Aramaic, an old ancient language used by the Jews back in the time when Jesus was walking the streets of Jerusalem. It’s a bit hard to believe, but there was a time I was generally quite fluent with the language, as in high-school I was made to study the Talmud and various Jewish scholars, who used Aramaic as their main language. I was effectively able to forget almost everything, but I believe my dad was able to get some of it.
The lady told us about Christ’s monthly appearance at the church, shared with us a few first-hand miracles and then continued to sing-pray to God in Aramaic.
If you’d like to learn more about the place, there is this informational video I found on Youtube that does a terrific job with explaining what the church is about.
The reason the church is located where it is, has to do with where Jesus and his students hid before going for the last supper. Nowaways, you can still go down to that basement where they hold an old painting of some serious religious and historical meaning which I can not recall.
Back out, satisfied with our new discovery. We went on to enjoy a glorious clear day in the beautiful old city…
While touring Israel you get to see some of those very odd trucks with an orthodox Jew and the words “Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meoman”. This photo adds : “after many years that the secret has been kept, Rabbi Israel Orpad, owner of the holy note, announces to the world – I’m the King! and so it shall be!”. You just can’t help but smile at those things.
One of my hobbies while walking around in the old city is taking photos of door fronts. Some plain, some falling apart, some really special, some especially ancient, but all quite beautiful…
Love this city.
a descriptive post with beautiful photos.
I’m not sure, but these resources might help –
http://sor.cua.edu/ChMon/HLand/YerusalemSMark.html
see Saint Mark’s Monastery in the Armenian quarter on this map – http://wikitravel.org/en/Image:Jerusalem_Armenian_Quarter.jpg
Can you name the street (alley) where you went to the Syriac Church?