menu_book Chapter 14

Section 14 of Eastern Pilgrims, The Travels of Three Ladies, by Agnes Smith Lewis. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 16. The Holy Fire. What is the meaning of the holy fire? asked Edith. I suppose, said Violet, that the Holy Ghost is supposed to descend as he did at Pentecost.

And the church lamps are lighted by this fire, said Agnes. they are never allowed to go out until next Easter arrives. The Catholics once took part in it, although they now loudly denounce it as imposture. A few years ago the Armenian patriarch informed his people that it was a deception, in which he did not intend any longer to take part. Yet the Armenians still occupy a prominent part in the processions. I suppose it is produced by

burning spirits of wine, just as the blood of St. Januarius is said to be a compound of colored lard swimming in ether. The ether melts the lard when brought near a candle or held in a warm hand, but that miracle is harmless compared with this. Dr. Blank led us through some dark parts of the church in the midst of an excited crowd, many of whom had slept there for several nights in the hope of securing a place near the sacred hole. The galleries were filled with women, many of whom

had maintained their places since early morning. We were pulled with difficulty over some people seated on a small staircase, and over a projecting gallery into a cozy little chamber, furnished as a bedroom, with its window looking into the church, directly opposite that side of the small inner chapel from which the holy fire would be distributed. Here we found several of our friends from the convent. All round the chapel of the sepulchre surged an eager crowd, contending with strength

of limb for the nearest places to the sacred hole. An old woman kept the best spot for five minutes. Occasionally a group of fighters, or a boisterous choir of singers, were dispersed by the appearance of the Turkish military governor with a powerful gorbosh, whose appearance cleared the space before him instantly. At one o'clock he made a passage with his offensive weapon, and Turkish soldiers completed the work by pressing their backs against the sea of human beings behind them,

amongst whom were several women. "'Is it not dreadful to see such deception?' said Violet, to a very bigoted Russian lady beside her. "'Oh, we do not believe that,' answered the lady. but the Kanyali want to see a spectacle and would be angry if the priests did not give them it.

Most of the men were dressed in white. They were probably peasants who had come from the far steps of Russia. The archbishop's aunt sat on the other side of Violet. She kept constantly repeating, Fantasia, Fantasia, che impostura. We pitied most some unfortunate creatures who had got wedged into a sort of triangle between two lines of soldiery. These soldiers seemed bent on reducing the crowd into the smallest possible compass.

Several furious attempts were made by the pilgrims to force the lines. Blows, kicks, and bayonet strokes were being lavishly exchanged when the indefatigable governor appeared, half strangling some with his twisted whip and dealing formidable blows to the ringleaders. We could not see that the recipients of these plows showed any signs of a pain which was

no doubt amply compensated by the honors of martyrdom. One poor woman did all she could to get her son out of the crowd, but it was a vain task to allure the enthusiastic youth to a place of safety. At a quarter to two the procession appeared, winding its way around the shrine between the lines of soldiery.

It was greeted with clapping of hands and noisy singing. Banners were borne in front by stalwart pilgrims, and a disgraceful fight took place for the possession of one banner. For ten minutes the sacred drapery was trampled under the feet of furious combatants, until summary justice appeared in the shape of a gorbosh.

Next come the priests, three abreast, in silken robes of yellow and gold. In front walked, bareheaded, an emaciated old man. the center tottered the aged patriarch, supported by two dark-robed priests. After making three rounds, the bare-headed old man was carried on the shoulders of the crowd to the sacred hole, where a thousand bared arms, holding immense candles, rose up in every direction. Hands were

shaken wildly in invocation of the Holy Spirit, and the frenzy was increased tenfold when the aged priest suddenly rushed away from the hole with his candles lighted. The patriarch is supposed to have first received the fire in the sepulcher, which he enters unclothed, having disrobed in the chapel of the angel. Then the bells pealed merrily, the clergy busied themselves with lighting all the lamps and candles of the church, and as fresh candles were being kindled every four minutes at

the hole, the happy bearers rushed away, while others crowded round them to light their candles. the first who gets the flame pays most and it becomes cheaper as it is distributed these priests outdo simon magus remarked edith for they professed to sell the influences of the holy spirit Very often the fire was extinguished in too frantic efforts to obtain it. Soon the balconies and the whole body of the church glowed with the light of myriad torches. Men and women bathed their hands, their faces, their breasts in the flames,

and it was a miracle indeed that a universal conflagration did not ensue. The whole building was soon filled with a suffocating smoke, and we were on the point of retiring when a magnificent procession arrested our attention. First came the Greek priests in their gorgeous robes bearing appropriate symbols. Next the Armenians, equally grand, but with more variety of color and less taste.

