St Peter's in Gallicantu is the spot believed to be Caiphas' house where Jesus would have been taken for trial and the place where Peter would have denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed. There are many houses now built in the valley since I was here years ago. As we later headed to the old city, the Muslim prayer calls were sounding like a symphony of voices, as their timing was slightly apart. We walked into the Christian Quarter, and my Colorado classmates went a different way. I proceeded to walk through all parts off the city again as if to say farewell to the streets and sites and peoples.
I encountered an Armenian man whose father had been interred during the Armenian genocide that many people have sadly denied for years. His story and that of his father touched me deeply. The Armenian Quarter is smaller than the other quarters and yet has its own unique flavor. I then walked through the Muslim Quarter and back to the Western Wall. I walked and walked and pondered the richness of this land, the challenges that remain, and the hope for peace among these peoples. I leave with sorrow and joy and hope and prayed for them and for you all during Evening Prayer back at St George's Cathedral. It was the last service for this trip in the chapel which has been a home away from home. The Muslim prayer calls sounded again as I was ready to leave.