Sick again

Rain clouds in the morning

Am feeling very sick today. Not sue why or what I caught. High fever and joint pains. Didn't wake up with it ... it was only after Mass that I had a high fever and was very giddy. Came home and drank lots of water and slept for 5 hours but still am feeling very sick. It could be the weather .... very hot during the day but cool in the nights. There has been a very strong wind from the west ... and it was cold as well. I came home last night in this cold but didn't felt sick at all.

Lighted archway near the Holy
Sepulchre

It's just been crowds everywhere this weekend. The Festival of Lights is still on and during the day, being the weekend many jews and muslims have entered the Old City to get to their places of worship. I don't particularly like crowds at Damascus Gate ... especially since yesterday an arab was killed by Israeli soldiers for throwing fireworks at them in the village of Issawiya just below the eastern side of the Mt. of Olives. There has been riots since the killing. And police stepped up in numbers in the Old City ... expecting some violence as well. But nothing happened. Thank goodness.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-clash-with-police-in-jerusalem-over-death-of-fireworks-shooter/?fbclid=IwAR0EgRdMZDzdP-PzTrEpqnMRO_B1BWtuIuwOIXAaSVqc26ODkOId23fuCdo

Night jasmine in bloom

Well if there is any consolation, it's that my night jasmine has flowered profusely. The perfume is so strong I can smell it up on the 2nd floor terrace. Simply love it. Actually it's not a jasmine but a cestrum and it flowers only in the night. A couple of neighbours also have such bushes and these bushes bloom at the same time. So in the early morning at 5.30am when I go out to celebrate Mass, the street is covered by this sweet smell. Now wait a minute .... I've been smelling the tiny flowers up close .... maybe I'm allergic and that's why I'm sick. Oh dear.

Light Festival

Damascus Gate illuminated

Time flies ... I've been so busy I've had no time to update the blog. And today is Saturday. Time flies. This week I'm celebrating 2 Masses each day and reciting Vespers twice. Then as hebdom I have to lead all prayers before and after meals, prepare the dining table, serve the meals and do the washing up. Well I took a break on Thursday night because I really wanted to see the Festival of Lights as I was feeling strong enough to do the walk.

Damascus Gate

This year the festival is big ... 32 events compares to last year's 10. The traditional 3 routes were reopened: covering the green route that runs through the Muslim Quarter, the red route that runs through the Christian Quarter and the blue route that runs along the walls of the Armenian and Jewish Quarters. I only managed to do the red and green routes as the crowds were overwhelming and the climbing up and down of the Old City steps tired me out. But the lights were fantastic. As usual Damascus Gate held a spectacular show covering the entire facade. At Jaffa Gate there were illuminated stilt walkers and near New Gate there were jugglers. And there were many more interactive events allowing people to join in actively in the show.

Illuminated great white shark

There was a green screen event where people can be filmed live on the City wall acting out the history of Jerusalem. In the dark mysterious Cave of Zedekiah, there were old scientific apparatuses reworked to modern interactive machines. Some flashed lights when you clap or stomp your feet. Others active when you move or talk. The cave became another world of weird shapes and colours. I guess I'll have to go see the blue route one of these nights.

Back to daytime and it's nonstop work. I'm losing a lot of my memory maybe due to fatigue. Can't find my wallet and all the important contents. Forgot people's names when I meet them. Go to places and forget why I went there.

Here's an interesting article by a top Talmud scholar who thinks it's christians who "invented" judaism. Worth a read.  https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-how-christians-invented-judaism-according-to-a-top-talmud-scholar-1.7417536?fbclid=IwAR36Yx1z-5BgT1Wi_Y51s_eWnwoPmlltyeyrU87Ce9Vz8BupuTImk3JxhiE

Midweek woes

Bedouin veggie vendors at Damascus
Gate

Palestinains continue to demonstrate and strike over Trump's peace deal. Actually I was quite sold into it when I read the details ... enormous infrastructure overhaul and economic boost. But on further  deeper reading I realised nothing will change if Israel continues to control the entry of goods, medicines, electricity, water and all other essentials into Palestine. You can have the best roads and railways that Trump promises but if you're not allowed to cross borders or streets, then that's all useless. Checkpoints and walls will continue to stop freedom of movement. And one american newspaper editorial put it very succinctly: though 50 billion dollars is promised, no actual money has been concretely and factually donated yet. It may just exist on paper only. So as I walked out of Damascus Gate this morning, I saw many bedouin women selling the veggies from their fields ... and I thought they'll continue to struggle carrying their sacks of veggies, lining up at security checkpoints at 4am, crossing into Jerusalem and selling their produce for a measly 200 shekels and head back home. Trump's plan won't benefit them.

Vegetarian lunch

In a continuing saga of the trial of jewish arsonists who killed an arab family of 3 including a baby, the jewish youths refused to talk and their parents say it was "arabs" who burned and killed the arab family. Such is the hatred for arabs among these rightwing israelis, any accusation can be flung and it will be believed. With this kind of hatred, can anyone think that Trump's plan will benefit the arabs?  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5536770,00.html

I'm trying to stick to my vegetarian diet ... as ordered by a 2nd doctor. It really shouldn't be that bad ... but a chicken wing would be nice. And no white pasta, bread or rice either. I eat shraq which is an unleavened bread. And there's lots of fresh veggies in our house. The sisters who work in the kitchen are calling it donkey food. I hope I'll survive this food regime.

