One of the important places for my family in Jerusalem—if not for other Russian Orthodox people as well—is the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension (Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia) on the Mount of Olives.

This is the place where I spent the night before Easter on my feet for about 4 hours (as highlighted here), praying and reflecting on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus along with fellow Russian Orthodox folks.

The convent is located in the village of A-Tur on the Mount of Olives, and can be hard to find due to its ‘secluded’ and somewhat hidden location. What helps in finding it? The huge bell tower of course! While the tower serves as a guide to the general location, it’s clearly not the indicator of the entrance itself. The entrance is located between two buildings adorned with food shops, and you have to walk ‘in’ towards the back of a narrow pathway (kind of like a driveway) to get to its green gate. This green gate will have a golden plaque on the door indicating that it’s the Russian Orthodox Convent. You ring the bell and there should be someone who lets you in; sometimes it’s a Russian Orthodox nun, sometimes it’s a friendly Muslim gatekeeper/guard. I suppose the reason there is a gate is because, as is revealed when you step inside, you can drive and park inside the premises.

What do you see upon entering? Pretty much trees, gardens, a pathway leading to the church, and just a lot of space. You will definitely notice how quiet it is, which is in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the streets literally steps away.

You can take in the fresh air and quiet as you stroll through the garden and make your way to the church. When approaching the church, the gigantic bell tower will appear on its left side.

The church building is not so huge and is made of a bright cream colored stone, which I presume is limestone (a common stone used in the country). When stepping inside the compound, there is a kind of ‘patio’ built right in front of the church, so that when you enter the premises, you are not inside the church just yet. It is in this ‘patio’ that there are some benches and a wooden ‘chest’ where long aprons and skirts are stored in case women didn’t come wearing one (it’s tradition that women must enter wearing long skirts and their hair slightly covered). Blessing yourself as you then enter the church, you may notice it’s relatively small in size. I’ve made comments about this and was reminded that this wasn’t really meant to be a ‘church’ for huge masses, but rather the place for nuns and priests to worship and live modestly. You’ll notice the altar in the center, with the right side dedicated to Jesus and the left side to the Virgin Mary. Typical of Christian Orthodoxy, there are of course numerous icons throughout the church that are revered by the Russian Orthodox. I found the church peaceful and lovely, and also admired the ceiling painting of Jesus, depicted in a gold and light blue background.

To see the site of Jesus’ ascension, you need only exit and go around the corner of the church, and on the right side (if facing the church), you will see a little shrine.

Continuing on your exploration, on the opposite side, you will find the bell tower on the left side of the church. It is massive and powerful, particularly when the bells are going off. I’ve been told that climbing up the tower’s never-ending steps provides an amazing view all the way to Jordan and I don’t doubt it for a second (I only wish I could see it for myself!!! They don’t allow people up there these days).

As you wander through the gardens, you will soon find the chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist. In the chapel—smaller than the church—one can see ancient mosaic on the floor, including the very spot believed to be the location where St. John the Baptist’s head was found. I found it amusing how it seems as though an almost perfect hole was carved out of the ground to mark the spot; I would be content with just knowing the general area particularly with something of a gruesome nature… (I’ll be the first to admit that I am still learning a lot about Christian Orthodoxy and such ‘detailed shrines’ is part of the deal, lol). Since it’s ancient mosaic, there are carpets covering the floor to help preserve it, and the mention of it once being an Armenian Church brings questions to mind. What happened to the Armenian Church? At what point did it become Russian Orthodox property? What happened to the head? Ok, so maybe I don’t need to know all the gruesome details, but my curiosity on the subject is definitely sparked…

The rest of the promenade will reveal more greenery, the cottage that the church founder had built, the ‘food hall’ for the priests, nuns and other residents, a cemetery in the back, and many lovely panoramic views. And many, many cats (although I must say it’s likely a Jerusalem thing as opposed to an isolated event).

It’s interesting to note that there is another location also believed to be the site of the ascension. That site is called the Chapel of the Ascension and is located just a bit further down the street. There you will see a small, limestone-colored chapel with a domed roof and inside, a rectangle-shaped stone on the ground that marks the location of Jesus’ ascension.

As a reminder, since the Mount of Olives is the highest point in Jerusalem, it can get very windy fast and be cooler than other areas of Jerusalem. You would definitely want to layer if planning on being around in the evening. 

A few helpful links, and my slideshow:

Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension 

Chapel of the Ascension

Since I came to Jerusalem last month to witness all the Palestinian Christian Easter traditions, I had my share of church/mass experiences. By blood, my family is Russian Orthodox, but being that they live in an Arabic-speaking country, it makes sense that they might like to go to the Arab Orthodox mass, which is in Arabic. Linguistically it makes little difference for me as I speak neither Arabic nor Russian (sadly!). Although they are both Orthodox churches, albeit of different ethnic groups, some aspects stood out to me during these frequent April church visits.

