Thursday, June 24, 2010

Today was a day off.  Nothing scheduled.  4 of us went to Yad Vashem which is the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.  Very moving.  Especially the Children's Memorial.  We spent all morning there.  Then we went to the Armenian Section of the Old City.  Had lunch and went to St. James Cathedral.  But it was closed for repairs.  Decided to go on the Way of the Cross again.  Took our time, got into the chapel of the 7th Station, Jesus Falls the Second Time.  Never has been opened before.  Then I went back to the Franciscan's procession around the Holy Sepulcher.  Very impressive.  Ate in the Old City & went back for Mass in the Resurrection Chapel with the Mexican Seminarians From Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame. 

After Mass started talking to a Franciscan who took us to their living quarters in the Holy Sepulcher.  They actually live in the Church.  Once it is locked at 8:00 PM, they cannot get out or in. A different perspective from their rooms.  Took the bus back to School and am writing the Blog at 10:00 PM.  Very full day.  The pictures are from Yad Vashem.  The first is of the Cattle Car that took the Jews to the Concentration Camps.  It is built on a steel bridge that goes nowhere.  Very Symbolic.  The next is of some statuary on the grounds.  You are not allowed to take pictures in the museum, so these are all outside.