Tonight the Festival of Lights begin but I'll go to sleep instead. Am exhausted with lots of work and my left ankle is swollen again.

Feastday again

Demolished park

Yesterday was the solemnity of John the Baptist ... so there was major celebrations at his birthplace in Ein Kerem from Sunday evening till Monday evening. I on the other hand had a very very busy day ... just an idea of what it was like ... 2 Masses, 1 funeral, and solemn vespers recited twice. I had to do the gardening in the morning as the 2 courtyards were really messy and the vicar of the house told me to get it done. Then there was sending off my final year students who flew off home for their ordinations ... and then at 9.30pm I had to send another guy off to the airport. However I was so tired by then I only managed to send him to the Light Rail and taught him how to  change the line to the train in order to arrive at the airport.

New Armenian Catholic Exarch

Yesterday and today there have been demonstrations against Trump's so-called peace plan for Palestine (not Israel). Flatly rejected by locals here ... meaning even israelis are against it because in certain areas they lose out. Let's hope the violence doesn't get out of hand. It'll ruin the Festival of Lights which begins tomorrow evening ... and I was looking forward so much to it.

And strangely the multi-leveled garden/park on the east of Damascus Gate was demolished. We've no idea what's taking it's place but my guess is it'll be leveled so police and horses can run through it quickly whenever there's a riot. When it was multi-stepped, it was difficult to climb up and down the stairs and bushes and trees ... let alone military horses.

And the weather while it cooled last week, is picking up again today. Afternoon was a high of 32 degrees. The Festival of Lights will be quite hot. That could be fun because then I can have an ice cream as well.

Anyway I found a photo of the installation of the new Armenian Catholic Exarch with all the Catholic dignitaries. That took place last week and technically he's my boss when I celebrate the Sunday Liturgy in this cathedral.

Corpus Christi

Sunrise at Damascus Gate

It's Sunday ... Corpus Christi for us latins but ordinary Sunday for the Oriental churches. I had to preside the solemnity at our chapel at 7am then rushed off to the Armenian Catholic church for the ordinary Sunday Mass. All 3 of my armenian seminarians came as well as 4 Missionary of Africa seminarians. It was the last time 2 of the armenian seminarians will help at Mass because they will be transferred outside of Jerusalem for their one year apostolate experience. However it was a grand Mass because the singing was great ... the responses and readings all in armenian. We'll miss the twin seminarians ... now I just hope the last seminarian will remain long enough to help me in summer. I think there was a celebration at the Last Supper Room.

Altar for Corpus
Christi at the
Holy Sepulchre

Being a feast day, I went out at 5am to the bakery to get fresh bread. There were lots of buns fresh from the oven. I bought 11 ... which should be enough for everyone. And the owner who by now knows me, charged me only 1 shekel each. It should cost between 3 to 5 shekels each. And at breakfast time, all the buns were wiped out. They really like it. Since the docs have all agreed I should be vegetarian, meals have become a nightmare. It's ok having veggies and fruit but absolutely no meat ... not even white meat ... is too much. No more Arab Fried Chicken. That's ultimate torture.

But things could be worse. The escalating tensions between US and Iran is making everyone nervous here. If a war does break out, Iran will surely employ its syrian and lebanese allies to attack Israel. We're all watching carefully. Definitely no AFC if there's a war.

Restorers and archeologists claim they have found an ancient baptismal font inside the present baptismal fount in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Sounds interesting. Photos show a round  gray basin encapsulated by the modern octagonal baptismal fount. I think a round baptismal font is strange for the Byzantine period (the archaeologists claim it's byzantine) because such basins are almost always cross-shaped.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-say-baptismal-font-discovered-at-church-of-the-nativity/?fbclid=IwAR3mH7deWzGBNt8R5GMy3ML19p3HoxoKRzdJPStADPgw10ukTQt8nunn7iw

Old

Sunrise today

Well I've never felt so old as I did today ... and it's because of our tradition whereby in the absence of the superior and his vicar, the next oldest in religious profession has to lead the prayers and give the final blessing at dinner. Since over 4/5 of our community is away on summer holidays, we're down to 9 guys ... and when it was time for the prayers and blessing, there was silence and everyone looked at me. I was the oldest. Oh my gosh ... I had to give the final blessing of the night to the community. I am actually that old. Bring out the walking stick and wheelchair!!!!

