Holy Jerusalem

The Golden Gate
Mount Zion
Gethsemane
St. Stephan's Gate
Via Dolorosa
Holy Sepulchre
Ceremonies
Mount of Olives
Heavenly Jerusalem
Ceremonies Print version
Ceremony of the Lighting of the Eternal Flame outside of the Church of the Holy Resurrection on holy "Saturday of Light."



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Armenian Patriarch Coptic Bishop


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Franciscan ceremony Armenian Ceremony in the Chapel of St. Helena

The Ceremony of the Washing of the Feet
he Ceremony of the Washing of the Feet is held at the entrance to the church of the Holy Sepulchre on Holy Thursday, in memory of the Passover meal that Jesus and his disciples had on nearby Mount Zion.



John 13:4-16
...and he got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.


He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘At the moment you do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘Never!’ said Peter, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus replied, ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter ‘not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘No one who has taken a bath needs washing, he is clean all over. You too are clean, though not all of you are.’ He knew who was going to betray him, that was why he said, ‘though not all of you are.’

When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes again he went back to the table. ‘Do you understand’ he said ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you. I tell you most solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.’