Mount of Olives is the hill facing the Old City of Jerusalem, on the Eastern side of Kidron valley. Its name came from the olive trees that once grew on its hillside from ancient times. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear here and bring the dead back to life. Therefore, the hillside became the most holiest cemetery, and is covered by thousands of grave stones.
Jesus had many encounters on Mount of Olives. The hill’s peak is 830M above sea level, 100M above the Old City. Mount of Olives is associated with acts in the life of Jesus. Several churches mark these places: Pater Noster church, the place where according to tradition Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s prayer; the tear-shaped church of Dominus Flevit (“the Lord wept”) where Jesus wept over the future destruction of the city; Gethsemane (Gat Shemanim) where Jesus was betrayed and arrested.