An enigmatic cat
contemplating the
full moon on an arch
of the Muristan

It was a very busy day as I had early Mass at the Ivrea convent at 6am then preached a retreat at 9am and a meeting with nuns from Syria at 10.30am. I had to prepare many packs of medical stuff which the sisters will bring back to Syria to help the poor refugees and persecuted christians. Rushed home but was late for lunch. After lunch I had a couple of hours free to do my own work and then I had to preach a conference with eucharistic adoration and confessions from 4pm to 6.30pm. I had hoped to visit the rest of the Nablus Road Open Day institutes but there was no time. I begin my hebdomedarius turn this week so at 7pm I had to lead vespers for the vigil of Corpus Christi. Then as hebdom I had to serve the dinner table and do the washing of dishes and prepare the table for tomorrow's lunch. Then the sisters and I practised some humans in english for tomorrow morning's Mass which is in english. Had to photocopy 2o sheets of music. Now I'll have to prepare 2 homilies for tomorrow ... the english Mass and the armenian Mass.

New is out that fruit and veggies have saved in prices ... so high that Israelis have stopped buying them. The economic situation is not good as salaries are not catching up with the very high cost of living. A plate of fried rice costs US$20. Frightful.

News is out that Trump is revealing part of his Deal of the Century which includes US$50 billion in palestinian infrastructures. Well money is not freedom. But there will be those who're more attracted to money than freedom. Everyone agrees at the end, there'll be no Palestinian state.

Events

View from Schmidt College

Yesterday ought to have been a normal visit to the hospital ... but I was caught in a monstrous traffic jam that lasted 3 and a half hours. It was unbelievable ... It makes one wonder why new highways are not being constructed to ease the north-south traffic. Anyway the doc's analysis of the CT scan was inconclusive and he wants more tests. I dread it. The journey home was a lot easier but the entire event started from 1.30pm and I reached home at 9.30pm.

Homegrown potatoes

Yesterday was also the start of Nablus Road Open Days ... 3 days to be exact ... when institutes song Nablus road open their doors and allow people to discover what's behind the high walls and closed gates. It is a good neighbourhood-building exercise when muslims get to see inside christian churches and monasteries, and learn of their history from palestinian institutes such as theatre and art centers and historical buildings. Today I visited the first 4 institutes closest to Damascus Gate ... all catholic institutes. For once in my life I entered Schmidt College ... the huge castle-like building directly in front of Damascus Gate. The view from the terrace was marvelous. Hope I can get to see the rest of the institutes tomorrow which is the last day. This year saw a record number of institutes participating.

We had a nice surprise this morning when Sr. Amrutha dug up lots of potatoes she planted under the lemon tree. Some were surprisingly big. I did a lot of gardening this morning ... in fact all morning. The messy courtyard behind the sacristy which is also the main entrance of our campus is finally looking decent. I also celebrate a mass at 6am in the Empty Tomb with my students who will return home on Sunday for their ordination. It was our last Mass together. In the evening I had another Mass with the sisters of Ivrea in a village outside the Old City towards the Kidron Valley. All in all it was a very eventful day.

Makloubeh day

Jerusalem Light Rail today

Another busy day. Somehow I'm not feeling up to it. Perhaps the heat has something to do with it ... but also I'm terribly fatigued. My left leg feels like a piece of wood .... numb and heavy. Walking to work and back is not something I look forward to when my leg is not obeying my brain. And I did have a bit of sunstroke.

A walk in the New City shows that life is back to normal ... except there're lots of students hanging about. The school holidays have begun ... though some schools are still in exam mode. Kids who are in the holidays gather in squares and shopping malls enjoying themselves for a few days before they're sent off to summer camps.

Makloubeh today

Then a visit to our enormous kitchen at St. Saviour monastery to chat with the cooks ... they had just cooked several huge pots of makloubeh or "upside down". It's a dish where meat and vegetables are covered by rice and cooked in huge pots. When cooked the pot is turned upside-down so the rice lands at the bottom and the meat/vegetables are on the top. Delicious.

The Israeli army is holding its largest military drill up in the north ... a warning to Lebanon's Hezbollah. Yes tensions have subsided but military posturing continue ... let's just hope to stops there.

And some good news for Gaza ... Israel is planning a new sewage line to handle the enclave's broken-down system. And Qatar is sending experts to work with Israel in studying installing a new power line. That would all mean hygiene and electricity to the impoverished people. Let's hope it'll all come true. Everyone deserves a break.

New Exarch

New Exarch in
white mitre

Yesterday was a big day for the Armenian Catholic community in Jerusalem. A new Exarch was installed. That's equal to an archbishop. All major catholic bishops were there for the liturgy at the 3rd Station including the nuncio. The new Exarch received the pastoral staff as a symbol of his authority. The parish priest had to be the choir as there was no one else ... but luckily our armenian seminarian and I were also there so we helped out in the singing. It was great. I must say my armenian has improved a lot.

After the liturgy there was a reception in the courtyard and it was good to meet with the rest of the community. Then there was a dinner but I didn't want to go. It was all big shots and bishops and I felt out of place so I went home instead for dinner.

Church in Ephraim

Today I left very early for Nablus. I had to bring food and medicine to the MC sisters. It's a good distance to get there ... almost 180km winding round mountains and valleys. But in a direct line, it's only 49km. There was a lot of stuff and so I got a couple of students to help. On the way we visited Jacob's well and ancient Shechem; and on the way back we visited Ephraim where Jesus spent the last week after raising Lazarus but before going back to Jerusalem to die. It's a lovely church in a totally christian village. It was a tiring journey but I enjoyed it.

