Author: A Dream Cloud
Jerusalem is a 5,000-year-old ancient city located on top of the mountains of Judea in central Palestine, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, at an altitude of 790 meters. Jerusalem is the largest city in Israel and is home to the three most apocalyptic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Surrounded by a ring of walls, the Old City of Jerusalem, with an area of only 1 square kilometer, is divided into 4 districts, the Muslim quarter in the east, the Christian quarter in the northwest, the Armenian quarter in the southwest, and the Jewish parish in the south. Within the city are the remains of the Wailing Wall of the Second Jewish Temple, the Islamic Golden Dome and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Wrangle. Outside the city are Mount Zion and Mount of Olives, important holy sites of Judaism and Christianity.
Ever since king Solomon of the United Kingdom of Israel built the Temple in Jerusalem in the 10th century BC, Jerusalem has been the center of the Jewish faith and the holiest city. Jerusalem was administered by the United Nations after World War II. After the partition of Palestine and Israel, Jerusalem was divided into Palestinian territory. After the First Middle East War, Israel occupied West Jerusalem. After the Third Middle East War, Israel occupied all of Jerusalem. In 1980, the Knesset legislated to establish Jerusalem as the country's "eternal and indivisible capital." In 1988, the Palestinian Self-Government declared Jerusalem the capital of the Palestinian State. Jerusalem has long been at the centre of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and although its ownership is undecided, Israel is the de facto controlling Power.
The coach drove along the ancient city walls, there were eight gates in the old city of Jerusalem, and we came to the Lion's Gate on the east side, which is the beginning of the bitter road, from where Jesus began to carry the cross to the execution ground. Also known as the Road of Sorrow, there are 14 stations with a total length of about 1 km, known as the Fourteen Stations of the Bitter Road. Walking into the Lion's Gate, passing by the doors of a Meccan pilgrim with colorful patterns painted on the walls, we soon arrive at the first stop, where Jesus was sentenced to death, now an Islamic school of Omaria Secondary School, with the Roman letter "I." nailed to the wall. Opposite is the second stop, now the Catholic Church of St. Francis, where Jesus took the cross, put on the crown of thorns, and was whipped to begin the streets. Walking up the stone-brick ramp, past the Neptune Gate, on a street corner stood eight Israeli soldiers with guns and magazines hanging, including a female soldier. The soldiers greeted us in a friendly manner, and with their consent, we went up and took a group photo with them. Next to it is the third stop, where Jesus fell for the first time, where the heavy cross overwhelmed Jesus. Today it is a polish chapel with sculptures on the lintels of the church showing jesus falling. The fourth stop is now a small Armenian church where Jesus saw his mother, Mary, and the Virgin Mary saw her son in a very painful mood. The fifth stop is now a prayer room in the Franciscan Church, where Simon the Gurinaids took the cross on Jesus' back. There is a handprint on the wall next to the door, which is said to have been left by Jesus holding the wall, and we all take turns putting our hands into that handprint. The sixth stop is now The Church of Beronica, where a girl named Beronica wiped the sweat of Jesus with a handkerchief that left the face of Jesus forever. There is a souvenir shop in the chapel that specializes in handkerchiefs painted with Berlonica and Jesus' heads. The seventh stop is the Christian deliberative gate, where Jesus fell for the second time. The eighth stop is now the north wall of a Greek monastery, where Jesus spoke to the women of Jerusalem, "Do not weep for me, but for the women of Jerusalem, but for themselves and our children." Underneath the Roman letter "VIII." nailed to the stone wall, there is a relief of a cross. From the eighth and ninth stops, pass a small market, on both sides of the narrow alley, shops are lined with goods, selling a variety of food, spices, clothing and small crafts. At the ninth stop, Jesus walked to the outside of the courtyard wall northeast of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and fell for the third time. Stops 10 to 14 are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Fourteen stations on the Bitter Road
At the first stop, Jesus was sentenced to death
The second stop is that Jesus takes the cross
The third stop jesus fell for the first time
At the fourth stop Jesus saw his mother
At the fifth stop, Simon took the cross on Jesus' back
The handprints left by Jesus
The sixth stop, Belonica, wipes the sweat for Jesus
The seventh stop Jesus fell for the second time
The eighth stop jesus speaks here to the women of Jerusalem
On the ninth stop Jesus fell for the third time