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.