Lenten pilgrimage Mass

Full moon seen at
Municipality Square

The weather is unbelievable. After noon it simply was freezing cold. The thermometer said 12 degrees but no one believed it. It felt like zero degrees. All the winter clothing came right out again. The night was equally cold. Thee was a slight drizzle but it was less cloudy than the previous night. The full moon shone clearly in the sky and was spectacular when viewed from various spots in the City.  I managed to take a few photos while on my way home from the doctor's. It was a late appointment and by the time it was over, it was already 8pm.

Anyway the new medication is working perfectly. I have not had an asthma attack for a week now, and I can walk 2 km without being breathless and needing to stop and rest. However I still feel fatigue ... not having energy to do much work. Everything has slowed down a lot as I can no longer do things at my normal speed.

Wild mustard
growing by
the street

Well as in Lent for the past centuries here in the Holyland, every Wednesday has a pilgrimage Mass in one of the sanctuaries commemorating the Passion. Today it's Dominus Flevit chapel on the Mt. of Olives. Next week it's in Gethsemane, then the Flagellation Chapel, then the Condemnation chapel and on Holy Wednesday it's back to the Flagellation chapel again. The Passion according to St. John is sung in 4 parts and the Mass lasts for well over 2 hours. I have to work till 5pm so I won't be able to go.

Yesterday saw a really bizarre tragedy when an elderly disgruntled patient threw flammable liquid at a nurse and set her on fire. She died. Several others were injured. Newspapers are calling it "Hollywood" dimension. But the fact remains that patients attacking healthcare workers have risen at an alarming rate. Today healthcare workers and teachers (who suffer an equal amount of violence) have gone on strike to draw attention to this situation. Israelis are becoming more violent to their kind than ever before. Yesterday also saw a viral video of an ultra-orthodox woman hitting and slapping a bus-driver, who much to his credit never hit back. Yes it is becoming a very violent society today.   http://www.timesofisrael.com/health-and-social-workers-teachers-stop-work-to-protest-violence/

And the newspapers are also highlighting the ultra-orthodox celebration of Purim last Sunday by hanging an effigy of an Israeli soldier on the main road. Their hatred for the military and compulsory military service had led to riots many times before. But this time it looks like incitement.   http://www.timesofisrael.com/ultra-orthodox-jews-hang-soldier-effigies-in-draft-protest/

And ofc course the joke of the day is Kellyanne Conways assertion that microwaves are used as spyware. Everyone here is laughing.