Garden of Gethsemane – Greek: Γεθσημανι; Hebrew: גת שמנים; Aramaic: גת שמנא, Sman Gat; English: Gethsemane – is the most famous garden in the Holy Land, which is often the place where the Savior was coming. The garden is situated in the eastern part of Jerusalem, near the Temple Mount, in the east of the Kidron Valley – Cedar Creek or Valley of Jehoshaphat – and on the west side of the Mount of Olives. It stretched from the beginning on both sides of Cedar creek, which in summer is not got no water. Cedar creek flows only in the winter months, when it rains and sometimes it snows.

Gethsemane means “oil press” within inpamantenit likely to present this mountain planted with olive presses a producing oil. The Gospel of Mark (14.32) calls this place “chorion”, meaning “a” or “an property “, while ceEvanghelia John (18.1) speaks of” Kepos “,” garden “or” plantation “.

Olivet garden is framed in the current courtyard of the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of Agony, built on the ruins of a church destroyed in the year 614, and the other churches, Crusader destroyed in the year 1219. Very close to this instead of Church of St. Mary Magdalene, of Russia, with its spiers specific Moscow, built by Tsar Alexander III in memory of his mother.

Garden of Gethsemane covers about 20 hectares of land planted with olive trees in particular. Most of the garden a masters Orthodox Church, and the second is in possession of the Roman Catholic Church. In the Garden of Gethsemane are four places of worship, the most important for the entire Christian world: Tomb of the Virgin (according to Christian tradition, this is where the Apostles buried the body of the Virgin) Cave of Gethsemane (where prayed Jesus Christ welders blood – Luke 22, 44), Stone trap Jesus (here rises today a Catholic church), and the church of Saint Archdeacon Stefan.

Garden of Gethsemane – history and pilgrimage

At the foot of Mount of Olives is Cedar Valley – Kidron, to that identified in the Bible called “Valley of Jehoshaphat” where, according to tradition, will take place, the judgment of all nations. Also where the incarnate God will defeat temptation and fear of death, realizes humanity for all her fall, confident yet in mercy boundless of Him who was “tempted in all things in our image, except sin” (Hebrew 4 15).

Garden of Gethsemane was seen as a place of pilgrimage since the early Christian centuries. It has been visited by anonymous pilgrim “Bordeaux” in the year 333, whose travel notes are considered to be the oldest evidence of pilgrimages to the Holy Land. In “Onomasticon” Eusebius of Caesarea, we find noted that the Garden of Gethsemane is situated “at the foot of the Mount of Olives” here “lots of people coming to pray.”

Climbing the Mount of Olives was through the descent and ascent of a whole series of steps carved in stone. The bridge built over the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which spanned the Cedar Creek, is today still in the same place as two millennia ago. This is clear from this stone steps, carved into the mountain, descending from the city and climb the mountain.

Petronius, Bishop of Bologna, around 420, and Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, talking about these huge stone steps, two pilgrims of time and giving testimony on the number of steps. Traces of these steps can still be seen today, except in part from the city, but very little visible above the Garden of Gethsemane.

At a distance of about 40 meters from the Cave of Gethsemane are current garden, a square with each side measuring about 60 meters long. Inside it is kept until today a series of seven olive trees, forget the time, witnesses millennia. The thick olive measuring 8 meters in circumference. It is believed that about them attended the prayer of Jesus in the night trapping and judgment. Even if they are not just trees that time, they certainly are direct descendants of those, grown in bark and roots.

What was once quiet in this secret garden where the Lord came to pray. Today there are only a few olive trees, of which are believed to have witnessed the prayers and trapping Jesus Christ. Asphalted road passing through the middle of the garden leads to Bethany, Jericho, the Dead Sea and the Sea of Tiberias. The circulation of cars is so intense, that you hardly can gather and pause for an hour or two during the day.

Garden of Gethsemane – a place of prayer loved by Saviour

Garden of Gethsemane was the place of prayer and silence most beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ in all of Jerusalem. After the Last Supper, Christ and his disciples were withdrawn in this garden to make prayer -. This is where the Savior was praying with tears of blood left by the disciples who had fallen asleep, and all this is where the disciple Judas sells his teacher with that kiss liar.

Garden of Gethsemane – the prayer of Christ

Arrived in the garden, Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here until I go there and I will pray” (Matthew 26, 36), then taking them with him only Peter and the sons of Zebedee, was withdrew with them on. Compared to the closest of the apostles, Jehovah did not hesitate to show disturbing: “Saddened by the death of my soul,” he confesses Him (26, 38). Jesus never been so dejected and not made such a confession.

At Gethsemane, fear of death and physical pain – no doubt enhanced and thought that his torments not sparing neither Israel nor many suffering humanity – has reached a peak. Therefore when the ultimate battle took place, in which human willpower prevailed, without Christ still remain impassive at the thought of death. Then, as so beautifully says, “Jesus was married in spirit with death.”

Adam Pascal observed that it lost man in a garden, seduced by the temptation of pleasure, and Christ will save all in a garden, willingly accepting to be burdened with grief, the consequence of sin the first man. As in all circumstances decisive in His life, Jesus is in the midst of nature, which has come to deliver them from corruption, once.

