Jerusalem Urbi et Orbi

Dominus Flevit chapel

It's Holy Monday. That's when Mark's gospel records Jesus "cursing" the fruitless fig tree while on his way from Bethany to Jerusalem's Temple. All the readings since yesterday till Easter Sunday are so different from me than it is for most of you. I actually live here. From my window I can see the Mt. of Olives and the route Jesus took riding on a donkey. The Temple was just 300m. from my room. And I live in the compound where Jesus was flogged, crowned with turns and carried his cross. Golgotha is 800m to my east ... everything is so real and vivid. It is alive. Yesterday when we proclaimed the Passion of Christ according to Matthew, all the places mentioned are just within 1km from where I live. It is very special. And I know many of you have not been here ... and those who have, have only seen the places for a few minutes. I'll be praying for you all in these places on your behalf. Living here is a privilege and a calling.

Shraq and kaya

Yesterday instead of the traditional Palm Sunday Procession from Betphage down to Jerusalem's Old City, there was a special prayer service at the Dominus Flevit chapel midway up the Mt. of Olives. The Archbishop was there with a small entourage. The whole service was live broadcast. After the prayers, the archbishop blessed the City of Jerusalem and the world, effectively it's an urbi et orbi blessing which the pope gives. Here the patriarch can give the blessing because Jerusalem is the Mother Church where the Incarnation and salvation was established. A relic of the True Cross was was used for the blessing. Very touching. It was a prayer for an end to the pandemic.

From my terrace I could see the whole service. But a sandstorm had struck us and the whole city is overcast with yellow clouds. Sand is everywhere. And I've started coughing as a result ... with a sore throat. So I'm not going down for our prayers in my house.

To those asking what I had to celebrate my birthday ... well we're under a lockdown. I celebrated by myself with 2 arab unleaven bread called shraq with kaya (coconut jam) which some kind people from S'pore gave me when they visited last year. And I was very happy ... a taste of home.