JERUSALEM - A Holy City For Three Abrahamic Religions | Documentary — Transcript

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1. 0:08In the heart of the ancient world, where history is carved into every stone,
2. 0:14and spirituality echoes  through the ancient corridors,
3. 0:18there is a city like no other.
4. 0:20Welcome to the Holy Land.
5. 0:22Welcome to...
6. 0:24Jerusalem.
7. 0:29Once a Canaanite city, Jerusalem witnessed  Babylonian exile, Roman conquest,
8. 0:35Islamic rule, and the presence of the  Crusaders throughout the centuries.
9. 0:40Today, Jerusalem is a global symbol of  religious and historical significance
10. 0:46that attracts visitors from all over the world. Whether it is a spiritual or historical journey,
11. 0:52this city changes everyone in one way or another.
12. 0:59The old city of Jerusalem is  special and unique in many ways,
13. 1:03one of which is the wall  that surrounds the old city.
14. 1:07The walls were constructed in the 16th  century during the Ottoman period,
15. 1:11under the supervision of the Ottoman  Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
16. 1:16These robust fortifications were erected to  safeguard the city from external threats.
17. 1:23This magnificent wall has a total of eight  gates, of which seven are open and one is sealed.
18. 1:30The sealed gate, known as the Golden  Gate or the Gate of Mercy, walled up
19. 1:36by Saladin and later by the Sultan Suleyman  the Magnificent to better defend the city,
20. 1:42holds an important place in Christian,  Jewish, and Islamic traditions.
21. 1:48This gate is believed by Christians to be  the last gate Jesus used to enter Jerusalem,
22. 1:54and by Jews to be the gate through which  the coming Messiah will enter the city.
23. 1:59Many Muslims also believe that  this is the gate through which
24. 2:03the righteous will pass on the Day of Judgement.
25. 2:07Among other gates, there is the  Damascus Gate, located in the north.
26. 2:12It is the largest and most magnificent gate.
27. 2:15Named after the ancient road that led  to Damascus, this magnificent entrance
28. 2:21is a symbolic crossroads that connects  the different communities of Jerusalem.
29. 2:30The Damascus Gate opens onto the busy markets  and intricate streets of the Old City,
30. 2:40the right path leading to the Christian  Quarter and the left to the Muslim Quarter.
31. 2:46The Old City of Jerusalem is  divided into four distinct quarters,
32. 2:51and walking through them is like walking  through thousands of years of human history.
33. 2:56Each quarter has its own unique  character and cultural significance,
34. 3:01holy places, and history to explore.
35. 3:04The four quarters of Jerusalem are the  Muslim Quarter, which is also the largest
36. 3:09and most populated, the Christian Quarter,  the Armenian Quarter, and the Jewish Quarter.
37. 3:16As Jerusalem is sacred to three  monotheistic faiths, the Abrahamic
38. 3:21religions, each of these religions has  its holiest place in these quarters.
39. 3:27Starting from the Christian  Quarter, there is the Via Dolorosa.
40. 3:29The Via Dolorosa, also known as the  Way of Suffering or Way of the Cross,
41. 3:37leads its way through the Christian  Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.
42. 3:42This iconic path commemorates the traditional
43. 3:45route that Jesus is believed to have  taken on the day of his crucifixion.
44. 3:50Lined with ancient stones and narrow alleys,
45. 3:53the Via Dolorosa is a sacred pilgrimage  route for Christians worldwide.
46. 4:00At the end of the Via Dolorosa stands the  magnificent Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
47. 4:06This iconic Christian landmark is  the holiest site in Christianity,
48. 4:11encompassing both the site of Jesus'  crucifixion and his burial tomb.
49. 4:17The church is a mesmerising fusion  of architectural styles, reflecting
50. 4:22centuries of religious and cultural influence.
51. 4:26As pilgrims enter the church, their footsteps  echoing in the same halls where emperors,
52. 4:32kings and the faithful have walked for millennia.
53. 4:36Here, at the entrance to the church,
54. 4:38pilgrims encounter a simple but deeply  meaningful stone, the Stone of Unction.
55. 4:45Tradition says that this unsightly slab of
56. 4:48stone is where Jesus' lifeless  body was prepared for burial.
57. 4:54Kneeling before the Stone of Unction,  while some touch and others kiss the
58. 4:58stone, a silent communion takes  place, a moment of reflection,
59. 5:03gratitude and connection to the enduring  story of sacrifice and redemption.
60. 5:10Worshippers are drawn to touch its cool  surface, seeking comfort and a spiritual
61. 5:15connection to the moment when oils and spices  were applied to the body of their saviour.
