Know Someone Sick? Maybe A Prayer Can Help
There are times when you lose track of time and life seems to be a losing battle. You seem to be losing hope in your daily struggle for survival as both your body and soul are weary due to chronic illness; and, despite taking your medicines judiciously, there is no marked improvement. Divine blessings may be the magic pill that you need in these trying circumstances, to deliver you from this state of despair and hopelessness. If you are physically unable to travel to your chosen destination to seek blessings from the Supreme Power, sending a prayer for the sick could give you a glimmer of hope and the much-needed will to overcome your feeling of helplessness. Read on to find out more about the places you can reach out to and send a prayer request to the Holy Land.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as Holy Sepulchre, is believed to be the place where Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected. As early as the 2nd century, the hill where the church is located has been a site of worship; the first building that was built here was a temple dedicated to the worship of Aphrodite. One can see the Stone of Unction, which marks the spot where Jesus’s body was prepared for burial, the Angel’s Stone (a piece of the rock used to seal Christ’s tomb), and the tomb itself. The New Testament claims that Christ was crucified at Golgotha, the place of the skull. Constantine the Great constructed the first church on the site. Saint Helena, Constantine’s mother, discovered the relic of the “True Cross” of Christ’s Crucifixion in 326 C.E. You can send a request for a prayer for the sick to this revered site and seek Christ’s blessings for you and your loved ones.
Garden Tomb
The Garden Tomb is located outside the city walls of Jerusalem; its proximity lies close to the Damascus Gate. Popular belief suggests that the site, also known as Gordon’s Calvary, was the place of Christ’s burial and resurrection. Although the tomb was discovered in 1867, archaeologists have traced its origins to 9th-7th BC, corresponding with the era of the Old Testament. The scriptures mention “Golgotha,” which means “skull’ in Aramaic, as the site of Christ’s crucifixion. If you cannot undertake the journey to this holy site due to poor health, you can send a prayer for the sick and receive the Lord’s divine blessings.
Church of All Nations
In 1924, the Church of All Nations, also known as the Basilica of the Agony, was constructed on the remains of a 4th-century basilica and a chapel built by the Crusaders in the 12th century. The church is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem alongside the Garden of Gethsemane facing the walls of the Old City. The bubble-domed roof gives the structure a distinct Byzantine appearance. A magnificent mosaic spread across a row of Corinthian columns depicts Christ as an intermediary between God and humankind. The church marks the place where Christ prayed on a section of the bedrock in the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of his arrest and crucifixion. If the expense of travel acts as a deterrent or it is not possible to leave your ailing near and dear one alone, you can send a prayer for the sick.
Abbey of the Dormition
The name “Dormition” means “coma”, and the neo-Romanesque monastic church located on Mount Zion commemorates the Virgin Mary’s “eternal sleep” and ascension to heaven. In the early 20th century, the complex was constructed over the ruins of a Byzantine church; hence, it is also known as Hagia-Maria-Sion Abbey. In 1898, German emperor Wilhelm II built the church on a piece of land received from the Ottoman sultan during his visit to the Holy Land. In 1910, the church was inaugurated and stands out as a major landmark with its round shape, lead-covered conical roof, four turrets, and bell tower. If you are too weak to travel to this holy site, you can send a prayer request to the Holy Land and let the Lord’s healing powers touch you.
St. Peter’s Church
The church, built in 1931, is located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion outside the Old City of Jerusalem. The site is believed to be the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas and the place where Christ was arrested and imprisoned. It commemorates the triple denial of Christ’s apostle Peter, his repentance, and reconciliation with Jesus after the Resurrection. You can visit the church from Monday to Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or send a prayer request for the sick.
You can travel to these holy sites or send a prayer request to the Holy Land to regain your physical as well as mental strength. A prayer for the sick can soothe your frayed nerves or give you the courage to soldier on.