Garden of Gethsemane – a place which Holy Scripture speaks

“And after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them: You all will you be offended in me this night for it is written:” Smite ye pastor and the sheep shall be scattered flock. “But after my resurrection I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him: If all shall be offended in thee, I never will I be offended. Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you that this night, before the cock crow three times you will deny me. But Peter said: And it would be to die with you, I will not deny thee. And all the disciples said the same. Then Jesus went with them a place that is called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples: Sit here until I go there and pray. and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and grieved . Then he said: Saddened is My soul to death. Stay here and keep vigil with me. and going a little farther, he fell on his face, praying and saying, My Father, if it be possible, this cup pass from me! But not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and I said to Peter: So, you did not have a clock to keep vigil with me! , That ye enter not into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again whisking is the second time it has been asked, saying, My Father, if it is not possible to pass this cup, not drink it, thy will be done. And coming again, I found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, it went again a third time was prayed, saying the same word. Then came the disciples and said to them: Sleep now and rest! Here it was near the hour the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of sinners. Arise, and let’s go, here was the one who approached me sold. And when he spoke again, here came Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. And the seller gave them a sign, saying: Which one I will kiss is: seize him. And soon, approaching Jesus, he said, Hail, Rabbi! And she kissed him. And Jesus said to him: Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then they, approaching, they laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those with Jesus, stretching his hand, drew his sword, hitting the high priest’s servant and cut the ear. Then Jesus said to him: Return your sword to its place, that all who take the sword will perish. Or do I find that I can not ask my father to send me now more than twelve legions of angels? But as the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that hour Jesus said to the crowds: As you went to a robber with swords and staves to take me. Every day I sat in the temple and learn and you did not arrest me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, fled. “(Matthew 26, 30-56)

“And after they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And they said to Jesus: All you will be offended, it is written:” Smite ye pastor and the sheep shall be scattered. “But after my resurrection, I goes before you into Galilee. But Peter said to him: Although all shall be offended in thee, yet I do not. And Jesus said to him: Verily I say to yourself: As you today, in this night before to sing two or rooster, three times you will deny me. but he said more earnestly: And would have to die with you, I will not deny it. And so said all. And they came to a place whose name is Gethsemane and there said to his disciples, Sit here until I pray. and he took with him Peter and James and John and began to be troubled and grieved. and he said to them: Saddened is My soul to death. Stay here and keep vigil. and going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed that, if it be possible, to move from El clock (it). and he said: Abba Father, Tie all are possible. Remove this cup from me. But not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, sleep? You had no strength to watch one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh weak. And again going, he asked, saying the same word. And again he came and he found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy and did not know what to answer. And he came the third time and said to them: Sleep now and rest! It’s done! The hour. Here the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise will go. Here, at what I sold it was close. And soon, he still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, and with him crowd with swords and staves, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. And the seller gave them a sign, saying: Whom I kiss, He is. Grab it and take it with security. And coming soon and approaching him, said his Teacher! And she kissed him. And they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of those who stood beside him, pulling out his sword and struck the high priest’s servant and cut her ear. And Jesus answering, said to them: As you went to a robber with swords and sticks, to take me. Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not get caught. But these are the Scriptures be fulfilled. And leaving Him, all fled. “(Mark 14, 26-52)

“And going out, he went after usually the Mount of Olives, the disciples followed him. And when he arrived in this place, they said, Pray, that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them as a stone’s throw, and knelt, prayed. saying, Father, for thou wilt pass from me this cup. But not my will, but thine be done. and an angel from heaven appeared to him and him strengthened. and he was in agony more earnestly prayed. and his sweat was like drops of blood dripped on the ground. and, rising from prayer, he came to his disciples he found them asleep for sorrow. and he said to them: Why sleep? Rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. and while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them. and approached Jesus to kiss him. And Jesus said to Judas, with a kiss thou the Son of Man? And those around him, seeing what was going to happen, they said, Lord, if we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said: Let up here. And he touched his ear and healed him and the chief priests, the temple chiefs and the elders who had come upon him, Jesus said: As a robber ye came out, with swords and staves. In was daily with you in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness. And, grasping him, led him away and put him in the house of the high priest. And Peter followed him from afar. “(Luke 22, 39-53)

Garden of Gethsemane – Selling and kisses of Judas

“Saying this, Jesus went with his disciples over the brook Cedar, where was a garden, into which he entered and his disciples. And Judas the seller knew this place, because often Jesus and his disciples gathered there. So Judah taking army and servants from the chief priests and Pharisees, came thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that were coming upon him, went out and said to them: whom seek ye? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. he said, I am. and Judas seller was also with them. when he said, I am, they were given back and fell to the ground. and again take asked: whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered: I told you that I am. So if you are looking for me, let these go; to fulfill the word that spoken: of those whom thou hast given, I have lost none. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear; and the name of the servant was Malchus . Then Jesus said to Peter: Put your sword in its scabbard. I not drink it, the cup which my Father has given him? So the soldiers and the commander and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him. “(John 18.1 to 12)

Source: CrestinOrtodox.ro