We didn’t start today as early as we did yesterday! We started the day with a visit to Gethsemane. This is always a very special place for Pilgrims seeing trees over 2000 years old that would have seen and heard Jesus that Holy Thursday night. Mass at the rock where Jesus sweat drops of blood.
Then we went to the top of the Mount of Olives to visit the Church of Paternoster, where Jesus told the disciples to pray the Our Father, and from which he ascended into heaven. We prayed that mystery of the rosary while on top of the mount.
Then we had falafel sandwiches because it’s Friday and we couldn’t eat meat. Nice restaurant overlooking the whole city of Jerusalem. A special lunch for the kids.
Then to Mount Zion to visit the Upper Room and St. Peter in Gallicantu and to see the prison where Jesus was kept over Holy Thursday night.
Then 15 of the students had arranged to get religious tattoos in Jerusalem, and the rest of them had free time to wander around in the Christian Quarter of the Old City before we returned to our hotel in Bethlehem for a nice dinner. All our religious items were blessed before packing.
Great breakfast in the morning, smooth operation with packing and boarding the bus and the planes left on time for the USA. A great time was had by all!