Via Dolorosa

On our 5th day, we walked along the Via Dolorosa, or 'the way of the cross,' which is the path that Jesus walked from his trial to his crucifixion.

The first major stop we made on the Via Dolorosa was to Bethesda and St. Anne's Church. Bethesda was known for its healing waters and it is where Jesus healed the paralytic man on the Sabbath by telling him to pick up his mat and walk (John 5:1-18).

Via Dolorosa

mom and I on Via Dolorosa

remains from the baths at Bethesda

where Jesus told the sick man to get up and walk

at Bethesda

my mom and I

inside St. Anne's Church

Our next major stops, which are actually the first points on the Via Dolorosa path were to the Convent of the Flagellation and the Church of Condemnation. Both of these are located right next to each other and are within a Franciscan courtyard. Both of these locations are where Pontius Pilate judged Jesus and where he handed Jesus back over to the Jews because he could not find fault with him.

outside the Convent of Flagellation

the ceiling of the convent--its made to look like Jesus' crown of thorns

tiled mosiacs

inside the Church of Condemnation

Roman stones from Jesus' time

in the Franciscan courtyard

Although there's 14 stops along the Via Dolorosa, the major stops we made were to an Armenian church where Jesus is supposed to have fallen, the place where Simon of Cyrene picked up the cross and carried it, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is one of the places believed to be where Jesus was crucified and buried.

there are random birds along the Via Dolorosa and in the Muslim Quarter

the ceiling of the Armenian Church

mom at the doorway

the church of the Holy Sepulchre

the rock where Jesus is believed to have been crucified

the ceiling of the church

the stone where Jesus was prepared for burial

a mural representing Jesus' crucifixion and burial

the ceiling of the christian church within the church of the Holy Sepulchre

where the rock cracked after Jesus was crucified

the architecture of the church from the outside