Silence and Cantors

Morning at the early Byzantine monastery of the Holy Cross outside the old city. Possibly built by Constantine  or Justinian. It is said to be built on the site that the tree from which the wood for the cross of Jesus’s crucifixion grew. It is one of the calmest and most prayerful places in Jerusalem. The Georgians relinquished the monastery and it is now in the hands of the Greek Orthodox church. As a contrast after all of that peace and quiet we have tickets for tonight’s cantorial concert with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Time to swiftly brush up on the Hebrew…

Slower on Sunday

Busy trip around Nazareth and the Galilee yesterday. Today will be slower and more reflective. Began well with Mass at the beautiful and simple chapel of the Pontifical Institute of Notre Dame led by an Irish priest assisted by Sri Lankan, Tamil and Romanian priests.