April A to Z Challenge: V is for Valley of the Wind and Doves; Via Dolorosa

V is for Valley of Wind and Doves

Valley of the Wind and Doves is another of my favorites (every time I type that, I laugh out loud – “another of my favorites”). This valley is 22 miles long and connects Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee.  It was the main thoroughfare between these two cities. Think of the feet that have trod this path. It literally took my breath away. This spot was so very peaceful – there were no crowds. There were no ruins. Our guide, Rafi, handed me his headset and his phone with a scripture pulled up and asked me to read. I felt like the Psalmist himself. I must admit that it was a very profound experience. 

My pictures don't do a very good job of showing how TALL Mt. Arbel is but it towers above.

I really want to write about the deep feelings I had and the incredible beauty and peace of this place but I simply cannot put it into words.

It was a GORGEOUS day

that is not a mountain goat on that steep hill

that is a COW!

Alan, friend and fellow traveler, taking it all in

Here I stand reading the Psalm

V is for Via Dolorosa

I purchased a brochure when we were walking the Via Dolorosa and some of the words below are mine and some are straight from that brochure:

The Via Dolorosa, or “Way of Sorrow” winds along narrow streets of Jerusalem’s Old City. This is where tradition says Jesus walked. Some of the stops along the way are in the Bible and some have been added. This is the path from Pilate’s Judgement Hall in the Antonia to Golgotha, the site many think is the site of the crucifixion.

Along this route are the “fourteen stations of the cross.” Each station marks an event of sacred memory.

I think I mentioned in an earlier blog post that we actually walked it backwards (14-1 rather than 1-14) this year (on purpose) due to the crowds. The streets are narrow. There is a lot of noise along the way. I do have to wonder how it would have been when Jesus walked a similar path on that day.

This is Station 3 - Jesus falls under

the Cross for the first time

This is in a Polish chapel - look at the

artwork and all of those angels looking

down at Jesus

This is Station 4 - Jesus meets his mother

Tradition says that Mary stood by the road in order to

see her son. This is above the door of a small

Armenian Catholic chapel where you 

can go inside and sit and reflect.

Even though this might not be an actual spot or

may be tradition -- this spot makes my own "mother's

heart" ache with grief

The 5th Station remembers how Simon of Cyrene was

forced to carry the cross.

This picture and the one below are Station 7

these are the doors to a Franciscan chapel

and the picture below is taken of the wall

Station 7 - where Jesus stumbled

and placed his hand against the wall

I love the old streets but

you can see how small they

are and with large tour

groups walking through among

those who live and work and

shop there makes for

quite a crowd

These Via Dolorosa pictures are all

from our 2016 trip. This is the 9th station

of the cross where Jesus fell

again

The last five stations are all within the walls of the

church of the Holy Sepulchre

this art work is on the wall

behind the men in the picture below

Station 13 - Jesus is taken down from the cross

and laid on this stone - it is called

the stone of anointment