Dominus Flevit is a Roman Catholic church on the Mount of Olives, opposite the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. The church was designed and constructed between 1953 and 1955 by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and is held in trust by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. During construction of the sanctuary, archaeologists uncovered artifacts dating back to the Canaanite period, as well as tombs from the Second Temple and Byzantine eras.
The little teardrop Church of Dominus Flevit, halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives, recalls the Gospel incident in which Jesus wept over the future fate of Jerusalem.
This poignant incident occurred during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, when crowds threw their cloaks on the road in front of him and shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Looking down on the city, Jesus wept over it as he prophesied its future destruction. Enemies would “set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side . . . crush you to the ground . . . and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognise the time of your visitation from God.” (Luke 19:37-44)
Dominus Flevit, which translates from Latin as "The Lord Wept", was fashioned in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ. Here, according to the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, becomes overwhelmed by the beauty of the Second Temple and predicting its future destruction, and the diaspora of the Jewish people, weeps openly (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin language).
Within 40 years, in AD 70, Jesus’ prophesy was fulfilled. Roman legions besieged Jerusalem and, after six months of fighting, burnt the Temple and levelled the city.
The site of Christ's weeping was unmarked until the Crusader era. It was during this time that people began commemorating the site. Eventually a small chapel was built there. After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, the church fell into ruin. In the early sixteenth century a mosque or madrasah existed at the site, presumably built by the Turks, from the remains of the earlier church, although the exact use is disputed. This place was known as el Mansouriyeh (The Triumphant) and also el Khelweh (The Hermitage).
The Franciscans were unable to obtain the ruins, so, in 1891 they purchased a small plot of land nearby and built a small chapel there. In 1913 a small private home was built in front of the Franciscan chapel by one Miss Mellon. This home eventually passed to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who eventually sold it to a Portuguese woman.
Teardrop shape recalls Christ’s grief
The panoramic view from the Church of Dominus Flevit (Latin for “the Lord wept”) makes it easy to imagine the scene as Christ looked down on the city.
• Rising proud behind the city wall, in the place of today’s Dome of the Rock, stood the Temple — a gleaming vision of white marble and gold facings, huge bronze doors and colonnaded porticos.
• Beyond rose the grand Hasmonean palace, then serving as the Praetorium, and Herod’s Upper Palace with its three enormous towers.
• And in the houses and the streets were the men, women and children of Jerusalem, unaware of the fate that was to befall the Holy City.
Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi symbolised Christ’s grief over the city by designing the Dominus Flevit Church in the shape of a teardrop, with tear phials on the four corners of its dome.
At the foot of the altar, a mosaic of a hen gathering her chickens under her wings recalls Christ’s words “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)
Behind the altar is a much-photographed picture window overlooking the city. The cross and chalice in its arch-shaped design focus not on the Dome of the Rock but on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Ancient mosaic floor is preserved
The Church of Dominus Flevit was built in 1955, but occupies an ancient site. It stands on the ruins of a Byzantine church from the 5th century, dedicated to the prophetess St Anna, and in an area of tombs dating back as far as 1600 BC.
Examples of the two types of tombs discovered by excavators have been left visible.
Also unearthed were the remains of an elaborate mosaic floor from the Byzantine church. It has been preserved, to the left of the entrance.
The mosaic is richly decorated with intersecting circles and pictures of fruit, leaves and flowers.
An inscription in Greek refers to Simon, a “friend of Christ”, who “decorated this place of prayer and offered it to Christ our Lord for the forgiveness of his sins and for the repose of his brother . . . .”
History of the place:
Bronze age
During the construction of the church, a late bronze tomb was found and excavated, with many findings.
Old Testament
Mount of Olives played an important part during the Biblical times. For more information - see the Mt Olives page.
Second temple period
There are several second temple period findings in the burial caves near the church (dated to 2nd C BC - 1st C AD). Near the entrance are two large caves with dozens of ossuaries (stone coffins) that are on display. The excavations resulted in other rich findings, such as a hoard of silver Jewish shekels minted during the Great revolt against the Romans (AD 66-70). On the coffins, mostly Jewish, are dozens of inscriptions in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.
New Testament
According to tradition, this is the site where Jesus was looking at the city, visualizing its destruction, and weeping over its fate. The location of the church fits the description in Luke 19 - on a descent from Mount of Olives and facing the temple mount.
Byzantine through Crusaders period
In the 5th a Byzantine Monastery and chapel was built at this site. The present church is built over its ruins, and a mosaic floor can be seen to the left of the entrance. After its destruction in the Persian or early Arab period, the site was forgotten, and in the Crusaders period a small chapel was built here.
Mamlukes and Ottoman period
The Arabs converted the structure to a small mosque or school - named El-Mansuria (The Victory). After some time it was deserted until the 19th C. In 1913 a private house was built on the site.
A lot nearby was purchased by the Franciscans in 1891 and a small chapel was built. Later, they finally purchased the private house and the area where the church stands today. A new church was designed and constructed in 1953-1954. It was built over the ruins of the Byzantine monastery, but left traces of the ruins inside the church. During the construction, an Italian archaeologist - B. Bagatti - conducted the excavations. A small collection of the artifacts from these excavations are housed at the site.
Modern times
The church is open to the public, and many groups and tourists come to visit the church and pray. There is a great panorama from the balcony towards the old city and the foothills of Mt Olives, and although the access to the church is difficult - the view and the visit here is worth the efforts.
