El Omar Mosque, Jerusalem, near the church where Jesus was buried. Coronavirus (COVID-19). June 2020

Often confused with the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Mosque of Omar is a far more modest structure located elsewhere in the Old City of Jerusalem, across from the main entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was built in the 12th century on the site where Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab accepted the city’s surrender from the Byzantines following a brief siege in 638 CE.

It is told that Omar traveled to Jerusalem after the city’s Patriarch Sophronius stated that he would only surrender to the Caliph himself. When Omar arrived, the Patriarch asked if he would pray inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Omar, however, refused, opting instead to pray in the courtyard in order to preserve the Church’s Christian status.

The mosque has a distinctively square, 15-meter high minaret that was built in the 15th-century and renovated some 300 years later. Its base contains some Crusader masonry. The mosque is accessible down a short staircase from Christian Quarter Road and is generally open exclusively to Muslims.

Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera zahigo25@walla.com +972-54-6905522 tel סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
My name is Zahi Shaked
In 2000 I became a registered liscenced tourist guide.
My dedication in life is to pass on the ancient history of the Holy Land.

Following upon many years of travel around the world, which was highlighted by a very exciting emotional and soul-searching meeting with the Dalai Lama, I realized that I had a mission. To pass on the the history of the Holy Land, its religions, and in particular, the birth and development of Christianity.

In order to fulfill this "calling" in the best way possible, I studied in depth, visited, and personally experienced each and every important site of the ancient Christians. I studied for and received my first bachelors degree in the ancient history of the Holy Land, and am presently completing my studies for my second degree.(Masters)

Parralel to my studies, and in order to earn a living, I was employed for many years in advertising. What I learned there was how to attract the publics attention, generate and, increase interest, and assimilate information. All this I use as tools to describe, explain and deepen the interest in the sites that we visit. From my experience, I have learned that in this way, the Holy Land becomes more than just history, and that the large stones that we see scattered about in dissaray, join together one by one until they become - a Byzantine Church. This also happens when I lead a group of Pilgrims in the Steps of Jesus. We climb to the peak of Mount Precipice, "glide" over the land to the Sea of Galilee, land on the water and "see" the miracle which enfolds before us. This is a many faceted experience. Not only history which you will remember and cherish, but an experience which I hope will be inplanted in your hearts and minds, and will accompany you all the days of your life.

Видео El Omar Mosque, Jerusalem, near the church where Jesus was buried. Coronavirus (COVID-19). June 2020 канала The Holy Land, by Zahi Shaked