The first thing that comes to mind when I compare both churches is the way people dress when attending mass. Going to Arab Orthodox mass puts little limitation on what you can wear. Of course, you'd figure not to wear things that are too revealing, but in terms of pants or skirts and which colors, pretty much anything goes. Some like to dress up, wear a variety of colors (brights and patterns too) while some are more casual in jeans and flats. 

In Orthodox churches women are supposed to cover their hair slightly, as a sign of modesty, but it was not made a requirement when attending Arab Orthodox mass. I saw some wearing it (usually older women), but I'd say most didn't. 

For Russian Orthodox church, ladies have to wear a long skirt and cover their hair. There is no exception to this rule. I had gone to Russian Orthodox mass at the Mount of Olives on the Eve of Easter, so I chose to wear black. However, I saw most women wearing pretty much neutral colors, and a lot of flower-patterned scarves on their head. I had visited the church before Easter, and I was surprised to find that at the entrance of the church was a wooden 'box' that had tons of apron-like long skirts ready for you to wear in case you didn't come wearing one. As I wasn't wearing a skirt on that day, to enter the church I wore one of these briefly while inside, and I wore my sweater's hood too (since I didn't have a scarf then).

Another detail that stands out is the way the mass is carried out. In Arab Orthodox church, depending on the day, the masses are usually rather brief (1.5 to 2 hours). There is seating throughout the church and most people sit until a particular passage referring to God or Jesus comes, at which point people will stand for the passage. On the other hand, Russian Orthodox masses seem to be longer (the one I attended was 4 hours! But it was Easter Eve at the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension after all...), and sitting is usually a privilege left for older people. Basically, you stand for the duration of the mass. The seating I saw on Easter Eve was very limited, and the concept was the same in that when certain passages come, people stand. 

A third detail I noticed involves socializing/behavioral aspects. I got the impression that going to church for Arabs is a very social event, with people greeting each other, kids everywhere (loud and quiet ones), and sometimes even some minor chatting on the sides. When mass was over, people would linger around and say hello to one another. Basically, it was rarely 'silent as the grave' when attending a mass.

I definitely noticed a difference when I entered the Russian Orthodox church. As I entered and heard a priest singing in a low and consistent voice, I immediately remembered how beautiful that traditional singing can be in those churches. It was for the most part very quiet, dark (the only lighting was from candles) and whispering seemed to be at a minimum. Aside from nuns in black attire moving about at times, and of course people blessing themselves, there was limited movement. I remember one brief moment, when the choir of nuns were singing. It sounded so angelic and I felt so still that for a few seconds, as I closed my eyes and said a prayer, I actually felt like I was the only person there... Then someone passed by me and I was back in 'the real world.' (*Sigh* It's fine... that moment was enough to have made this long night worth it.)

Of course I could be wrong, but I didn't sense that there was as much interaction between people here as in the Arab Orthodox church. There could be different reasons for that. Could be some people were Russian tourists visiting for Easter, maybe some are more reserved or simply don't know anyone else who is attending. At Arab Orthodox church it seemed everyone knew each other, which would obviously explain increased interaction. 

Basically, in terms of 'rules,' I'd have to say that the Russian Orthodox church is stricter than the Arab Orthodox church. It's not a question of right or wrong; they're just different. The point is not to portray one as 'better' than the other; I was just reflecting on how they may or may not be alike. I'm glad to have experienced each so that I increase my knowledge and experience of each side and in some ways, of the cultures as well.

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After 3 weeks worth of Easter-related events, it all came down to Easter week-end. A lot happened in just these 3 days, and the following is a long entry concerning my experience.

On Good Friday, April 22nd 2011, we went to St. Jacob's in the late afternoon for mass. After that, we watched the 'burial of Jesus' in the courtyard of the Holy Sepulchre (which is right outside). The procession came out of St.

Jacob's church and the body of Jesus, in a coffin, was paraded around the courtyard 3 times.It was EXTREMELY packed. People were getting pushed and voices were raised, but I guess in the end it all worked out (LOL?!). It started to drizzle slightly and after the procession, the crowd slowly dispersed. I did not know it yet, but this crowd I had witnessed tonight was nothing compared to what would occur on the next day, Holy Saturday...

On Holy Saturday, April 23rd 2011, I practically spent the entire day in the Old City, watching Arab Christian scouts and traditions displayed at every corner of the city... It made me realize how easy it can be to lose all notion of time and place, to be lost in yourself, your family, customs, and basically enter a whole other world. At least it felt that way for me, who was seeing all this for the first time. This may have become 'routine' for other people who see it every year, but this was all new to me.

