So, it's about time I got around to putting some new stuff up on the blog, especially since the last few weeks have been full of amazing experiences and thoughts.


April 5th was Palm Sunday. This is me hiding behind some of my Palm fronds.

I went out with a bunch of the members of the branch here in Jerusalem in tandem with the students to take part in the annual processional from Bethphage/Bethany into Jerusalem reenacting the walk that Jesus took as he left Lazarus’ house to head into the city for the last time and the beginning of Passion Week. It was a pretty neat experience to see whole bands of Christians celebrating and walking along the small street while sing Hosannahs and waving Palm fronds (see the vidoes at the end). It was a really interesting experience to contrast them with a rather large contingent of morose and somewhat subdued Mormons (though they, the students, did all loosen up towards the end and start singing on their own). Because we come from a tradition that strongly stresses reverence and “quiet dignity,” it was eye opening for me to see the direct contrast between such somber celebration and such raucous, jubilant and joyous shouting. I realized, as other have noted before me, that as Mormons we don’t do a lot to really celebrate the Easter season and especially Passion Week. It seems to be vastly overshadowed by General Conference which generally falls within a week or two of it. Besides the standard sacrament meeting dedicated to talks on the Atonement and the Resurrection, we don’t really follow and celebrate the happenings of Christ’s final week as do most (if not all) other Christian denominations. I believe that this is somewhat of an oversight on our part. After all, we do go to all the trouble for Christmas; families read Luke 2 together and reenact the Christmas story. Why do we not do likewise (or at least something similar) for Easter?

This is a picture of some of the members of the branch, particularly Sean Fitzgerald, a consulate worker, who paid this little Arab kid 10 shekels to push his daughters stroller up a big hill. The kid probably never felt so lucky!

These are more processional pictures, with nuns, larger boy scouts, Muslims watching the procession and having a BBQ on their roof.

Here are some smaller boyscouts and girl scouts across the way. And here you can see a Polish delegation, waving a flag and wearing elaborate costumes. There were a lot of "delegates" (I don't know if they are officially sent by someone at home, or if they are just people of differing nationalities waving their own flags and representing...)


These two videos show some joyous singing groups and tourists/other Christians lined up along the way to support/take pictures.

This is a video of the Latin Patriarch (I think that was his title- the guy in the middle wearing the bright pink hat and shawl who waves, I would have to ask someone in the know...), the highest ranking Catholic leader in Jerusalem. I think he might have a lot of sway in the greater Christian community as well...

(ps- the changes in font and underlining and all is happening because I cut and paste from a word document journal that I have. I have no idea how to fix it because I am so technologically inept...don't judge me.)