Tomorrow is another busy day ... so I'll go to sleep early. At least I've distributed the food and medicines on time.

Trinity feast day

Sunrise today

It's Trinity Sunday again .... and most pastors were cringing in trying to organise a homily at Mass. It's a very difficult topic to reach because it's very abstract. Strange that we have this feast separately celebrated because the other ancient Orthodox churches celebrate it on Pentecost Day. Anyway I had no shortage of priests contacting me asking how to preach the readings for this feast.

I was at lunch at the Last Supper monastery ... sounds funny but yes there's a community of friars living next to the Last Supper Room and they care for this sanctuary. The superior, whom I knew almost 30 yrs ago when he was a novice, is leaving this mission and he invited me over for a farewell lunch. It was good to see him again and not easy to say goodbye after these 30 yrs of collaboration here in Jerusalem.

Crows enjoying the cool weather

The weather has become cooler by almost 10 degrees compared to last year. Very pleasant. Holidays officially began yesterday for us and tomorrow very many of our students and profs will be leaving our university campus. Finally our house will cease frenetic academic activities ... and I am free to do more gardening.

Tel Aviv University has been called out for an exchange programme in agricultural science that went very wrong. Students from foreign countries came only to study 1 month in the university and spent the other 14 months harvesting fruit and veggies in the fields with Thai migrant workers. Free labour in other words. Some students decided to sue the university and now the programme has been scrapped.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-tel-aviv-university-to-stop-sending-students-from-africa-asia-to-work-as-laborers-1.7371396?fbclid=IwAR1yLSIpIQ3sR6MFHqqqBsGDhfmAdfFd_JpsKnoCX0s1-MmLfcFwQwz0EOo

And rightwing jewish residents are now blocking arabs from buying or renting apartments in majority jewish towns and cities ... solidifying the jewish character and removing arab presence.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-residents-and-mayor-protest-sale-of-home-to-arab-family-1.7372003?fbclid=IwAR1rQ9b8bOl3CSjAbZSG_XROqJFbn_IqFF1k3WkpLc8SiIxS7LKkB7iNRys

Hallos and goodbyes

Sabbath at Damascus Gate

The weather has cooled alot ... evenings hover around 17 degrees and daytime is about 25 degrees. Very pleasant. And being the Sabbath, things are much more relaxed. No rush and hassle in the streets. And less police in the streets. The feasts for jews and muslims are over so there are less tensions hopefully. The tit-for-tat bombings in Syria are keeping us on our toes. And Gaza burnt lots of Israeli land with incendiary balloons so Israel bombed Gaza in the morning. Israel also closed off the maritime boundary so Gazan fishermen cannot fish. Let's hope the rest of summer won't be as nasty and tense at the borders.

Cloudy skies in the morning

My left hand is much better after having torn a tendon. I'm under heavy painkillers and the docs advised I should take it at night because it makes me sleep. It really does. Perhaps it's the high humidity these few days that's making my hand and ankle painful. We've actually got dew on the ground in the early mornings ... in June!!

This morning the chinese community organized a Mass at the Last Supper Room for peace in Hong Kong. Prayed for everyone as well. The superior of the Last Supper Room, my long time friend, will soon leave the Holy Land so I'll probably come back tomorrow to say goodbye. I've known him since he was a novice. It'll be sad that he leaves but he has a future in other missions.

Meantime an old classmate from 30 yrs back is visiting the Holy Land and I have to rush and meet him.

St. Anthony feast

St. Anthony in
Bethlehem

Yesterday was the feast of St. Anthony of Padua ... the patron saint for franciscans in the Holy Land. St. Anthony wanted to come to the Holy Land after learning the martyrdom of the first friars in Jerusalem ... but he could not fulfil his wish. He's known for the miracles especially with healing little children so many christian children yesterday wore the franciscan habit as an act of consecration to St. Anthony. There was solemn Mass at our central parish church.

Anyway it was a big feast for us and school wa closed and both libraries had a day off. I went north to Galilee and visited our communities in Capharnaum and Tabgha. It rained along the way!!!!! Rain in June!!!!! Utterly unbelievable. The weather has gone all crazy. But it was good to be away from Jerusalem for the day. On the way home I stopped by a couple of nurseries in Jericho. Plants are a lot cheaper here and they are heat tolerant ... being raised in 40 degree weather. I bought a Bird of Paradise plant and 2 white Gaura which I could not find in Jerusalem. Along the streets there were numerous plantations of bananas, grapes and sunflowers. Very beautiful.

