Moslems restricted Christian to pray twice a year at Jerusalem holy site

[IMRA: While it certainly sounds radical that the Moslems allowed Christian
prayer only twice a year at a holy site, this is "generous" as compared to
the Moslem policy regarding Jewish access to holy sites - an absolute ban on
Jewish prayer at Jewish holy sites that became also Moslem holy sites after
the Moslem invasion.]

The Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives
by Archimandrite Ioakim Strogilos
The Jerusalem Times (independent Palestinian weekly) 7 August 2003
http://www.jerusalem-times.net/article/news/details/detail.asp?id=3783

The Jerusalem Times Religious Affairs Correspondent Abu Anton Siniora
solicited Archimandrite Strogilos for an autobiographical account of how he
built the church from his private resources.

On the holy ground of the ascension of Christ, one can notice a
Muslim mosque. Since Ad 637 this holy place dose not belong to Christians,
but to the Muslims. The Patriarch of Jerusalem can celebrate the Holy
Liturgy on this holy ground only twice each year; on the Saturday of Lazarus
(Saturday before the Palm Sunday) and on the day of the Feast of the
Ascension of Christ. This right has been obtained by the Patricarcate only
this last century.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem Cyril 2nd has bought 10,000 sqm of
olive trees on the holy place in 1850. Her tried to built a holy church but
he encountered many difficulties. The Mount of Olives which is mentioned
several times in the Gospel and in the Books of the Prophets is regarded as
a holy ground by the Christians. It was from there that the Lord ascended to
the Heavens forty days after his Holy Resurrection, in front of his
disciples and the Virgin Mary. It is from there again that he will judge the
ground on his second coming." from the place you saw him ascending to the
Heavens, at the same place he will come; on the same place " he abode during
the night" according to the Evangelist Luke "in the day time he was teaching
in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is
called the Mount of Olives" Luke 21-37

The efforts of the Patriarchate had not stopped. In 1984 the
Patriarch of Jerusalem, Diodorus 1st, entrusted the land to the
Archimandrite Iaakim of Chios- A church was built, the area was secured by a
fence and rooms were constructed for the pilgrims and visitors. However, the
Town of Jerusalem declared the property of the Patricarcate a "green land"
and the buildings were demolished along with the Church. This decision of
the Town of Jerusalem caused an international uprising and disapproval Of
its actions. The demolition on the other hand , Was seen favorably by
Israel, who were irritated by the building of the Church.

Surprisingly enough the demolition tractors were forced to stop
at one point. Some people talked about a mechanical malfunction; some abut
overheating; some about a miracle.

Whatever it was , the cessation of the demolition saved the
Church that had been built underground. This fact was attributed to the holy
icon of Pantocrator which the Israeli soldiers removed from the underground
church but which was soon returned thanks to relevant articles in
international newspapers and TV shows.

Archimandrite Ioakim was accompanied by his mother- she was a
retired school master, a physicist by profession and former mayor of the
town of Vrondado on Chios- she has become a sacrifice and an offering on the
holy ground of the Ascension on the mount of Olive. She had felt that her
end was near, so she had Holy Communion, she gave and received forgiveness
from her son and she told everyone that her martyrdom was approaching. Twice
before then, the "known-unknown" people had broken into the Church from the
windows-On the 8th of July 1995 hooded men attempted to kill the
Archimandrite. They injured him heavily but he managed to escape them.He ran
to tell his mother what had happened but he found her dead. They had tied
her arms, throat and mouth.

She was buried with a lot of grief , but in the minds of the
faithful she was a neomartyr. Articles from all over the world referred to
the event that during the ceremony for the recovery of her bones from the
tomb, her relic was not found decomposed, but smelling of incense.

The Israeli Authorities have just permitted the reconstruction
of the demolished Church- when the works started, Archimandrite Iaakim
painted the holy icon of the Theotokos"Ktitorissa", It is the first holy
icon that was made on this holy place. Archimnadrite Iaakim has placed all
his hopes, difficulties and adversities on the Theotokos Ktitorissa, as
well as his entire work.

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