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The Josaphat steps
Language(s) spoken: French
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The Josaphat staircase takes its name from the valley located east of Jerusalem, near the Mount of Olives, and crossed by the Cedron, a watercourse represented in Romans by the Savasse torrent which is now covered.
In 1516, a wealthy Romanais merchant named Romanet Boffin founded a Way of the Cross in Romans and erected several chapels in the streets of the city.
The Stations of the Cross traces the Passion of Christ, from the Last Supper to the Ascension. It is composed of 41 oratory stations and ends at the Calvary des Récollets (Golgotha).
Quite naturally, the Romanians then name several places in reference to the Stations of the Cross or the City of Jerusalem.
This is how the Josaphat staircase takes its name from the valley located east of Jerusalem, near the Mount of Olives, and crossed by the Kidron, a stream represented in Romans by the torrent of the Savasse today covered.
The Mount of Olives itself gave its name to the Montolivet coast, at the foot of the Chapeliers coast. There are stations called 'The Mount of Olives' and 'The Prayer of Jesus at the Garden of Olives'.
The procession of the Great Journey is still organized every Good Friday.
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