Mount of Olives attractions. Mount of Olives in Jerusalem: the main shrines and attractions. Mount of Olives in Jerusalem on the map of Jerusalem
) - one of the Judean mountains lying to c. from Jerusalem, from which it is separated by the Kidron Valley (). There is no doubt that it got its name from olive or oil-bearing trees, which have grown in abundance around it since ancient times and centuries-old specimens of which can still be seen on the western slope of the mountain in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Cm. ). The Mount of Olives is mentioned for the first time in a touching biblical narrative about the flight of David from Jerusalem on the occasion of the indignation of his son Absalom: David went to the Mount of Olives, says the priest. the writer, walked and cried, his head was covered, he walked barefoot ...(and next). In addition to this, it is directly called the Mount of Olives one more time in VZ, namely in the book of St. Zechariah: and His feet will stand that day on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem to the east (). However, there are other places in St. The Scriptures in which it is pointed out, then as the mountain that is before Jerusalem(), then it is called mountain of olives(), That mountain, which is east of the city(). But the Mount of Olives is especially often mentioned in the holy. New Testament books: and came to Bethany, to the Mount of Olives() and chanted went(Lord and apostles) to the Mount of Olives (), Jesus went to the Mount of Olives(), then they (i.e. apostles) returned from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, at a distance of a Sabbath journey(), etc. The real name of the mountain Donebel El Tour, and on it stands the small village of Tur, with the Church of the Ascension. From the Mount of Olives, rising almost 200 feet above Jerusalem, there is a beautiful, majestic view of the city. At the foot of the mountain flows the Kidron Stream, to the west of it is a Muslim cemetery, and to the east are Jewish tombs. Almost opposite the gates of St. Stephen there is a church in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God with her tomb, and a little further to c. lies Gethsemane. A path that winds its way up the mountain towards the south leads to the tombs of the prophets, then turns towards the north to the village of Tours and the Church of the Ascension, near which a minaret rises with a majestic view of the surroundings, such as: Jerusalem, the Kidron stream, the Jordan, the Dead Sea, behind which the mountains of Moab stretch in a dark line. The road to Bethany still lies through the Mount of Olives. How many sacred, solemn memories from the earthly life of our Lord are connected with this mountain for every Christian! Not a single name in St. Scripture does not arouse in us from early childhood as many touching and touching feelings as the Mount of Olives. This mountain is so closely connected with the private earthly life of the Savior that we cannot read about it or look at it without feelings of the deepest reverence and love. The Lord often went to this mountain with His disciples at night () for prayer and bodily peace; here, in view of Jerusalem, He mourned over His unfortunate, coming fate; talked with students about miraculous future events, about the end of the visible world, the destruction of St. hail, about suffering, persecution, and, finally, about the complete triumph and victory of His followers (). Here He spoke two wonderful parables: about ten virgins and about five talents(). Here, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He went with His disciples after the Last Supper and prayed here for the removal of the cup of suffering from Himself: My Father! If possible, let this cup pass me by; however, not as I want, but as You(). And when death and hell were defeated by death on the cross, He led them (i.e., the disciples) out of the city to Bethany and blessed them, ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (,). Recently (in 1885 or 1886), the Orthodox Palestinian Society, chaired by H.I.V. Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, erected a Russian Orthodox church in honor of St. equal to ap. Mary Magdalene and in commemoration of the late Empress Maria Alexandrovna. This temple is very beautiful in appearance and architecture.
Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
Like it or not, Jerusalem has always been considered the holiest city, although its name has changed more than once throughout its existence. It is worth saying that this city is completely surrounded by a mountainous surface. Although there are more than enough sights in the city, it is necessary to mention one of the most important ones, which won the hearts of many travelers.
The Mount of Olives, also called the Mount of Olives, has a large number of churches and temples, which is why here you can see a large concentration of pilgrims from all over the world. It is worth saying that the hill got its name because of the presence of an immense number of olive trees on its slopes, which gives this place a special attraction.