Next a swore of the Abyssinians, and last the Copts. In front of the Coptic procession walked a priest bearing a large silver cross. On either side of him were two other priests, in robes of green and gold, jeweled breastplates, and silver crowns. Look, Violet, exclaimed Edith.

These are Armanos and Jacob. Nonsense! But they really are our two dragomans. Don't you recognize their faces? The Janissary made way for us through the crowd.

Two hours afterwards Armanos appeared, in his usual somber dress, and, with his usual quiet manner, asked if we wanted anything. Oh, Armanus, how magnificent you looked in the procession, said Violet. Oh, I did not think you would wait long enough to see me. He afterwards explained that his brother carried the cross.

Both are deacons of the Coptic Church, and Armanus hopes one day to become a priest. He had demanded to wear these robes as his right. Jacob had paid twelve Napoleons for permission to do so. We gave them leave of absence for Sunday morning. They would spend the night in feasting.

That's not religion, you know, said Armanos. Some days after, we had a discussion with them. Armanos said they used to worship pictures, and the priests would like them to do so still, but the people were getting a little more enlightened. We found he believed in transubstantiation, because our Savior said of the bread,

This is my body. Violet explained that he only said so in the same figurative sense as he said, I am the door. Our Savior's body is in heaven, Armanos. How can it be here for you to eat?

Well, Miss Violet, I've tried with all my heart to believe it was the real body I ate, but I've found it very difficult to do so. Yes, Armanos, said Violet. It is just that sort of teaching that makes infidels. His version of the Ten Commandments was the same as ours. We were much amused at finding ourselves under the care of two Coptic priests.

If a union should take place between the Greek and Anglican churches, said Edith, will the Anglican Church send a representative to this crowning ceremony of her sister's faith? Would the Dean of Westminster like to assist in the distribution of the Holy Fire? End of chapter 16 Chapter 17

The Haram and the Harim Is there anything I can show you in Jerusalem? asked our kind friend, Dr. L. Have you seen the Haram? No, but Armanos has got an order for us to see it on Monday.

The Mohammedan pilgrims are gone, so we can be admitted. Then I need not trouble myself. But I know what you have not seen. You have not seen a Harim. I will show you one if you come to my house at two o'clock. To some I have admittance as a

medical man. To others my wife should take you. We thanked Dr. L. for his kindness. We rose early on Monday morning to visit the Mosque of Omar, accompanied by a kawas from the consulate. We entered by a gate near the northwest corner and found ourselves in the grass-planted enclosure which occupies the site of the fortress of Antonia. Approaching the raised platform by a few stone steps, we put on our slippers and traversed the ground leveled by Hadrian,

and paved with smooth flagstones. The great mosque is of an octagonal shape, with two pair of immense copper doors at east, west, north, and south. Close outside the eastern door is a porcelain-covered erection called the Judgment Seat of David. It is an open tower with six beautiful Corinthian pillars in the center and nine similar ones around them. The interior of the mosque is encircled by immense double-square marble-covered pillars, between each of which

are two slender Corinthian ones. Near the top of these pillars runs a small gallery. Round the central rock are four similar large square pillars, with three Corinthian ones between each, making twelve small pillars in all. The roof of the mosque is of exquisitely carved cedar wood. Light is admitted through small windows with tiny panes of richly stained glass.

Do you see this? said Armanos, pointing to a square slab of marble in the floor with nails in it. As these nails sink in, the Judgment Day approaches. They were placed here by Mohammed, and one disappears every hundred years. There are only three left, said Violet, trying to push them in.

