Mosaics of the Magdala side chapels

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Greetings to the many Orthodox Christians who are celebrating Easter Monday today.
It might be the right day to give you the final installment of my description of the new Magdala Center on the Sea of Galilee.
(My previous posts are under Magdala.)

Thank you, people of Singapore, for donating this side chapel.
In the reflection is the main Boat Chapel.

I will quote the descriptions from the official website, since they explain it best.

(You can click on the photos to greatly enlarge them and enjoy the details of the wonderfully colored, sparkly tesserae.)

"Each of the four chapels are home to a mosaic that illustrates events from the public life of Jesus and each mosaic is an open window inviting us toward the infinite love of God in the Gospel. Each chapel has enough room for up to 30 people and an expressive mosaic depicting a biblical event near the Sea of Galilee. They are realistic representations in dialogue with the original sites and invite us to meditate the Gospel scene in its authentic context.
The first chapel facing the lake is the Walking on Water Chapel, representing the story in Matthew where Peter’s faith was tested by walking on water with Jesus. “‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?'” Matthew 14: 29-31 NIV"

"The second chapel facing the lake is the Fishers of Men Chapel, representing another story in Matthew where “Jesus Calls His First Disciples”. “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.”    Matthew 4: 18-20 NIV"

"The other is dedicated to the daughter of Jairus. This holds great significance because she was the only woman whom Jesus raised from the dead. In this we see the Magdala messages woven together. “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.”     Mark 5: 41-42 NIV"

 

BTW, you might enjoy the story of Jerusalem's 1867 school called Talitha Kumi.

Our tour group was in such a rush that I somehow missed the fourth important chapel, so you will have to see the photo at the Magdala website.

"One of these chapels is of course the Mary Magdalene Chapel, where we remember the story in Luke of Jesus casting out demons. “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out.” Luke 8: 1-2 NIV"

Duc in Altum at Magdala Center is a Catholic spiritual center being built by the Church of Mexico.
They are doing a really good job.   Do stop in if you are in Israel.
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(Linking to inSPIREd Sunday,  Weekend Reflections, Monday Mural, signs, signs and Our World Tuesday.)
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Overhead work in the Holy Sepulchre

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In the 12th Station of the Cross I was surprised to see a man working ABOVE the heads of the many pilgrims and tourists.
I was there at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a few weeks ago.
Had to take the pictures in the dark, so click a few times on the photos to enlarge them and see a bit of detail.

Everyone was waiting in line for a chance to kneel under the Greek Orthodox altar and touch the stone of Calvary.
Being Jewish and not Christian, this is not something I do, so I was quite happy to instead watch the work going on overhead.

UPDATE, CORRECTION!  The restorer's name is Georgios and he is from Greece (and not from the Jericho school, as I had wrongly assumed)!  Do see his wonderful comment below!
I also made a new post about him here.
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UPDATE: See also https://religionnews.com/2016/03/25/mosaic-restoration-jesus-calvary-jerusalem/
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(Linking to  inSPIRED Sunday  and Our World Tuesday meme.)
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Gethsemane at closing time

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A few more pictures from my recent short trip back to Jerusalem, these for Skywatch Friday.
Such a blue late afternoon sky above the Mount of Olives!
The golden tiles of the mosaic reflected the setting sun with blinding light. 

I never noticed there is a little mosaic on the side of the facade too.
Enlarge the photo to see it better.
I came at closing time (for a special event) and the usual throngs of tourist groups were gone, allowing one to see and hear much more. 
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Inside, the mosaics of the ceiling of the Church of All Nations were recently painstakingly cleaned and repaired and now they sparkle.
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UPDATE, Thursday evening:
I should have added this nice video about the restorers.  You will be happy you watched it.
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(Linking to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.)
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A thought for Mary on Good Friday

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Simeon said to Mary ". . . and a sword will pierce your own soul also.”   (Lk 2:34-35)
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Update Feb. 24, 2016: About the restoration of mosaics in the Calvary chapel:
http://www.terrasanctablog.org/2016/02/24/new-colors-for-the-chapel-of-the-crucifixion-at-the-holy-sepulcher/ 
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6th century Byzantine monastery discovered, right next door!