62. 5:22In the heart of the church, a sacred shrine  holds the very essence of Christian faith,
63. 5:28the Aedicule of the Holy Sepulchre.
64. 5:31Tradition holds that the Aedicule was  built directly upon the site believed
65. 5:36to be the tomb where Jesus Christ was  laid to rest after his crucifixion.
66. 5:42This hallowed ground, according to Christian  belief, is the very place where after three
67. 5:47days Jesus miraculously rose again, appeared  to his disciples and ascended to heaven.
68. 5:55Jesus' resurrection is what  Christians celebrate every Easter.
69. 6:00The origins of the Aedicule trace back to  the 4th century when Emperor Constantine
70. 6:05the Great commissioned the construction  of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
71. 6:10From then until today, Christians  from all over the world gather here,
72. 6:15attracted by a deep and steadfast faith that finds  its refuge within the holy walls of the Church.
73. 6:23Lighting candles and kneeling before  the Aedicule becomes a holy offering,
74. 6:28a profound act of humbleness and reverence.
75. 6:32In this collective symphony of worship, the  Aedicule of the Holy Sepulchre is where hope,
76. 6:38gratitude and divine grace intertwine,  creating a timeless act of devotion.
77. 6:47The Church itself is divided between six  Christian denominations, Greek Orthodox,
78. 6:54Roman Catholic, Coptic, Armenian,  Ethiopian and Syriac Orthodox,
79. 7:00and its administration is governed by a  delicate arrangement known as status quo.
80. 7:06The keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre  are entrusted to two Muslim families.
81. 7:12This arrangement dates back to the  time of Saladin in the 12th century,
82. 7:16and serves as a neutral custodianship to  avoid conflicts between rival Christian
83. 7:22denominations over control of the Church.
84. 7:26Next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre  stands the serene and modest Mosque of Omar.
85. 7:32This unassuming structure, named  after the caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab,
86. 7:38holds its own significance in the  complex religious history of Jerusalem.
87. 7:43It is told that Caliph Omar travelled to  Jerusalem in the 7th century after the
88. 7:48city's patriarch Sophronius stated that he would  only surrender the city to the caliph himself.
89. 7:55When Caliph Omar arrived, the patriarch  Sophronius handed him the keys to Jerusalem
90. 8:01and asked if he would pray inside  the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
91. 8:05Caliph Omar, however, politely declined, choosing  instead to pray in the courtyard in order to
92. 8:12preserve the Church's Christian status and avoid  future generations turning it into a mosque.
93. 8:19Later, a mosque was built in the  place where the caliph prayed.
94. 8:24Today, the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the  Holy Sepulchre, side by side, serve as testimony
95. 8:30to the intricate history, faith and communal  worship within Jerusalem's ancient walls.
96. 8:37From here, the path leads through  a labyrinth of narrow streets.
97. 8:42The pulse of the city quickens.
98. 8:44Lively streets line up,
99. 8:46decorated with endless shops and tempting  smells that spread through the alleys.
100. 8:52From exotic spices from all over the world,  antiques, colourful textiles, various handicrafts,
101. 9:01religious objects and souvenirs, to culinary  traditions passed down through the generations.
102. 9:09Famous falafel, Arabic barbecue  and unique hummus are just some
103. 9:14of the dishes that will remain  in the memory for a long time.
104. 9:18An inevitable addition to Jerusalem  cuisine is the famous Jerusalem bagel,
105. 9:23also known as Kayak al-Quds, a type of bread  that Palestinians have enjoyed for centuries.
106. 9:30It is one of the few essential  recipes for Jerusalem,
107. 9:34which is still made today in  the same way as centuries ago.
108. 9:38The bagel is so popular among the residents of
109. 9:41Jerusalem that you can find  it in almost every corner.
110. 9:46The Old City is a living museum, where every item
111. 9:50tells a story and every purchase is  a connection to the city's heritage.
112. 9:55Here, every cup is a sip through time and every  conversation carries the weight of centuries.
113. 10:04Leaving the vibrant heart  of Jerusalem's city centre,
114. 10:08the way leads to the holiest site in the world  for the Jewish people today, the Western Wall.
115. 10:17The Western Wall, or the Kotel in  Hebrew, according to Jewish tradition,
116. 10:22is the remnant of the once  magnificent Second Temple.
117. 10:26The history goes back to King Solomon,  who built the First Temple on the Mount
118. 10:31Moriah, the place where Abraham was  supposed to sacrifice his son Isaac.
119. 10:37In addition to serving as a  religious building for worship,
120. 10:40the First Temple also functioned as  a gathering place for the Israelites.
121. 10:45Within the inner room of the temple, called the  Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant,
122. 10:51which contained the original tablets of the  Ten Commandments that God had given to Moses.
