A really bad movie on the Alitalia flight from Chicago to Rome.
watching the sun rise over the Atlantic from the plane during the flight to Rome.
A model of Jerusalem in the Tel Aviv airport.
Jorge.
Group shot (without me because I'm using the camera.)
A friend at St. John of the Desert.
Chickens in the coop on the walk to St. John of the Desert
St. John of the desert
A friend at St. John of the Desert
Elizabeth and John the Baptist mural in a cave at St. John of the Desert
Chapel at St. John of the Desert
St. John of the Desert - a site that comemmorates Elizabeth fleeing, with John the Baptist, the slaughter of the innocents which resulted from King Herod's order (after the Wise Men left.)
Outdoor chapel at the Church of the Visitation, En Karem. This site comemmorates the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.
basement chapel at the Church of the Visitation.
Wall of Magnificats at the Church of the Visitation
Magnificat in English
A doner list from the Byzantine period. So naming buildings is an old fundraising tactic.
A cactus flower.
immersion pool
Church of All Nations, Gethsemane.
Looking at Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley from Gethsemane.
The Kidron Valley.
Me in a tomb. Because I could.
A bone. I'm told it is human by an MD. good enough for me.
inside the Church of All Nations.
The Tombs of the Prophets. On the way from Jerusalem to Gethsemane.
The Garden of Gethsemane (olive trees.)
The Kiss of Judas. Left mural on the sanctuary wall in the Church of All Nations.
The sanctuary wall in the Church of All Nations
Marriage vow renewal certificate from The Shrine of Our Lord's First Miracle. Wow. 3 typos.
Adjacent church to the Shrine of our Lord's First Miracle
The inside of the Shrine of Our Lord's First Miracle in Cana
“If the Camel Don't Win” - From the chotch store across from the Shrine of Our Lord's First Miracle
Orthodox Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well, Nazareth
Info sign, Nazareth
The Annunciation - At the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well, Nazareth
The mosque on the probable site of the synagogue that saw Jesus' self-proclamation of his identity and mission, “this passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Info sign at the Melkite Synagogue Church
The altar/sanctuary in Nazareth's Melkite “Synagogue Church”, on the traditional site of Jesus' self proclamation of his identity and ministry
Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, “declared to mary... and dwelled among us.”
Info sign, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth
Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth
In the courtyard of the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth
The Basilica of the Annunciation from down the street. (Nazareth)
“If the camel don't win” - in one of the finest religious goods stores in Israel (Nazareth)
In one of the finest religious goods stores in Israel (Nazareth.)
In one of the finest religous goods stores in Israel (Nazareth)
Jorge doing his thing
Mt. Tabor from a distance. Note that it is set apart from other mountains.
The monestary and church on Mt. Tabor
His Holiness waving in our direction
His Holiness still waving
The Holy Father departs the pope mobile and ascends the platform to begin the audience.
The Holy Father is reading his catechesis.
The view of the audience from our seats
mmmm. Orange Fanta...
The Swiss Guards posted near the platform on our side.
The Holy Father acknowleding our group when we were introduced “from the United States, priests and seminarians from Sacred Heart Seminary.”
He is still acknowleding us after our introduction.
The famous “pope mobile”
The crowd departs from the papal audience
The Pope's rooms
Jorge in front of St. Peters as we await the Papal Audience
Items brought for papal blessing.
Peter with the keys
The view of the square from our seats.
The view from our seats once we arrived.
Fr. Steven Boguslawski, OP, former rector of SHMS
A fountain in the square in front of St. Peter's
Peter receiveing the keys - on the front of St. Peter's Basilica.
The crowd arrives for the papal audience.
Pope Benedict XVI - here he comes!
The Holy Father likes seminarians.
United States, The Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth
“The word was made flesh HERE.” On the front of the altar in the cave where tradition says the annunciation happened (Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.)
The front of the Church of St. Joseph, Nazareth, from the stairwell to the cave.
A demon. (Museum of the Basilica, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.)
Byzantine tilework from the original church. (Museum of the Basilica, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.)
The upper chapel of the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.
The main sanctuary and cave, lower chapel. Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.
The front of the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth.
David, Nate, and Ryan in front of the “gate of hell.”
