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The Church of Dominus Flevit

Monday, ‎December ‎23, ‎2013

Continued ....

Third Day of my Holy Land Trip, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

A view from the Rehavam Observation Point,
Dome of the Rock, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Jewish cemetery

From Pater Noster Church, we went to the Church of Dominus Flevit. The church is built on the lower western foothills of Mount of Olives, facing the old city of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of Kidron valley.  It is accessed by foot through a steep walkway, from either the top of Mt olives or from the bottom near the Basilica of Agony and Mary's Tomb.

On the way to Church of Dominus Flevit, there are many inmportant palces to see. A beautiful vision of Dome of the Rock, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Jewish cemetery from the Rehavam Observation Point.

A view from the Rehavam Observation Point,
Dome of the Rock, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Jewish cemetery 

A view from the Rehavam Observation Point,
Dome of the Rock, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Jewish cemetery

A seen from Palm Sunday street, 

on the way to Church of Dominus Flevit

On Palm Sunday street

Glory, praise and honor,
O Christ, our Savior-King,
To thee in glad Hosannas
Inspired children sing.

Palm Sunday: In the accounts of the four canonical Gospels, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem takes place about a week before his Resurrection.

The symbolism is captured in Zechariah 9:9 "The Coming of Zion's King – See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey". It was perceived that Jesus was declaring he was the King of Israel to the anger of the Sanhedrin.

According to the Gospels, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and the celebrating people there laid down their cloaks in front of him, and also laid down small branches of trees. The people sang part of Psalm 118: 25–26 – ... Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord ....

The symbolism of the donkey may refer to the Eastern tradition that it is an animal of peace, versus the horse, which is the animal of war.^[1] A king came riding upon a horse when he was bent on war and rode upon a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace. Jesus' entry to Jerusalem would thus symbolize his entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.

In Luke 19:41 as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he looks at the city and weeps over it (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin language), foretelling the suffering that awaits the city.

On Palm Sunday street

A Jewish cemetery beside the Palm Sunday Street

The Church of Dominus Flevit

Jerusalem

Dominus Flevit, ("the Lord  has wept")

A Catholic Franciscan church,  on the foothill of Mount of Olives, where Jesus visualizes the destruction of Jerusalem and cries.  The church is shaped as a tear drop.

A Roman-Byzantine necropolis was also excavated at the site, revealing rich findings.

Luke 19, 41: "...he beheld the city, and wept over it."

At the gate of Dominus Flevit Church,
on Palm Sunday Street, Jerusalem 

Near to the Dominus Flevit Church, 
on Palm Sunday Street, Jerusalem

Near to the Dominus Flevit Church, 
on Palm Sunday Street, Jerusalem

Cross of Jewish showing on the door at the
gate of The Church of  Dominus Flevit. 

The 5-cross symbol is based on the 5 Holy wounds of the crucifixion of Jesus (2 in the hands, 2 in the legs, and one in the chest).

Olive Trees near the Church of Dominus Flevit.

It was an olive leaf that a dove from Noah's ark brought to Noah, "Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth" (Gen. 8:11)

One of the most remarkable trees is the olive tree. Most of us are not too familiar with olive trees because they don't grow near where we live. However, in the land of the Bible, it was, and is, the most important of all the trees because it is a source of food, light, hygiene and healing.

Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene (Golden Dome)

view from near the Church of Dominus Flevit, Mount of Olives

Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene (Golden Dome)

view from near the Church of Dominus Flevit, Mount of Olives

The Basilica of the Dormition, Mount Zionview from near the Church of Dominus Flevit, Mount of Olives

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:41-44)

The Church of Dominus Flevit

The church is built on the lower western foothills of Mount of Olives, facing the old city of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of Kidron valley. It is accessed by foot through a steep walkway, from either the top of Mt olives or from the bottom near the Basilica of Agony and Mary's tomb.

In front of the Church of Dominus Flevit, Mt Olive, Jerusalem

This is the view of the church from the west side.

The church is structured as a tear drop in the form of a cross. It is a design of the Italian famous church architect, Antonio Barluzzi, who also designed other churches such as the Mount of Beatitudes, Visitation church in Ein Karem and Basilica of Agony.  The church was built in 1954.