Garden of Gethsemane where He was arrested af ter the Last Supper. The Church of All Nations is there, too, but I want you to feel the sacredness of the very ground you stand on. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is a staircase, and once we descend there into the underground Church of the Assumption ... we will find the Tomb of the Virgin." Damali squeezed Carlos's hand, and he silently returned the pulse. No one in the group
said more as they left and continued downhill witnessing the breathtaking gold, onionshaped domes and sculpted white turrets of the Russian Or thodox Church of Mary Magdalene that sat along the traditional Palm Sunday Road.
In a grove of ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane stood the Church of All Nations, and Father Patrick took them inside the dimly lit cathedral whose interior domes housed mosaic symbols from nations around the world, and where the windows were awash with translucent alabaster over amber and purples. The somber hues and echoes added to the mystical atmosphere as he finally brought them to the altar to each touch the Rock of Agony.
Once outside again in the bright light, Guardians squinted and huddled closer together, each seeming caught up in their own private life review. But once they'd gone down into the subterranean church to view Mary's tomb, every man and woman returned to the street level so solemn that even the sound of a cleric's voice seemed like an intrusion.
"Rabbi Zeitloff will take over here," Father Patrick said quietly. He looked up at the hill they'd just left. "One of our members will bring the minibus down to meet us. But there's only one way to truly experience the Old City, and that's on foot."
"When we enter through the Dung Gate, one of the Old City of David's seven gates, our first stop will be the Kotel... the Wailing Wall, or Western Wall." He looked at Dan and Heather. "Leave your petitions there."
Again, Damali felt her heart spent to overflowing as they entered the city walking the cobbled paths of centuries of history. She could feel it seep up into her sandals and the heat of the day, combined with the spiritual awakening, made the long-sleeved, embroidered ivory muslin fabric cling to her, yet a slight shiver also made her gather her arms about her waist as they pressed forward. Her wrapped hair made it feel like her scalp was tingling, as though information from a supreme source was sending blessings down upon her head. She could tell every Guardian also felt it. All heads in their group were covered, male and female alike, as they pressed through the throngs of the devoted. They came to a stop along a section of the wall and in Orthodox style, the men and women were separated - men on the left, as Rabbi Zeitloff officiated a group blessing, and then allowed each person to privately make their own prayers. Damali simply hung her head and closed her eyes, touch ing the wall gently and reverently as Heather slipped a small piece of paper between the cracks to join the thousands and thousands of other notes sent Heavenward, tears wetting her lashes. She could feel through the wall's agony the exact moment Dan's forehead touched it, and could feel his deep, pain-filled sigh exit his body, even though her eyes couldn't see him. It was then that she added her tears to the millions of others that had spilled against the ancient stone. When they came out of the square, Imam Asula took over to escort them to the El-Aqsa Mosque, and Dome of the Rock. Again they were separated by gender to enter by sep
arate archways as they approached the landmark copper dome and passed through rows of square columns to enter a space richly carpeted with Persian rugs and modern runners with stunning stained-glass windows. Being with Rabbi Zeitloff, the male Guardians were guided by the Imam, and the female Guardians escorted by a demurely covered woman who'd been sent to lead them.
Shabazz and the Imam found the mihrab, the niche indicat ing the direction toward Mecca, and the group followed the devotional prayers offered on behalf of the world in
Arabic.
However, nothing could have prepared her to behold the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount. The group went slack-jawed as Imam Asula brought them to the structure, whose exterior was a mosaic masterpiece of blue ceramic tiles topped with a