The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a tourist site open to the public. It is managed by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Roman Catholics operate the Pool of Bethesda tourist site. It is open to the public. The Western Wall is a place where Jews went to pray. It is open to Christians too. The Dome of the Rock is open to Muslims only. Most of the streets of the Old City are open to pedestrians only.
Can Lutherans pray in the Holy Sepulchre and are there ever any Lutheran services there? I assume there aren’t Lutheran services there, just asking to make sure. It’s not like we’re planning a trip there anytime soon, but someday I’d like to go.
I found no Lutheran services there, only a monument in memory of the tomb. In the rear of the church are two rock cut tomb niches. A bearded priest was seated near the polished stone monument. I can not recall seeing a Lutheran church in Israel. The place is predominately Jewish and Muslim with a Christian minority.
Although your reply is true and relevant the OP is LCMS and it is not in fellowship with the ELCJHL. That being so cannot worship with them nor the Catholics or Eastern Orthodox.
I did not see every church in Israel and forgot much of what I saw. I stayed at Christ Church guesthouse near the Jaffa Gate, even though I am not Anglican. There is Christian guest house in Joppa/Yafo operated by a European church where I stayed. I stayed at an Airbnb guest house in Nazareth, a hostel in Eilat, an airport hotel near Tel Aviv Airport, and a cheap Jewish hotel in Tiberias several times. I met a few Jewish and Arab Christians in Israel during numerous journeys there. English is a grade school subject in Israel, few Israelis are fluent. There are American Jews who emigrated to Israel. They were helpful. I learned a few greetings and phrases to transact business.
I was in Israel in the summer of 2006 hiking on Mt. Meron near the Lebanese border when I heard booms and a siren from a nearby community. I thought it was a military exercise. Later in the day I learned Hezbollah had fired on Israel. I was in the first week of a four week tour. Rockets hit Nazareth and Tiberias and places closer to the border. Tourists were asked to move south. It messed up my reservations. Women and children fled south away from the battle. Young men went to war. I know there are Christians in Lebanon, not part of the Jihad. There are Christians in Israel and Palestine too.Oh my, you have "been around", haven't you.
I have lived in Lebanon, but due to the draconian Israeli passport restrictions, had to fly back to Finland and get a new "clean" passort to visit East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which were still a pain because of the Israeli totalitarian control checkpoints, and forget about just dropping in to Lebanon next-door to visit friends while you were in the neighbourhood and check your property to water your plants.
Without getting too political, I wish, I so wish and pray, there was a magic wand that would make the tiny minority of the extremists go away, disappear, vanish, so that the rest of the very good nice, kind decent folks, who are a majority, could get on with their lives without all the totalitarianess that goes with security.
