Gethsemane at Jerusalem in the Memoirs of Foreign Pilgrims and Travelers until the Beginning of the Twentieth Century

Authors

Amer A. Al-Qubbaj, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, PalestineFollow
Haneen Hjab, Master’s Program in History, Faculty of Graduate Studies, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.Follow

DOI

doi.org/10.35552/0247.38.7.2232

Abstract

The study aims to shed light on the site of Gethsemane, located at the bottom of the western foot of the Mount of Olives in the city of Jerusalem, through the memoirs of foreign pilgrims and travelers, from the fourth century AD until the beginning of the twentieth century. The site derives its religious and historical importance from its association with the suffering of Jesus, from the Last Supper until his arrest by the Romans following the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and then his taking to the High Priest of the Jews in Jerusalem in the year 33 AD. All of this was considered one of the pivotal stations in the history of Christian traditions in Palestine. The writings of pilgrims and travelers included mentioning the geography of Gethsemane, its natural and religious monuments, and the rituals that were practiced there. Like all other religious sites in the city of Jerusalem, it still maintains its status and sanctity, for both Christians and Muslims, as one of the Palestinian cultural heritage sites, which requires preserving it, protecting it, and sparing it from all kinds of attacks, especially those resulting from the Judaization policy.

Recommended Citation

Al-Qubbaj, Amer A. and Hjab, Haneen (2024) "Gethsemane at Jerusalem in the Memoirs of Foreign Pilgrims and Travelers until the Beginning of the Twentieth Century," An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities): Vol. 38: Iss. 7, Article 1.
DOI: doi.org/10.35552/0247.38.7.2232
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/anujr_b/vol38/iss7/1