CHRISTIANS IN HOLY LAND PREPARE FOR WHAT THEY EXPECT WILL BE CROWDED EASTER

International Herald Tribune, France
April 4 2007

JERUSALEM: Thousands of pilgrims snatched up souvenir crosses, awed at
Jerusalem’s historic churches and retraced Jesus’ last footsteps as
they celebrated Easter week Wednesday at the biblical site of Jesus’
crucifixion and rebirth.

A decrease in Palestinian-Israeli violence and the overlap of Christian
calendars brought a rare wave of Christian visitors to the Old City.

"This is the high point" of our trip, said Herlind Vermeulen of
Belgium, who timed her wedding to her new husband Wim for the early
spring so they could spend Easter week honeymooning in Jerusalem.

Tourists had virtually disappeared from Jerusalem when Palestinian
suicide bombers began targeting the city after fighting between Israel
and the Palestinians broke out in September of 2000. In recent years,
however, their has been a marked drop in attacks here, and tourists
have slowly returned to the Old City, which holds most of the city’s
holy sites.

Thousands of pilgrims kicked off Easter week celebrations with a
Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives to the Old City,
retracing Jesus’ triumphant return to the city. On Friday, they will
mark Jesus’ procession to the crucifixion and on Sunday, they will
celebrate Easter, marking Jesus’ rebirth.

The crowds were also larger than usual as five different Christian
sects – with their different calendars – celebrated the Easter week
festivities on the same days for the first time in four years.

Taking a rest in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where some
sects believe Jesus was buried, Parisians Giullame and Anne-Marie
Blaise said the Old City seemed more crowded than on any of their
five visits since 1963.

Due to the influx, officials established a strict schedules for each
denomination to conduct religious ceremonies inside the Old City,
said Athanasius Macora, a Franciscan Priest based in Jerusalem. The
different sects have occasionally come to blows during disagreements
over access to holy sites in the city.

Among the beneficiaries of the calendar was Said Samakiyan, 49,
of Jerusalem, whose family typically cannot celebrate Easter on
the same day. He and his mother are members of the Assyrian Church,
while his father is an Armenian Catholic, his wife is Greek Orthodox
and his children are Roman Catholics, he said.

Thousands of Palestinian Christians from nearly Bethlehem also come
to Jerusalem during Easter week.

Inaam Qumseyh, visiting with her daughter-in-law, said she was
lucky to receive one of the visitor permits the Israeli government
distributed to Bethlehem churches. Two of her sons, aged 30 and 32,
were not so fortunate, she said.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers – known as a pessimistic lot – insisted they
had the fewest customers in years and said only a turn in political
fortunes would bring the crowds back.

"When there is peace the tourists will come," shopkeeper John Attieh
said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress