The Garden of Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane is the place where Jesus was arrested, after being betrayed by Judas.  As with many of the Biblical sites, the exact location is disputed by a number of different denominations.  This particular site is viewed by the Roman Catholic Church as the “correct” location.

The word Gethsemane is Aramaic for oil press.  An appropriate name when one considers the passage in Luke 22:44 “He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.”  The New Testament tells us the Garden of Gethsemane was a place where Jesus and his disciples often visited.  This would have easily allowed Judas to find Jesus on the night he was betrayed. 

According to Eastern Orthodox tradition, the Garden of Gethsemane is where the Virgin Mary was buried.  As you can see from the pictures, this is a lovely garden!  However, many historians believe it did not look like this in the time of Jesus.  See the next blog for what the Garden of Gethsemane may have looked like in Biblical times.

'Hortus" is Latin for Garden