Dismal

U. of S. Africa students and profs.
briefed by Dr. Sallon at the ruins of
the byzantine church of St. Modestus

Everyone is still reeling from the arson of the historic Church of the Multiplication. 16 youths have been held for questioning (NOT arrested) and released. Believe me, there will be no case, the rabbis and rightists will force the police to brush it under the carpet and everything hushed up. It can only happen here in Israel ... and Wikileaks can do nothing to shame them into administering justice. They have always been brazenly shameless, answerable to no one internationally or nationally. Christians will continue to be persecuted here ... and the rest of the christian world will continue to keep its head in the sand, more occupied with whether to wear veils during Mass, whether to receive communion by hand, whether to kneel or stand during consecration. Pathetic spirituality of the complacent.

The single apse of the chapel
overgrown with weeds

Another attempt to save another ancient church took place last Friday. It is the Chapel of St. Modestus of Jerusalem ... which is practically in ruins. It's situated on the Mt. of Evil Counsel, the traditional place where the High Priests gathered to discuss with Judas how to capture Jesus. Anyway the 7th century ruins lie above an ancient cistern that strangely was converted into a chapel with 2 tombs. The property belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church who sold this ancient ruin to Israeli property developers who in turn aim to build apartments. The view is stupendous from this hill and an apartment here would easily fetch US$2 million. So in this case, it's money that destroys christian heritage. And it's the Greek church itself that's willingly giving up this heritage for the sake of money. Pathetic.

Anyway Dr. Sallon who lives near the ruins, and a group of concerned neighbours (jewish, christian, arabs) are trying the save the site. I managed to gather up the profs. and students of U. of S. Africa who are here to dig at Hazor, to visit the site. One of the top archaeologist Dr Shimon Gibson came to present the facts of the ruins, and I got our Media Centre to film everything. Better save the site digitalised than lose it forever to memory.