Interesting! Quite unusual is that this area is sacred to three religions, these are Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
Of course, a large number of biblical events that took place on the mountain left a big imprint that is revered to this day.
Mountain location
A country like Israel has a fascinating landscape that is famous not only for its diversity, but also for its religious accents. In fact, this land has three types of reliefs on its territory:
- Rift Valley;
- Maritime Plain;
- mountainous areas.
The Mount of Olives is located a little far from Jerusalem, and is separated from it by the Jehoshaphat Valley. To get there, you need to exit the Old Town through the gates of St. Stephen. And to see all the delights of this place, there is no need to go up there, they can be seen from any observation platform in the city.
Features of the olive mountain
It should be said right away that the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is the highest point in the country, it has only three peaks, and it is almost impossible to cover them in one approach, since such walks take a lot of strength. The highest peak is the point where the Hebrew University is located, and this is neither more nor less, but at an altitude of 826 m.
It must be said that the main part of the olive trees are located in the Garden of Gethsemane, which has 8 main olives at its disposal, they say that their popularity dates back to the time of Jesus. In addition, this garden is very popular with religious people, for the most part due to the fact that Jesus read his last prayers before his arrest here.
Important! Since 1681, the Garden of Gethsemane was fenced with boulders, which are still there today. This fence appeared with the arrival of the Franciscans.
View from Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the photo of which can be seen on the Internet, has the most extensive panoramic platform, thanks to which you can see the whole of Jerusalem at a glance. Such views can not be seen everywhere, which is why most tourists do not waste time and take the most original and wonderful photos.
Cemetery on the mountain
The cemetery on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is the most important shrine, which is revered today by all pilgrims. It is important that the burial in this place is considered a very honorable moment. The following information about the cemetery is known today:
- the cemetery has existed for at least 2500 years;
- today there are about 150 graves preserved;
- the first burials here began back in the time of the First Temple, and this is somewhere around 950-586. BC.;
- there are tombs where famous prophets are buried. There are 36 such tombs, and they are all in one cave.
According to the Bible, the Mount of Olives cemetery, which has religious significance, has such information. At the end of days, the Messiah will ascend to the top and at the same hour the resurrection of the dead, buried in this cemetery, will begin, all this will begin at the sound of Ezekiel's trumpet.
As for the prophets who are buried here, and these are Malachi, Haggai, Zechariah and others, they rest in a cave, where a special niche is equipped for each grave.
Interesting! Burials are still held today, so the cemetery is considered valid for famous Israeli figures. For example, of the last celebrities who were buried there, this is Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
The fact that the cemetery has existed for a very long time is evidenced by the presence of various underground passages and catacombs, which are located under the Arab quarter of Silwan.
Historical and religious information
Church of All Nations on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
For most believers, this mountain is directly related to some events from the New Testament. This fact allows pilgrims to revive some of these events. So, for example, every year in the pre-Easter period, a huge number of Christians pass along the road where Christ ascended on the Mount of Olives, it was there that he rode on a donkey, and people came out to meet him holding palm branches in their hands. So in these days, pilgrims from all over the world gather at the foot of the mountain, with branches in their hands, and follow the path that Christ once walked, while they visit each of the churches.
All Christians honor traditions that are associated with the Bible. After all, in fact, many actions related to Jesus Christ took place here. So, it was on the Mount of Olives that various training people. Here Christ prayed and wept for Jerusalem. This mountain also witnessed the betrayal of Judas and the last prayer hours of Christ.
As for art, the Spanish painter El Greco perfectly reproduced in his painting “Christ on the Mount of Olives”, all the experiences of a dramatic moment. It is worth saying that this creator ideally plunged into a religious theme, as a result, in his arsenal there are many paintings on this topic.
As mentioned earlier, this area also has a sacred meaning among Muslims, it is they who believe that when the end of days comes, scales will appear on the top, which will be able to assess the number of good deeds and evil ones. As a result, there will be a very narrow bridge that will connect the Mount of Olives and the Temple, those who do not pass the test conscience and good deeds will fall into Gehenna, but righteous people will go on in peace.