Vines with young grapes

Church leaders in Jerusalem are in an uproar because the Israeli High Court has ruled in favour of israeli settlers in ownership of 3 important church properties. Well the fault lies squarely with the former Greek Patriarch who sold the properties in the first place without knowledge of his council or laity or clergy. He wanted money for his own family in Greece. Now all christians in the Christian Quarter pay the price for his greed. 2 such properties control a main entrance to the Holy Sepulchre. If the settlers decide to block the road, then there will be no more solemn processions and entrances from Jaffa Gate to the Holy Sepulchre.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-christian-leaders-blast-decision-to-sell-jerusalem-properties-to-settler-group-1.7366340?fbclid=IwAR0_RwdKUXh0fCm8y420qSNJsDbjH5i3GJbvL0FqnsFZtR2sCkrYnSQd8nU

Bethlehem visit

Doctoral defense today

Today Fr. Biju, our carmelite student, defended his doctoral thesis, thus concluding 5 years of research. It's quite a relief after all that hard work ... and the defense took 2 hours. Biju was always in the library everyday studying. I was happy for him that his work is now accepted and he was awarded the doctorate. The commission of 4 professors questioned him and evaluated his work. And some of his friends and classmates came to support him.

Eucharistic adoration at Milk Grotto

Earlier in the morning I made a quick visit to Bethlehem. Went to the Basilica of the Nativity and Milk Grotto and prayed for you all. The weather was hot. So hot the cloistered nuns who adore the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours at the Milk Grotto changed to white simple habits without the veil or wimple but only a hood. The places were not as crowded with tourists as like the past few months ... the heat probably drove tourists away. I also made a detour to the southern desert to visit the Mar Saba monastery ... a beautiful sight hanging on a cliff over the Kidron Valley.

Desert road to Mar Saba monastery

Tensions continue to break out in the outer borders of the country. Yesterday Gazan incendiary bombs ignited fires along the southern border. Most of the wild fires due to the heatwave are under control but these motivated arson will wreck havoc in the southern farmlands. Many people in the streets are guessing a war will soon break out ... not major but big enough to scare people into voting the PM back to office. He had lost his coalition govt last month and a new general election has been declared for September.

Meantime the courts upheld the sale of church property to jews in the Old City. The former Greek Orthodox patriarch had sold 2 hotels at the entrance of Jaffa Gate and a building in the muslim Quarter to jews but the Greek Church had gone to court to challenge the sale. The patriarch was deposed by the Greek synod of bishops. However yesterday the court upheld the sales. So now we have lost 3 major properties in the Christian Quarter. The greed for money has always plagued the Orthodox church. The money for the sales had been transferred by the patriarch to Greece for his own family.  https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/jerusalem-court-sides-with-ateret-cohanim-vs-greek-church-on-3-purchases/2019/06/10/?fbclid=IwAR2Vk4G8Gv6T1YlE2U8HaBQYCCt-xBtHeQEwbp9AP_9n5j5w7ZNZrEwpR0U

End of school year

Lilies in bloom

It's the last week of school for us. Lots of reports and last minute stuff to do. But it won't end there. When professors and students go home for summer, we in the library have to work extra hard ... moving sections of books, stock checking etc.... Somehow I'm not looking forward to summer.

But there are a few perks ... like in 2 weeks' time there'll be the annual Light Festival. I do like that ... walking through the Old City at night seeing the many fantastic light shows. Last year it was a lot smaller ... only half of what it used to be ... covering only the jewish and armenian quarters. Let's hope this year it'll be larger.

Hollyhock in a crevice

Last night Iw went to say goodbye to some of my students. They defended their theses in the morning and in the evening organised/cooked a farewell dinner. It was good to see them for the last time. Next week they'll return to their countries and be ordained priests. Another generation. 4 years of studies here over. They struggled to live here, live in a new environment, study in a new language ... there were many difficult moments ... but in the end they all said they'll miss Jerusalem. It's a unique City. They reminded me of the wild hollyhock I saw this morning high on the wall of the Austrian Hospice. It was growing out of a little crevice on the wall .... hardly if any soil or water, yet it was a meter tall and flowering beautifully. My students are like that ... struggling with studies and daily issues in a foreign country, homesick ... but still doing well in the end. Proud of them.

Tensions in the Old City seem to be over. Much less police presence now. But while tensions abate in one place, another ignites somewhere else. Yesterday there was a gunfight between Israeli soldiers and palestinians in Nablus (Samaria). What next?  https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Fire-exchange-between-IDF-and-Palestinian-forces-in-Nablus-Report-592115?fbclid=IwAR2xzNPSR6mAwQqbqDTnQiUyhBM2patr95lr9I8-5u45fLkh0oorGWbiKwQ

Feastday and tensions

Main roads blocked off

Yesterday was Pentecost Day ... and also the jewish feast of Shavuot (Pentecost in hebrew). It started out bad for us because 15 jewish men came to our church, kicked and spat at a cross and then beat up our doorman. Jewish tolerance? Not one shred ... it was outright anti-christian. This hatred and vicious spitting is not a rare or often occurrence. It's every day ... every day once in the morning and once in the evening 4 jewish girls in their teens will walk pass out door and spit at us. And they know the police is on their side so they do it with smug.

8 shekels for these

So as Shavuot, the police blocked all the main roads from Damascus Gate so the crowds of jews could walk down to the Wailing Wall. I went out early at 5am to buy fresh bread for my community as it was Pentecost. The crowds were just dispersing and I met a couple of my israeli security friends on duty. We chatted for a while. The I went out to Musrara's 24 hr bakery to get 8 loaves. The shopkeepers by now know me so they sold it to me very cheaply. 8 shekels for 8 loaves!!! That's amazing ... and they were huge loaves. Each loaves can be shared by 2 or 3 people.

