A Palm Sunday procession like no other

I can claim that fairly confidently, because while there might be other Palm Sunday processions that match it in joyful, multilingual internationality, none of them follow the same route (more or less) as the original Palm Sunday.

We began at the church in Bethphage, built on the spot where Jesus is supposed to have mounted the donkey (and its colt, if you follow Matthew's version), and we then went up to the top of the Mount of Olives, where one gets an iconic view of Jerusalem. Coming down the hill, we went past the Garden of Gethsemane, across the top of the Kidron Valley, and into the Old City via the Lion Gate. We didn't go onto the Temple Mount - I guess the Muslims aren't too keen on having 5000 noisy Christians invading their patch - but otherwise it followed the route Jesus did, allowing for a few changes in road layout over two millennia.

The local Christians - mostly Arabs, but also some Hebrews - were well-represented; but there was a mixed rabble of different nationalities, some who were visitors to Jerusalem, some who work here. As we went along, the different groups sang songs in their own languages - which probably sounds chaotic, and it was, but it kind of worked, as this video hopefully illustrates:

Dancing also featured in some cases, including this African-led group:

At this point we'd been going for two hours; but people were still buzzing with energy. It was a joyful and happy occasion. Even the Franciscan friars were jumping around, the Arabs were singing their own version of Laudato Sii, and of course the Palestinian marching bands had to get in on the act. But enough videos from me. Here are some photos to complete my account:

Gathering in the church courtyard at Bethphage

The Franciscans are recruiting from an early age, it seems

Off we go...

The view southwest

Nearly at the top of the Mount of Olives

(the Dome of the Ascension can be seen behind the lamppost)

Going down...

First views of Jerusalem

Getting closer

The Lion Gate

Drummers warming up (and drowning out the bishop's sermon)