The great dome, though black on the outside, is a mass of rich mosaic within. The Sucra, or sacred rock, lies beneath it, surrounded by an elaborate railing, which was all stuck over with memorial rags of pilgrims. The saddle of Muhammad, the shield of his family, a casket containing some hairs of his whiskers, are all shown, but they fade into insignificance before the absorbing interest of the rock itself.

We have firmly believed it to be the site of the altar of burnt offering. The Turks say that it has stood suspended in the air at the touch of the Prophet, and that he ascended to heaven from the noble cave through the hole which leads down to it. A few marks are shown as the print of the angel Gabriel's hand, when he held down the rock, to prevent it ascending after Muhammad.

It really needs no human support, said the sheikh, but a wall has been built under it to allay the fears of the pilgrims who pass below. On the top it is rough and of an octagonal shape. At the western side is a considerable depression. The northern side is also lower.

Josephus calls it the pierced rock. We descended to the noble cave, and were shown the spot where David, Solomon, Abraham, and Muhammad prayed, also the mark of Muhammad's head, as he held the rock up. But one thing we felt to be certain, either on the top of the rock, or in the cave beneath it, was the threshing floor of Arana, the Jebusite, and probably the spot where Abraham

offered up Isaac. Through the hole in the top of the cave hung a lamp, and immediately beneath it is a well covered by a marble slab. It is supposed by competent authorities that the hole was used for conveying away the blood of the sacrifices, and that the altar was cleansed with water from this well.

What a feeling of awe does one experience when standing so near the spot where the divine presence dwelt between the cherubim! How thankful I feel, said Edith, that these hollowed spots are in the possession of the Muslims, who treat them with more real respect than do the priest-ridden Christians. The ground beneath the Haram must be hollow and filled with water from Solomon's pools.

There are numerous wells sunk in the paved platform, which seem to contain water, also a large fountain in the grass before the Mosque-el-Aqsa. Violet was very anxious that some learned explorer should discover whether there is not a living fountain in the Haram area, which would help to explain the imagery in Ezekiel 42. We went down a flight of steps to an underground building below El-Aqsa, leading to the horse gate, through which the crusaders

entered Jerusalem. Here we saw some of the massive substructions of Solomon's temple, though, unfortunately, whitewash has done much to conceal the fine beveling of the Jewish stones. Four stones in particular, placed one above another, attracted our admiration. Also the immense stone on the top of the gate. The temple, Josephus says, had gates about the middle, and here they are. The Mosque El-Aqsa was once the Church of St. Mary, built by Justinian.

On either side of the central aisle is a row of low Corinthian pillars surmounted by Gothic arches. The dome is covered with rich mosaic, and the windows are similar to those of the larger mosque. An exquisitely carved cedar pulpit was the gift of Salah-e-Din. File it wished to mount it, but could not obtain permission from the sheikh, even by promising to give him a sermon.

Here are shown the footprints of the Savior and of Moses, who never was on this side of Jordan. Here are also two pillars very close together. Passing between them is the test of future bliss, a test which we all endured satisfactorily. Violet and Edith tried another test on the outside of the mosque. This consisted in kissing one slab of marble and walking straight, blindfold to another. Violet succeeded twice, but failed the third time. We next traversed on the

natural rock, the part where once stood the court of the Gentiles, and at the southeast corner we were shown the cradle of Jesus. But I saw that already at Bethlehem, exclaimed Edith. Yes, but this was his cradle when he was eight years old. Entering a low building and peering through a window we got a glimpse of the three hundred arches built by Solomon beneath the temple. The sight of Solomon's porch interested us more than did Muhammad's judgment seat.

In the afternoon we called on Dr. and Mrs. L. according to appointment. They accompanied us to the house of one of their Muslim friends. Dr. L. and Armanos left us at the door, as the gentleman was particularly strict. Mrs. L. and we mounted a flight of stairs and were shown by some black female slaves into a room with low divans against the walls. There three ladies received us, two of them being the wives and one the sister of the Effendi.

