Foto Friday – Celebrating Ethiopian Ledet with Matanya Tausig

January 7, 2011 - 5:39 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, coexistence, design, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Holidays, News, Profiles, Religion, Travel 

Freelance photographer Matanya Tausig has always been fascinated by religion and religious subjects. For his final project at Jerusalem’s Hadassah College, Tausig chose to document the priests from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The Ethiopian Church has two centers in Jerusalem: the historic Deir es-Sultan on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Debre Gannet constructed in the 19th century on Ethiopia Street. On one hand, both locations are only a short walk from the college; on the other hand, they are worlds away.

The resulting series went on to win second prize in the Local Testimony exhibition of regional photojournalism, (which runs concurrently with the annual World Press Photo exhibition).

The series is part of a larger project of documenting religions and religious ceremonies all around the Holy Land. “I generally work on things that take a long time; they percolate for years,” he says.

So, for example, last night Tausig was in Bethlehem, continuing work on his ongoing project by documenting the Orthodox Church’s Ledet (Christmas) midnight mass.

Ledet falls on January 7 in the Gregorian calendar (which is December 29 in the Ethiopian calendar). It comes after 43 days of daytime fasting known as Tsome Gahad (Advent), with a and is celebrated with processions, the mass service and a breakfast meal of traditional Ethiopian fare: cooked meat and vegetables served on injera (flat, spongy buckwheat bread), and washed down with tella (beer) or tej (a sort of weak mead).

In two weeks, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church will celebrate its most important festival of the year, Timket (Epiphany; also Timkat), a three-day festival commemorating Jesus’ baptism by Saint John in the Jordan River. Again, there will be processions and feasting.

Tausig maintains contact with his subjects and is planning future projects with them as well. Meanwhile, there are more photos to enjoy of the Ethiopian Orthodox priests on the Local Testimony site. And Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has more information about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

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Foto Friday – Church Gates of Jerusalem

December 24, 2010 - 5:46 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, coexistence, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Holidays, Life, Picture of the Week, Religion, Travel 

Today’s weather was sunny, crisp and clear — not your classic Christmas Eve weather but prefect for pilgrims to wander through Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter. As in all other parts of the Old City, the Quarter takes travelers on a winding trail from site to site to holy site. For those living far away, here is a virtual tour of the city’s church gates — all will be open tonight for worshipers to celebrate the Midnight Mass.

Entrance to the Christian Quarter

© RomKri

Church of the Holy Sepulcher
This historic church shelters the holiest site in the Christian faith: the tomb where Christ was buried and rose from the dead. It is shared by several denominations.

© Gennadi Zimmerman

Church of the Redeemer
The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is the only Protestant church in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was commissioned by Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, who was given the site by the Turkish Sultan upon his visit to Jerusalem.in 1869.

© RomKri

Notre Dame Pilgrim Center of Jerusalem
Dating back to 1885 when its cornerstone was first laid, the building was heavily damaged during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, rendering it partially uninhabitable. For years it served as an Israeli guard post but in 1972 was restored to its original status and the chapel rededicated to public worship in 1978. The mission entrusted to it by Pope John Paul II: “Dedicated to Our Lady of Jerusalem, Queen of Peace… as a place of fruitful spiritual development.”

© RomKri

Church of the Pater Noster
Built on the place where tradition says Jesus instructed his disciples in prayer. The walls of this convent church are inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer in 44 languages.

© RomKri

Church of All Nations
Built in 1924 and funded by several nations, this church stands over the site where tradition has it that Jesus prayed on the night of his betrayal.

© pmos_nmos

Information about Jerusalem’s churches comes mainly from the Sacred Destinations website. All photos courtesy of Jerusalem Shots where there are hundreds more to enjoy.

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Foto Friday – Holy Land

November 7, 2008 - 12:22 AM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Art, coexistence, Foto Friday, General, Religion 

Photographer Guy Raivitz recently announced a new work in progress, “Holy Land”, in which he explores the three major religions that put Jerusalem and the land of Israel at their center. Each one of these photos is part of a larger series.
Guy Raivitz - Coptic nun at Church of the Holy Sepulchre
A Coptic nun at the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. Photo: Guy Raivitz

Ravitz is interested in the internal process of worship and how it is exernalized.
Guy Raivitz - Lag Ba Omer - Mt. Meron
‘Lag Ba’omer’ celebrations, Mt. Meron northern Israel. Photo: Guy Raivitz

Guy Raivitz - Muslim man near Al Aksa
Muslim man praying near Temple mount, Jerusalem. Photo: Guy Raivitz

He is respectful of his subjects, always bearing in mind that what they are doing is not for show. To see more of “Holy Land”, visit Guy’s website.

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