- Address: Jerusalem, Israel;
- Height: 826 m;
- Attractions: Augusta Victoria Church, Spaso-Ascension Monastery, Pater Noster Church, Ascension Chapel, Ascension Greek Monastery, Church of All Nations and others.
The famous Olivet sermon, treacherous betrayal in, the place of worship of the Lord of King David, the most famous, the Ascension of Christ. All this is connected with the Mount of Olives in. On its slopes you will meet many cultural, historical, architectural and biblical monuments, as well as enjoy the amazing panoramas of the sacred "city of three religions" that open from the top of the Mount of Olives.
Some history and interesting facts- the mountain has two names: Olivet (in honor of one of the most famous sermons of Christ) and Olive (from the dense olive groves that used to cover almost the entire hill);
- the highest point is 826 meters;
- first mention in Old Testament(the story of the flight from Jerusalem of King David from the son of Absalom);
- the entire mountain range consists of three peaks: the South (Mount of the Temptation, where Solomon built temples for his wives), the Middle (Mount of the Ascension) and the North (Little Galilee, so named because wanderers from Galilee often stopped here at inns);
- it is rather symbolic that the Mount of Olives is about 1000 steps from Jerusalem - that is how much a pious Jew is allowed to walk on the Sabbath (therefore, the road from the city to the mountain is often called the "Sabbath way");
- at the time of the Second Temple, there was a bridge connecting the two main capital mountains - the Olive and the Temple;
- The Mount of Olives at the end of the 7th century acquired special significance for the Jews (then access to the Temple Mount was closed and all public meetings and national holidays were held on the Hills of Olives;
- the legendary mountain experienced difficult days during the War of Independence, then Jordan almost completely captured these lands, not counting the main campus of the university, many buildings were destroyed, and the cemetery was desecrated;
- in 1967, the Mount of Olives again passed to Israel, large-scale restoration work was carried out to restore buildings, tombstones and all historical monuments.
What to see on the Mount of Olives?
Given the proximity to the sacred biblical city, it is easy to assume that more than one religious building can be found on the mountain. The most famous of them:
- Augusta Victoria Church– a beautiful building in neo-Byzantine style with a high bell tower, statues of eagles at the entrance, luxurious interior decoration and a large organ (at different times there was a guest house, a temple, a military headquarters and a hospital, today divine services and classical music concerts are held);
- (under the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church) - famous for its high 64-meter bell tower, nicknamed the "Russian Candle", the stone of the Virgin Mary, where the Virgin Mary stood during the Ascension of Christ and outstanding archaeological finds in these places (bust of Herod the Great, mosaic floors of the VI century, burial caves and other ancient artifacts);
- Church Pater Noster- according to legend, it is here God's Son gave his apostles the main biblical prayer - “Our Father” ”(inside the temple, on all the walls, the sacred writings of this prayer are placed on more than 140 different languages);
- Chapel of the Ascension- a small octagonal building, located on the site of the former Temple of the Ascension, built once by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena (the imprint of Jesus' foot was preserved here);
- Greek Monastery of the Ascension– an unusual story is connected with this church: in 1992, when the construction of a new church by Archimandrite Joachim from Chios was almost completed, it turned out that some legal regulations, the police arrived at the construction site with a bulldozer and began to dismantle the illegally erected building, when the workers reached the Lower Church, the incredible happened - the round icon of Christ fell to the floor and began to rotate around its axis, at that time all the equipment surprisingly stalled, the church was left and services are held here today;
- - the temple was built in 1924 with the money of Catholic communities from 12 countries of the world (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, USA), which is why it got its name, the cathedral has 12 domes , twilight always reigns here and conversations inside are strictly forbidden (according to legend, it was at this place that Jesus prayed on the last night before the crucifixion);
- - erected in late XIX century by the Russian emperor in memory of mother Maria Alexandrovna (the temple has seven domes, the interior is striking in its richness and grandeur: a white marble iconostasis, ornate bronze ornaments, expensive icons);
- - here the mother of Jesus Christ was buried by the apostles, 48 steps lead to the tomb, a small church was built underground in the form of a cross, where there is a coffin with the Virgin Mary and a marble cuvuklia.
