Peterskirche in Munich, Germany

Top of Church across from Marian Square

A lovely traveling friend of my wife and I were standing in the Marienplatz in the middle of Munich, Germany, talking and listening to the Glockenspiel clock in the town hall building as it rang. Standing in the center of the platz we noticed people outside of a high steeple just a short distance from us. We learned that the church was called Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church) and was Munich's oldest church built in 1180.

We discovered, though it lacked an elevator, one was free to make the ascent up and out of the steeple. Our friend, a retired college English professor, and a few years my senor, wanted to go to the top to get a better view. My wife cast a “no vote”, but I could not let our dear friend go alone. So into the church we went, found the way into the attic and then the tower. Being the gentleman I am, I let her go before me and saw her forge her way upwards through makeshift ladders and steps. There were even some places I could hardly go through.

The distance was 303 feet in total height, and has 306 steps to the observation terrace located at 187 feet. I thought the 306 steps would not be like a lot, but I got a serious lower body workout on the way up. But the views are good, but space is tight on the terrace as you will have to squeeze by other folks at the top while walking around the 360 degree view.

The initial stairwell entrance is a little deceiving as it is really narrow, but it gets wider and has many switchbacks to allow for a breather and a chance to let people coming down squeeze by you.

At last, I heard the good doctor whisper out a “Whew!.” “We have made it,” she exclaimed tiredly.

A few more steps and I joined her as we looked out the small doorway and saw a narrow plank walkway protected by only a weak cable and aged fencing. We noticed others were returning off the platform as we prepared to go out for the most unexpected view. From this high pinnacle we were able to see all across the city and it being a beautiful day could see the Bavarian Alps to our south about 80 miles away. The view was worth the climb.

The way to heaven may appear rough at times, but to use the saying I saw on a bumper sticker, “Heaven is out of this world!”

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9


Dr. Alton Loveless is the former CEO/President of Randall House Publications, Nashville, Tn., He is a freelance writer and has written for assorted publications printed both nationally and internationally.

Catalina Island

My wife and I had attended a convention in Anaheim and stayed a few days afterwards to see the area.

We decided to go to Long Beach to see the Queen Mary which was interesting, but since we have cruised over 16 times we opted not to go on board.

While driving over I had seen a sign of ferries that went to an island in the Channel Islands (which I had flown over a number of times when flying out of Los Angeles airport).

In less than an hour we were headed there.

The ride was about an hour’s trip from the California coast to an island called Catalina, it’s actually Santa Catalina, but no one calls it that. The island is only 22 miles long so that is covered with lush forests.

As you arrive at the port of Avalon you see a large round building which I later learned was a casino which draws many to the island.

My wife and I walked around in the town and walked up to an overlook quite a piece from the business area. It was a beautiful area for photos. There are no vehicles allowed on the island.

Afterwards, we sat in a café and just enjoyed watching people and the surrounding of this unique place. While there we ran into a couple from back in Nashville, Tennessee, where we lived at the time and enjoyed ourselves with them for some time.

The island has secluded coves surrounded by the ocean with abundant sea life, exceptionally clear waters, and a wide variety of colorful marine life. Within just a few miles of Avalon, you can see a sea lion colony, thriving kelp forests, and schools of flying fish. Whales, dolphin, and sea lions can also be spotted from your boat as you near Catalina Island.

There are spectacular canyons, scenic coastline, and unspoiled countryside alive with native plants and wildlife. You can sometimes buffalo, deer, wild boars, wild turkeys, bald eagles or the Catalina Island foxes

Nestled in a small valley on Catalina Island nearly 12 miles outside of Avalon is El Rancho Escondido, “the hidden ranch.” Still a working ranch, it was originally started as the Wrigley family's Arabian Horse Ranch.

We have many fond memories of your visit there.

