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Click on the photos and enlarge your viewing pleasure!
Click on the photos and enlarge your viewing pleasure!
Pope Benedict XVI is our guest in Israel this week and everywhere he goes, the surveillance balloon floats above him.Israel's biggest-ever security for a VIP was code-named by the police "Operation White Cloak."
Here the observation balloon hovers over the wall of Jerusalem's Old City as we gathered in the Kidron Valley.
These pictures above are for SkyWatch Friday. Welcome Skywatchers; if you would like to see the Pope himself, please see the previous two posts.
Some 6,000 managed to get invitations to the Pontifical Mass last Tuesday.
This is the booklet of the liturgy, in Latin and Arabic.
Seating on chairs was limited, only for the handicapped or for VIPs like high clergy and members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
The rest of us sat under, or even ON, the olive trees.
BYO--bring your own stool was preferred by the nuns pictured above and below.
If you're wondering why nuns (and almost everyone else) are wearing white baseball caps, it is because the Benedict souvenirs were freely distributed.
A necessity in our hot bright sun.
These Benedictines were well grounded.
Seating on chairs was limited, only for the handicapped or for VIPs like high clergy and members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
The rest of us sat under, or even ON, the olive trees.
BYO--bring your own stool was preferred by the nuns pictured above and below.
If you're wondering why nuns (and almost everyone else) are wearing white baseball caps, it is because the Benedict souvenirs were freely distributed.A necessity in our hot bright sun.
These Benedictines were well grounded.
.
If you are wondering where the monks are, please come back tomorrow.
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wow, a Mass for 6000? And all the nuns and monks! I didn't know all those lived in Israel, or did they come over from different countries for this event?
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw the basball caps right away - they're getting more modern:)
Jeannette shalom. Our mass was relatively small. Today the Pope did mass for 40,000, some say 60,000, in Nazareth.
ReplyDeleteThe nuns and monks were mostly local. Come back tomorrow to see some nice brothers.
I always enjoy looking into your world, I would love to visit Jerusalem one day.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week
Guy
Regina In Pictures
Quite a crowd ... in that heat, I am however not surprised ... I do wonder if this Pope draws as big a crowd as the last
ReplyDeleteso enjoying your posts about the papal visit...must be a traffic nightmare for the locals.
ReplyDeleteHi Guy, hope you can visit someday.
ReplyDeleteDaryl, shalom. Well, Pope Benedict is not the charismatic personality that John Paul II was. Our space in Jerusalem was small, built for only 6,000. But in Bethlehem and near Nazareth much bigger places were especially built for the Mass. So today's mass in Nazareth drew between 40,000 to 60,000.
I will definitely come back tomorrow to follow your visit. Your respect for faiths other than you own is a wonderful example to all of us. Would that more of us knew as much as you about those who believe differently.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. I especially liked the nuns with the baseball caps :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and captions. You have a way with pens and lens.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. But no pics of the Pope? Like to see that. Thanks for sharing. I love your posts. Always interested in what's going on in Jeresalem.
ReplyDeleteCaprice
Quite a lot of excitement in your area lately. What an enthusiastic welcome he has received there. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAn extravaganza this week, Dina!!
ReplyDeleteJust great.
I'll see those monks tomorrow...
(God willing)
Aloha!
Dina, this is a very interesting and informative post. It's a great and historical event the Papal visit, isn't it? You've described so well everything, with photos and text.
ReplyDeleteOf course I was joking about the "Mass tickets": I know they were given because of the many many people crowded there. :-)
See you tomorrow!
When I saw that first picture of the nuns I thought they were wearing hardhats. Now that took me by surprise
ReplyDeletei was wondering why everyone was wearing the same hat - the sun can be frightening at times. it's become dreadfully hot too quickly in hania too
ReplyDeleteDina, the yellow things in Vienna's Museumsquartier are not "verboten", they are outdoor sofas, and in the warm season (young) people come here to spend the night, they sit together on the sofas, chatting, and bringing some wine or drinks with them and meeting other people. It's THE place for young people to meet in Vienna!
ReplyDeleteYour post about the Pope visit is great, Dina! So many people attending the mass!
Oooh, a flying whale! This balloon really looks like one.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how tight the security must be. I am glad that the whole event pass without any incident, at least not from the news.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post, Dina! Thank you so much for letting us experience this all with you. I feel like I'm there with you.
ReplyDeleteAs you said Dina, not as much charismatic as John Paul II was.
ReplyDeleteDifficult for any cardinal to succeed to him.
In our TV news, they seem to say that it was not a fantastic fervour as it was expected....
Dina, it looks like a good time was had by all, including the blimp.
ReplyDeleteLOL .. Nuns in baseball caps, that's so funny :-) Sister Francis, from my childhood, would have had a fit !! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a big crowd and interesting.
Great photos !!!
What excitement!! great shots you took. I wish we could blend like this forever. great series. MB
ReplyDelete‘Operation White Cloak’--- how funny… brilliant (lol)!
ReplyDelete‘Some 6,000 managed to get invitations to the Pontifical Mass last Tuesday.’--- how on earth does one get an invite to a pontifical mass?
‘If you're wondering why nuns (and almost everyone else) are wearing white baseball caps, it is because the Benedict souvenirs were freely distributed. A necessity in our hot bright sun.’--- and, everyone likes a freebie :)
Great images, Dina! Looks like it was one of those ‘one in a lifetime experiences’!
Dina, so nice to see all the nuns wearing baseball caps, too funny!
ReplyDeleteI love these pictures!
It also made me laugh seeing "Operation White Cloak." I would like to say Why do we have to protect religious leaders like that
On the other hand: People are longing for peace, I don't know what to say ...
Shalom !
Great pictures!