123. 10:57Later, the temple was destroyed  by the Babylonians, who conquered
124. 11:01Jerusalem and sent the Israelites into exile.
125. 11:05After Babylon fell to the Persian Empire,
126. 11:08the Persians allowed the exiled Israelites  to return to Zion and rebuild Jerusalem and
127. 11:13the Second Temple, which would later also  be destroyed, this time by the Romans.
128. 11:20Today, only a small part of the retaining  wall remains, known as the Western Wall.
129. 11:27For generations, the Western Wall has been  a sacred touchstone for Jewish worshippers.
130. 11:33Here, the act of placing hands upon  these gigantic stones becomes an
131. 11:39intimate conversation with history  and a connection to the divine.
132. 11:45The area in front of the wall serves  as a great open-air synagogue,
133. 11:50with people of diverse backgrounds coming  to witness this spiritual landmark.
134. 11:55It's divided into two areas,
135. 11:57a small southern section for women and  a much larger northern section for men.
136. 12:04Jewish people believe that a divine  presence rests within the Western Wall,
137. 12:09so they leave handwritten prayers  and wishes on scraps of paper and
138. 12:14insert them in cracks in the wall  in the hope they will be answered.
139. 12:19Jews can be seen sitting or standing for  hours at the Western Wall, bent in sorrowful
140. 12:25meditation over the history of their race and  repeating oftentimes the words of their prayers.
141. 12:32A common practise during prayer at the Western
142. 12:35Wall is swaying back and  forth, known as shuckling.
143. 12:40This physical movement is a traditional expression  of devotion and concentration during prayer.
144. 12:47Reading sacred texts, such as the Torah  or the Psalms, encourages connection
145. 12:53with religious teachings and provides  a moment for spiritual contemplation.
146. 12:59The rituals at the Western Wall, from  the rhythmic sway of worshippers to
147. 13:04the placement of handwritten notes,  transcend the physical act of prayer.
148. 13:10They become a testament to the resilience  of a community bound by a common heritage
149. 13:15and a shared yearning for a  connection with the divine.
150. 13:20The Western Wall remains not just a relic  of a bygone era but a living sanctuary,
151. 13:26a bridge that spans the chasm  between the temporal and the eternal.
152. 13:31It invites all who approach it to be part of a  continuing narrative where prayers carry the hopes
153. 13:37and aspirations of a people whose journey unfolds  beneath the watchful gaze of ancient stones.
154. 13:45Above the Western Wall lies the holiest site  for Muslims in Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
155. 13:53Known to Muslims as Al-Haram Al-Sharif or the  Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount,
156. 14:01it is one of the most controversial and at the  same time one of the holiest places on earth.
157. 14:07For Muslims, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the  third holiest site after Mecca and Medina,
158. 14:13hosts the Al-Qibli Mosque  and the Dome of the Rock.
159. 14:17According to Islamic belief, the Prophet  Muhammad travelled on the back of a buraq,
160. 14:23a horse-like winged animal, from Mecca to Al-Aqsa  in a single night where he led all the other
161. 14:29prophets including Abraham, Moses and Jesus in  prayer and then ascended from there to heaven.
162. 14:36For Jews, the compound is where both  Biblical Jewish temples once stood as
163. 14:42well as number of important events  which occurred in the Hebrew Bible.
164. 14:47Orthodox Jewish tradition claims  that this is where the third and
165. 14:51final temple will be built when the Messiah comes.
166. 14:55The Temple Mount carries great importance  for Christians because of its connection
167. 15:00to the Hebrew Bible but to  the life of Jesus as well,
168. 15:05including His teaching at the Temple and  the final days before His crucifixion.
169. 15:11Today, Al-Aqsa complex covers one-sixth of old  city of Jerusalem including all the mosques,
170. 15:18prayer rooms, buildings, schools, platforms  and open courtyards and exceeds 200 historical
171. 15:26monuments pertaining to various Islamic  eras as well as four minarets in total.
172. 15:33According to the Islamic creed, all these  structures and courtyards enjoy the same
173. 15:39degree of sacredness since they are  built on Al-Aqsa's holy grounds.
174. 15:44Therefore, a worshipper receives  the same reward for praying anywhere
175. 15:48within the compound including the open courtyards.
176. 15:53The Qibli Mosque is considered the main mosque  in the Al-Aqsa compound due to its role in
177. 15:59the Friday prayers as it is where the Imam  stands to lead Muslim worshippers in prayer.
178. 16:05It is the first physical structure ever  built by Caliph Omar bin Al-Khattab on
179. 16:11the Al-Aqsa complex and at first it was a  simple building that sat on wooden supports.
