Thanks

Received with thanks from Raymond & Alice for masses in the Holyland. Also thanks to Katherine Wong and Catherine Chan for the useful things.

Dreadful night

Early this morning our visiting professor Giuseppe Ligato was due to return to Italy. I promised to help with his luggage though I really can't do much. But luckily I did .... because the car he booked to bring him to the airport didn't show up. The car was booked at 2am but we waited till 3am. He started panicking as his flight is at 6am and it takes an hour to get to the airport and the security interrogation requires 3 hours advance. So I finally suggested he take a normal taxi as it's his only hope to get to the airport on time ... but the drivers wanted almost US$100 for the trip. We lugged his 4 luggage up to Damascus Gate. The streets along the way were brightly lit and arab men were dotted in corners and shops - they open all night because it's the legit time to eat. Soldiers and police were everywhere of course. A couple of soldiers saw us, questioned us and then said "no taxi huh?" with a smirk. Well anyway the important thing is Giuseppe got to the airport. I was panting badly because of the fluid in my lungs. I can hardly walk far without getting winded.

Besides that event, most of the night was a horrific nightmare .... the workers are still working at night at the Omariyya school opposite. The noise from the stone cutting machine and the tractors that come in and out to remove debris is incredible. And the searchlight is still aimed at my face. Needless to say I slept zero. Had to preside the Mass at 6.30am because I'm the hebdomadarius. The rest of the morning was one restless effort to study. And I'm not the only bothered by the sound ... most of the others living here were also kept awake by it. This morning you could see everyone with rings round their eyes (those who got up that is!)

To make up for the bad night's sleep, our assistant cook Nadia made ktayyef!!!!! yeahhhhhh!!!! I had three .... actually I meant to eat one but got a cheese ktayyef instead of a walnut ktayyef. After two other tries, I found the walnut one. Delicious!!!! Later in the afternoon, Marco who's finishing his Licentiate thesis, bought carobi (the syrup from carob pods). It was really good mixed with cold water. Very refreshing.

Yesterday Sinead the secretary of our secretary made her final profession of vows in Prague (don't ask why) and I promised I'd pray for her at the Holy Sepulchre. Walked up there but was so winded I couldn't come back till 2 hours after. Am really feeling sick. The cook panicked when he saw me and quickly cooked white rice (that's what italians eat when they're sick! don't ask why!) for the past 4 meals for me. By the way 18 people have died of swine flu here but no one is taking precautions.

More riots

My goodness! New riots by the ultra-orthodox here in Jerusalem. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1110855.html and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251145144319&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull I happened to be near the New Gate and saw hundreds of ultra-orthodox Jews shouting at cars that passed by, some even jumping onto the roads to stop cars ...... it's the Sabbath and driving cars is prohibited. This new level of violence is alarming, and the internal fighting between secular and religious Jews is deepening.

Ktayyef

For the past 3 nights, the Omariyya school opposite is having workers work overnight to renovate parts of the ancient school - ancient like 2000 years old ... it was once the Antonia Fortress where Peter, John and later Paul was arrested when they preached in the Temple. Anyway the work meant they needed bright lights and so the enormous searchlights were turned on throughout the night ... right into my face. And the work is pretty noisy - cutting stones, drilling etec.... No wonder I haven't slept well. And to top that, my asthma is really really bad. Like I said, it's because of the buildup of fluids in my lungs.

On the bright side, the muslim quarter here is very lively because of the carnival atmosphere of Ramadan .... in the nights that is. I had a taste of ktayyef yesterday ... shared half with Sister Elene, a syrian FMM sister who's celebrating her feastday. She's been in Israel for over 50 years (she's in her 70s) and I've known her since 1992 when I first came. Ktayyef rocks!!!!! You should try one! Pancakes wrapped with walnuts cooked in honey. Yummy.

tense

As expected, problems in the Old City began when muslims gathered in their thousands to enter the Al Aksa Mosque= to be exact 90,000. Five arabs were arrested for attacking an Israeli police. Thousands of others have been turn away because the age limit to enter has risen - 50 yrs for men, 45 yrs for women. Before this year, women of any age could enter the mosque. This age limit is imposed by the Israeli security with the idea that any young muslim is a potential trouble maker inside the mosque that can turn into full-scale riots. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251145141017&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Right now helicopters are flying overhead. I can hear lots of shouting and noise but don't know what it is about - and I don't intend to go out and find out!

Feast of St Augustine

Today is the first Friday of Ramadan. Last night the streets were packed with muslims shopping and going to the Al-Aksa mosque for night prayers. Military security has been stepped up as expected: soldiers everywhere, but generally the mood was friendly and the soldiers were chatting and laughing with the local folk. This morning helicopters kept flying over the Al-Aksa and Dome of the Rock. It;s making the place pretty tense as we do not know why it's around. Anyway we heard that the soldiers are going to bar muslim men under 45 yrs to enter the Al-Aksa and Dome of the Rock today, something they've been doing for the past years. It'll definitely cause tension and those barred from entering will hold demonstrations at all the mosque gates as well as Damascus Gate, blocking traffic. This year we also noted a change - even young girls like 10 yrs old must wear the covering from head to toe in order to enter the mosque. This was not practiced in the previous years and shows a swing towards conservatism.

But for us, today s the feast of St. Augustine. He became a great saint but only after years of his mother St. Monica crying for his conversion. Her feastday was yesterday. It shows how family influence children's religious education is important.

Feastday

Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary - according to the Orthodox calendar. After the Muslim calls to prayer ended, a procession from the Tomb of Mary down in the Kidron Valley slowly made its way up pass our monastery through the Way of the Cross to the Holy Sepulchre. The 4 kawas (dragomans or Turkish guards) banged their maces on the ground and you could hear it miles away, warning people to make way for the procession. Then lots of pilgrims marched, followed at the back by the clergy, the bishop carrying the icon of Mary reputed to be painted by St. Luke. Hymns were sung, flowers strewn along the streets that were brightly lit by the Ramadan lights. All this took place at 5am.

My diarrhea is slowly getting better as I drink boiled water. Still have periodic runs though. Have to get back to study now.