Anyway for most of the morning I cleaned up the courtyard behind the sacristy which leads to the library. The scaffolding of the elevator installation was removed last week and I wanted to plant  some flowers and bushes to make it look less severe and hot. As I have use of only one hand, I got the help of the 2 sons of our doorman. They were a great help. Almost everything was done.

Archbishop in procession

Then at 5.30pm the Archbishop called me to prepare his vestments because he was coming to confer confirmation on 2 italian volunteers. I prepared everything as he wanted ... then was told to stay as doorman because it was already late in the evening. To avoid jews or muslims entering and causing damage like this morning, I had to open and close the main doors each time someone entered or left for the Mass. And I had to watch the door till the last person left ... which was 9.30pm. By then I was utterly exhausted and went to sleep ... after all it's Monday morning and I have class at 4am solar time.

Eve

Decorative wheat
for sale

It's the eve of Pentecost and it coincides with the jewish Pentecost as well. Pentecost is the feast of the wheat harvest and also of the first fruits offering. Children will be wearing crowns woven from wheat and people will be eating all kinds of fruit and cakes and food made from fruit. People decorate their homes with wheat stalks as well. Somehow cheesecake has become the main tradition of this feast. I like that. Anyway it was on this feast of the wheat harvest 2000 yrs ago when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. For christians, it's the spiritual first fruits of the Holy Spirit that we celebrated. This afternoon 1st Vespers was sung at the Last Supper Room and tomorrow 2nd Vespers will also be sung. The chapel of the Holy Spirit ... which is in the hands of the muslims ... will be opened once a year tomorrow for us to visit and pray.

Booza Rukeb peddler

The Municipality has been putting huge pots of shrubs all around the Christian Quarter ... which is a nice surprise. It's part of the Municipality's programme to beautify the Old City especially streets where tourists walk. Well, with tourism bringing in 11 billion shekels this first half of the year ... the govt. really has to get serious with catering to the needs of tourists.

In this heatwave there's one call which nobody misses in the afternoons ... its the peddler selling booze rukeb. That's a homemade ice cream originally created by a christian family almost 80 years ago but is now copied by many others selling their ice cream under that name. It's a gooey stretchy type of ice cream ... like the turkish kind. I've never tried in all my life ... but this summer I will.

Tensions in the Old City have subsided and things seem to get back to normal. However things might look ugly tomorrow because just now the US diplomat to Israel just declared that Israel has the right to annex parts of Palestine. Halloo? since when has US had the right to give away foreign land to other people? The continuing arrogance and self-delusion of the US govt will fall back on its face. The Book of Proverbs has all the warnings. Pentecost takes on a whole different dimension.

Hospital again

Shock!!

It's the 3rd day of Eid el Fitri and most shops continue to remain close and the streets are peacefully quiet in the mornings. That made my early trip to Nazareth hospital a lot easier .... no need to elbow and push my way through the crowd. At the hospital I had another x-ray done to confirm that there were no fractures in the wrist. The orthopaedic doc said the tendons are badly inflamed and possibly one is torn. That accounts for the sharp pain. The wrist was re-bandaged and the doc gave me an injection which hurt so m
uch .... a very huge needle (no joke) and the medicine burned. I was crying. Now every evening I must take a painkiller for the next 10 nights so I can sleep well without pain.

Next to the ortho clinic was a room marked "Shock Room" which I thought was funny ... i need it after that enormous injection with the nastiest medicine. Total shock. And the medicine made me very sleepy ... so I was drowsy for the next 2 hours ... and they took more blood for tests and a couple more smaller injections. By the time I was in the car to go home, I slept through the 2 hour ride. By the way I want to thank all of you who helped me with my medical expenses. Just going to hospital costs me US$200 and double that for the return. Your gifts are really appreciated and I pray for you all at Mass tomorrow inside the Empty Tomb.

Some of my lilies blooming

The heatwave continues but there is a cool breeze blowing occasionally ... so that was pleasant. My lilies have blossomed and they look gorgeous. I'll have to cut a couple off to place in our refectory because it's Pentecost this Sunday and I'm not well enough to go out and buy flowers.

A swarm of locusts from Syria have blown into Israel in epic biblical proportions. They destroyed a field and continues to be a threat to the fields on the plains of Sharon. Frightening and apocalyptic.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/grasshoppers-swarm-into-israel-from-syria/?fbclid=IwAR0MDg8t4IWfITBZbnJoslt3HJF0s2aeKnRYKRi6ZpiIygRAprWzzMR9PD8

A newspaper article cites that since 2009, there were 53 mosques and churches burnt and vandalised but only 9 cases were indicted. Where is the justice for non-jews? It's the christian churches that are bringing in the money that sustains Israel's economy ... but they don't enjoy the protection that it should.  https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-53-mosques-churches-vandalized-since-2009-9-indictments/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=370bc543-06d3-4ea0-a93f-586bb661c5ff&fbclid=IwAR0LplNnRERca9DCBGEot8fZ20OCoUDSGTRhxad0qdRr7ddthR9IBjQhs04

