Friday the last

It's the last Friday before Ramadan and usually it's amok with crowds in the streets ... lots of temporary food stalls and hawkers selling toys and new clothes. The streets would have been packed shoulder to shoulder. But today it's all empty. All the mosques are closed ... including the central shrine the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque ... the 3rd holiest shrine in Islam. What we living here in the Muslim side of Jerusalem worry about is will there be curfews and stricter lockdowns during the whole month of Ramadan? That would be too much for us. Anyway muslims leaders are calling their followers to pray at home instead of the mosque during Ramadan.  https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/palestinians-instructed-to-pray-at-home-during-ramadan-due-to-coronavirus-624723?fbclid=IwAR3jE5QJ1tl5-H2rVoTYoe4xM-MR4fqboRKF2ia3YiG4gnx6yMdSn5g2oHw

Anyway here's an interesting article on religion and the spread of coronavirus. It's true that majority of the epicentres  https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/ry7xuoHuL

Anyway we're waiting for a new government to form ... as talks between the 2 largest parties continue after the dateline to form a new govt expired last night. Without a proper govt, there is no exit strategy for the viral pandemic ... when schools can reopen, when workers can go back to work, when the airport reopens .... we're all waiting and some people are quite confused from lack of clear instructions.

Caught a Cold

Police stopping
every car

The curfew ended this morning ... and hopefully though the lockdown is still in place, it might be relaxed. Yes it was a curfew but the govt didn't want to call it that. But some newspapers did. It was similar to the 1st day of Passover and then it was called curfew.  But it should be noted that it was not applicable to the arab parts of the country because they don't celebrate the jewish feast.

Meantime the virus is spreading rapidly in East Jerusalem but because of lack of testing kits and hospital facilities, we don't know the exact numbers. We do know that there is one case south of the Old City in Silwan (biblical Siloam) and another in the Shufat refugee camp north of the Old City. Because the local arab attitude is that the virus is an israeli problem which they can't catch .... all this complicates the pandemia. It is impossible to convince or educate the arab youths who possess a stubborn resistance to anything demanded of them. There is no civic conscientiousness or to think of the benefit of others. Well when they start to die ... and decimate their population ... it will be too late to regret.  https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-after-weeks-of-warning-coronavirus-spreading-among-palestinians-in-east-jerusalem-1.8765534?fbclid=IwAR1JxRu_L0oX48Jyoe96GhF3bIRsw7adBTQrJSTNgL3f6Pq6lnyUo4foHxU

In the midst of this viral chaos, the extremists jewish settler youths who refuse to obey the viral containment laws, have now taken advantage of the lockdown to vandalise, destroy and harm arab properties and persons. They act with impunity because they know the govt is afraid of them ... it needs their votes and their presence in palestine to be a viable govt.  https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Stones-thrown-at-Palestinians-cars-torched-near-Dead-Sea-624589?fbclid=IwAR30zdVWNshTGTTzPG-tvcK1kl0D3_-4I_y3JbrzFaI1TebK7bzbvQtDekc

Tulips in bloom

Yesterday I caught a dreadful cold ... sneezing and runny nose all day. And I wasn't the only one. Several in the house also have it. It's because the weather changed too drastically ... from 28 degrees to 8 degrees. I had gone to the terrace for a stroll and being so sunny and hot, I only wore a t-shirt. However the occasional cold wind blew ... and last night the temp dropped to 8 degrees ... so I ended up with this cold. Awful. I've taken cold medication and sleeping for an hour in the afternoon did help. I shall go to sleep early tonight tor relief the runny nose. The medication makes me sleepy.

A video has been going viral on social media showing the waves of the sea of Galilee crashing on the walls of the Primacy of Peter monastery. It's been 30 years since the lake waters touch the walls of the monastery ... 30 years of drought is official over. Let's hope it won't return.

Last day of feast

Herod's Gate ... no one but 2 passersby

Yesterday we had to bring the laundry to the main monastery and also buy provisions for the week from our own grocery in the monastery. I took the opportunity to go along in our van as I must check on the other library ... if water is leaking from the roof or whatever disaster that could happen. Well there was a leak on the left wing and a chunk of the ceiling fell. I informed our technical workers ( a minimum team is still working on maintenance ) and the supervisor said he'll put this job on his list.  I also managed to buy some of my provisions ... mainly cleansing detergents and some biscuits. It was good to get our of the house and see a bit of the outside .... see the sun and feel the wind in open space.

But I noticed all the City Gates are closed and police check everyone ... forbidding most from entering or leaving. We're practically locked inside the Old City. We had to do a lot of explanation in order to convinve them to let us enter through New Gate into St. Saviour's monastery. Going home was also full of police blocks.

Police stopping us at New Gate

So today is the last day of the jewish Passover and the rest of summer would be quite quiet until September when the series of feast days roll one after another for 4 consecutive weeks. But between now and then ... we don't know what will happen. We read from the news that flights will only restart in September so many of our professors and students will be stuck here for summer.  

Easter Tuesday

Sunrise on Easter morning

This evening at 5pm a 36 hr a strict lockdown will be imposed. This is to prevent jews from travelling to visit families because it's the last day of the Passover. It's going to be tough. And just when we think it may get better next week, there's Ramadan starting on the 23rd. There'll probably be another one month's strict lockdown.

