The road to Mar Saba monastery took us through breathtaking sun-bleached landscape, winding up and around hills, and in and out of Arab villages. Our driver had never been there before, and stopped at almost every junction to check the way with the men selling coffee by the side of the road. As time passed and the sun grew hotter, it became harder and harder to find anyone to ask - the villages appeared deserted as everyone took refuge from the heat.
We knew we were on the right track when, at the top of the hill looking down over empty valleys in three directions, we came across a Bethlehem tour bus, which we then followed down to the monastery.
Only men can go into the monastery itself, and only then when the monks are ready. Our friends waited an hour or so because the monks were praying, only then to be told they were having lunch. Other pilgrims came and went - some American, some Russian Orthodox women who braved the heat to walk up to the women's tower opposite the monastery. Arab men offered coffee, water and lemonade as we sat waiting under an olive tree.
Our friends were finally summoned to enter. We stayed under the tree as the Russian women returned. They were allowed to approach the door and peer in, and receive a blessing from one of the monks. Then they gathered under our tree to drink lemonade and pray.
They came all that way, to pray outside the walls in the burning sun.
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