fixion and grave. Each event on his walk has a chapel commemorating it; together
these chapels comprise the 14 Stations of the Cross. The present route was
mapped out during the Crusader period and passes through the Muslim and Chris-
tian Quarters. Modern New Testament scholars have suggested alternate routes
based on recent archaeological and historical reconstructions.
To begin the walk taken by Jesus and millions of tourists and pilgrims, start at
St. Stephen's Gate. When coming from Damascus or Jaffa Gates, it is necessary to
walk along part of the Via Dolorosa to get to the starting point. While this may
cause temptation to see the stations out of order, following the traditional
sequence will provide a more rewarding experience. On Fridays at 3pm (summer
4pm), a group of pilgrims led by Franciscan monks walk the Via Dolorosa starting
at al-Omariyyeh College (the first station) and welcome additional guests.
THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
I. One bone of contention between sects involves the starting point of Jesus's final
walk as a mortal. It is generally agreed that Jesus was brought before Pontius
Pilate, the Roman procurator, for judgment. Normally, Roman governors fulfilled
their duties in the palace of Herod the Great, south of Jaffa Gate and the Citadel
area. But on feast days such as Passover, the day of Jesus's condemnation, the gov-
ernor and his soldiers presumably based themselves at the Antonia Fortress (also
built by Herod) to be closer to the Temple Mount. Reflecting this holiday reloca-
tion, the Tower of Antonia, in the courtyard of al-Omariyyeh College, is considered to
be the First Station, where Jesus was condemned. The station is not marked. For
one of the best views of the Dome of the Rock plaza, walk into the courtyard of the
school, turn left, and ascend the steps on the right. (Just past an archway, 200m from St.
Stephen's Gate, a ramp with a blue railing on the left returns to the courtyard.)
II. Across the Via Dolorosa from the ramp is a Franciscan monastery; inside on
the left is the Condemnation Chapel, complete with a three-dimensional relief above
the altar. This is the Second Station, where Jesus was sentenced to crucifixion. On
the right is the Chapel of the Flagellation, where he was first flogged by Roman sol-
diers. Inside the Chapel of the Flagellation, on the right, a crown of thorns adorns
the dome. (Open dailyApr.-Sep-ll:45am and 4-6pm; Oct.-Ma-ll:45am and l-5pm.)
Continuing along the Via Dolorosa, pass beneath the Ecce Homo Arch, built on
the site of Pontius Pilate's mansion, where Pilate looked down upon Jesus and
cried, "Behold the Man." The arch (identifiable by its two windows) is actually
part of the triumphal arch that commemorated Emperor Hadrian's suppression
of the Bar Kokhba Revolt in the 2nd century. Half of the arch is inside the Convent
of the Sisters of Zion, beneath which the Lithostratos excavations have cleared a
large chamber thought by some to be a judgment hall, making it an alternative
First Station. Within the excavations is evidence of a pagan game called the
Game of King, which Roman soldiers played to torment prisoners. (Open M-Sa
8:30am-5pm. NIS6, students NIS4.)
III. Although the following stations-the destinations of countless pilgrims-are
all marked, they are nonetheless difficult to spot. Immediately after the Via Dolo-
rosa turns left onto al-Wad Rd. look left for the doorto the Armenian Catholic
Patriarchy. To the left of the door is the Third Station, where Jesus fell to his knees
for the first time. A small Polish chapel inside a blue gate marks the spot; a relief
above the entrance, marked "III Statio," depicts Jesus kneeling beneath the cross.
IV. At the Fourth Station, a few meters farther on the left, just beyond the Armenian
Orthodox Patriarchate, a small chapel commemorates the spot where Jesus saw
his mother. Look for a metal plaque that simply says "IV" and a relief of Jesus and
Mary above light blue iron doors, to the left of an arched alleyway.