The Chapel of Ascension (Mosque site too)

The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is long believed to be the spot from which Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after his resurrection. This belief can be seen in the many Churches in the area dedicated to the event. One of the oldest monuments built to mark this moment and offer a place for pilgrims to gather is the Chapel of Ascension. The octagonal Chapel has been built around a stone slab, referred to as the ascension rock, which is believed to bear the impression of the right footprint of Jesus as he made his ascension. The left footprint was moved to the Al Aqsa Mosque during the Middle Ages. Today, the Chapel is located inside a walled compound administered by the Islamic Waqf Foundation in the neighborhood of A-Tur along the main road at the top of the Mount of Olives. In 384 CE, the writings of pilgrim Egeria referenced the celebration of the Ascension at this spot and a short time later the first Church was built around the ascension rock either by Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine or another wealthy imperial Roman, Poemenia. The Byzantine Church was circular in design, featuring an open roof and surrounded by porticos and arches. This structure was destroyed in 614CE by the Persians, later rebuilt, and then destroyed once again in the 10th century during the Arab conquest. The site was rebuilt for the second time by the Crusaders in the 12th century, this time with an octagonal design surrounded by archways. This Crusader era construction is largely what remains today. In 1187CE, after the conquest of Salah Ad-Din, the chapel was converted into a mosque with a mihrab replacing the stone slab at the center and a dome enclosing its top. During this period Christians continued to make pilgrimages to the site, and as a compromise a separate Mosque was constructed within the same compound in order to allow Muslim and Christian worship to continue. The Chapel was also later enclosed by walls between the arched columns. The site continues to welcome visitors of all faiths today. If the gates to the compound aren’t open, there is a bell to ring and for a small fee, visitors can enter the chapel turned mosque and see the stone slab which is believed to bear the footprint of Jesus Christ at the last moment that he touched earth before his ascension. Its location on the Mount of Olives also makes it a great stop on a tour of the area. Nearby sites include the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension, Church of Pater Noster, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension.