Location Name
The Garden of Gethsemane Jerusalem

Street Address
Located on the foot of the Mt. of Olives beside the Church of All Nations.

City
Jerusalem

Type of Prayer Place
Garden

capture-gethsemane-2Description
The Garden of Gethsemane is a small grove of olive trees enclosed by a fence next to the Church of All Nations. In it are ancient olive trees that possibly are 2,000 years old. Our guide explained that olive trees don’t die easily, but constantly put out new branches when the older part of the tree dies. This is the place where Jesus often went with his disciples to pray and is the scene of the arrest of Jesus and the place where He begged them to watch and pray with him as he faced his death.

How I used this place of prayer
I had always imagined the Garden of Gethsemane to be much larger and lusher. I was also disappointed that tourists were not allowed to actually walk on the paths within the olive grove. Instead we gathered around a railing that went around the perimeter of the garden to look at it. To make the best of what small opportunity there was to pray and meditate here I decided to pause and carefully drink in the sight of the ancient olive trees and imagine myself inside the garden under their shade.

Personal Tips
There are benches outside of the railings of the olive grove where you may sit and mediate. However, with all of the tour groups moving through the sidewalks, it may be hard to spend the moments of meditation here you might wish.

Added by Karen Barber on October 12, 2011