In my Grandfather’s War Diary entry from Friday August 21 1942, he visits Jerusalem & Bethlehem. He said ” Returned to Jerusalem for lunch. Afternoon taken over the Way of the Cross. Saw Garden of Gethsemane in which stands Church of All Nations & Church of Virgin Mary. Visited Pilates residence then followed Our Lord’s path to Calvary stopping at the various stations. Saw place where Christ died & Holy Sepulchre – wonderful jewels of Statue of Virgin Mary.”
He most likely took (or purchased) these photos on this visit that day.
The comments under the photos are his own words from the backs of the photos.
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What an incredible experience it must have been for your grandfather to have visited Jerusalem in those days.
He never struck me as being particularly religious, but I think the opportunity to go somewhere so important to so many faiths would be an amazing experience.
Seeing all the incredibly old buildings and churches would have been quite an experience. Also seventy five years ago, the population would have been smaller and the area would have been with a lower level of tension than today,
[…] To see his photos of Church of All Nations & Church of Virgin Mary click here. […]
Yes it would have been a very different place. I have a bunch of old photos coming up over the next few weeks of Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem.