Day 5 - Oct 3 (Saturday)

First we visit Russian church of the Ascension, where there is a stone on which the Theotokos stood during Ascension. Here is also the tomb of Archimandrite Kapustin.

Here we find the "sister" icon of the Theotokos (to that of St. Nicholas that we first saw on first day in the Russian Eclisciastical Mission).

On this property there is also a chapel where the head of St. John the Baptist was found twice. Near old Armenian mosaic floor there is an indentation in the floor denoting that specific spot.


Then we went to the actual site of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. There is no church there, but there is a rock with the Lord's imprint.

We stop at the vista of Jerusalem and have coffee. From there there is a good view of the Golden Gate and all the graves nearest to the Golden Gate (of those Jews who want to be first in the ressurection when Messiah comes....)

Then part of the group walks down the path the Lord followed on Palm Sunday (from Mount of Olives to......). We stop at the monastery of St. Mary Magdalene, where there are relics of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr and St. Barbara.

From the church of St. Mary Magdalene, we walk to the garden of Gethsemeny. We look at the old olive trees and the rock in the Catholic church of All Nations. We prayed the Jesus Prayer in all our languages near the spot outside of the catholic church. The Garden of Gethsemeny and the church of Mary Magdalene face the Golden Gate that will remain closed until the coming of the Lord.

Last church we visit is the Church of the Tomb of the Mother of God. It is taken care by Greeks and Armenians (on alternate days).  Theotokos died in the house of St. John on Mt. Zion (near Golden Gate) and was carried to the Garden of Gethsemeny by the Apostles. All Apostles arrived for her burial from around the world, except Thomas. When he came 3 days later and the opened her tomb, her body was not there. We believe she received the resurrection early and is now with her Son.