Administered by: Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land
Tel.: 972-2-6266450
Open: 8-11.45am; 2.30-5pm
The little teardrop Church of Dominus Flevit, halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives, recalls the Gospel incident in which Jesus wept over the future fate of Jerusalem.
This poignant incident occurred during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, when crowds threw their cloaks on the road in front of him and shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Looking down on the city, Jesus wept over it as he prophesied its future destruction. Enemies would “set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side . . . crush you to the ground . . . and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognise the time of your visitation from God.” (Luke 19:37-44)
Dominus Flevit, which translates from Latin as "The Lord Wept", was fashioned in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ. Here, according to the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, becomes overwhelmed by the beauty of the Second Temple and predicting its future destruction, and the diaspora of the Jewish people, weeps openly (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin language).
Within 40 years, in AD 70, Jesus’ prophesy was fulfilled. Roman legions besieged Jerusalem and, after six months of fighting, burnt the Temple and levelled the city.
The site of Christ's weeping was unmarked until the Crusader era. It was during this time that people began commemorating the site. Eventually a small chapel was built there. After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, the church fell into ruin. In the early sixteenth century a mosque or madrasah existed at the site, presumably built by the Turks, from the remains of the earlier church, although the exact use is disputed. This place was known as el Mansouriyeh (The Triumphant) and also el Khelweh (The Hermitage).
The Franciscans were unable to obtain the ruins, so, in 1891 they purchased a small plot of land nearby and built a small chapel there. In 1913 a small private home was built in front of the Franciscan chapel by one Miss Mellon. This home eventually passed to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who eventually sold it to a Portuguese woman.
Teardrop shape recalls Christ’s grief
The panoramic view from the Church of Dominus Flevit (Latin for “the Lord wept”) makes it easy to imagine the scene as Christ looked down on the city.
• Rising proud behind the city wall, in the place of today’s Dome of the Rock, stood the Temple — a gleaming vision of white marble and gold facings, huge bronze doors and colonnaded porticos.
• Beyond rose the grand Hasmonean palace, then serving as the Praetorium, and Herod’s Upper Palace with its three enormous towers.
• And in the houses and the streets were the men, women and children of Jerusalem, unaware of the fate that was to befall the Holy City.
Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi symbolised Christ’s grief over the city by designing the Dominus Flevit Church in the shape of a teardrop, with tear phials on the four corners of its dome.
At the foot of the altar, a mosaic of a hen gathering her chickens under her wings recalls Christ’s words “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)
Behind the altar is a much-photographed picture window overlooking the city. The cross and chalice in its arch-shaped design focus not on the Dome of the Rock but on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Ancient mosaic floor is preserved
The Church of Dominus Flevit was built in 1955, but occupies an ancient site. It stands on the ruins of a Byzantine church from the 5th century, dedicated to the prophetess St Anna, and in an area of tombs dating back as far as 1600 BC.
Examples of the two types of tombs discovered by excavators have been left visible.
Also unearthed were the remains of an elaborate mosaic floor from the Byzantine church. It has been preserved, to the left of the entrance.
The mosaic is richly decorated with intersecting circles and pictures of fruit, leaves and flowers.
An inscription in Greek refers to Simon, a “friend of Christ”, who “decorated this place of prayer and offered it to Christ our Lord for the forgiveness of his sins and for the repose of his brother . . . .”
History of the place:
Bronze age
During the construction of the church, a late bronze tomb was found and excavated, with many findings.
Old Testament
Mount of Olives played an important part during the Biblical times. For more information - see the Mt Olives page.
Second temple period
There are several second temple period findings in the burial caves near the church (dated to 2nd C BC - 1st C AD). Near the entrance are two large caves with dozens of ossuaries (stone coffins) that are on display. The excavations resulted in other rich findings, such as a hoard of silver Jewish shekels minted during the Great revolt against the Romans (AD 66-70). On the coffins, mostly Jewish, are dozens of inscriptions in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.
New Testament
According to tradition, this is the site where Jesus was looking at the city, visualizing its destruction, and weeping over its fate. The location of the church fits the description in Luke 19 - on a descent from Mount of Olives and facing the temple mount.
Byzantine through Crusaders period
In the 5th a Byzantine Monastery and chapel was built at this site. The present church is built over its ruins, and a mosaic floor can be seen to the left of the entrance. After its destruction in the Persian or early Arab period, the site was forgotten, and in the Crusaders period a small chapel was built here.
Mamlukes and Ottoman period
The Arabs converted the structure to a small mosque or school - named El-Mansuria (The Victory). After some time it was deserted until the 19th C. In 1913 a private house was built on the site.
A lot nearby was purchased by the Franciscans in 1891 and a small chapel was built. Later, they finally purchased the private house and the area where the church stands today. A new church was designed and constructed in 1953-1954. It was built over the ruins of the Byzantine monastery, but left traces of the ruins inside the church. During the construction, an Italian archaeologist - B. Bagatti - conducted the excavations. A small collection of the artifacts from these excavations are housed at the site.
Modern times
The church is open to the public, and many groups and tourists come to visit the church and pray. There is a great panorama from the balcony towards the old city and the foothills of Mt Olives, and although the access to the church is difficult - the view and the visit here is worth the efforts.
Administered by: Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land
Tel.: 972-2-6266450
Open: 8-11.45am; 2.30-5pm
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