The Palm Sunday Processional

Calling out Hosanna In the Holy Land

 

We are blessed to be able to march in the Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem. As we walked through the streets, waving our palm branch and calling out “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9), I felt a deep connection to the powerful words of scripture and the hope and promise of our faith.

The cry of “Hosanna” is a plea for salvation, a cry for help in times of trouble. The same cries Jesus heard as he entered Jerusalem! Hearing the crowds called out for salvation, recognizing him as the one who comes in the name of the Lord. In this cry, we stir up the depth of our need for redemption and the power of our faith to provide that redemption.

In the Gospel of John, we are reminded of Jesus’ own words: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Through Jesus, we find the way to salvation and the promise of eternal life. It is this promise that we celebrate during the Palm Sunday procession.

As we march, we were reminded of the words of the Psalmist: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26). We are called to bless the name of the Lord, recognizing the power and majesty of our God and the hope that he provides.

Our experience of marching in the procession was deeply moving, as we felt a sense of connection to the centuries of Christians who have participated in this tradition. The cry of “Hosanna” echoed through the streets, reminding all of us of the power of our faith to provide salvation and redemption in times of trouble.

May we always remember the hope and promise of our faith, and may we continue to call out for salvation in times of need. Let us carry the message of the Palm Sunday procession with us, trusting in the love and grace of our Lord to guide us through any challenges that we may face.

About The Salvation Garden

Contact The Salvation Garden if you want to send a prayer to the Holy Land without traveling. We are a dedicated prayer community that constantly works to ensure that all prayers are hand delivered to the church of your choice in Jerusalem.

All you need to do is visit our website and fill out the your prayer request . Next, choose the holy site where we would deliver the prayer. We will also confirm with you once that we have received your prayer and send you pictures of your prayer at the site of miracles once it is delivered.

 

Praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: My Experience

Praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: My Experience

Despite temperatures touching 90 degrees, prayers don’t stop at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter of the old city. It is hard to believe that these modest walls house the site where Christianity’s four most important events — the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, are said to have occurred.

What is Significant about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?

The Gospels tell us that the Lord, Jesus, was crucified at Golgotha – the place of the skull. The current complex encompasses that original location. One cannot help but feel overwhelmed by the scope of history and faith that surrounds the courtyard. Wars have been fought and tales of honor among the vanquished abound.

Who Worships at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?

Today, the joint ownership of the Church lies mainly with the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian Orthodox, and the Roman Catholic denominations.

The outer walls of the Church display signs of classic Roman and Baroque architecture. However, parts of the structure have been razed and rebuilt several times. The entrance to the complex can be accessed via a flight of stairs leading up from the‘Cardo’ — the main street of Jerusalem.

Who Holds the Keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?

Interestingly, the keys to the Church have traditionally been kept by a Sunni Muslim family since the time of Emperor Saladin. The story goes that the Caliph Umar took possession of the Church peacefully from the Roman patriarch Sophronius on the condition that the houses of worship in Jerusalem would not be harmed. To fulfill these conditions, the Caliph entrusted the keys to a loyal Muslim household called ‘Nussaiba’. When Emperor Saladin re-conquered the city from the Crusaders, he honored Caliph Umar’s arrangement by engaging another Muslim family called ‘Al-Goudia’.

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

At the entrance to the Church building, there is usually a long line of pilgrims waiting to be admitted. A series of steps lead up to the Hill of Calvary, where lie two chapels. The lavishly decorated one on the left is believed to be the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. The chapel to the right marks the spot where Jesus was nailed to the Cross. The Rock of Calvary, from the abandoned quarry that existed in Jesus’ time, is now encased in glass beneath the altar, with an opening through which you can touch the old limestone. You can even see a fissure in the rock which is consistent with the story that the earth cracked open upon Jesus’ death as mentioned in the New Testament.

The two chapels correspond to the Eleventh and Twelfth Stations of the Cross or the Via Dolorosa. The Tenth Station, where Jesus is stripped of his garments, also occurred on Calvary. As one watches these divine relics, the Apostle’s Creed comes instinctively to mind:

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into Hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.“

From the Chapel of the Crucifixion, you can move on to the Stone of Anointing, now covered with a building and lined with ornate candlesticks and frescoes. This is the place where Jesus’ body was laid down and prepared for burial.

