Wednesday, 30th September. We had the eucharist at 7 a.m., to-day in the Holy Sepulchre Church - the site of Calvary and the Tomb. As we arrived, a few eucharists were being celebrated at different places including a Coptic mass. Very oriental. Rest of the day off, so at 9 a.m., two of us took an adventure to Hebron: a place sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians; venerated because Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob are buried in tombs there. There is a mosque here and a synagogue. Both have tombs which people pray before; I gather the tombs in the mosque are more authentic. The walls of the whole building were built by Herod and quite magnificent. Hebron is mainly Palestinian Arab. The Mosque and Synagogue are both heavily secured (three Israeli army checkpoints and searches to each place). There were many Jews at prayer; very friendly, approachable and talkative. Also, christians are welcome to the mosque. Very unusual as compared with exclusive nature of the Jerusalem mosques. So, to-day, we met with, talked with, and prayed with jewish and moslem people at the site of the tombs of our common ancestors. Amazing day! To-night, we will have a quite hour together in Gethsamene (in the Basilica of the Agony).
