Stations of the Cross

Somewhere in or near Jerusalem is the tomb of Jesus, perhaps in the huge church of the Holy Sepulchre near the center of the old city, maybe at the alternative location called the Garden Tomb (a very lovely place and blessedly quiet, even if it's 'only' a good example of the same kind of thing). Many people I've talked to have helped me by admitting we don't know, or even admitting that their particular location probably isn't the exact spot where something happened. These details don't matter. When we visit the tomb of Jesus, we'll always find that he isn't there.

On Friday I joined the Franciscans for the Stations of the Cross, which they do every week. The Stations are along the Via Dolorosa, which winds through the Arab quarter of the city and ends inside the Holy Sepulchre church. There's a copy of the fourteen stations inside every Catholic church - sometimes with images or text, sometimes just fourteen simple numbered crosses, but they'll be there somewhere.

The way they do this here is very simple, and beautiful. There were a small group of Franciscan brothers in their brown habits, and at each station they would stop, explain the station and read the appropriate scripture passage. They did this in three languages - Italian, English, and Spanish. Then they'd move on, saying enough prayers as we walked for everyone to arrive before reading the next station.

These streets are narrow, and during the day they are just regular streets with neighbors and shops and other traffic. So at times we needed to make an aisle for others to pass on whatever their business might be. It's a peaceful kind of commotion, though - not the noise and confusion I imagine happened on the first Good Friday.

It's hard to picture this as the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. The city has expanded since then, and a spot which was once outside the walls is now right in the center of the city. Also, a church has been built on that spot, and undergone a few cycles of expansion, destruction and rebuilding. Never mind that. The Franciscans here do end with the unofficial 15th station, the Resurrection, and we sang an Easter song, Regina coeli, laetare.

There is a place outside the city walls called the Garden Tomb, which most archaeologists say isn't the actual tomb of Jesus. But it is a tomb from around the same time period, and a lovely place which has been kept green. I was going to sit here quietly and meditate, but ended up singing a lot of revival hymns with an irresistable group from Kenya. Peter, their pastor, sends greetings to you.