Ethiopian presence in Deir Sultan represents not just Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity but all African/black Christians of all denominations who value the sacred legacy that the holy places of Jerusalem represent for Christians everywhere. It represents also the affirmation of the fact that Jerusalem is the birthplace of Christianity, just as adherents of Judaism and Islam claim it also. When a few years ago, an Ethiopian monk was asked by a writer why he had come to Jerusalem to face all the daily vicissitudes and indignities, he answered, “because it is Jerusalem.” Ethiopian Monk at the monastery of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Israel, 2012.

Young man carrying a gun whilst enjoying a walk along one of Jerusalem’s busiest streets. Civilians are allowed to carry guns in Israel for protection in case of a terrorist attack. Jerusalem, Israel, 2012.