As for the Ascension of Jesus, recognized by Muslims, this event is also an indisputable fact for Christians. It is also important that this verse of the Qur'an separately stipulates that, unlike the Jews who gave Him up to death, those who believe in the Son of God, that is, Christians, will be "exalted over those who do not believe" in Him. And this fully coincides with the statement of the Injil (Gospel): "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him" (John 3:36). And in another place: "He who believes in Him shall not be condemned, but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the Only-begotten Son of God" (John 3:28).

The huge "Golden Gate" in the eastern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, through which Jesus, betrayed by Judas and bound, was led to the unrighteous trial of the high priest Caiaphas and the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, has not been functioning for many centuries. And here's why. According to Jewish tradition, it is through them that the Messiah – the Messiah – should enter the city, whom the Jews continue to stubbornly wait, rejecting the true Son of God. After conquering Jerusalem, the Turks learned about this legend and, fearing that the "Jewish Messiah" would expel them from the city, in 1536 they laid the Golden Gate with stones. So they have been standing for many centuries - walled up, crowned with a powerful crenellated tower at the top. No one can enter or leave through the largest but dormant gate of Jerusalem. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Ezekiel in al-Taurat (Old Testament, Bible): "This gate will be shut, it will not be opened, and no man will enter in it; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered in by them, and they will be shut up" (Ezekiel 44:2). When Jesus first walked through the Golden Gate of Jerusalem overlooking the Mount of Olives, crowds greeted him with joyful shouts of "Hosanna (Salvation) in the Highest"! "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Now, at night, illuminated only by the flickering light of the guards' torches, there were no palm leaves or clothes spread on the ground.

The Qur'an says nothing about the most important and most tragic events in the history of mankind. Therefore, let us turn to the Injil (Bible). At night, the traitor Judas led armed soldiers and Pharisees to the Garden of Gethsemane, located between the Mount of Olives and the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. There was the Savior with the Apostles. In order not to miss Jesus, Judas told the Jewish leaders that whomever he kissed, they were looking for. Approaching the Saviour, Judas said: "Rejoice, Rabbi (Teacher)!" And he kissed Him. The soldiers immediately pounced on Christ and, having tied Him up, led Him to the authorities.

Among the Jews, the serving high priest for this year was Caiaphas, the same one who at a meeting of the Sanhedrin (the supreme religious court of the Jews) had previously advised to kill Jesus. Caiaphas asked Him: "I adjure Thee by the living God, tell us, are Thou the Christ, the Son of God?" To this Jesus gave an answer that leaves no doubt for anyone in the world: "Yes, I am, and I even say to you, From henceforth you will see the Son of Man. Who sits at the right hand of the power of God, and who comes on the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:63-64). Then Caiaphas tore his garments as a sign of indignation and terror and exclaimed: "What more witnesses have we to do? Now, now you've heard His blasphemy. What do you think? And they with one voice said in reply: "Guilty of death."

In 1994, an event occurred that debunked speculation about the alleged "unreality" of the events set forth in the Injil (Gospel) - then the burial with the ashes of the High Priest Joseph Caiaphas was discovered. A caterpillar tractor working in the area of the "Mount of Evil Counsel" south of Jerusalem (where, according to tradition, Caiaphas and his henchmen plotted to destroy Jesus) fell into the family tomb of this high priest. The ceramic ossuary of Caiaphas is now in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, on display dedicated to early Christianity. The ashes of Caiaphas are reburied near the city. Caiaphas, who became high priest with the support of the Romans, was not popular, almost all members of his family were exterminated by the Zealots during the years of the Jewish revolt against the Romans.

The Way of the Cross

The Qur'an denies the death of Jesus on the cross. However, the visit to Jerusalem is perhaps the best proof of the reality of this central event in human history. Ezekiel's prophecy that the Golden Gate of Jerusalem would be locked forever after the Messiah entered it, thanks to the Ottomans, was fulfilled. So let's go to the Old City of Jerusalem through the Lions' Gate located a little to the right. They got their name because of the bas-reliefs with images of lions decorating them. Here is the entrance to the Muslim quarter, so a squad of Israeli soldiers with machine guns at the ready is always on duty at the entrance.

Here, in the hustle and bustle of the oriental market, the inviting shouts of merchants, rather reminiscent of robbers from the fairy tale about Ali Baba, the famous Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful Way) begins. Along this cobblestone street, the Son of God walked through scourging, spitting and ridicule to the place of His execution – to Golgotha. On His wounded shoulders, the Savior, condemned to death by the priests, carried the cross, which is nothing but our sins. The Way of the Cross is associated with the biblical events that preceded the birth of the Savior. Immediately behind the gate we see the building of the monastery of St. Anne - the mother of the Virgin Mary, founded in the time of the Crusaders on the birthplace of the Virgin. Underground rooms have been preserved from more ancient times. In one of them, you can see a stone slab embedded in the wall, decorated with icons. According to legend, Anna gave birth to Mary (Mariam) at this place.

Throughout the Via Dolorosa, according to biblical tradition, various events directly related to the name of Jesus took place. At each such event, the terrible procession is interrupted. 14 such stops (stations) were canonized. Each of them is marked by churches, chapels, memorial plaques. Going up the street, we come out to the El Omaria school. Here is the first stop on the Lord's Sorrowful Path. Actually, this is where the Via Dolorosa begins. From the first stop of Christ, every Friday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the Franciscan monks arrange a procession. And two thousand years ago, the Roman praetorium was located here. In its northeastern corner was the Antonia Tower, where, according to biblical tradition, the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate condemned Christ.

After that, Jesus Christ was put into custody until dawn. Some began to spit in His face. The people who held Him mocked Him and beat Him. Others, covering His face, struck His cheeks and mockingly asked: "Prophesy unto us, O Christ. Who struck You?" Thus the prophecies made hundreds of years earlier "at-Taurat" (Old Testament, Bible) came true: "How many were amazed when they looked at you, so much was His countenance disfigured more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men! So many nations will be amazed by Him; kings will shut their mouths before Him..." (Isaiah 52:14). And further: "I have given my back to those who smite, and My cheeks to those who smite; He did not hide My face from reproach and spitting" (Isaiah 50:6). The Lord endured all these insults without complaint in silence.

The chief priests and leaders of the Jews, having condemned Jesus Christ to death, could not carry out their sentence without the approval of the head of the country – the Roman governor, the procurator. Judea was then under the dominion of Rome. At that time, the procurator was Pontius Pilate – a real historical personage, and not a "fiction of Christians", as Muslims believe, who deny the trial of Jesus by this Roman figure.