Church of the Visitation, Jerusalem
----- Forwarded Message -----From: Jo McG. . . .
To: Donald . . . . .
Sent: Saturday, 13 April 2013, 21:25
Subject: Fw: Ein Karem
To: Donald . . . . .
Sent: Saturday, 13 April 2013, 21:25
Subject: Fw: Ein Karem
Dear .. . . .,
Tues. 26March....Our morning was occupied with three more interesting lectures on the Gospel of JOHN.
In the afternoon, we caught our bus to EIN KAREM, a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. We went first to the SION CONVENT on the summit of a hill overlooking surprisingly green valleys and bare mts. I thought how difficult it must have been for Mary to travel all the way from Nazareth to visit her cousin Elizabeth - no tarmac roads as today!
The Srs.of Sion welcomed us and then explained the various buildings and their apostolate
There are three communities here all living the same charism - the apostolic cty.,the small contemplative cty. and the Brothers of Sion.They have a large guesthouse as their ministry is mainly one of Welcome. We then had some free time to pray in the contemplative Chapel or wander in the well-kept,spacious garden - an oasis of peace,ideal for prayer.
From there,we walked down the steep hill into the village centre, a hub of activity,and walked up an even steeper hill to the CHURCH OF THE VISITATION. On a long,fairly high wall in front of it are many "Magnificats"in the various languages.We then entered the Lower Church, fairly small with some colourful paintings - Zechariah in the Temple, Mary meeting Elizabeth,etc. The larger Upper Church was much more impressive, beautifully decorated with several murals. I was very happy to be in this holy place and, in union with Mary, we all joyfully sang the "Magnificat".
At 8pm, we had a very meaningful and prayerful Reconciliation Service in the ideal place,
the LITHOSTROTOS. DEO GRATIAS for another memorable day!
Yours . . . Jo. + + + |
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Donald . . .
To: Jo McG . . .
Sent: Monday, 15 April 2013, 21:01
Subject: Fw: Ein Karem and pictures
From: Donald . . .
To: Jo McG . . .
Sent: Monday, 15 April 2013, 21:01
Subject: Fw: Ein Karem and pictures
My dear Josephine,
Many thanks for the Ein Karem on the 'Journal'.
It is lovely, and sets all the memories of the places, Visitation, Sion Convent, St. John Baptist, John in the Desert.
Google map opens up every nook and cranny. The technology is astonishing.
Hopefully I will insert some of the pictures to your Email but for the moment I am diverted by simply viewing the abundance, not least the hospitality we do enjoyed with the Sisters Ein Karem convent.
Yours . . .
Yours . . .
Donald.
Les Soeurs de Notre-Dame de Sion
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| Ratisbonne tomb, Ein Karem |
The monastery of Les Soeurs de Notre-Dame de Sion (Sisters of Our Lady of Zion) founded by two brothers from France, Theodore and Marie Alphonse Ratisbonne, who were born Jewish and converted to Christianity.[15] They established an orphanage here. Alphonse himself lived in the monastery and is buried in its garden.
Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1858 Ratisbonne established the Convent of Ecce Homo in the Old City of Jerusalem for the Sisters of Sion. In 1860, he built the Convent of St. John on a ...
Mary's Spring
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Traditional site of Mary's Spring |
According to Christian tradition, this village fresh-water spring is the location where Mary and Elizabeth met. The spring waters are considered holy by some Catholic and Orthodox Christian pilgrims who visit the site and fill bottles with its waters. The spring was repaired and renovated by Baron Edmond de Rothschild. Arab inhabitants also built a mosque on the site, of which the maqam (shrine) still remains.
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| Google Ein Karem |
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