The Complexities of the Four Quarters in Old Jerusalem
by A'nnika Saenz
As I initially watched the National Geographic documentary, Jerusalem, before class and reflected upon the clips that we dove deeper into, the most memorable concepts that struck me were the religious, cultural, and geographical complexities of each of the four quarters that make up the old city of Jerusalem. The Armenian Quarter, Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, and Jewish Quarter make up these four distinctions of religious practices and groups of culturally connected people.
What became more unique to me was just how each group of people claimed the old city of Jerusalem in the context of historical accuracy intertwined with religious statehood. The oldest copies of the Hebrew bible were found in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, and the outcrop of bedrock is believed to have been used to worship the god of the Setting Sun by the Jebusites (Jerusalem 2013). In the Hebrew Bible, that outcrop was known to be the center of where the world was to be created (Jerusalem 2013).
Muslims claimed Jerusalem through the martyrdom of their prophet Muhammad. He was believed to have ascended to heaven on a ladder of light during his night journey from Mecca (Jerusalem 2013). It is believed to have been at the spot of the golden dome of the rock and the mosque at the southern end of the square mile city (Jerusalem 2013).
In Christian theology, Jerusalem is profoundly significant as the backdrop for key events in the life of Jesus Christ (Jerusalem 2013). It is associated with his triumphal entry, arrest, crucifixion in Golgotha, and resurrection. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is a central pilgrimage site for Christians, encompassing locations tied to Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection (Jerusalem 2013).
Although we did not touch too much in the Armenian section of the four quarters it was really interesting to understand, having never visited Jerusalem, that each of the quarters is not directly boarded up or independent of one another. I can just imagine walking through the streets of the city and finding my way through different parts of culture as I began to gather near the centralized markets or sacred spaces of each quarter.
The optimistic tone of the documentary lent itself to be a beacon of hope for the intersection and understanding of each of the quarter’s cultures and religious beliefs. When all of the girls gathered at the end of the film, it immediately brought me to ponder the history of the state of peace in the old city as well as the contemporary instances of violence.
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| The concept of the "four quarters" captivated the imaginations of outsiders, solidifying its place as a timeless element on city maps. |
As I initially watched the National Geographic documentary, Jerusalem, before class and reflected upon the clips that we dove deeper into, the most memorable concepts that struck me were the religious, cultural, and geographical complexities of each of the four quarters that make up the old city of Jerusalem. The Armenian Quarter, Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, and Jewish Quarter make up these four distinctions of religious practices and groups of culturally connected people.
What became more unique to me was just how each group of people claimed the old city of Jerusalem in the context of historical accuracy intertwined with religious statehood. The oldest copies of the Hebrew bible were found in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, and the outcrop of bedrock is believed to have been used to worship the god of the Setting Sun by the Jebusites (Jerusalem 2013). In the Hebrew Bible, that outcrop was known to be the center of where the world was to be created (Jerusalem 2013).
Muslims claimed Jerusalem through the martyrdom of their prophet Muhammad. He was believed to have ascended to heaven on a ladder of light during his night journey from Mecca (Jerusalem 2013). It is believed to have been at the spot of the golden dome of the rock and the mosque at the southern end of the square mile city (Jerusalem 2013).
In Christian theology, Jerusalem is profoundly significant as the backdrop for key events in the life of Jesus Christ (Jerusalem 2013). It is associated with his triumphal entry, arrest, crucifixion in Golgotha, and resurrection. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is a central pilgrimage site for Christians, encompassing locations tied to Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection (Jerusalem 2013).
Although we did not touch too much in the Armenian section of the four quarters it was really interesting to understand, having never visited Jerusalem, that each of the quarters is not directly boarded up or independent of one another. I can just imagine walking through the streets of the city and finding my way through different parts of culture as I began to gather near the centralized markets or sacred spaces of each quarter.
The optimistic tone of the documentary lent itself to be a beacon of hope for the intersection and understanding of each of the quarter’s cultures and religious beliefs. When all of the girls gathered at the end of the film, it immediately brought me to ponder the history of the state of peace in the old city as well as the contemporary instances of violence.
Citations
“Jerusalem 2013.” YouTube, National Geographic, 5 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLW6vO-7rFk&t=27s.
“Jerusalem 2013.” YouTube, National Geographic, 5 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLW6vO-7rFk&t=27s.
Nice post reflecting on the movie! As a point of clarification, you mention the martyrdom of Muhammad, but I think the event you are referring to is Muhammad's ascent to heaven from which he subsequently descended back to earth. So it isn't related to martyrdom—which is a term that typically refers to an admirable death—but rather a journey into heaven that began in Jerusalem.
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