How does it feel to be a floor washer of the holiest Christian site in the world?
I could imagine it as a big honor.
Coming very early one morning to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, before the hordes of tourists descended on it, I was almost alone in the cavernous church.
Only the cleaning man was busy, washing the ancient stones at the entrance.
His buckets and mops were stashed behind the great door, on the very steps which lead up to Calvary, to Golgotha.
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For more about the Holy Sepulchre see Sacred Destinations or visit some of my previous posts.
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Today city bloggers all over the world are posting People in Their Workplace for our City Daily Photo theme day. You're invited.
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(Also linking to OurWorld Tuesday and Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.)
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That is quite a place to work in.... such a strange contradiction in competing denominations jockeying for advantage. I wrote a sequence inside there.
ReplyDeleteWilliam, thank God for the Status Quo that usually keeps the peace inside the church.
ReplyDeleteTell us more about your writing!
what a remarkable place to visit. i would love to see it.
ReplyDeleteHis bright, blue bucket could have come straight from K-Mart, Dina. What a contradiction in terms, and images.
ReplyDeleteI had my main characters, a pair of spies, one of whom had been an archaeologist, take a tour of the place guided by an Israeli colleague.
ReplyDeleteGreat theme day photo.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how there are a lot of normal "civilian" type jobs at religious places ... also sometimes gardeners and cooks and janitors :)
ReplyDeleteThe place fascinates, with all its history.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a job that suits me I think. I've only been there with the tourist hordes and it lost something in translation because of all the crowds.
ReplyDeletesa a cleaner myself it seems a huge job
ReplyDeleteYes, he really is lucky! And wowee, what a spectacular door!!
ReplyDeleteOne of the strangest workplaces ever...
ReplyDeleteThat is a great and unique place to work !
ReplyDelete... and a fabulous door thrown in for good measure.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice, the forgotten workers who we seldom see. Lovely light in thosse images too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful huge door.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good job he is doing.
Nice image, full of atmosphere of the old place.
Have you been there, William? Or did you use another type of research to create your tour? Research for writing interests me.
ReplyDeleteI just love the top shot! It somehow reminds me of this one: http://mendoncajose.blogspot.pt/2010/07/key-to-temple.html
ReplyDelete:-)
PRIVATE: Thank you for the link to the Myanmar thing. It was one of the countries I most enjoyed visiting and I'm very worried about everything that's going on there. The Burmese are the nicest people I've ever met and they have not had an easy life thanks to the bloody Junta which ruled for so many years. Things are changing but it doesn't mean it's always for the best.
ReplyDeleteAlso thank you you for the link to the visit to Portugal, which I'm going to read next.
Good one!
ReplyDeleteSo enjoyed this! Wonderful photos and truly amazing place to work.
ReplyDeleteA very special workplace indeed - that blue bucket put the whole thing in perspective and really made the photo.
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought of that. Brilliant post Dina!
ReplyDeleteDina
ReplyDeletewhat made you go very early, before most visitors arrive? By the way, the opening of the bolted gates each morning is quite a ritual.
Dina, it is an excellent photograph and a creative interpretation of the "worker" theme.
ReplyDeleteI can't find an email address for you on your CDP blog. Please contact me at hartforddailyphoto AT gmail DOT com. Thanks.
Holy and quiet place to work in.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics.
Thanks for your visit Dina.
Just googled the meaning of 'Shalom'
:-) Shalom to you
Gorgeous shots.
ReplyDeletePetrea, I haven't been there. I used websites with layouts and photographs and weaved the scene around that. I did something similar with the Israel Museum, which has a virtual tour of the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. It came in very handy in crafting a scene.
ReplyDeleteThanks all, for your really interesting comments!
ReplyDeleteJose, yes, your fabulous door of the priest at Abu Simbel is also the play of light and dark! I love your photo.
Helen, I had to be in the Old City early for a Houses From Within tour, so I went first to wander around in the Holy Sepulchre. Yes, you're right about the locking and unlocking of the door old custom. In fact if you click on my first photo, you can see the ladder which is passed through the small opening in the wooden door as part of the nightly "ritual."
Jack, thanks. I emailed.
Mumbaiiteanu, shalom and welcome! The church is only quiet before the tourist groups come.
William, you must come and see the real thing, though!
VP, strange indeed.
Thank you for your response, William! The internet is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteSomeday I will! It's quite curious- I'm agnostic, but I feel drawn to the old city and to Israel in general.
ReplyDelete