by Fred & Gloria Strickert
Palm Sunday in Jerusalem
Thousands of Pilgrims Converge on Jerusalem
Beginning at Catholic Church in Bethphage .
Crossing East Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. down the Kidron Valley to the Old City
Led by Palestinian Scout Troops--Here from the Syrian Orthodox Church. 
Palestinian Christians still remain a small minority overshadowed by the thousands of pilgrims. Here young women from Beit Jala -- just seven kilometers away, but across the separation barrier-- were given permits for the Holy Days.
The irony: Christians from all over the world have free access to all the holy sites, but those from nearby need special permission. In many cases, one spouse received a permit while the other did not. And with the frequent closure of checkpoints during these holy days, permits were often meaningless pieces of paper.
Palm Sunday procession of priests in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre around the tomb.Maundy Thursday
Catholic foot-washing ceremony at upper room.
Eucharist at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
Procession from Redeemer to Gethsemane
Stay with me! Watch and Pray!
Lutheran-Anglican Service at dawn. Station V: Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry Jesus' Cross
Pilgrims take up their cross to follow.
Good Friday Arabic meditation at Redeemer at sundown with Vicar Ashraf Tannous.Easter Sunrise
Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. (Mark 16:2)
God breaking the silence: He has been raised; he is not here. 
photo credits: Ryan Roderick Beiler & Michael Younan
by Fred & Gloria Strickert
http://walkinjerusalem.blogspot.com/