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This treading floor of an ancient winepress, half-covered by stones and fallen pine needles, was just sitting nonchalantly, unmarked,  in a little forest near the Israel Trail here in the northern Negev.
If our hike guide had not known where to find it, no one would have seen it. 

It's just another simple white floor made for grape-crushing many centuries ago.
Ho hum . . .

In contrast, however, a really exciting discovery was announced this week!
A 6th century Byzantine monastery with gorgeous mosaic floors!!!
It was found when road work was begun for Meitar's close neighbors, the Bedouin town of Hura. 

You can read the Israel Antiquities Authority's press release about it.
Scroll down to almost the end and click to download  their high resolution photographs.
You'll be glad you did!
UPDATE:  The link to the 41 MB zip folder of pictures  is http://www.antiquities.org.il/images/press/20140401iaapress.zip

Some features of the mosaics are unique,  like the leaf motif.
And the green and yellow tesserae may have come from the Judean desert; they have not been  found in any other Byzantine ruins in Israel.
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Who knows what else is waiting to be discovered right "in our own backyard"!
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Inn of the Good Samaritan and Good Deeds Day

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Today was the annual Good Deeds Day in Israel, so . . .

I is for the Inn of the Good Samaritan, on the road between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.
Get your tickets here.
Or browse the little gift shop.

Enlarge the photo to read which bodies are responsible for organizing this famous spot into a showcase for beautiful mosaics.
It opened to the public in 2009.

I thought it was nice how they made the entrance sign in the form of an old tabula ansata.
That is Latin for "a tablet with handles" and it was a favorite form for votive tablets in Imperial Rome.

And here is a real tabula ansata displayed at the Inn of the Good Samaritan.
I think it is in the mosaic floor from the church narthex at Deir Qal'a.
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My other two posts about the Inn are here. 
The official Hebrew website has a nice little video.
Its English translation site lacks the video.
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(Linking to ABC Wednesday.)
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Monastery of St. Gerasimus

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 H is for heresy, hesychasm, and hermit.
Today is the feast day of St. Gerasimus.

Since my visit to the old old monastery of Gerasimus near Jericho two years ago I have posted much about the beautiful Greek Orthodox  place in the desert.
In honor of his feast day, here are some more photos.

Saint Gerasimus and the animals.

The church.

I think it is the Father Abbot supervising a tree pruning.

 The mosaic workshop.

Another of the many desert hermit monks who practiced the hesychastic asceticism.

A repaired crack in the church wall, result of an earthquake.
The Jordan Valley is part of the Great Rift Valley, prone to quakes. 

Skulls and bones of monks down through the ages.

A modern cafe-oasis for thirsty pilgrims and tourists who like to visit this monastery.

The surrounding desert.
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(Linking to inSPIRED Sunday and  ABC Wednesday.)
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Mosaicist, Greek Orthodox

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(All photos can be enlarged with two clicks.)

M is for  mosaic-making monk in a monastery.

He kindly let me watch how a modern mosaic is painstakingly made, in his workshop at the very old St. Gerasimus Monastery near Jericho.

See more about St. Gerasimus Monastery, also known in Arabic as Deir Hajleh and in Hebrew as Beth-Hogla, here:

http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.co.il/2012/05/monastery-full-of-animals.html
and
http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.co.il/2012/05/mother-mary-nursing-her-baby.html
Lots of photos and info at http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/StGerassimos.html

Mosaic carpets in various stages of progress.
Maybe you'd like to order one?
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(Linking to ABC Wednesday.)
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UPDATE: Thanks to Pasadena Adjacent's use of the word smalti in her comment,  I learned a nice new word and found this great illustrated glossary of mosaic terms:
http://www.mosaicartsource.com/mosaicart/mosaic_art_resource/mosaic_glossary.html    and they even have a blog about mosaics!
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O is for opus sectile

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Opus sectile  is my O word for today's ABC Wednesday meme.

Opus sectile is an art technique that was popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world.
Materials such as marble, glass, and mother of pearl were cut and inlaid into floors and walls to make a picture or pattern.
The material was cut into thinnish pieces, polished, and trimmed further according to the chosen pattern.