180. 16:17However, Al-Qibli Mosque as we know it today was  built during the era of the Umayyad dynasty and
181. 16:24underwent a series of constructions and renovation  under Abbasid, Fatimid, Ayyubid and Ottoman rules.
182. 16:33Today, the Al-Qibli Mosque is a  square building made of seven naves.
183. 16:39The biggest nave is in the  centre and has nine entrances.
184. 16:43Inside, ancient marble columns  tower high connected by huge
185. 16:48arches that are attached to the mosque's ceiling.
186. 16:52The walls are decorated with glass mosaics  which feature illustrations of plants,
187. 16:57geometric shapes and verses from the Quran.
188. 17:02Here, worshippers find solace in the  prayer and recitation of the Quran.
189. 17:08With each verse, hearts are stirred,
190. 17:10minds are enlightened and souls  are drawn closer to the Almighty.
191. 17:16As the call to prayer reverberates through  the air, worshippers rise to their feet,
192. 17:21their movements synchronised in harmony.
193. 17:24With faces turned towards the Kaaba in Mecca,
194. 17:28they bow their heads in humble  submission to praise the Creator.
195. 17:33After prayer, the courtyard becomes  a vibrant hub of communal life,
196. 17:38a place where families gather, friends exchange  stories and children joyfully play in the sun.
197. 17:46Here, beneath the shade of trees and open skies,  the bonds of brotherhood are forged in moments of
198. 17:52deep conversation and shared experiences by both  the old and the young that will last forever.
199. 18:00At the heart of the courtyard stands the  most iconic landmark in all of Jerusalem,
200. 18:06the majestic Dome of the Rock.
201. 18:09With an octagonal design, the Dome of  the Rock, or Kubat as-Sakra in Arabic,
202. 18:15is the oldest surviving work of  Islamic architecture in the world.
203. 18:19The exterior walls are decorated with  vibrant ceramic tiles, intricate mosaics,
204. 18:26delicate Arabesque patterns and Quranic verses  from Surah Al-Isra, or the Night Journey.
205. 18:34Within the Dome of the Rock, a  masterpiece of Islamic architecture
206. 18:38unfolds, captivating the senses with its  unique design and intricate detailing.
207. 18:45The walls are lavishly decorated with  a dazzling array of mosaic tiles,
208. 18:50meticulously arranged to form intricate  geometric patterns and floral motifs.
209. 18:57Every surface is a testament to  the skill and artistry of the
210. 19:00craftsmen who laboured to create  this crown jewel of Islamic art.
211. 19:06Above rises a magnificent dome with enchanting  patterns and engraved verses from the Quran.
212. 19:14The dome is supported by a series of  marble columns with arched windows
213. 19:19made of coloured glass that filter sunlight and  illuminate the interior with a colourful glow.
214. 19:26In the very centre of the  dome, there is a large rock,
215. 19:30for many the most sacred place on earth and is  significant to all three Abrahamic religions.
216. 19:37According to Muslims, the rock is the place from
217. 19:40which the Prophet Muhammad was  miraculously ascended to heaven.
218. 19:45A journey through the seven heavens where he met  the prophets before him saw paradise and hell
219. 19:51and received the five obligatory daily prayers  for the first time, an event known as Mi'raj.
220. 19:59On the other hand, according to Jewish  tradition, it is the foundation stone, the spot
221. 20:05where God created the world and Adam and where  Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac.
222. 20:12It is believed to be the location of the  Holy of Holies which housed the Ark of
223. 20:17the Covenant in the first temple,  the most sacred site in Judaism.
224. 20:23Today, Muslims visit the  dome of the rock primarily
225. 20:27for prayer and to recite verses from the Quran.
226. 20:31The serene atmosphere of the site  provides a conducive environment
227. 20:35for reflection and spiritual contemplation.
228. 20:39Overall, the place holds immense  religious significance for Muslims and
229. 20:44it continues to be a place of individual  and communal worship in the present day.
230. 20:51For the Palestinians, Al-Aqsa holds profound  cultural and national importance as well.
231. 20:58It is a symbol deeply intertwined  with the Palestinian identity and
232. 21:02their historical connection to the land.
233. 21:06The coexistence of both the Western Wall  and the Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as the nearby
234. 21:13Church of the Holy Sepulchre has for centuries  attracted countless visitors who want to pray
235. 21:19there while experiencing its historical and  religious power, each in their own Jerusalem.
236. 21:26And so, as the sun sets over the timeless skyline,
237. 21:31this city of wonders will continue to  inspire and captivate generations to come.
238. 21:37As one chapter closes, another begins, and the  story of Jerusalem, the Holy City, continues.