“The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.”-- Isaiah 34:14

Fountain of Trevi in Rome Italy

It was in 1978, when I first saw the fountain of Trevi. I had joined a friend, Dr. James Cox, who was going to the Holy land and return back by way of Rome. I had always wanted to visit Rome because of all of the ancient history there. There were many sites in the city that we visited, but the Trevi was indeed was one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome, even though they were on nearly every corner. The Trevi Fountain is stands 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and overwhelms you with its size.
As a junior in high school in 1954, I had seen the film Three Coins in the Fountain. It tells the story of three American girls looking for romance in Rome while employed at the American Embassy. It stars Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire, Jean Peters, Louis Jourdan, Maggie McNamara and Rossano Brazzi.
The front of the fountain has in the middle a triumphal arch made by an order of four Corinthian columns that divide it into three niches. They are surmounted by a grandiose attic with two who hold the coat-of-arms of pope Clemente XII (1730-1740). Below it are four statues that represent the seasons.
A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will ensure a marriage will occur soon, while three coins leads to a divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain.
Approximately 3,000 coins are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain, including some using a magnetized pole.
Like the many all around me, I turned my back to the statuary and threw a coin over my left shoulder, signifying that I wanted to come back to Rome. I have returned to Italy, a number of times, but have yet to return to Rome, and it appears I may not be able to. In any case, this was a very enjoyable experience for me.
If you ever have a chance to visit Rome, after seeing all the other magnificent places, be sure to visit Trevi. You will never miss the coin and who knows your wish may come true.
“Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: “-- Deuteronomy 15:4


Dr. Alton Loveless is the former CEO/President of Randall House Publications, Nashville, Tn., He is a freelance writer living in Ashville,Ohio and has written for assorted publications printed both nationally and internationally. To see photos and read other stories click on http://altonloveless.blogspot.com/

Celsus Library near Ephesus, Turkey

After arriving at Kusadasi, Turkey we took a bus to the ruins of Ephesus the best rebuilt of the Biblical ruins I have ever visited. Ephesus was an ancient Ionian Greek city; its ruins lie near the modern Town of Selcuk and only 20 minutes drive from Kusadasi. It was situated south of the Cayster River, and was the site of the Temple of Artemis.
After viewing a good part of the items on a road paved with wide flat rocks we came upon what was called Celsus Library. This library is one of the most beautiful structures in Ephesus. It was built in 117 A.D. It was a monumental tomb for Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of the province of Asia; from his son Galius Julius Aquila. The grave of Celsus was beneath the ground floor, across the entrance and there was a statue of Athena over it since Athena was the goddess of wisdom.
I view the front of this restored structure and was fascinated with not only the features of the building but the records it contained at one time in the past.
It is said, the scrolls of the manuscripts were kept in cupboards in niches on the walls. There were double walls behind the bookcases to prevent them from the extremes of temperature and humidity. At one time the capacity of the library was more than 12,000 scrolls. It was the third richest library in ancient times after the Alexandra and Pergamum compliment to the era.
The facade of the library has two-stories, with Corinthian style columns on the ground floor and three entrances to the building. There are three windows openings in the upper story. They used an optical trick that the columns at the sides of the facade are shorter than those at the center, giving the illusion of the building being greater in size.
The statues between the columns today are the copies of the originals. They symbolize wisdom, knowledge, intelligence and valor. These are the virtues of Celsus. The library was restored with the aid of the Austrian Archaeological Institute and the original statues were taken to the Ephesus Museum in Vienna in 1910.
There was an auditorium, which was for lectures or presentations between the library and the Marble Road, was built during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.
It is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and was buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. Three hundred years after the death of St. John, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. The church of St John was changed into a marvelous basilica during the region of Emperor Justinian (527 -565 AD).
The Apostle John was the writer of the Fourth Gospel, Three Epistles and the book of Revelation. The accounts of the Gospels agree that he is the son of Zebedee; together with his brother James, who began to follow Jesus while fishing in the Lake Galilee. He became one of the Christ’s closest disciples and was with him on various significant events such as the Transfiguration and the Crucifixion. At his writings when Jesus was on his torture stake he said that: ‘Mother, this is your Son’. And to his beloved disciple, ‘this is Your Mother’ (John 19:26-27).The beloved disciple is thought to have been St John.
The second half of the first century was full of persecution for the early Christians. According to tradition John took The Mother Mary and came to Ephesus. He wrote his Gospel in Ephesus and the Revelation on Greece Island of Patmos, where I also sincerely enjoyed visiting.
Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and a companion of the Apostle Paul was born in Antioch also in Asia Minor. He was the patron of the medical profession. His symbol was the bull, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial and priestly office, as pointed out by St. Irenaeus.
In Ephesus, there was a circular structure which was described as the grave of St Luke because of the bull carved into the door.
I have always delighted in seeing many of the relics and excavations in Biblical sites.
“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!“--John 19:26

