The Church of All Nations

The Church of All Nations is located on the Mount of Olives, next to, and encompassing, what many historians believe to be the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before he was arrested.

The church is also known as the Basilica of the Agony. Completed in 1924, it is the third church on the site.  National symbols of the 12 nations that assisted with its construction costs are placed inside the ceiling domes - Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain and the United States of America.   During construction, parts of the mosaic floor of the original Byzantine church were discovered.

An atmosphere of sorrowful reverence pervades the Church of All Nations. The architect, Antonio Barluzzi, evoked the night-time of the Agony by leaving the interior in semi-darkness, relieved only by subdued natural light filtered through violet-blue alabaster windows.  The somber blue of a star-studded night sky is recreated in the ceiling domes, the stars being surrounded by olive branches reminiscent of the Gethsemane garden.  In front of the high altar is a flat outcrop of rock, which Catholic tradition identifies as the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed.  There is a large mosaic in each of the three apses. From left to right, they represent The Kiss of Judas, Christ in Agony being Consoled by an Angel, and The Arrest of Jesus.

The front of the church.  Because it sits on a road crowded with buses, it was difficult to get back far enough to capture the entire front of the church up close.  Across the front of the church, on the top of the pillars, are statues of the Apostles Mark, Luke, Matthew and John.

The Church of All Nations, as seen from across the Kidron Valley, near the Golden Gate on the Eastern Wall of the Old City.

The top of the facade of the church depicts Christ in agony.

At the top of the church, along the bottom of the facade, are statues of the writers of the four Gospels (although not in order).  On the far left is Mark.  I'm not sure what the book he is holding is quoting.

Luke is to the right of Mark.  Luke is holding a passage, in Latin, from his Gospel - Luke 22:43-44 "Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.  He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood."

Matthew is to the right of Luke, holding the following passage from Matthew 26:42b "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

On the far right side is a statue of John.  I could not find what passage he is holding.

This is the right side of the top of the church.  When we were waiting for the bus I glanced back at the church and saw this mosaic. Look close at an enlargement of the photo and you can see the individual tiles.  Thankful for a telephoto lens so I could capture it.  In the lower left-hand corner of the photo is the head of the statue of the Apostle John.

Part of the ceiling showing the symbol of the United States of America

Part of the ceiling above the altar.  In the upper right-hand corner is the symbol of France

Another photo of the ceiling

Stained glass

Part of the mosaic floor from the Byzantine era

I did not take this photo.  This picture shows the high altar, and the rock where Catholic tradition believes that Jesus prayed before he was arrested.  When we were there, the front of the church was being used by another a group, so I could not get a picture.  I found this photo online at Wikipedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_of_All_Nations,_Jerusalem_2010_5.jpg

To the left of the altar is a mosaic depicting the arrest of Jesus.

Behind the altar is a mosaic depicting the Christ in agony, being consoled by an angel.

To the right of the altar is a mosaic depicting the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, with a kiss.