My first three photos are of a display at last month's 13th Annual Studies of Ancient Jerusalem Conference in Jerusalem.

Remember how I told you about the sifting project, sifting rubble from the Temple Mount?
Well, that's how these opus sectile fragments were found.
It is believed that the tiles above are from Herodian times, some 2,000 years ago, from Herod's expansion and repaving of the Second Temple courtyards. 

I think it was sifting staff member Frankie Snyder who made the above "puzzles," one a known pattern from Byzantine times and one from a Crusader church.

Enlarge the photo and see how the actual stone pieces are inserted into the painted model.

I was so impressed!

Here is an opus sectile floor in situ.
It is in the Herodian Quarter (Wohl Museum) in the Jewish Quarter.
The affluent Jewish house from 2,000 years ago is one of six such houses discovered and excavated in 1969-1983.
Their design was influenced by the Hellenistic-Roman style.

Here in between our shadows is a partially-uncovered opus sectile floor at Susita (Hippos) in the Golan Heights. 

If you want to learn the language of regular mosaics (not opus sectile), the Getty Conservation Institute and the Israel Antiquities Authority  developed a wonderful
Illustrated Glossary in pdf.
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Inn of the Good Samaritan

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The modern addition to the Inn of the Good Samaritan, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, reflected the desert of the Judean Hills.

Here's the view from inside.
The tour group I was with yesterday was viewing the mosaics.
Opened in 2009, this is now one of the biggest mosaics museums in the world.

You arrive at the glass construction after passing through the 3 or 4 arches and galleries in the old Turkish building.

Oops, another reflection for Weekend Reflections.

You can enlarge the photo and read Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan.
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More about the old/new Inn of the Good Samaritan next week.
Meanwhile, you can read more about it here or see a short video here.
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Shabbat shalom.
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The anointing stone, then and now

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Entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the first thing to greet you is a wide modern mosaic that shows the dreadful events of the first Good Friday.

In between the mosaic and the light of the door is the anointing stone, the stone of unction.
Some perceive the marble slab to be the 13th station of the cross, the station before the very last one.
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(This can be a contribution to Monday Murals at Oakland Daily Photo.)
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A is for arrivals and archaeology at the airport

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Applause for ABC Wednesday going into Round 9 today!
Mrs. Nesbitt and her meme team deserve straight A's.

And I was at the airport today to await the arrival of two dear relatives who are moving back to Israel after many years in America.
Ahalan!
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Archaeology, even at the airport!
This big mosaic carpet hangs on a wall in Terminal 3.

Appropriately, it is a mosaic that was discovered in Lod.
Ben-Gurion International Airport was formerly called Lod Airport because it is near the town of Lod.
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A foretaste of Pentecost

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In the dim recesses of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a priest and his reflection.

Enlarge the photo and you will even see the light reflected in his eyeglasses as well.
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What almost looks like a flame above his head reminds us that this Sunday is Pentecost for some Christians.
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The Book of Acts says that the Apostles were gathered together in one place [the Upper Room] when suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting.
Then tongues of fire appeared and one sat upon each one of Apostles!
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit.

The glass in which the priest was reflected shields a mosaic above the glittery bench.
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The large mosaic of the Crucifixion was made in 1970.
It is next to the arched door of the Armenians' sacristy.
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I hope James and the growing group at Weekend Reflections enjoy this dim reflection of inner brightness.
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A mosaic created by kids

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If you go snooping around in its out-of-the-way corners, you'll find that Jerusalem's huge International Convention Center (Binyanei HaUma) is full of treasures.
Remember those funny naked statues in the broom closet and the Roman Tenth Legion kilns in the basement?
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When I needed a break from browsing at the official event in the hall, the International Book Fair, I went roaming upstairs, only to find this nice mosaic half-hidden behind coat racks.
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The mosaic looked better reflected in this wall of mirrors
AND it gave me a shot for James' Weekend Reflections meme.
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The inscription explains that the mosaic is a tribute to Jerusalem made by the 6th grade class of Dekalim School in Kibbutz Hamadia in 1993.
The art project was an initiative of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
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Wouldn't you love to make a mosaic, especially at the age of ten?!
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