Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives, above the Kidron Valley, tradition connects with the supplication of Jesus on the night before His crucifixion.

The small, only 1,200 square meters, the garden is adjacent to the Basilica of Striving (Church of All Nations). For the high stone wall of the ancient olive trees grow: a powerful, gnarled, majestic. Guides like to tell that it was near them prayed on the night before his arrest and crucifixion of Christ.

The garden does have eight very old trees. Three of them were examined by radiocarbon analysis - it turned out that they are around nine years. However, DNA analysis has shown that they are all descended from a single parent tree - perhaps on what was growing there in the time of Jesus Christ. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in the year 70, and cut down all the local trees. But the olive - extremely resistant plants if the soil remains the root, sooner or later it gives a new escape. It is known that the roots of existing trees is much more venerable age than it has shown the first analysis.

However, it is difficult to argue that the Passion of Christ began here. The gospels mention only area - Gethsemane. So we called the valley at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Really struggles of Jesus may have occurred somewhere near the modern garden of Gethsemane - for example, in the grotto of Gethsemane, that about a hundred meters to the north, near the cave church of the Assumption. Or on the territory of the Basilica of Striving - here in front of the altar is the top of the rock where, according to tradition, Christ prayed.

Whatever it was, this Olive Garden of Gethsemane - the direct heir of those that saw Jesus with his disciples. Christ and the apostles came here after the Last Supper. It disciples knew what would happen in the next few hours: the betrayal of one of them, renunciation of another, the end of the earthly life of the Savior. Even thinking about it, tired of the Apostles still slept. The human nature of Jesus trembled in anticipation of the Cross suffering. Moving away from the sleepers''s throw "(throw away) the stone, he fervently prayed, asking the heavenly Father," Father! Oh, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done "(Lk. 22:42). That was the Agony in the Garden, in the next two millennia to inspire artists and poets.

Fortified by prayer, Jesus roused the students met the kiss of Judas, in which Christ and identified. Followed by the arrest, interrogation before the Sanhedrin, Pilate's judgment, the way to Calvary, penalty.

Gethsemane today is neat and tidy and pleasing to the eye. Neat paths strewn with pebbles. Tourists take pictures of the famous trees. Not paying attention to the guests, workers harvest: local olives are still full of life.