If you wish you can visit the immaculate Iconostasis – the link between heaven and the holy place. The Armenian Station of the Holy Women is commemorated by a circular slab with four pillars supporting a marble roof. From here, Mary and the women of Jerusalem are said to have watched the Crucifixion.

The Real Tomb of Jesus Christ

Going past the Station of the Holy Women, you reach the Rotunda, which houses the Tomb of Christ under a massive dome. Archaeologically, this site has been confirmed to be either the actual site of Jesus’ tomb or very close to it because a real tomb existed at the current spot. This area is flanked by barricades where Christian faithful the world over can come and pray for all kinds of miracles. For this is the site of the greatest miracle of all – Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from death — a signifier of forgiveness for mankind’s sins. This site is universally accepted as being the holiest site in Christianity and praying here is an experience Christians should simply not miss.

You can volunteer to pray overnight at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre even as you learn to wait for mass offerings in three different traditions. The doors close by 9 pm at the latest and only open at 4 in the morning. As the Franciscan priests put it, praying at the Holy Sepulchre Church can be painful but very spiritually rewarding afterward.

If by any chance, you are unable to make it to this holiest of holy sites in your lifetime, The Salvation Garden praying community can send a delegation here to pray on your behalf. We will send you photographs and videos of your prayer being recited should you so choose, for a small donation. These donations go toward travel and other logistics to make the trip possible and are only a fraction of the cost it would take for you to perform the journey on your own. Send a prayer request to the Holy Sepulchre Church today.

The Evangelical Church of Ascension in Jerusalem

Prayer Request at The Evangelical Church of Ascension

Upon delivering an urgent prayer request, submitted online by one of The Salvation Garden’s community members, we visited a phenomenal holy site.

In the heart of the Holy Land, in the Eastern part of Jerusalem, stands the Mount of Olives, the exact place from which Jesus ascended to heaven.

Over  130 years ago, in 1898, The German Emperor Wilhelm II visited the Mount of Olives, gasped in the magnificent view of the Old City, and decided to build a hospice. He honored his wife and named the place after here. Until these days, this is location of the Augusta Victoria Hospital.

Augusta Victoria Bell Tower Prayer Request

The Highest Bell Tower around Jerusalem

Inside the hospital compounds stands a glorious church which resembles a German fort, with a 45 meters high bell tower and a great hall.  At 850 meters above sea level and about 1,300 meters above the Dead Sea, anyone visiting Jerusalem notices the Augusta Victoria tower.

After climbing about 230 stairs, the views from the top of the tower were breathtaking. Looking at the ancient Old City of Jerusalem from above, one can see all the great churches, the big wall and the entire city.

View from Augusta Victoria Bell Tower

Praying for You at Augusta Victoria

To deliver the urgent prayer request we also entered the great hall of the church. Sadly, during our visit the church has marked nearly a full year of closure, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The wonderful mosaics, the amazing ceiling and the huge organ – all were left unseen and untouched for long months. We were honored to walk the isles and speak our prayers softly.

While we would love to deliver more prayer requests at the Augusta Victoria church, it is quite remote and closed most of the time. Yet sometimes we get a special request like this one, who wanted us to pray at the site of ascension, where Jesus ascended to heaven.

Evangelical Church of Ascension Prayer Request

Looking up, the ceiling of the church is so beautiful and powerful. Looking forward, towards the location of Ascension, the marble work is astonishing. And on the left side, almost hidden, stands the Altar from the Schneller Syrian Orphanage, dated 1910.

Augusta Victoria Altar Prayer Request

Prayer Request Under This Ceiling

After prayer, raising our eyes, you can’t stop looking at this ceiling.

Request a Prayer at Augusta Victoria Jerusalem Church - Ceiling

Wish you could have been here with us, praying together for better times. The team of The Salvation Garden will continue to go anywhere our praying members ask us, all with sincere love from the Holy Land.

We, The Salvation Garden, offer you the chance to send your urgent prayer requests for any reason. Allow us to pray for you! Send your Urgent Prayer Requests now.

Our dedicated team members will personally take your urgent prayer requests to a Church of your choice in the Holy Land and then offer them to our Lord. After we bring your prayer requests to your chosen Holy Church, we will send you videos or pictures to assure you.

 

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