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Dominus Flevit Church, Jerusalem

Dominus Flevit is a Roman Catholic church on the Mount of Olives, opposite the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.

During construction of the sanctuary, archaeologists uncovered artifacts dating back to the Canaanite period, as well as tombs from the Second Temple and Byzantine eras.

According to the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, becomes overwhelmed by the beauty of the Second Temple and predicting its future destruction, and the diaspora of the Jewish people, weeps openly (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin). (Luke 19:37-42).

The present church of Dominus Flevit is built upon the foundations of an earlier Byzantine church, which, like most churches, faced east. It was during the Crusader era that people began commemorating the location.

Entrance to Dominus Flevit Church.
The church is on the right side of the street that runs down from the Tomb of the Prophets to Gethsemane.


Necropolis.
A Canaanite tomb from the Late Bronze Age, as well as a necropolis used from 136 BC to AD 300 were discovered.

  • The necropolis spanned two separate periods, characterized by differing tomb styles.
  • The earlier Second Temple era tombs were of the kokh style, while the Byzantine era section was composed of tombs with arcosolium from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

Mosaics.
A Byzantine monastery from the 5th century was also discovered.

  • Mosaics from this monastery still remain at the site.

Dominus Flevit Church seen from the west.
Located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives, the church was designed and constructed between 1953 and 1955 by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and is held in trust by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.


Dominus Flevit Church seen from the southwest.
Dominus Flevit, which translates from Latin as "The Lord Wept", was fashioned in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ.


Dome of the Rock seen from Dominus Flevit Church.
According to the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, becomes overwhelmed by the unbelief of the people of Jerusalem and their failure to recognize the time when God came to "visit them" (Luke 1:16 and Luke 19:44).

  • Jesus predicts the city's future destruction, the diaspora of the Jewish people, and weeps openly (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin). (Luke 19:37–42).

See also

Source

Location

Location: Jerusalem