By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem THE PRINCESS ON THE HILL Alice was honoured as a righteous gentile for sheltering Jews in WWII
By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem THE PRINCESS ON THE HILL Alice was honoured as a righteous gentile for sheltering Jews in WWII
I have neither the temerity nor the imagination to guess what goes on inside the head of Prince Philip, the consort of Queen Elizabeth.
I have neither the temerity nor the imagination to guess what goes on inside the head of Prince Philip, the consort of Queen Elizabeth.
But my guess is that on this particular day, his thoughts turned to his mother, Princess Alice.
But my guess is that on this particular day, his thoughts turned to his mother, Princess Alice.
It was the day, in early December, of the anniversary of her death.
It was the day, in early December, of the anniversary of her death.
It was the day that I happened to visit her grave, in one of Jerusalem's most spectacular settings.
It was the day that I happened to visit her grave, in one of Jerusalem's most spectacular settings.
From the top of the Mount of Olives, it's a 15-minute, zigzag walk, to the glittering Russian Orthodox Church of St Mary Magdelene.
From the top of the Mount of Olives, it's a 15-minute, zigzag walk, to the glittering Russian Orthodox Church of St Mary Magdelene.
The crypt holding Princess Alice's grave lies at the foot of the steps to the church, amid the mature, landscaped gardens.
The crypt holding Princess Alice's grave lies at the foot of the steps to the church, amid the mature, landscaped gardens.
A FAMILY AT WAR
A FAMILY AT WAR
Alice lived an extraordinary life. She came from German royalty. She married into Greek royalty. She was born deaf, and at one point, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and committed to a sanatorium.
Alice lived an extraordinary life. She came from German royalty. She married into Greek royalty. She was born deaf, and at one point, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and committed to a sanatorium.
Her four daughters married Germans. During World War II, Alice had sons-in-law fighting on the side of the Nazis; her only son, Philip, fought on the side of the Allies.
Her four daughters married Germans. During World War II, Alice had sons-in-law fighting on the side of the Nazis; her only son, Philip, fought on the side of the Allies.
She instantly felt safe and comfortable, even though the service was in a language she didn't understand She was honoured as a righteous gentile for sheltering Jews in occupied Athens.
She instantly felt safe and comfortable, even though the service was in a language she didn't understand She was honoured as a righteous gentile for sheltering Jews in occupied Athens.
She became increasingly religious, attending the Queen's coronation dressed as a nun.
She became increasingly religious, attending the Queen's coronation dressed as a nun.
She founded her own religious order. And in her final wishes, she asked to be laid to rest in Jerusalem, next to the body of her aunt - a royal martyr from the Bolshevik revolution, who was canonised, and became St Elizabeth.
She founded her own religious order. And in her final wishes, she asked to be laid to rest in Jerusalem, next to the body of her aunt - a royal martyr from the Bolshevik revolution, who was canonised, and became St Elizabeth.
The life of St Elizabeth is what had enticed Mother Katherine to this Russian Orthodox convent.
The life of St Elizabeth is what had enticed Mother Katherine to this Russian Orthodox convent.
Over the course of an afternoon, she agreed to tell me the story of her own long journey.
Over the course of an afternoon, she agreed to tell me the story of her own long journey.
"I never thought I'd be in a monastery," she said, as we sat on a bench beneath an olive tree. "Never, ever, ever."
"I never thought I'd be in a monastery," she said, as we sat on a bench beneath an olive tree. "Never, ever, ever."
Mother Katherine had been a medical student at the University of Berkeley, in California. She says she was into fashion. She learned saxophone with Stan Getz, who happened to be a friend of the family.
Mother Katherine had been a medical student at the University of Berkeley, in California. She says she was into fashion. She learned saxophone with Stan Getz, who happened to be a friend of the family.
She had drifted from her Roman Catholic upbringing. But one Saturday night, she accompanied a friend to a Russian Orthodox Easter Service, in the convent in San Francisco.
She had drifted from her Roman Catholic upbringing. But one Saturday night, she accompanied a friend to a Russian Orthodox Easter Service, in the convent in San Francisco.
She instantly felt, she said, "safe and comfortable", even though it was a language she didn't understand. The service was uplifting.
She instantly felt, she said, "safe and comfortable", even though it was a language she didn't understand. The service was uplifting.
'A SHELF ON MY SOUL'
'A SHELF ON MY SOUL'
She met a nun at the convent, by the name of Mother Elizabeth. They started chatting. Small talk became bigger talk.
She met a nun at the convent, by the name of Mother Elizabeth. They started chatting. Small talk became bigger talk.
"I have a shelf on my soul," Mother Katherine told me, "where I put all the little papers, the questions that I've had since I was a child. And I started pulling the little papers and asking her the questions, and she started answering them. And I didn't have to put the paper back. I could throw it away.
"I have a shelf on my soul," Mother Katherine told me, "where I put all the little papers, the questions that I've had since I was a child. And I started pulling the little papers and asking her the questions, and she started answering them. And I didn't have to put the paper back. I could throw it away.