Bandaged

In bandages

I cannot remember what happened ... I came home from work real late after moving lots of heavy stuff and boxes of books. Felt a pain on my left wrist but thought it was muscle fatigue and would go away by the morning. Instead this morning my left hand was swollen like a melon and I couldn't bend my wrist. It was very sensitive and the pain was making me nauseous and giddy. Went to the closest hospital which is St. Joseph's ... and waited like an hour and a half at the Emergency Unit for the doctor to come see me. Had x-rays done. After another hour the doc had time to see me again ... no fractures but the bones were pretty messed up. He said there was a sudden sharp blow ... maybe I fell or maybe something heavy fell on me. But I can't recall anything like that. My mind must have blanked out. I was after all exhausted and I can't remember what happened. Anyway I'm in bandages for 10 days or so. Wearing a bandage in a heatwave of 36 degrees is no fun.

All kinds of needles

Today is the 2nd day of Eid el Fitri. Most muslim shops continue to stay closed and only some re-opened after noontime. Then by sunset all closed again. Everyone went home to feast. I had returned home from hospital at 12pm and slept through the afternoon. At 3.30pm I had to prepare a student for his thesis defense and at 4.15pm I went to the MC sisters for adoration and confessions. Finished at 7pm and came home famished as I hadn't eaten all day. Just my luck there was no leftover food in the fridge for 2 days now. Going out to buy food is difficult when all shops in East Jerusalem are closed. Walking to West Jerusalem is a 2km uphill trek in this heatwave. I prefer to die of hunger.

We've been warned by the Ministry of Health that more mosquitoes in Israel carry the Nile River virus. I better be careful.

Anyway I need to rest now as tomorrow I have to go back to Nazareth Hospital for my CT Scan results.

Tranquility

Crowds milling around the Dome
of the Rock

It's Eid el Fitri and our Quarter has never been so magical .... it was empty ... shops closed and no one in the streets. Once a year our neighborhood because so tranquil and quiet. Going to work was an unbelievable pleasure. But of course all this comes with a price ... last night the cannons fired 5 shots that shook our building. Ramadan was over and literally tens of thousands of muslims flooded the  Muslim Quarter. Food vendors were everywhere. The festivities went on almost all night. Then in the early morning they all went into the mosques for Fitri prayers and then left en masse for home ,,, which is throughout the country. And then by 7.30am all was quiet. It was bizarre but thoroughly

Bibimbap lunch

I had to accompany some people through the Jewish Quarter and what a surprise ... there was a bazaar at the ancient Cardo ... like what it was 1700 years ago. Very quaint. Around the corner from the Cardo is a very small korean kosher restaurant. The owner and cooks are korean ... and the bibimbap I ordered was great. It was all vegetarian though. But it was good to eat something hot for lunch once in a while.

The heatwave has picked up and wild fires have broken out again throughout the country. And the strong winds are flaming the fires to a very dangerous level. Residents of many areas have been evacuated.

Meantime I hope to have flushed out all the chemicals injected into me yesterday. I'll need to rest a little more this evening and tomorrow. But like always .... fat hopes

Festivities

Inside Damascus Gate at 4.30am

The First Lady N. Rivlin passed away this morning after a long illness. Despite her illness she carried out her official duties in a dignified manner, and humbly ... while discreetly and unapologetically carrying an oxygen tank which she requires. She is an inspiration to all sick people who have to carry out duties. I'm sure the whole country will miss her.

Meantime the muslim world is in chaos. They can't decide if Ramadan ends today or yesterday. Some countries following Iran's lead and closed Ramadan yesterday and celebrate Eid el Fitri today. Their political rivals follow Saudi Arabia's lead whose king announced the end of Ramadan tonight and Eid el Fitri tomorrow. In Palestine some towns follow Iran and others follow Arabia ... so there's general confusion. One village is still fasting today but the next village is feasting the whole day.

Last dawn of Ramadan today

I had to go to hospital early this morning in order to avoid the muslim crowds entering the Ol City to pray. Pre-dawn prayers begin at 3.45am and at 4am dawn prayers start with the firing of the cannon. I went out at 4.30am since the crowds would be inside the mosques praying and the streets quiet. It was the last down of Ramadan and the streets were really quiet. I took a few photos of Damascus Gate as the sunshine broke behind it.

The almost 2 hr ride to hospital was spent mainly asleep. I was tired since I had to fast since yesterday. The tests and CT scan was relatively quick ... despite my fear of needles. and claustrophobia for CT machines. The medical staff had to blindfold me for the CT scanning and hum a song to distract myself from the claustrophobia. They had to take the scan 3 times ... what a disaster. And they took 6 phials of blood for tests ... and my blood was so dark and thick it looked black. The nurses were surprised and made no comments. I have to return on Friday to get the results and the specialist from a northern hospital will come to speak with me. Anyway the injection of medicines made me feel very sick and I'm resting for the rest of the day. Nausea and giddy.

