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An ancient capital reflected in the glass ramp that leads to
the Church of the Flagellation, which was originally built by the Crusaders in the 12th century.
The
Convent (monastery) of the Flagellation now belongs to the Franciscans.
The external wall of the sanctuary is the 2nd Station of the Way of the Cross, marking the imposition of the cross.
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(A post for
Weekend Reflections.)
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UPDATE:
I see that many readers are freaked out by the name Church
of the Flagellation (or Scourging).
It refers, of course, to the whipping Jesus got from the
Romans in that place.
But by some strange coincidence, I now notice that today is Ashura, a major Shi'ite holiday marked by bloody self-flagellation.
I just saw a YouTube video from Lebanon but will spare you by not giving the link.
The
Shi'ite men walk through the street in procession, rhythmically
whipping their bare back with chains, or hitting their head and chest,
or cutting their scalp with razor blades or swords.
The street is literally running with blood.
The most shocking is to see a few fathers cutting on the head of their young sons!
I
would hope our neighbors in the surrounding countries could find
better ways to publicly express grief and mourning for Hussein, grandson
of the Prophet Muhammad, killed in the battle of Karbala in 680.
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Station X of the Way of the Cross marks where Jesus reached Golgotha and was stripped of most of his garments by the Roman soldiers.
Now it is glassed-in, but the entrance to the 10th Station was from the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 
Here is a view, through the glass, of the Latin Chapel of the Agony of the Virgin.
In honor of this day, let's visit the Catholic church of the Armenian rite located in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.
This khachkar, or stone-cross, greets you in the courtyard.
I read on an Armenian website that "A liturgy for the Armenian Genocide victims will take place in Armenian churches of Israel and Jerusalem Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church on April 24. The liturgy will bring together Israeli Knesset and government members, as well as representatives of the Armenian community of Jerusalem."
The main altar.
Down in the crypt everything is darker.
A solitary nun sat in silent contemplation in the small glassed-in modern chapel in the crypt. 
V is for Roman numeral V. The 5th Station of the Cross where Simon of Cyrene takes the cross from Jesus. Via Dolorosa is the Way of Sorrows.
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus at the House of St. Veronica, the 6th of the 14 Stations of the Cross in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Videotaping a procession.
Asian pilgrims walk the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross.
Very narrow streets, very many visitors.
The altar of the Greek Orthodox Chapel of the Raising of the Cross stands over a glassed-in part of the Rock of Calvary. The disc under the altar has a small hole through which pilgrims can touch the rock which held the cross. 
