Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is, by and large, a cemetery. But it is no ordinary cemetery. Most of Israel’s important people both now and of the olden days have been buried in the slopes of Mount of Olives. It is the very spot where the Jews continue to wait for their Messiah to come and meet them in all glory on Judgment Day.
To us Christians, Mount of Olives holds a lot more significance.
It is also the place of the Ascension of Jesus, and a chapel marks the very spot where Jesus supposedly ascended into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)
It is also the place where Jesus “looked over the city and wept.” (Luke 19:41)
At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, another place of huge significance to Christians. It is where Jesus prayed while the disciples were sleeping and where he was arrested shortly following Judas’ betrayal (Luke 22).
Some of the Olive trees in the garden are already very old. At least three have been scientifically dated to be more than 2,000 years old! Im sure the significance of it would surely not escape every devout christian’s attention. It means that those trees have already been there during Jesus’ time and they have possibly been touched by Jesus.
Beside the Garden of Gethsemane is a huge and beautiful church called the Church of Agony (from the Agony in the Garden: “Lord, if it possible let this cup pass from me.”). It is actually now better known by its other name, The Church of All Nations.