Temples and monasteries are not the only attractions of the Mount of Olives. Also located here Hebrew Jerusalem University, which was included in the top 100 universities in the world in 2012, Hadassah hospital nominated for Nobel Prize in 2005, brigham young university, and, of course, the main decoration of the Mount of Olives -. It is here that you can take some of the most picturesque photos in Jerusalem - on the western slope of the Mount of Olives, surrounded by ancient olive trees, which are more than 1000 years old, and against the backdrop of golden-domed temples.
What to see at the foot of the Mount of Olives?
On the southern and western lower slopes of the Mount of Olives is a huge Jewish cemetery. The first graves appeared here in the era of the First Temple; these burials are more than 2500 years old.
The cemetery on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem did not appear by chance. According to the words of the prophet Zechariah, it is from this place that the resurrection of all the dead after the end of the world will begin. Every Jew considers it a great honor to be buried on a sacred mountain, but today it is quite difficult to obtain permission to be buried here. The number of graves has already exceeded 150 thousand. The right to be buried on the Mount of Olives is granted only to dignitaries and prominent residents.
In the most sacred Jewish cemetery, you can find the graves of Rabbi Shlomo Goren, who blew the horn as a sign of the end of the Six-Day War, the "father of modern Hebrew" Eliezer Ben-Yehud, the writer Shmuel Yosef Agnon, the famous public figure Abraham Yitzhak Kook, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, writer Elsa Lasker-Schuler, media mogul Robert Maxwell. Some burials are attributed to Old Testament characters.
There is another famous cemetery on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem - The tombs of the prophets. This is a deep cave with 36 burial niches. According to legend, the prophets Zechariah, Haggai, Mal'akhi and other biblical preachers found peace here. However, many researchers refute this story and insist that secular Christians are buried in the cave, and apart from its name, nothing connects it with real prophets.
How to get there? The Mount of Olives can be reached on foot. The nearest path lies from the Lion's Gate.
If you want to save your energy for a walk along the mountain itself, you can take bus number 75 almost to the main observation deck on Eleon. It departs from a station near .
Leaving the walls of the Old City, we went to the Mount of Olives (Oleon). As you might guess, it is named so because of the olives growing on it (I tasted one of them - a rare muck in its raw form :)).
The Mount of Olives offers stunning views of the city, you can also see the Golden Gate:
During the Second Temple era, the Mount of Olives was connected by a bridge (possibly two) to the Temple Mount, and lights were lit on it to announce the onset of the new moon. During the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans at the end of the Jewish War, the Tenth Legion camped on the northern peak of the Mount of Olives (Scopus).
During the Israeli War of Independence, Jordan established control over the entire Mount of Olives, with the exception of the university campus, which became an Israeli enclave (under these conditions, the activity of the university was impossible, and eventually a new campus of the Hebrew University was built in the Giv'at Ram area). The Jewish cemetery was desecrated, many tombstones were destroyed, and gravestones were used for paving roads. After 1967, when the Mount of Olives completely came under Israeli control, the Jewish cemetery was restored and became available for burial.
According to the gospel narrative, Jesus came for his prayer before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the bottom of the slope of the Mount of Olives near the Kidron stream, east of the center of Jerusalem. On this site is the church of all nations:
This is a Franciscan Catholic church, inside the church there is a stone on which, according to legend, Christ prayed on the night of his arrest that "this cup would pass from him". The temple was built in 1924 on the site of earlier churches designed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi with the money of Catholics from Europe, as well as from Canada (12 countries in total, and therefore the church has 12 domes, respectively), after which it got its name . Since the church belongs to the Catholics, other Christian denominations use an open altar located near the temple for services in the Garden of Gethsemane. The temple is always twilight, in memory of the fact that the events to which it is dedicated took place at night. The ceiling depicts 12 coats of arms of the states that donated money for its construction. The walls are decorated with mosaics: "The Gethsemane Prayer", "The Tradition of the Savior" and "The Taking of Christ into Custody". Outside on the columns of the church are statues of the four evangelists.