Accidental nun: Mother Katherine was enticed to Jerusalem by the story of Princess Alice's aunt
Accidental nun: Mother Katherine was enticed to Jerusalem by the story of Princess Alice's aunt
"Now I realise that it's not so much the answer, as the timing and the readiness of your soul to accept the answer."
"Now I realise that it's not so much the answer, as the timing and the readiness of your soul to accept the answer."
In 1989, a huge earthquake hit San Francisco. In the disruption that followed, the young medical student ended up taking a room at the convent for one term, in order to be close to campus.
In 1989, a huge earthquake hit San Francisco. In the disruption that followed, the young medical student ended up taking a room at the convent for one term, in order to be close to campus.
She found herself attending morning prayers, then covering her hair.
She found herself attending morning prayers, then covering her hair.
She realised she wanted to drop out of medical school. In the teeth of opposition from the rest of her family, she won her father's blessing.
She realised she wanted to drop out of medical school. In the teeth of opposition from the rest of her family, she won her father's blessing.
The new nun spent several years at the convent in San Francisco, before reading a book about St Elizabeth, and travelling, as a pilgrim, to the convent in Jerusalem. She's stayed for the last 11 years.
The new nun spent several years at the convent in San Francisco, before reading a book about St Elizabeth, and travelling, as a pilgrim, to the convent in Jerusalem. She's stayed for the last 11 years.
A SIT-IN OF NUNS
A SIT-IN OF NUNS
It has been an eventful period. When she arrived, the Russian Orthodox Church was still split, acrimoniously, between the church within Russia - the church which had been allowed to carry on through the days of the Soviet Union - and the emigre church.
It has been an eventful period. When she arrived, the Russian Orthodox Church was still split, acrimoniously, between the church within Russia - the church which had been allowed to carry on through the days of the Soviet Union - and the emigre church.
The Church of St Mary Magdalene: A place of conflict and peace
The Church of St Mary Magdalene: A place of conflict and peace
Eight years ago, The Russian church attempted to recover what it considered to be its property in the Holy Land.
Eight years ago, The Russian church attempted to recover what it considered to be its property in the Holy Land.
It asked Palestinian policemen to evict nuns and monks - first in Hebron, then in Jericho.
It asked Palestinian policemen to evict nuns and monks - first in Hebron, then in Jericho.
Mother Katherine and another nun staged a 45 day sit-in, in protest, in the gardens in Jericho. It was an ordeal, in Mother Katherine's words, a "big kick in the backside⦠God saying, we're just going to level her out".
Mother Katherine and another nun staged a 45 day sit-in, in protest, in the gardens in Jericho. It was an ordeal, in Mother Katherine's words, a "big kick in the backside⦠God saying, we're just going to level her out".
The split between the churches was only healed two years ago by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Alexiy II - the patriarch who died the day of my visit.
The split between the churches was only healed two years ago by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Alexiy II - the patriarch who died the day of my visit.
Mother Katherine said that the reconciliation between the two churches offered hope.
Mother Katherine said that the reconciliation between the two churches offered hope.
When the Patriarch had first come to the Monastery and Convent of St Mary Magdalene, while the wounds of division were still raw, he had come as a pilgrim, and yet had been refused entrance at the upper gate.
When the Patriarch had first come to the Monastery and Convent of St Mary Magdalene, while the wounds of division were still raw, he had come as a pilgrim, and yet had been refused entrance at the upper gate.
A PLACE OF PEACE
A PLACE OF PEACE
"We threw pebbles at each other," she tells me. It changes, she adds, when you put a hand out to the other side.
"We threw pebbles at each other," she tells me. It changes, she adds, when you put a hand out to the other side.
"Finally," she recalled, "we managed to touch the fingertips, and then closer, closer, and then the handshake."
"Finally," she recalled, "we managed to touch the fingertips, and then closer, closer, and then the handshake."
Mother Katherine handed me the key to the small crypt, where Princess Alice is buried, and left me alone to read the inscription and look at the flag-draped coffin.
Mother Katherine handed me the key to the small crypt, where Princess Alice is buried, and left me alone to read the inscription and look at the flag-draped coffin.
The only noise was of birds scuffing in the branches of tall conifers, and the occasional wash of a distant muezzin's call to prayer.
The only noise was of birds scuffing in the branches of tall conifers, and the occasional wash of a distant muezzin's call to prayer.
It was a stunning December day, the gilded onion domes of the church glaring in the afternoon sun, and at eye level across the Kidron valley, the Muslim shrine of the Dome of the Rock burnished bright.
It was a stunning December day, the gilded onion domes of the church glaring in the afternoon sun, and at eye level across the Kidron valley, the Muslim shrine of the Dome of the Rock burnished bright.
Jerusalem will do this to you, from time to time. You spend your days dealing with the daily conflicts of life here, the stories of tension and passion.
Jerusalem will do this to you, from time to time. You spend your days dealing with the daily conflicts of life here, the stories of tension and passion.
And then you will be knocked over by a place like this - despite its own wracked history - a place of apparently imperturbable peace.
And then you will be knocked over by a place like this - despite its own wracked history - a place of apparently imperturbable peace.
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