Nick on a rock reading scripture “you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gate of hell will not prevail against you.” (Hermon River Springs.)
Syrian city of Qunetra detroyed in 1973 by Israel during the Yom Kippur war.
Looking out of the bunker towards Syria.
The obligatory group shot.
The Church on top of Mt. Tabor
St. Peter in Gallicantu
The dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
after an eastern rite candle lighting service in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Syrian Church can't afford more than this (Church of the Holy Sepulchre)
Touching the stone of the anointing (in the entry way of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre)
The Pool of Siloam
Hezekia's Tunnel
Mustard seed.
St. Peter in Gallicantu upper church
St. Peter in Gallicantu lower church
“May the Lord guard your coming in and your going out.” (ps 121) - the doorway to St. Peter in Gallicantu
The Potter's Field (visible from St. Peter in Gallicantu)
the site that commemorates the Cenacle (Last Supper)
Mosaic above the door at Christ Redeemer Church in Taybeh
The sanctuary at Christ Redeemer Church in Taybeh
An “upper room” in the House of the Parable, Taybeh. You can see the door to the lower area for small animals, the door to the back room for larger animals, and the door to the upper back room for women.
At St. Stephen's Outside the Walls
Inside the Franciscan church at Bethany
Inside the Franciscan church at Bethany “The woman came to him having a purfume jar of precious of oil spiced with nard and broke the purfume jar pouring it over his head.”
The front of the Franciscan Church at Bethany
Dan, Dave, Eric, Dr. Joseph, RJ, and Ryan in the tomb of Lazarus
Anthony on the camel (it was a goal of the trip.)
The Cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found
The Dead Sea
“Here, Lizard, Lizard, Lizard...”
This is how baptism worked in the Byzntine era immersion fonts.
Dan and the Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock
On the Temple Mount
Inside Latroun Abbey
Tombs of the Prophets (on the way to the Garden of Olives from Jerusalem)
The Garden of Gethsemane.
the sanctuary in the Church of All Nations.
Kiss of Judas, left mural in the sanctuary of the Church of All Nations
Walking the Friday Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem.
Christ was born here.
At the Sacred Heart seminary in Bethlehem.
The Scourging pillar (in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre)
Mass in the Latin rite segment of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
“All those who are of the truth hear my voice.” - Ecce Homo Church
Inside Ecce Homo
The main window above the sanctuary in Ecce Homo
inside the Tower of David.
in Ein Kerem
Tradition holds that this is the stone (the Stele of Bethphage the Sanctuary of Bethphage) from which Jesus mounted the donkey to enter Jersusalem. Note the murals on the stone.
The rotunda in the Holy Sepulchre.
Inside St. Stephen's Outside the Walls: The icons of St. John the Baptist (left), Jesus (center), and St. Stephen, First Martyr (right)
Nick outside St. Stephen's Outside the Walls
Fr. Radd (pastor of Christ Redeemer Church in Taybeh) and Fr. Trapp
Inside Christ Redeemer Church in Taybeh
Fr. Radd holding this icon of Mary, Jesus and a pomegranate (symbol of fertility) (on display in the main sanctuary of Christ Redeemer Church in Taybeh because it is May)
Michael the Archangel defeating Satan, Christ Redeemer Church, Taybeh
baptismal font at St. Geroge Church ruins
The ruins of the byzantine St. George Church, Taybeh
Dave in front of the ruins of St. George Church, Taybeh
Dan and others in front of Christ Redeemer Church, Taybeh
The group of teens from Christ Redeemer Church, Taybeh who showed us the ruins of St. George Church (with Dr. Joseph.)
Fr. Radd explaining the House of the Parable (in Taybeh)
A larger back room in the House of the Prable for larger animals (donkey, etc) in the House of the Parable. Very possibly, Mary gave birth in such a room, as it would have been one of the warmer and more private rooms of the house.
An “upper room” in the House of the Parable, Taybeh. Jesus may have eaten the Last Supper in such a place.
The “Peace Lamp” from Christ Redeemer Church, Taybeh.
Jorge (left) and Anthony (right) on the bus on the way back from Taybeh.
Taybeh, Israel
