St. Mark's Monastery, Jerusalem

Editor's Note: Closed for renovation until May 2020 at the least.

One of Jerusalem's many hidden treasures, this ancient monastery is home to one of the smallest Christian communities in Jerusalem, but also the setting for a remarkable set of traditions — including the claim to be the site of the house of Mary, mother of St. Mark the Evangelist, and the Upper Room of the Last Supper of Christ with His disciples. Because Jerusalem has been destroyed and built over many times, this Upper Room is now beneath the church and is known as the 'upper room down below'.

One can visit with the (free) guidance of church staff who give a quick (English) explanation in the small worship hall. You will see the decorative and gilded altar, an ornately-carved patriarchal throne, and iconic images including a parchment painting of the Virgin and Child which the monks ascribe to Luke the Evangelist. Given the age and delicacy of this ancient artwork, it is strictly off-limits for photography.

For those inclined to think of worship more liturgically, St. Mark's employs the oldest surviving liturgy in Christianity, based on the rite of the early Christian Church of Jerusalem. The language used is Syriac, a dialect of the Aramaic that Jesus spoke.