Gethsemane was the garden where, according to the New Testament, Jesus and his disciples retreated to pray after the Last Supper, the night before he was crucified. According to Luke 22:43-44, Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane was so deep that "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Gethsemane was also where Christ was betrayed by the disciple Judas Iscariot. (And in case you didn't know - Orthodox tradition holds that Gethsemane is the place where the apostles buried the Virgin Mary.
The garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, now within the city of Jerusalem in the Kidron valley. Located by the garden is the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of the Agony. It is believed that this church was built directly over the spot where Jesus' knelt to pray and sweat drops of blood.
It's a peaceful garden among a grove of ancient olive trees. looking back at the eastern wall of the Old City. Behind an iron fence, eight old olive trees attract one's attention as he enters the garden. There has been much discussion about their age. There can be no doubt that these olive trees, with their hollow, gnarled trunks date back considerably. Whether or not they were the "silent witnesses" of our Lord in prayer - only He knows!
One significant thing I learned about the olive tree - even if you cut the trunk down, if you leave the roots, it will grow again! Roots are important!