Inside the temple, I managed to photograph only part of the dome due to some insane amount of people in it:
Right next to the Church of All Nations, eight ancient olive trees grow, their age is impressive: according to some sources, it exceeds 2000 years!
Climbing a little higher up the mountain, we ended up in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene with golden domes. This is a Russian Orthodox church, built in memory of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Emperor Alexander II, which is an example of Russian architecture in the Moscow style. Today the Russian site in Gethsemane with the church of St. Mary Magdalene is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad:
At the foot of the Mount of Olives lies the Kidron Valley. Kidron is mentioned in the Bible as a place of worship and sacrifice to idols. The valley of Gei-ben-Hinnom (in the Christian tradition - "hell of fire") was a place of worship and human sacrifices to Moloch. The paraphernalia of idolatry was burned, and their ashes scattered in the Kidron Valley. Early burials on the eastern slope of the Kidron channel date back to the middle of the Bronze Age. Formed in the era of the First and Second Temples, the cemetery in the bed of Kidron and on the slope of the Mount of Olives grew into a huge necropolis, which eventually surrounded the entire city.
This place is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is believed that it is here that the trumpet of the archangel will sound and the resurrected dead will appear before the Judgment of God. That is why Christian, Jewish and Muslim cemeteries are located on the slopes of the valley, in which the tombs of different times and peoples have been layered on top of each other for centuries. Currently, there are at least 150,000 graves on the mountain, some of which are attributed to Old Testament characters.
One of the tombs is called the tomb of Absalom:
According to legend, the son of King David Absalom, who rebelled against his father, erected it as a lifetime monument to himself. In this regard, there was a custom to throw stones at the tomb, while teaching their children to obey their parents. In this way, the tomb was thrown almost to half. But only according to the latest data, the age of the tomb corresponds to approximately the 1st century BC. e., which is hundreds of years later than the death of Absalom, while it is a mixture of Greek and Egyptian architectural traditions, from which another name came - Tiara of the Pharaoh. There was a version that this tomb was crowned with a stone palm, and it was not some pepper from the mountain that beat it off as a keepsake, but Napoleon himself. However, the story is spoiled by the fact that Napoleon never was in Jerusalem.
Among the graves stands the Greek church of St. Archdeacon Stefan. This church is dedicated to St. Stephen, the first Christian to be martyred. From Byzantine church only the foundation of the old basilica, discovered by archaeologists at the end of the 19th century, has survived to our time. The modern church was built in 1930 on the ruins of a Byzantine church:
Materials used
The name Gethsemane - the area at the foot of the Mount of Olives - comes from the Hebrew word for a wine press for making olive oil. Olive trees grew in abundance on the Mount of Olives and olive oil was made here.The tomb of the Mother of God is located in a burial cave, located in an ancient cemetery, which extends in the Kidron Valley and along the slope of the Mount of Olives. Here were buried the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the righteous Joachim and Anna, as well as Saint Joseph the Betrothed. She wished to be buried here herself.
The Dormition of the Mother of God took place, as is believed, in the year 57 A.D. Many miraculous events accompanied him. In a miraculous way, all the apostles were gathered in Jerusalem to the bed of the Blessed Virgin. But the holy Apostle Thomas, according to the providence of God, was absent at the burial. He was able to arrive in Gethsemane only on the third day. The Apostle Thomas grieved so much that he could not say goodbye to the Mother of God, he grieved so much that he did not receive Her last blessing, that a tomb was opened for him. However, the body of the Most Holy Theotokos was no longer in her, for the Lord raised Her up to the heavenly abodes. And only a bouquet of fresh flowers remained on the granite bed, and fragrance was poured everywhere. Comforting the Apostle Thomas, Holy Mother of God appeared to him in heavenly glory and left her belt as a gift and blessing, which, according to legend, fell on a stone, which is now in the Gethsemane monastery of St. Mary Magdalene.
