There is now a church on the Mount of Olives at tfle place where, before his Passion, the Lord prayed, and said to his disciples, "Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation" <Matth. 26:41>. From that he went to a church on the mountain itself, where the Lord ascended into heaven: in the centre of it is a square brass thing which is beautifully engraved. It is in the centre of the church where the Lord ascended into heaven. And in the middle of the brass thing is a square lantern with a small candle inside: the lantern encloses the candle on all sides. It is enclosed in this way so it will continue to burn, rain or fine. That church has no roof, and is open to the sky. Inside it, against the north and south walls stand two columns, to remind people of the two men who said, "Ye men of Galilee, why gaze ye into the sky?" <Acts 1:11>. Any one who can creep between the wall and the column is freed from his sins.
(transl. Wilkinson)
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