The Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary-Magdalene is nestled on the Mount of Olives and creates a visual beauty worthy of note. Whether you are a believer or not; the Holy Land is spell bounding and appeals to all our senses. This striking church with its 7 onion-shaped domes caught our attention. It is a fine example of old Muscovite-church style and was built in 1888 by Czar Alexander III in memory of his mother and named after Saint Mary Magdalene. It is maintained today by the white Russian nuns ('white' refers to the color of their religious habits). In the crypt lies the body of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodoronova, sister of the Empress Alexandra. She was killed in 1918 by the Bolsheviks, and in accordance with her wishes her body was brought to Jerusalem for burial. This piece of history may never be news-worthy; but, it shows in our opinion how people of a different era valued this sacred spot as we do today.
I could add another 10 topics on our Holy Land experience of Winter 2016. I choose to leave it at 10. Our group learnt a lot about this area of the world so often in the news when a bomb explodes or conflicts occur between Jews and Palestinians. What we leave with are the hospitality and care we received and the memories of so many courageous people living in an area too violent for most of us. We pray for peace in a corner of the world where God's name is mentioned every second. Don Milo and Don Ronaldo.
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