Already in the 4th century, a temple was erected over the tomb of the Mother of God, which had the shape of a cross in plan. This church was badly damaged Persian invasion, was rebuilt by the crusaders, then again destroyed by the Muslims. The current temple has retained the original cruciform plan. Entering it, we go down deep down. Approximately in the middle of the stairs in the niche on the right are the tombs of the righteous Joachim and Anna, and on the left - the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. Going down to the temple, on the right we see a small chapel built on the burial site of the Mother of God. Inside the chapel is a stone bed on which the body of the Most Holy Theotokos rested. Behind the chapel is another shrine of Gethsemane - the miraculous Jerusalem icon of the Mother of God, painted by a Russian nun of the Gornensky monastery. The temple is currently owned by Orthodox and Armenians.
"Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in the Dormition!"
Among the cypresses and olive trees on the slope of the Mount of Olives, a five-domed temple stands out, built in a characteristic Russian style. This temple, dedicated to the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, was built here Russian Emperor Alexander III with his brothers in memory of their mother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Emperor Alexander II, whose heavenly patroness was St. Mary Magdalene. The plot for construction was purchased at the expense of the Imperial family. The consecration of the temple took place on the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on October 1 (14), 1888. The celebrations were attended by Grand Duke Sergiy Alexandrovich (who headed the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society) with his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. This pilgrimage made the deepest impression on the Grand Duchess. "How I would like to be buried here," she said then.
Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, after the murder of her husband by a terrorist, withdrew from the world and set up the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent of Mercy in Moscow. "We live so often for ourselves that we become short-sighted and pass by other people's sorrows, not understanding that sharing our grief is to reduce it, and sharing our joy is to increase it. Let's open our souls so that the Divine sun of mercy warms them," - said the Grand Duchess.
In 1918, the Great Mother - as she was called in Russia for her great love for people and selfless service to the cause of mercy - was arrested by the Bolsheviks and, together with her faithful cell-attendant, nun Varvara, was martyred in Alapaevsk, in the Urals. On July 18, 1918, the venerable martyrs Elizabeth and Barbara were thrown alive into an old mine. After that, the mine was bombarded with grenades. Together with them were imprisoned and tortured Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich with his faithful assistant Fyodor Semenovich Remez, who voluntarily followed him into exile, the young Prince Vladimir Pavlovich Paley and the three sons of Grand Duke Konstantin (K.R.) - Grand Dukes John, Konstantin and Igor. The martyrs did not die immediately, they died in torment from hunger, thirst and wounds. For several days, the surrounding inhabitants heard the singing of the Cherubim from the mine. When Alapaevsk was occupied by the White Army, the bodies of the martyrs were removed from the mine. Elizaveta Fedorovna fell on a ledge, which was at a depth of 15 meters. Next to her fell Grand Duke John, whose head was bandaged by her apostle. The body of the Great Mother was found completely incorruptible, her fingers right hand were folded for the sign of the cross. “I feel unworthy of the boundless love of God and the love that surrounded me in Russia ... That even moments of sorrow are sanctified by such consolation from above ... that I can say one thing: “Glory to God for everything,” she said.
Retreating from the Urals, units of the White Army took the bodies of the Alapaevsky martyrs to Chita, then to China. The bodies of the venerable martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and nun Varvara were transported to Jerusalem in 1921 and were buried in the crypt of the Gethsemane church of St. Mary Magdalene. In 1981, the Alapaevsk martyrs were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Then the relics of the martyrs were solemnly transferred to the church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene. In 1992, the venerable martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth and nun Varvara were glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church. Their memorial day is celebrated on July 18. The relics of the Grand Duchess rest in a marble reliquary to the right of the altar, and the relics of nun Varvara rest in the same reliquary to the left. “Now it is difficult to find the truth on earth, flooded more and more by sinful waves, in order not to be disappointed in life, we must look for the truth in heaven, where it has gone from us” (Grand Duchess Elizabeth).
