Living stones pilgrimage : with the Christians of the Holy Land

The Holy Land has always had a magnetic attraction for Christians. Every year, hundreds of thousands tread the crowded streets of Jerusalem, or walk by the quiet waters of Galilee. There are hundreds of guidebooks deisgned for pilgrims and other visitors. The encounter with the stones which Jesus saw and touched has been, for many, a powerful spiritual experience. But the Christian presence is not just history. There are living, worshipping Christian communities in the Holy Land today. This unique guidebook is designed to help you encounter those communities, and to walk, talk and pray with contemporary Christians in Israel, the Palestinian and Occupied Territories; the 'living stones' os the book's title. Written half a century after the creation of the state of Israel, with the co-operation of all the Christian traditions in the Holy Land, it is a key companion for visitors who want to share for a while the thoughts and the life, witness and pressence of those who now live the faith of the apostles in this troubled land. Appreciation......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Foreword......Page 9 Introduction to the Jerusalem churches......Page 14 Armenian Orthodox Church......Page 17 Syrian Orthodox Church......Page 21 Ethiopian Orthodox Church......Page 23 Coptic Orthodox Church......Page 27 EASTERN ORTHODOX......Page 29 Greek Orthodox Church......Page 30 Russian Orthodox Church......Page 34 Romanian Orthodox Church......Page 41 Roman Catholic or Latin Church......Page 43 Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church......Page 48 The Evangelicals: Anglican and Lutheran Churches......Page 53 The Holy Sepulchre or the GardenTomb?......Page 56 The Holy Sepulchre......Page 59 The Garden Tomb......Page 63 A walk down the Mount of Olives......Page 64 Via Dolorosa......Page 69 A Nativity journey......Page 90 Bethlehem today and into the twenty-first century......Page 99 Nazareth......Page 107 Sea of Galilee......Page 110 Christian towns and villages off the tourist track......Page 114 Gaza......Page 120 Christian celebrations......Page 125 Where to go from here?......Page 138 Map......Page 141 Hymns......Page 143 Alternative shopping......Page 134 The Holy Land has always had a magnetic attraction for Christians. Every year, hundreds of thousands tread the crowded streets of Jerusalem, or walk by the quiet waters of Galilee. There are hundreds of guidebooks designed for pilgrims and other visitors. The encounter with the stones which Jesus saw and touched has been, for many, a powerful spiritual experience. But the Christian presence is not just history. There are living, worshipping Christian communities in the Holy Land today. This unique guidebook is designed to help you encounter those communities, and to walk, talk and pray with contemporary Christians in Israel, the Palestinian and Occupied Territories; the'living stones'of the book's title. Written half a century after the creation of the state of Israel, with the co-operation of all the Christian traditions in the Holy Land, it is a key companion for visitors who want to share for a while the thoughts and the life, witness and presence of those who now live the faith of the apostles in this troubled land. Intro -- Contents -- Foreword -- Appreciation -- Welcome -- Introduction to the Jerusalem Churches -- ORIENTAL ORTHODOX -- Armenian Orthodox Church -- Syrian Orthodox Church -- Ethiopian Orthodox Church -- Coptic Orthodox Church -- EASTERN ORTHODOX -- Greek Orthodox Church -- Russian Orthodox Church -- Romanian Orthodox Church -- Roman Catholic or Latin Church -- Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church -- The Evangelicals: Anglican and Lutheran Churches -- The Holy Sepulchre or the Garden Tomb? -- The Holy Sepulchre -- The Garden Tomb -- MEDITATIVE PILGRIMAGES -- A walk down the Mount of Olives -- Via Dolorosa -- A Holy Week walk -- A Nativity journey -- Bethlehem today and into the twenty-first century -- Nazareth -- Sea of Galilee -- Christian towns and villages -- Gaza -- Christian celebrations -- Alternative shopping -- Where to go from here? -- Map -- Hymns A companion for Christian pilgrims and tourists in the Holy Land, this text aims to enable visitors to experience the reality of modern Palestinian Christians. It includes meditations to accompany walks and biblical journeys.