Dr. Alton Loveless is the former CEO/President of Randall House Publications, Nashville, Tn., He is a freelance writer living in Ashville, Ohio and has written for assorted publications printed both nationally and internationally. To see photos and read other stories click on http://altonloveless.blogspot.com/

Caesarea

Caesarea is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city which was our destination for the day. Viewing the old port was very interesting since it was once the site of a Phoenician port. Herod built Caesarea into the grandest city other than Jerusalem in Palestine, with a deep sea harbor, aqueduct, hippodrome and magnificent amphitheater that remain standing today.
I was so intrigued by the aqueduct that I even climbed to the top of it and got at very good view of the area. Then made my way to the top of the amphitheater where the view was even greater.
Herod renamed the city Caesarea in honor of the emperor. The population of Caesarea was half gentile and half Jewish, which often caused disputes among the people. In 6 AD Caesarea became the home of the Roman Procurators of Judea.
It is located mid-way between Tel Aviv and Haifa on the Israeli Mediterranean coast near the city of Hadera.
The Great Revolt of 66-70 AD started in Caesarea when the Jewish and Syrian communities began fighting over a pagan ceremony conducted near the entrance of a synagogue. The Romans ignored the Jewish protests of this provocation and violence soon spread throughout the country. When the Romans finally stopped the revolt, and razed Jerusalem, Caesarea became the capital of Palestine, a status it maintained until the Roman Empire was Christianized by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD.
Caesarea is an important site in Christian history. It was the place where Pontius Pilate governed during the time of Jesus. It was also where Simon Peter converted the Roman, Cornelius, the first non-Jew to believe in Jesus. Even the Apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea. During the 3rd century, Caesarea was a center of Christian learning. In the 4th century, the site converted to Christianity and became a major center of the Christian Roman Empire.
Today, the amphitheater is not only a spectacular remain of the past, but a modern performing venue where concerts are frequently are still held. Inside the gate of the theater is a plaque with a replica of the inscription found during excavations in 1959-63 with the words "TIBERIVM" and "TIVS PILATUS," which are references to Emperor Tiberius and Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. This was an important find because it is the only archaeological evidence of Pilate's existence. We were able to later see the original in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The inside of the theater is not only impressive as a remnant of the glory days of Rome, but for its spectacular view of the Mediterranean.
The Roman historian Flavius Josephus describes the harbor; "the king triumphed over nature and constructed a harbor larger than the Piraeus.
I deeply enjoyed seeing the great remains of the past here in Caesarea.

“And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. “--Acts 10:24


Dr. Alton Loveless is the former CEO/President of Randall House Publications, Nashville, Tn., He is a freelance writer living in Ashville, Ohio and has written for assorted publications printed both nationally and internationally. To see photos and read other stories click on http://altonloveless.blogspot.com/