The monastery at the Church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene arose in the 30s of the 20th century. It was founded by the sisters of the Bethany Women's Community, headed by Mother Superior Mary (Robinson). More about this community is told in connection with Bethany.
In the temple near the salt on the right is miraculous image Mother of God Hodegetria of Gethsemane. Metropolitan Elijah (Karam) of the Lebanese Mountains presented this icon to the first abbess of Mary in 1939, explaining that such was the will of the Queen of Heaven. Later, he told that the Holy Great Martyrs Catherine and Barbara appeared to him three times and said that the Most Holy Mother of God asks to give Her holy icon to Abbess Mary in Palestine and that she should remain there. Metropolitan Elijah gave along with the icon a certificate stating that the image was transferred to the property of the Gethsemane monastery and that this icon was called Hodegetria, Burning Bush, Healer, Helper. In Lebanon, the icon became famous for many miracles. During the fire, when the whole village and the church in which the icon was located burned down, the fire did not touch only the Holy Gifts and this image.
The icon was completely black, darkened from time to time, it was almost impossible to make out either the image or the colors on it. The image arrived in Gethsemane on Holy Week. Immediately a prayer service was served before him, during which the mortally ill priest of the monastery was healed (he had stomach cancer, the priest suffered greatly and was not sure that he would live until Easter). And the next day, the icon was miraculously renewed, its colors brightened and the image became pure and clear. Numerous healings began to flow from the icon. And once, during the reading of the Akathist, tears flowed from the eyes of the Most Pure One, which was witnessed by many.
On the territory of the monastery there are several revered holy places. This is the stone on which the belt of the Mother of God fell, thrown by Her as a consolation to the Apostle Thomas, who was late for Her burial. The staircase, which is part of the ancient road through the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, along which, obviously, the Savior walked with his disciples and along which He made His solemn Entry into Jerusalem before the suffering on the Cross. The cave in which the apostles rested during the Gethsemane prayer of the Savior and in which, perhaps, the Lord Himself and His disciples spent the night more than once, since He liked to retire to Gethsemane for a night's rest.
The site of the stoning of the first martyr Archdeacon Stefan
Saint Archdeacon Stephen was the first to accept martyrdom for Christ. In the Kidron Valley, near Gethsemane, there is a place where, according to legend, the first martyr was stoned. In the 5th century, an Orthodox basilica was erected here. The modern Greek temple was built in the 20th century. The relics of the holy apostle were found in 415 and soon transferred to Constantinople.
Eleon. Place of the Ascension of the Lord
Mount of Olives - in Russian olive, - got its name from the many olive trees growing on it.On the top of the Mount of Olives is the place from where the Savior ascended to Heaven on the fortieth day after the Resurrection. This is a place of witness that the Lord is always with us, that His blessing is always in the Church and keeps it. Christ ascended with outstretched hands in blessing and with the words: "I am with you all the days until the end of time"(Matthew 28:20).
In 387, a large octagonal temple with an open dome was built here so that the worshipers could see the sky above them, where the Lord ascended. This temple was destroyed by the Persians, after which it was rebuilt on a smaller scale. In 1187 the Christian temple was turned into a mosque and rebuilt. In particular, the dome was closed. Now there is a small chapel, inside of which there is a stone, on which, according to legend, at the time of the Ascension, the imprint of the Savior's foot was left. Until now, this place belongs to Muslims, who even charge an entrance fee. Christian worship is allowed here only once a year - on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.
"Having said this, He ascended before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And when they looked at the sky, at the time of His ascension, suddenly two men in white clothes appeared to them and said: Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet."(Acts 1:9-12).
