scruffy1
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Holy Year from Pamplona 2010, SJPP 2011, Lisbon 2012, Le Puy 2013, Vezelay (partial watch this space!) 2014; 2015 Toulouse-Puenta la Reina (Arles)
A beautiful Spring day in Jerusalem, almond trees in bloom e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e so off we went looking for more. Along the way, we popped into the Russian Orthodox Gorney Convent located in Ein Karem, the village where John the Baptist was born. Russian, Russian from the golden onion shaped domes shining in the morning sun to the Orthodox churches and their chancel screens. Icons in honor just about everyone! Peter, Paul, Archangels, Mary, hundreds more, everything in shining gold and spotlessly clean. Peter and Paul, a few other disciples but no Saint James! Luckily there was a Russian nun in attendance who spoke English. A quick inquiry and she replied of course Saint James is here. In front of the screen is a large presentation of what she names as Palestinian saints, meaning one of those recognized by the locals, mostly Latin or Greek, but not Russian. Using whatever is left of my schoolboy Greek, (believe me not much!) I could decipher the Cryllic Джеймс, under a very tiny figure. So, those searching for Saint James in Jerusalem now have the Armenian Church; the prayer kiosk located next to the golden Dome of the Rock - Qubbat As-Sakhrah - and you now have another place to visit Saint James in Jerusalem.