Caesarea

Caesarea is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city which was our destination for the day. Viewing the old port was very interesting since it was once the site of a Phoenician port. Herod built Caesarea into the grandest city other than Jerusalem in Palestine, with a deep sea harbor, aqueduct, hippodrome and magnificent amphitheater that remain standing today.
I was so intrigued by the aqueduct that I even climbed to the top of it and got at very good view of the area. Then made my way to the top of the amphitheater where the view was even greater.
Herod renamed the city Caesarea in honor of the emperor. The population of Caesarea was half gentile and half Jewish, which often caused disputes among the people. In 6 AD Caesarea became the home of the Roman Procurators of Judea.
It is located mid-way between Tel Aviv and Haifa on the Israeli Mediterranean coast near the city of Hadera.
The Great Revolt of 66-70 AD started in Caesarea when the Jewish and Syrian communities began fighting over a pagan ceremony conducted near the entrance of a synagogue. The Romans ignored the Jewish protests of this provocation and violence soon spread throughout the country. When the Romans finally stopped the revolt, and razed Jerusalem, Caesarea became the capital of Palestine, a status it maintained until the Roman Empire was Christianized by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD.
Caesarea is an important site in Christian history. It was the place where Pontius Pilate governed during the time of Jesus. It was also where Simon Peter converted the Roman, Cornelius, the first non-Jew to believe in Jesus. Even the Apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea. During the 3rd century, Caesarea was a center of Christian learning. In the 4th century, the site converted to Christianity and became a major center of the Christian Roman Empire.
Today, the amphitheater is not only a spectacular remain of the past, but a modern performing venue where concerts are frequently are still held. Inside the gate of the theater is a plaque with a replica of the inscription found during excavations in 1959-63 with the words "TIBERIVM" and "TIVS PILATUS," which are references to Emperor Tiberius and Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. This was an important find because it is the only archaeological evidence of Pilate's existence. We were able to later see the original in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The inside of the theater is not only impressive as a remnant of the glory days of Rome, but for its spectacular view of the Mediterranean.
The Roman historian Flavius Josephus describes the harbor; "the king triumphed over nature and constructed a harbor larger than the Piraeus.
I deeply enjoyed seeing the great remains of the past here in Caesarea.

“And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. “--Acts 10:24


Dr. Alton Loveless is the former CEO/President of Randall House Publications, Nashville, Tn., He is a freelance writer living in Ashville, Ohio and has written for assorted publications printed both nationally and internationally. To see photos and read other stories click on http://altonloveless.blogspot.com/

Vienna's Belvedere Palace

Belvedere Palace

After attending a Mozart symphony the night before and the Schönbrunn palace early the next day, which is a former imperial summer residence of successive Habsburg monarchs in Vienna. It has been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of the Habsburgs.

To my surprise I learned there are 52 palaces in this city alone. After a morning at the Schonbrunn visiting the inside of the palace and garden we departed to tour the city. By the mid-afternoon we made our advent into the grounds of the beautiful Belvedere Palace, which seemed so large from our prospective.

The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy in Vienna, south-east of the city center. After buying the plot of land in 1697, Prince Eugene had a large park created. The Belvedere palace began as a suburban entertainment villa in 1714. Actually the work began to erect what is now called the Lower Belvedere, not as a palace but as a garden villa, with a paintings gallery, with suitable living quarters. The architect was Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, one of the most important architects of the Austrian Baroque, who produced in the complex of buildings his masterwork. He was assisted by the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Stanetti, who had been brought to Vienna by Prince Eugene, with his many assistants providing properly Italianate sculptural details, such as the figures along the balustrade and garden sculptures. The Lower Belvedere was finished in 1716.

After a bid of reading I discovered that the ceiling of the central Marble Hall was painted by Martino Altomonte and celebrates Prince Eugene as a new Apollo, leader of the Muses. The room also contains an Apotheosis of Prince Eugene sculpted by Balthasar Permoser.
It houses the Österreichische Gallery Belvedere museum.

The garden had beautiful scenery, enclosed by clipped hedging, even as the Belvedere was building, in the formal French manner with gravelled. Its great water basin in the upper parterre and the stairs and cascades peopled by nymphs and goddesses that links upper and lower parterres survive, but the patterned bedding has long been grassed over.

Vienna is well known for Wiener Schnitzel, a cutlet of veal that is pounded flat, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in clarified butter. It is available in almost every restaurant that serves Viennese cuisine. It was here that I acquired a taste for Viennese and German cuisine which include Tafelspitz (very lean boiled beef), traditionally served with Geröstete Erdäpfel (boiled potatoes mashed with a fork and subsequently fried) and horseradish sauce, Apfelkren (a mixture of horseradish, cream and apple) and Schnittlauchsauce (a chives sauce made with mayonnaise and old bread).

Vienna has a long tradition of producing the finest cakes and desserts. Apfelstrudel (hot apple strudel), Palatschinken (sweet pancakes), and Knödel (dumplings) often filled with fruit such as apricots are among some of my favorites.