We left the house in the morning around 11am and headed to the Old City with 4 other people to watch the lighting of the Holy Fire. But what ensued was a series of things I will surely never forget. Partly due to the spiritual aspect of the experience, of course, but also partly because a lot of it was pretty insane and also downright scary, at least for me. My cousin had warned me on the way there: "get ready for more pushing and craziness today." Some things you really can't imagine until you experience them for yourself... As we walked in the Old City, it did not take long for us to see how packed the streets already were, and the lighting of the fire wasn't going to happen until 2pm... 

As we neared the church, and got more engulfed in the crowds, I eventually got separated from my girl cousin and her crew, and instead drifted off with my cousin's friend/coworker. We were literally stuck against walls, barely able to walk, literally having to push your way through (and I hate doing that because of course I consider that rude, but we really had NO choice!! Assertiveness is key here!!). Granted, although every second wasn't excruciating per se, the few times that there were 'panics' and such, they were bad enough to make us worry and feel as though this could end up badly. A few times we felt like we couldn't get enough air, so intensely packed it was.

At some point, there was such bad pushing and 'stampeding'-like behavior that a man had opened the doors to his shop to let people in while the crowd kept moving, hopefully making it easier for people to walk. He had grabbed my arm and my partner-in-crime and I had gone in very briefly... Sheesh. I am all for being devoted and strong in your faith but this?! Fighting for my life indeed!!!!!!!!! I'm sure some found this an 'opportunity' to get close to cute girls and help them out in this crazy situation... Of course I found it very sweet when some guys were being extra helpful, getting a protective-like stance as they tried their best to help girls move along, even when all were packed like sardines LOL. I'll say helpful, protective gents are welcomed in any situation =)

Thankfully my cousin's friend had experienced this before--even though she did say it had never been that bad before-- so she knew what she was doing and was determined to get as close to the Holy Sepulchre as possible. She wanted to at least be able to hear the bells, which would signify the Holy Fire had been lit. Well we didn't get far, but eventually we found a spot right at the corner of Greek Patriarchate St. of the Christian Quarter. We waited here about 1.5 hours until the lighting of the Holy Fire. There was nowhere to go, barriers/'checkpoints' were being set up all over the place by Israeli soldiers, so we knew movement would be limited. Where we stood and waited, right across from us a barrier had been set up, so that here we were, 2 groups of people waiting, separated by a 'gap' in which stood the Israeli soldiers. I suppose this 'gap' came in handy for making room when the 'fences' came down, to let the scouts pass through what was a narrow street (as pretty much all streets are in the Old City).

Someone eventually appeared with a bundle of candles that were ablaze (this bundle consists of 33 thin candles; to signify the number of years Jesus lived), and everyone just went crazy trying to reach that candle so they could light their own... I was really concerned. So much fire and constricted space and movement, I was just trying to make sure no one would set themselves, or someone else, on fire!!!! I didn't know anything then about 'supposedly the fire not burning you the first 33 minutes it's lit' but what I do know is that I felt the heat radiating from the flames all around me, and that was enough to make me extremely cautious. Maybe it was the intensity in the air, the short but awkward event between a Palestinian and a soldier, and the crazy crowd, but I just wanted 'safety first' at this point. 

After fighting for our lives (LOL), we were hungry and went and got pizza from Yerevan, the Armenian restaurant right at the corner by the New Gate. We took it home and it felt amazing to 1. have gotten home alive in one piece!! and 2. that fasting was over and we could finally eat cheese and meat again!!! Simply amazing =)

That had been in the late morning/early afternoon. It had already been an event-filled day, but I was nowhere near being done. It was 4:30pm, and I knew that I would still be going back to the Old City to watch the Ethiopian celebration of the Holy Fire and the Catholic scouts later in the evening. THEN, at midnight I would be heading with my uncle and aunt to the Russian convent for mass, until 5am... I had tried to rest for 2 hours since I knew I had all this ahead of me, but I guess the excitement got the best of me and I just stayed up the whole time.

Around 7:30pm, we were back in the Old City to watch the Ethiopian celebration. We went in through a narrow passage on the right side, outside the Holy Sepulchre. We went up narrow steps and hallways, all the while seeing crowds of typically white-clad Ethiopians praying everywhere. The air was thick and humid inside, with so much body heat and candles all over the place. We eventually reached the roof and we were outside, where more Ethiopians were sitting and praying against the walls. Others, younger crowds and tourists were standing and waiting for the lighting to begin. We had thought that it wouldn't be as crazy packed as it had been during the morning's events, and at first, it truly seemed that way. We breathed a sigh of relief... but not for long. We were given candles by the gentle and sweet crowd and chatted as we waited. It was almost pitch-black on the roof, and you could actually see the stars. Eventually the lighting of the candles happened, and everyone started singing and it really felt rather fun and exciting... but it was too packed, again!!!!! My short arm was trying so hard to reach as high as it could to catch as much footage on my camera as I could, and the result was 30 seconds at best (LOL). Hey, I tried... Sadly, we didn't stay long at all, but I am glad to have seen at least some of it. 

