Located beside the idyllic Garden of Gethsemane just outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Church of All Nations houses the Rock of Agony. This is said to be the bedrock beside which Jesus prayed on the eve of his crucifixion. In the dim-lit interior of the church, pilgrims gather about the stone and silently attune themselves to empathy for the agony endured by their Savior. It is one of several holy sites that stand upon the Mount of Olives.
The Church of All Nations was built in Jerusalem in 1924, designed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi. It is thus named because many countries around the world donated toward its construction, and their respective coats-of-arms adorn the glasswork and mosaics of the interior. It is also known as the Basilica of the Agony.
While the Church of All Nations is relatively new, it has roots in earliest Christianity: a 4th century Byzantine basilica once stood on the site, until it was destroyed by an earthquake that ravaged Jerusalem in 746 A.D. Centuries later, a Crusader chapel was built on the site but was eventually abandoned.
Stunning mosaics adorn the facade of the church. From a distance, the luminous tiles brilliantly reflect the Middle Eastern sun. The mosaic depicts Jesus acting as a conduit between God and the nations of the world.
Inside, the windows are of tinted alabaster so that the lighting is subdued, creating a sombre atmosphere. In front of the high altar is the Rock of Agony, lying flat and smoothed with the passage of time, surrounded by a crown of thorns made of wrought iron. The murmur of prayer is the only sound here; all else is silence.
Down a path from the church is the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus was to meet his fateful betrayal and arrest, changing the course of history forever.
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