Day 8a

Continued:

We visited the Western Wall - that was an interesting experience.  We were able to go up, men and women in different sections, to pray by the wall.  There were all kinds of people there, from ultra-conservative on.  We learned that the prayers that are left in or around the walls are picked up and burned twice a month.  The wall is the closest you can get to the Holy of Holies inside the original temple, but this wall is not part of the original temple.  It was added on by Herod the Great, in his attempt to outdo Kings David and Solomon.  We had to go through metal detectors to enter the area, but it was very easy.  

Next we ate another delicious lunch, at a restaurant that had an Italian feel.  Seemed a bit odd in the middle of Israel, but something new for us!  We then visited Mount Zion, where we saw the Last Supper Room.  It is also the room where Pentecost happened.  Christians can only celebrate 2 times a year in this place - Holy Thursday and Pentecost.  Underneath the area there is also a place claiming to house King David's tomb, but there is no archeological support to back that up.  

Dormitian Abbey - This was the location of the site of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven.  Naturally, there are conflicting stories about Mary's Assumption.  There is a school of thought that says when she went to Ephesus with John, she fell into a deep sleep (died) and was assumed.  On the other hand, the Last Supper Room had become the center of Christianity after Jesus died, so it seems more likely that she would have returned to Jerusalem to be a part of that movement.  And then there is another claim (less likely) that her body is buried in another location in the area.  The history suggests that the details of the Dormition site are more likely to fit the reality.  This site also had a beautiful icon, which showed Jesus holding Mary - very unique.  On our way back to the bus we saw a group of soldiers in the area, and our guide said they were likely on a field day.  He said the soldiers would go out to the sites for training, so they could become familiar with the areas in which they would be serving.

A long day, but well worth it!