We then headed to watch the Arab Catholic scouts play, which of course they had done in the morning, but this was night-time. I really enjoyed the tune they play, which apparently is a rendition of the song "Sidi Mansour." Makes sense now; I was wondering why the tune sounded vaguely familiar!!!!! All in good fun... =)

I headed home and I had about an hour to get ready for the Russian Orthodox mass... I wore my outfit, which was basically all black: long skirt, black jacket and black scarf on my head. Maybe it's my European upbringing that makes me default on black when I'm not sure what to wear, or when it comes to religious events, but it turns out apparently I didn't need to wear all black. Women were indeed wearing long skirts and covering their heads, but if anything they seemed to be wearing lighter colors and flower-patterned scarves. I guess black was just my preference (and usually is in general, LOL). I hadn't been in a Russian church in a long time, and I had forgotten that Russian Orthodox churches usually seem to have consistent singing, even if really low and 'in the background.' The female choir was really nice and relaxing to hear. The church is small and the people seemed exclusively Russian, who may have only spoken Russian too. It lasted about 4.5 hours, during which I stood pretty much

the whole time (and yes my legs did hurt!). After the mass, we had breakfast which consisted of sesame bread (ka'ak), an egg, chocolate, a sweet piece of bread, some kind of sweet salad, and tea. I'll admit this early in the morning (around 5am), I didn't really have much of an appetite and was really dreaming of a nice cozy bed to sleep in. I had been up and about for almost 24 hours by now, so yes the fatigue was really kicking in. I know I had wanted to see the mass and mostly do it for my great-grandmother who is buried there. It was required by no one; it's just something I wanted to do and I'm glad to have had the opportunity. +

I slept from about 5:30am until 11:30am. The rice with meat and chicken I had for lunch tasted amazing, given I hadn't had any meat in about a month. The day was relaxing, and in the evening the cousins (meaning us adults) went to Beit Sahour to eat and have a drink, just to go for a drive and be out on Easter. 

On top of the 3 weeks leading up to Easter, this week-end alone felt extremely busy and intense. It has been a bit of everything for sure: relaxing, rejoicing, worrying, stressing... longing. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to do so, and even to have seen the crowds, as frightening as it may have been at times. That was indeed what I had hoped for; to see multiple people coming together to witness what is considered to be the most important Christian celebration. Due to the small Christian Palestinian population here, I really wanted to witness their traditions and perhaps even retain some of them myself. Only time will tell...

Al Massih Kam, Hakan Kam!!! +

Another productive morning--and I don't consider myself a morning person, LOL. My cousin and I went first to Al Saladin street for passport pictures, and I was finally able to change some of them dollars. We go there because according to experience they seem to have the best rates. Al Saladin street is the biggest street in East Jerusalem and also the street where my father worked in his pharmacy 30 years ago (the pharmacy is still there too). First and last time I had seen that place was 1.5 years ago, and it was packed with Muslims shopping for Ramadan. Today was emptier and slightly easier to walk the street, even though people walking at crazy slow, or fast paces//not caring to let you pass sadly happen all over the place in this country. Everyone does it, and so you get used to asserting yourself fast (otherwise you'll get annoyed, LOL). A little 'issue' with the currency change: a few were unwilling to change my currency because I brought $20 bills, so in the future I'll remember to bring $50 bills and higher only. However, we did find someone who agreed to take them, at the cost of 20 shekels. That means it only cost me about $5, which is absolutely nothing to me, so I pounced on it (just get me some Shekels already, sheesh!!! :) ). 

We then went to the Damascus Gate and the Muslim quarter for me to buy that skirt I had seen yesterday, which is oh so Russian Orthodox Easter mass-appropriate, and a complete steal!!! I also found a scarf to cover my hair so I am ready for, as my uncle calls it, 'the most important night of the year.' So basically I'll be wearing all black: black top, long black 'flowy' skirt, and a black scarf over my head. My dad said to be sure to dress warm because that monastery gets super freezing at night, so I will be sure to keep that in mind. I feel relaxed now knowing I don't have to worry about 'what I'll wear for that day.' I thought it was kind of cute and unique to be running around the Old City looking for religious garb. Whoever thought I'd be doing that someday?! :) +

Later, I randomly 'ran' into this article, about Jesus' crucifixion nails... Perfect timing?! 


Jesus' Crucifixion Nails Found, Says Israeli Filmmaker