Almost the end

Empty Damascus Gate ... everyone
eating dinner at home

The metal barriers ... hundreds of them in and around the Old City have been stacked in street corners after yesterday's Jerusalem March. They're not likely to be removed because tomorrow is the last day of Ramadan and there will be hundreds of thousands of muslims flooding the Old City again .... and the metal barriers will be re-employed to control the crowds. So we're almost at the end of the fasting season ... the Ramadan cannon will stay quiet till next year ... and life goes back to normal. Or as normal as we can get in this country.

I'm quite worried, to be frank, because tomorrow I must go to Nazareth hospital for several tests and am not sure if I will be able to go out and come back if the City Gates are packed with muslim pilgrims. It's a scary thought ... or as someone said ... it's a nightmare going out.

All types of cherries

And talk about nightmare ... Israel bombed a 2nd time Syria's military bases, killing several people. Russia and Iran ... Syria's allies ... are certainly not happy. Let's just hope things do not flare up and this summer becomes a tragedy for everyone.

The heatwave has created chaos in our fruit industry. Fruit have ripened before they reach their mature size. And those which reach maturity have all turned mushy due to the heat. So the plentiful cherries and plums are all very small and red and colourful but still dry and sour because they had no time to develop juices. What a pity. The farmers must be facing a big lost ... except those growing watermelons. Due to the heatwave, melons become sweeter. Strange but true.

On a happy note, Israeli scientists think they might have discovered a way to help victims of pancreatic cancer.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-researchers-find-potential-hope-for-some-pancreatic-cancer-patients/?fbclid=IwAR13spvH4xVLRQyuOFcRGLfgFetmaeNIKh0NrCCRSBHkejfvqUFuHJLOesQ

Sunday

Toppled mobile toilet

It's Jerusalem Day and the morning was broken with clashes inside the Al Aqsa Mosque. Police had allowed 1200 jews to enter the Mosque and muslims, celebrating the last days of Ramadan, were furious since no one except muslims are allowed inside during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Clashes broke out and arrests were made. I could hear security helicopters flying above the mosque compound at about 7am. But wisely the police did not hinder the muslims from continuing to pray in the mosque, allowing free access to all. That certainly averted any further violence. Not everything was totally peaceful though ... a toppled mobile toilet outside Damascus Gate testifies to some clashes there.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-and-police-clash-as-jews-allowed-into-temple-mount-on-jerusalem-day/?fbclid=IwAR3MBsYxSjNQi87D22ac4BRZUOs-p6c7diyLSVStgLMsktmyPv1RjytSel0

Meanwhile the exchange of fire between Syria and Israel continued ... Syria landed missiles inside the Golan Heights and Israel bombing Syrian military bases. We're not sure if things will cool down.   https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Syrian-air-defense-confront-enemy-targets-near-Damascus-591333?fbclid=IwAR15VFAbc6DEGmUk5SaOav1cH1EzVkyiBgPUOps7imUF9F3lobiYJPucijA

Seminarians at liturgy

I had to go celebrate the Armenian Mass this morning. The road was full of police and muslims going to pray. The liturgy was well done ... all 3 armenian seminarians can to help sing and respond while the White Fathers' seminarians came to help serve and read the 1st reading. The singing was very good ... and one seminarian even played the flute accompanying the organ. Everyone was very pleased.  

I spent the rest of the day at home, filing its of document, cleaning the room and trying to block out the noise of the israeli settlers marching and chanting and provoking local residents along out street.

Anyway I'm glad it's all over and tomorrow we're back to routine again.

Tense but peaceful

Packed streets today

Despite the violent stabbing attack yesterday, the Last Friday of Ramadan passed off peacefully. It was the wise move of the Isreali police not to impose a closure or restriction to permit only muslims 50 yrs above to enter the Old City. By allowing the crowds to continue entering and praying without hindrance, the police averted riots and demonstrations and possibly more violence. This was something I was convinced the past decade when police enforced collective punishment and preventive restrictions after each attack. Well done, police!

Last night was Laylat el Khader ... which commemorates God giving the Koran to Mohammed. But it also celebrates the opening of heaven and God granting pardon for sins and granting all prayers. At least 300,000 muslims from around the country and world gathered in and around the Al Aqsa Mosque throughout the night ... to partly pray but more to celebrate the feast. Shops opened all night till this morning ... making brisk business. And the streets continued to be packed with crowds all morning to noon. Unbelievable.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/260000-muslims-pray-peacefully-at-al-aqsa-mosque-after-terror-attack/?fbclid=IwAR2ncsY7PJwzi4P7JiyKpH4Yl2bjNrY72Zh2MhpWsVqmoPuLgnu4650ZhJs

Waiting for oral exam

What is scaring us is tonight, when the Sabbath is over and Jerusalem Day begins and extremist jews will march into the Muslim Quarter and East Jerusalem by the thousands ... literally thousands. We all believe they will wreck revenge on the arab quarter and property because of the 2 stabbings yesterday. We're staying home for the next 36 hours to avoid being collateral casualties.

Well the checkpoint and road blocks and huge crowds are no barriers for our students as they fought their way to school this morning ... they have exams. Good luck!