City Daily Photo group is having a Theme Day on the subject of England's St. George's Day, which is today.
See how other bloggers illustrated the day at the CDP website.
St. George's Cathedral may be the closest thing we have to an old English church in Jerusalem.
Dedicated in 1898, the Cathedral of St. George the Martyr, mother
church of the Anglican/Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, is home to both
an Arabic-speaking and an English-speaking congregation.
It is on Nablus Road in east Jerusalem.
Enlarge the photo and see what's atop the bell tower. : )
The interior of the church is in my earlier posts about the organ and about the British symbols; and there's one about the attached guesthouse.
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But what I really really want you to see is this amazing little 96-year-old movie of British General Allenby walking into the Old City through Jaffa Gate to the stairs of the Citadel on December 11, 1917!
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There he accepted the Turkish surrender of Jerusalem, ending 400 years of Ottoman rule in the Holy Land.
At the 1 minute mark you even see Lawrence of Arabia!
Then the troops marched down Jaffa Street in the New City.
The music of the video is the rousing hymn sung in England especially on St. George's Day:
"And did those feet in ancient time" also called "Jerusalem" --which is an amazing story in itself!
See the words here.
Did Jesus really set foot in England?!
Set foot in England? God is everywhere!
ReplyDeleteWilliam Blake's poem:
ReplyDeleteAnd did those feet in ancient time.
Walk upon England's mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On England's pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England's green & pleasant Land.
Amazing footage, no pun intended with the hymn...
ReplyDeleteThe video is marvelous as is your posting for today. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting video.
ReplyDeleteAn Arkies Musings
It really does look very English.
ReplyDeletePerhaps satellite transmissions are the dragons of today.....
ReplyDeleteSunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia
what a fabulous old film clip
ReplyDeleteThis is very important and interesting. Thanks for sharing it !
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ReplyDeleteGreat film and that church in your picture is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis church must really stand out in jerusalem for the different architecture.
ReplyDeleteThat Lawrence of Arabia was kind of a little guy.
ReplyDeleteMay have been the end of the Ottoman Empire but yesterday was the start of the 98 year anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Every year the Armenians march on the streets of Hollywood in remembrance.
What a great post, Dina! Thank you for the video and for your explanations too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting video! Which person was Lawrence of Arabia - I couldn't tell. I saw the movie about him long ago but I didn't really understand the politics and history of what was happening in it then.
ReplyDeleteI like that song from Blake's poem. There's even an Emerson, Lake and Palmer version ;)
Friends, thanks for all your witty and/or pithy comments!
ReplyDeletePA, yes, the Jerusalem Armenians also had ceremonies in their churches and seminaries marking the genocide.
Crystal, I found the song (although I don't know the group, shame) at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN11bI1_sZo Thanks!
Lawrence is the short officer to whom tall Allenby speaks by bending down to him. (starting at minute 1:01)
It is only in recent years that I start to understand the events in the movie "Lawrence of Arabia," after living here in the region.
Did you know, Peter O'Toole taught the Bedouin to use foam rubber with the camel saddles for a bearable ride through Wadi Rum.
:)
I don't believe Jesus was ever in England or in any other European country, but
ReplyDeleteI love the music of Jerusalem and the poem of William Blake.
Thanks for this post. Shabbat shalom.
Oh, thanks, Dina. The real Lawrence looks so different than he did in the movie with his robes. Interesting the effect a single person can have on events.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is just so cool!
ReplyDeleteNot an architectural style I would have connected with Jerusalem, but given Jerusalem's history, I shouldn't have been surprised. Satellite dishes are not something I would have expected on top of a cathedral either. The video is an amazing find!
ReplyDeleteGlorious! I like the photo of the church very much, but I was floored by the video. An what else byt Parry's hymn could have accompanied it? Wonderful realisation of the theme!!
ReplyDeleteThe satellite dishes are a funny addition, good eye :)
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