Eleon. Little Galilee
The area on one of the peaks of the Mount of Olives (on the left, when viewed from the side of the old city at the Mount of Olives) is called Little Galilee, because the inhabitants of Galilee stopped there when they came to Jerusalem for the holidays. It was here that the Savior appeared to the disciples several times after the Resurrection. Now in the Lesser Galilee there is a Greek Orthodox church and the summer residence of the Jerusalem Patriarch.On the site of one of the appearances to the apostles of the Risen Savior, a chapel was built in the garden (this phenomenon is described in the sixth Sunday Gospel). In it, behind the throne, there are fragments of 2 pillars erected in ancient times on the site of the Ascension of the Lord in memory of two angels who appeared to the apostles immediately after the Ascension. These pillars were transferred to the Lesser Galilee, when the place of the Ascension of Christ began to belong to the Muslims. In a large two-story church on the first floor under the altar there is another place for the appearance of the Resurrected Savior (a phenomenon described in the first Sunday Gospel), and in the upper church there is a large Cross, which before the fire of 1808 stood on Golgotha in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Then a miracle happened: when the fire reached this Cross, the image of the Savior was absolutely not affected, the fire did not cause him any harm. There are many Russian icons in the temple. Also, in this large temple is the tomb of the Jerusalem patriarchs.
At the end of the alley leading to the south, there is a small temple erected on the spot where the Most Pure Mother of God prayed after the Ascension of the Son and where the archangel Gabriel, with a paradise branch in his hands, announced to Her about the upcoming Assumption. Under the throne of this church is a stone on which the Most Holy Theotokos stood. There is no iconostasis in this temple. The holy myrrh-bearing Susanna was buried in this church. And on the street on the left is the grave of the Monks Theogen and Ilarius.
Hegumen Seraphim (Kuznetsov) is buried behind this temple - the rector of the Serafimo-Alekseevsky skete of the Belogorsk St. Nicholas Monastery, who accompanied the bodies of the Alapaevsky martyrs to Chita, and then to China. He then transported the relics of the Holy Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and the nun Barbara to Jerusalem. Patriarch Damian of Jerusalem allocated a piece of land to Abbot Seraphim, where he built a cell for himself and lived in it for the rest of his life.
Eleon. Spaso-Voznesensky Convent
This monastery is located on the very top of the Mount of Olives near the site of the Ascension of the Lord. The site on which the monastery is located was acquired in the 1870s by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). Initially, it was planned to build a male monastery here, but this plan was not realized, and at the beginning of the 20th century a female monastic community was formed on the Mount of Olives. Currently, the monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Church Abroad.The main temple of the monastery is the Spaso-Ascension Cathedral. To the right of the entrance to the temple, a stone is venerated from the place where, according to legend, stood Mother of God during the Ascension of Christ. In the cathedral, to the right of the altar, near the salt, there are reliquaries with the relics of many saints and two venerated icons of the Mother of God: the miraculous icon of the Olivet Hearer and the icon of the Seeking of the Lost, written by Russian pilgrims in gratitude for salvation from a shipwreck. Left - grave Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin)- the most outstanding head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem in its entire history, who made a huge contribution to the development of Russian Palestine. He did amazingly much: he acquired many land plots for Russia, built many churches, created several monastic cloisters, and set up shelters for pilgrims. It is thanks to him that many holy places on this blessed land belong to Orthodox Christians. Moreover, all this activity was extremely complicated due to the Turkish Muslim rule, which was then in Palestine.
Behind the altar of the Ascension Church is a chapel built on the site of an ancient church. Inside the chapel is the place of the 1st and 2nd Finding of the head of John the Baptist. The mosaic floor of the 4th century from an ancient Byzantine temple has been preserved in the chapel.
One of the attractions of the monastery is a high bell tower, called "Russian Candle". It is still the tallest building in Jerusalem. Its height is 64 meters. The bells for the Olivet Monastery were cast in Russia with donations from the people. The main Eleon bell weighing 308 pounds was commissioned by the pious Solikamsk merchant Alexander Ryazantsev. But when the ship with the bell landed in the port of Jaffa, the Turkish authorities realized that they did not allow the bell ringing, and forbade the bell to be taken to Jerusalem. Then Russian pilgrims, mostly women, dragged the bell to Jerusalem by drag.