Lazarus's Tomb, Bethany April April 22, 2019

We joined the students on a bus ride into Bethany, where Jesus stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  This area is about 1.2 miles from Jerusalem, but it is now in the Palestinian area and can only be accessed by a 30 minute drive, due to the walls that have been put up.  This is one place that historian's are 99% certain is the real tomb.  It is now part of a Franciscan church, but is accessed by climbing down a steep rock-hewn staircase and finally getting into an area that one has stoop to down to enter.  Bro. Barron spoke to the students before going into the tomb (only 4 people could go in at a time due to the small space).  He mentioned that Jesus came on the 4th day of Lazarus's death.  Jewish tradition was that within 3 days, the person's spirit hovered in the tomb, but by the 4th day, all was gone and the person was dead in every sense.  Jesus raised Lazarus on the 4th day after his death to show that He had power over death.  The Pharisees sought to kill Lazarus also, because so many people accepted Christ because of Lazarus. 

The drive into Bethay

Standing in Lazarus's Tomb

 Climbing down the stairs to get to the tomb

 The Byzantine church that still exists but has been replaced by the Franciscan church for actual services.When we went into the Franciscan church we sang "He Is Risen" just before the Mass began--this was by invitation of the Friar.