They wore very prettily made gingham dresses, with gold chains and little gold chatelaines at their waists. Round their necks were pearl necklaces, and the principal wife had a handsome diamond star. The two wives lived together in sisterly harmony. We tried in vain to understand each other's language. Mrs. L.'s servant appeared at the door, and the three ladies ran immediately to hide behind it.

They offered us sherbet and coffee. The sister prepared a cigarette and handed it to Violet, who, instead of taking a whip and passing it round, kept it to herself. While she was enjoying this rare luxury, the offendi entered. His wives and sister rose and stood until he was seated.

He spoke English and French fluently, having been educated in Europe. I am glad, he said to Violet, to see that you can adapt yourself so easily to our customs. But I suppose you think they might be improved? Well, I certainly cannot say I admire some of them. You are quite right.

I wish our ladies were as well educated as you are. But when you go home, you may tell your friends that their missionaries do not do any good. They are too anxious to make proselytites, and they do nothing to civilize. Suppose you bring your wife to England," said Violet. She will soon learn English, for we have already taught her a few words, and then she can come

back and teach the other ladies our customs. Violet invited our hosts very cordially to visit her in England. She gave her card to the principal lady, and endeavored to show her the most respect. the offendi accompanied us to the house of the Mufti, which was situated within the Haram enclosure. It is strange to see Turks, Jews, and Christians walking together in Jerusalem,

he remarked. My dear Dr. L., you had this city once, we have it now. Hand a pretty thing you have made of it, thought Agnes. The Mufti had three wives. Each had a separate house, which had the honor of lodging him by turns. We went to the door of the principal wife. Dr. L. was permitted to enter.

You are punished, said Violet, as he laughingly turned the offendi back. We were received by a very lively lady, somewhat negligently dressed, in scarlet muslin drawers and a yellow padded short jacket fastened round her waist by a girdle. Her hair hung down in long, thin plates, and she wore a colored veil. She requested Dr. L. to tell us that she wished to be civilized, and then offered us lemonade and nargallis.

She opened an immense chest and brought out most of her dresses for inspection. At the top of the room stood a chair of Mohammed's, brought from Mecca. It was covered in a blue cloth embroidered in silver. The apartment served the united purposes of sleeping, cooking, and lounging. A pretty little woman, wearing a white veil and carrying a baby, was introduced to us

as another lady bishopess. She seemed quite unconscious of her dignity. The bishop Future, a boy of ten, read to us passages of the Bible and of the Koran in Turkish. European ladies do not find it very pleasant to live in Jerusalem, as it is unhealthy and

they cannot walk unattended in the streets. There is one pianoforte in the city. Once there existed two, but the happy possessors of the other tried to take it to Europe and found that it was ruined whilst being carried on mules to Jaffa. In summer, the consuls encamp in tents outside the walls.

The Europeans do not mix freely in each other's society, owing to differences of creed. The Turks and the Jews will not give to English Protestants the title of Christians. You are not Christians, they say. You do not worship images, nor kiss a sepulcher, nor cross yourselves. You must be Mohammedans of another sect.

We think too highly of you to give you such an insulting name. The lepers inhabit some wretched houses near the Zion Gate. Baron Rothschild has built a hospital for them, but they prefer to have liberty to marry amongst their own kind. It is impossible to conceive the hideous spectacle they present. An enthusiastic lady once attempted to cure them with the homeopathic preparation of pulsaltilla, and they were so much disappointed when this

remedy failed, that she was with difficulty rescued from ill usage. Violet's health suffered somewhat from the dampness of her habitation, which was no worse than any other in Jerusalem. This dampness is caused by the existence of ancient underground cisterns, whose contents are readily sucked up by the porous stone of which the houses are built. She soon recovered, when we again began to sleep in tents.

I cannot conclude these reminiscences of our visit to Jerusalem without recording how much our enjoyment was enhanced by the great kindness shown us by the English Council and Mrs. Moore. Nor can I avoid expressing my sincere conviction of how much a real and visible unity among Protestant Christians of every nation

would recommend our faith to the descendants both of Israel and of Ishmael. I also feel bound to state, in the interest of missions, that none of the community seem more to enjoy the respect of all classes in Jerusalem than the Kaiserswerth deaconesses. End of section 14