Day 8: Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb is the believed (speculated) sight of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Both the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb make this claim, but there is not any confirmed evidence at either location.

In the mix of the crowds and tourists everywhere, it’s important not to forget that Jesus defeating death is the basis of the Christian faith. Even if it didn’t happen in that exact spot, the real spot would not be more than a couple of blocks away. Roman crucifixions took place outside of the city walls along main roads as a warning sign to those entering the city. Which leaves a (relatively) small number of locations where it could have occurred. It is important to pray over and reflect on the sacrifice made by Jesus rather than getting too swept up in the crowds flocking to the sites.

With that in mind, the Garden Tomb was one of our absolute favorite sites in Jerusalem. There are beautiful gardens and designated areas for prayer and worship with your groups. It gives a feeling of peace and tranquility that is really unique inside the bustling city. So even if it’s not the exact site of the crucifixion and resurrection, it gives you space in a beautiful area to pray and reflect.

We had a service with the group and served communion. It was a fantastic spiritual experience and was one of our favorite moments on the trip.

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