Genocide of Christians

El Wad street packed like sardines

What a tiring morning. Was up at 3.30am to prepare for Mass at 6am in the Holy Sepulchre with some of my students. They booked the Mass and asked me to preside as for most of them it'll be the last Mass before they get ordained deacons tomorrow morning. For those who can afford, their parents have come for the ordination ... but for those who can't, they're alone without family. It's sad ... so I try to be around them. I know what it's like to be a foreigner. Hope they'll have a meaningful celebration tomorrow.

Well I didn't just have one Mass at 6am ... I had another Mass in the Empty Tomb at 8am for the filipino community from our parish of St Anthony in Jaffa. And at the end of both Masses I had to bring first my students then the filipino community to visit the whole basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and explain the different places inside. After that at 9.30am I had a bible class with the filipino community as well. At the same time there was a thesis defines of one of our students and a conference that I was to attend. So many things at the same time. I also had to rush home to close the university library at 12pm. I was dead tired but I still had to clean up my room. Tried to rest for half an hour but the phone kept ringing.

Jews and muslims
jostle at
Damascus Gate

Yesterday was Ramadan Friday and I had to work till night as usual. I try to get home between 8.30pm an 9pm when the muslims are at home eating so the streets are empty. But because I got called to do this and that ... I could only reach Damascus Gate at 9.30pm. What a mistake. Tens of thousands of muslims were flocking into the Old City for prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque after dinner. And to make it worse, it was the Jewish Sabbath so hundreds of Jews were coming out of the City after evening prayers. It was a jam I never want to experience again. El Wad street (ancient Tyropoen Valley) is the common artery that people of all 3 religions cross ... and it's the road that leads to my home. It was jammed packed with people going both ways. And to top it all with the heat people were fainting there were several ambulances trying to squeeze through the crowds to get to the sick. What chaos. Well next time I'll definitely time my walk home a lot better ... either that or I come home after midnight when the streets are less crowded.

News continue to flow out about killings of christians in Egypt, Syria and Iraq but not much has been reported on the major news entities. It's so sad but the fact is the world has forgotten about the GENOCIDE of Middle-Eastern Christians. Or the world doesn't want to know about it ... which is worse.  https://t2gospel.wordpress.com/2017/06/02/im-afraid-to-look/