Actually I did not climb to the top at all, but was only able, with the limited time at my disposal to visit the Tomb of Our Blessed Lady, and the Garden of Gethsemane. Even at this time, one can enjoy peace and quietness on this hill, where Our Lord used to go to pray.  It is very quiet here, always, and looking at it from afar off, it looked a place apart from the surrounding countryside.  At the foot of the hill is the Garden of Agony, where Our Blessed Lord wept so bitterly.  On this site, the Franciscans have built a magnificent new church of Gethsemane.  In front of the altar the rock comes through the floor, and is the rock where Jesus and His disciples rested, and is called the Rock of the Agony.  A little description of the church is necessary because it is such a magnificent structure.  The beautiful façade is in the Byzantine style, and above the columns there is a coloured and gilt mosaic, representing Jesus weeping over the bitter end of Jerusalem.  The roof consists of twelve small lead covered domes, which seen from the inside are covered with beautiful mosaic, as well as panels over the rest of the ceiling.  Each represents various incidents in the Life of Our Lord, and is the gift of different countries.  I might add that this church is sometimes called the Church of All Nations.  Entering the church through the low iron door, over which is engraved ‘Hortus Gethsemane’ – Garden of Gethsemane – I was in a beautiful building, the walls of which were covered entirely at the chancel end by beautiful oils, which showed the Betrayal and the Agony of the Garden.  The roof was supported by six marble columns in a double row, and the High Altar was composed of magnificent Palestinian marble, coloured, in front of which is the rock already mentioned.  I met an awfully nice American priest there and we had quite a long chat.  He could not get over my likeness to Roosevelt, and kept saying how like him I was.  Before I left he made me a present of a Cross made from the olive trees in the Garden, which he informed me were so old, that it is quite possible that they may have sheltered Our Lord.  Incidentally, the Garden itself was enclosed by an iron fence, and not open to the public, but looking at it, I was struck by the blaze of colour from the various flowers, in this well-kept plot.  On leaving this most interesting spot, I made a firm resolve to return at a later date, to contemplate all that had happened there.

It is only by visiting these places that one gets a true perspective of the country in which Our Lord moved, and I must say that this opportunity to visit the Holy Land has proved most instructive, and it is now that I realise, how little I knew of the Life of Our Blessed Saviour before I made this visit. Leaving the Garden and climbing the hill I came to the Russian Church of Mary Magdalene.  It was a beautiful structure, typically Russian, with seven of those quaint Russian domes surmounting it.  Entering, I met a Russian Nun who spoke perfect English, and explained some beautiful oils on the walls, and some very pretty icons made by the Nuns.  I was not inclined to climb any higher today, so retracing my steps past the garden, I came to the tomb of Our Lady, a bare hundred yards away.  It is believed that Mary was interred here by the apostles. On this site, about the 5th Century, a church was built, but was later destroyed, as were several later ones. The one that stands today, was erected in the 12^th Century, and looked very old indeed, and is in Greek hands.  Crossing a paved courtyard and entering a large doorway, I saw only steps leading downwards into darkness.  Taking a candle, offered by a Greek priest, I descended these steps, well worn from innumerable feet, forty-seven of them to the bottom.  Half way down these stairs there are two chapels, one on each side, containing the tombs of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of Our Blessed Lady, the other is believed to be over the tomb of St. Joseph.  Arriving at the bottom I was told it is 35 feet below ground. I realised that a strong torch would be more useful than the candle, but had to make do with it.  To the right of the steps is an altar built over the tomb of the Virgin, and beneath the altar a little cavern, the tomb itself.  I entered this little cavern, through a very low opening, and found myself in a tiny room, which contained a marble slab, which has probably been put in there at a subsequent date.  Above it was suspended beautiful wrought silver lamps, belonging to the various churches.

Outside again, I looked round, the best I could under the circumstances, and saw some very old paintings on the walls, and at one place a prayer recess of the Moslems, or so I was told, but doubted very much.  Nearby are other altars belonging to various Christian Sects, which included one for the Abyssinian Church.  Climbing the steps again and reaching the courtyard, I was shown a gate leading to a cave, which I was unable to enter as it was locked.  It is in the hands of the Franciscans, and is the Cavern of the Agony, where Jesus hid Himself with His disciples.  I was not very clear on the point, but I think that it was here that He was arrested and taken to Caiaphas.  This concluded my tour of the Mount of Olives, though I still had to go to the top to see the Chapel of the Ascension, which I will describe later.

Returning to Jerusalem from the Mount, I had a fairly stiff climb which took me to St. Stephen’s Gate.  It is said that St. Stephen was stoned to death near this gate.  Entering, we are once again in the city, and at the lower end of the Via Dolorosa.  Just a few yards and on right hand side is the Church of the White Fathers, St. Anne’s. This church, a grand old structure, dates from the Crusades and occupies the site of the home of St. Joachim and St. Anne.  Above the portal is an inscription in Arabic dating from the time of Saladin, 1192 A.D. A flight of stairs, within the church, descends into a rock-hewn crypt, where was the home of the parents of Our Blessed Lady.  It consists of a series of little chapels.  It is also the site of the birthplace of Mary. Ascending the stairs again to the courtyard, I was shown an ancient pool, believed to be the Pool of Bethesda. It was here that Our Lord worked that miracle of curing the infirm man, and telling him to “take up thy bed and walk.” The remains of this pool have only been discovered in recent years, in fact I believe that excavations are still going on.  I’m afraid that I have not conveyed to you the deep impression that these wanderings had upon me, and my ability with a pen, being so limited, could never express exactly what went on in my mind as I visited these sacred spots so closely associated to the life of Our Blessed Lord.  I can only hope that I have given you some idea of the Jerusalem of today, as I found it.