Stromata

AFC dinner

It was a full day's work yesterday that ended late. I was very hungry. Luckily a White Father seminarian called to say he was coming to see me so I told him to get AFC (Arab Fried Chicken) in my office for dinner. It's pretty messy eating it ... especially on my office table filled with books and forms. And the thing about AFC is they cook the chicken only when you order, so its piping hot and you burn your fingers and tongue trying to bite into it because you're very hungry and can't wait for it to cool. But it's always a great lifesaver whenever it's a late working night and you need dinner urgently and cheaply.

The roadworks continued last night outside my window. The noise was a little less rowdy than the previous night ... but the exhaustion knocked me out I only faintly could hear the noise. In fact I was so tired I couldn't remember what day it was.

It's the New Moon ... and the jews usually have special prayers during this time. It's also the monthly rally of some jewish women who want egalitarian rights at the Wailing Wall. They want to wear phylacteries and prayer shawls like men, and carry the Torah scroll and proclaim it publicly. All these are forbidden by normative Judaism. And these women who try and do otherwise at the Wailing Wall each New Moon are met with clashes.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5006635,00.html

An incredible find outside of Damascus Gate (north of Jerusalem) near the American Consulate ... a 6th century Byzantine mosaic dedication from the time of Emperor Justinian who built the largest church in the Middle East here in Jerusalem to commemorate the Council of Ephesus. The dedicatory inscription appears to mark a pilgrim hospice built at the same time the enormous church (known as the Nea/New church) was built in the south of Jerusalem.   http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israeli-archaeologists-uncover-rare-1500-year-old-Jerusalem-mosaic-503199