17 neighbourhoods in Jerusalem have been put under total lockdown because they have been identified as the epicentres of the viral infection. It's terribly unfortunate. But one bit of news claims a specialist has declared Israel has contained the pandemic and now its time to look for an exit plan. The Foreign Minister published a letter acknowledging asian countries coming to the aid of Israel during this crisis, noting that the same asian countries are still fighting the pandemic. But on the downside, Israeli scientists have discovered that the viral symptoms now include skin problems including redness and rashes.

Few people wear masks

Face masks are now necessary if anyone is going out of the house. It was declared on Easter Sunday. But will it be enforced ... especially in arab East Jerusalem where majority of the younger generation scoff at the pandemic. It is these people who pose the greatest danger to society but the police have not been enforcing the law on them. And the greatest concern for the govt is Ramadan which will be celebrated next week. It is unlikely the arabs will obey the distancing law, let alone lockdown and mask-wearing, and if the police don't come down hard ... the arab side of the City will be the next hotspot.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SyCDD3xu8?fbclid=IwAR0lUM1THg0nRZ7C_tcjnyXAlkspbhxRyfCAtCJOJQrSM8J1RiCCVLR-w20

Easter

Our Easter Sunday Mass

Yesterday was Easter Sunday and though we had our own celebration, we could not join the solemn one at the Holy Sepulchre where it all happened. I was told that the last time the Holy Sepulchre was closed during Easter was in the 13th century. We had to watch everything on live stream ... which was poorly done on a cellphone because the police would not allow a filming crew to enter. It would break the limit of 10 persons only in a religious service. We kept distancing in our chapel ... one to a pew.

In the Sepulchre, the Archbishop was alone with deacons and a couple of priests to proclaim the resurrection from the Empty Tomb. It was surreal. And a policeman was stationed inside to watch over the proceedings ... even taking videos to make sure everything went according to the law.

MC sisters' lunch gift

At noon I went to the pharmacy to buy medicine and the sisters of M. Teresa came to meet me and gave me lunch which they had prepared. It was nice of them to remember me. They cooked veggie rice with 2 chicken wings and a piece of cake. I was preparing to eat bread with canned tuna ... which is mainly what I eat during this lockdown. I took advantage of my outing to buy 10 pieces of bread for the coming week ... the bakery is opposite the pharmacy.

Today is Emmaus Monday. The Custos should usually preside at the basilica there and at the end of Mass, distribute blessed bread to everyone. This year only the small community of friars there celebrated it on behalf of the Church. No one can get there because it's inside Palestine and the borders have been closed for a month now.

Now we read the news that the govt. now is discussing if the country would again be put under strict lockdown again like last week to prevent large movements of people during the 8th and also day of the jewish Passover on the 15th. This time newspapers report it would last from Tuesday to Sunday ... thereby locking down also the Orthodox churches which will celebrate Easter Sunday then. This are certainly extraordinary times.

Easter Vigil

Anointing the body with myrrh

Yesterday I felt very unwell. I don't think I could lead the Passion at 3.30pm for my community so I asked an Indonesian student to take my place. My blood pressure must have been very high as I had a headache and dizziness ... and couldn't sleep till midnight, only to wake at 2.30am. This morning I discovered I had forgotten to take my medicine ... that was why I was sick. Thank goodness nothing serious happened.

Carrying the body to the Tomb

Anyway it rained all yesterday evening and through the night. It gave a sombre mood to Good Friday and Holy Saturday. At 9am the Easter Vigil began in the Holy Sepulchre. Less than a dozen friars and the Archbishop were there. The Empty Tomb was surrounded by emptiness. There was no need for a microphone ... the Archbishop's voice resounded through the empty vaults of the basilica. It was a simple rite ... all the 9 readings were proclaimed and chanted. The candle was blessed and also the water. The resurrection was proclaimed. All the essentials of the christian faith were present ... that's enough. No pomposity, no unnecessary cluttering ... as the Archbishop said in his homily ; we're experiencing what the first christians experienced here in the Empty Tomb ... emptiness, uncertainty, fear. We have gone back to the original roots ... for a rebirth.

The body laid in the Tomb

Last night the funeral procession inside the Holy Sepulchre took place also with only 10 friars. The body was removed from the Cross, anointed with myrrh and then carried to the Tomb where it was laid all night. It's very solemn and in itself is not a liturgy. It's simply a procession which established in Status Quo, must be carried out every year by the franciscans. Here are some pics of that event.

Good Friday

Flagellation and Crowning of Thorns

Instead of the Via Dolorosa packed with crowds and police controlling the flow of pilgrims making the Way of the Cross ... the street is empty except for a couple of police. It's a terrible sight. It's raining and it had been raining all night ... it's very cold ... about 10 degrees ... everything seems so gloomy. But it does give an atmosphere of Good Friday. Sombre, dark ... as if the whole world has stopped.

Living at the Flagellation and Condemnation chapels, today's liturgy starts here. We here are obliged to pray on behalf of the whole world since the world cannot come to visit. It's a heavy responsibility. But we will fulfil it.

Here are some photos of the Flagellation and Condemnation chapels ... the 1st and 2nd Stations of the Cross. Let the images speak to you.

Mary meets Jesus

Ecce Homo

Jesus carries the cross

Crown of thorns on the dome

Jesus is condemned

Condemnation chapel