However, Sausages are some of my favorites and are available even from street vendors though out the day and into the night. Follow is a little comparison between there and here. The sausage known as Wiener (German for Viennese) in the USA and Germany is called Frankfurter. Other popular sausages are a coarse beef and pork sausage, generally boiled called Burenwurst and Käsekrainer (spicy pork with small chunks of cheese), and Bratwurst (a white pork sausage). Mustard is the traditional condiment and usually offered in two varieties: sweet or spicy.
After leaving Vienna we continued our visit in Austria a beautiful country.

“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;”-- Philippians 1:13

The Dome of the Rock

Dome of the rock

It was on my first trip to Israel that I visited the mount where the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque of Omar are located.
As we arrived at the door that opened into the plaza where the two building were, we were stopped by police who inspected our belongings and even the purses of the ladies with us. It was then I began to understand the security and need to protect the area due to the divisions in the area.

These buildings in the middle of Jerusalem are Islamic shrines which houses the Foundation Stone, the holiest spot in Judaism.

Muslims refer to the dome as the "Noble Sanctuary". It was constructed over the site of the Second Jewish Temple which was destroyed during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In 637, Jerusalem was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate army during the Islamic invasion of the Byzantine Empire. The Dome of the Rock was erected between 685 and 691 AD, making it the oldest extant Islamic building in the world. Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan who initiated construction of the Dome, hoped that it would “house the Muslims from cold and heat” and intended the building to serve as a shrine for pilgrims and not as a mosque for public worship. Historians contend that the Caliph tried to create a structure which would compete with the existing buildings of other religions in the city.

Everywhere about the Mosque of Omar are portions of pillars, curiously wrought altars, and fragments of elegantly carved marble - precious remains of Solomon's Temple. These have been dug from all depths in the soil and rubbish of Mount Moriah, and the Moslems have always shown a disposition to preserve them with the utmost care.
The outer side walls of the dome are made of porcelain and mirror the octagonal design. They each measure approximately 60 feet wide and 36 feet high. Both the dome and the exterior walls contain many windows.

The Dome is in the shape of a Byzantine martyrium, a structure intended for the housing and veneration of saintly relics, and is an excellent example of middle Byzantine art. In my research I learned that al-Maqdisi reported that surplus funds consisting of 100,000 gold dinar coins were melted down and cast on the domes exterior, “which at the time had a strong glitter that no eye could look straight at it.” During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the exterior of the Dome of the Rock was covered with Iznik tiles. The work took seven years. Haj Amin Al-Husseini, appointed Grand Mufti by the British, along with Yacoub Al Ghussein implemented restoration of Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Jacob, son of Isaac, was the first to build the Mosque as a House of God. The Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia was the first House of Worship to God, and the Masjid Al-Aqsa was the second. Originally built by Jacob and greatly expanded and renovated by King Solomon, the Mosque was destroyed twice. As a result, Muslims technically believe the al-Aqsa Mosque is the Third Temple.

In 1955 an extensive program of renovation was begun by the government of Jordan, with funds supplied by the Arab governments and Turkey. The work included replacement of large numbers of tiles dating back to the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, which had become dislodged by heavy rain. In 1960, as part of this restoration, the dome was covered with a durable aluminum and bronze alloy made in Italy. The restoration was completed in August 1964. In 1998 the golden dome covering was refurbished following a donation of $8.2 million by King Hussein of Jordan who sold one of his houses in London to fund the 80 kilograms of gold required.

Today, the Old City is under Israeli control, but the mosque remains under the administration a Palestinian-led Islamic endowment.

As we entered into both of these holy places I could sense the times they represented, since it was upon the stone covered by the dome that Abraham took his son Isaac to slay him as commanded by God. (Muslims believe it was Ishmael instead). God saw the faith of Abraham so his son was spared.

Before entering the Mosque I noticed a man washing his feet, all exposed flesh, and even his tongue, before he entered into the holy place himself. While this was a sign of physical cleaning, he honored his teaching to wash himself. As a Christian, I felt the significance of being washed by the sacrifice for me on the Cross.

After leaving the grounds, we departed through the door that led into the area above the Western Wall (sometimes called The Wailing Wall) which divides these religious properties. From this stop we could view numerous people praying and wailing.

One day when Heaven starts there will be perfect peace.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6