The garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the mount of olives, above the valley of Kidron, tradition associates the prayer of Jesus the night before he was crucified.

Small, only 1,200 square meters, the garden is adjacent to the Basilica of the Agony (Church of All Nations). Behind a high stone wall grow ancient olive trees: powerful, gnarled, majestic. The tour guides love to tell that near them prayed the night before his arrest and crucifixion of Christ.

In the garden there really are eight very old trees. Three of them were studied by radiocarbon analysis showed that it is about nine hundred years. However, DNA analysis showed that they all came from a single parent tree – perhaps from what grew here during the time of Jesus Christ. The Romans destroyed in the year 70 Jerusalem, killed all the local trees. But the olive tree is extremely resistant plants if the soil remains root, sooner or later, he gives a new escape. It is known that the roots of the current trees is much more venerable age than it showed the first analysis.

However, it is difficult to argue that the passion of the Christ began here. In the Gospels only mention the area – Gethsemane. The so-called whole valley at the foot of the mount of olives. Real agony of Jesus could happen somewhere near modern garden of Gethsemane – for example, the grotto of Gethsemane, a hundred metres to the North, near the cave Church of the assumption. Or on the territory of the Basilica of the Agony – here in front of the altar is the rock on which, according to legend, Christ prayed.

Be that as it may, the current olive garden of Gethsemane – direct the successor of those that saw Jesus with his disciples. Christ and the apostles came here after the last Supper. Her students learned, what will happen in the next few hours: the treachery of one of them, the renunciation of the other, the end of Christ's earthly life. Even thinking about it, tired of the apostles were still asleep. Human nature of Jesus was trembling in anticipation of the passion. Moving away from sleeping on Virginia" (in the distance of the throw) stone, He passionately prayed, asking heavenly Father: "father! Oh, if Thou be willing, remove this Cup from Me! nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done" (LK. 22:42). It was agony in the garden, in the subsequent two millennia has inspired artists and poets.

Fortified by prayer, Jesus woke the disciples and met the kiss of Judas, by which identified Christ. Resulted in the arrest, interrogation by the Sanhedrin, the verdict of Pilate, the way to Calvary, the execution.

The garden of Gethsemane today, well-groomed and nice looking. Neat paths strewn with pebbles. Tourists take pictures of the famous trees. Not paying attention to visitors, workers harvest: here the olives are still full of life.