Photo Credit: jerusalemonline: Wafi Lanaa\d
Don't worry - it's only a replica.

Jerusalem was in momentary shock on Sunday when a pilgrim from the Philippines placed a replica of the Lost Ark of the Covenant in the center of the city, causing commotion and confusion.

The replica was complete with the “cherubim” and was coated in the color of gold, JerusalemOnline reported.

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Police, who are patrolling the Old City and tourist sites in Jerusalem during the heavy tourist traffic period of Sukkot, started asking questions.

The pilgrim explained she brought the model of the Lost Ark with her to Israel and will leave it in an Old City Church.

The Ark of the Covenant, as described in the Book of Exodus, contained the Ten Commandments.

Catholics, never at a loss to adapt a Jewish source for its own use, claim that Mary, the virgin who made history in the delivery room, gave birth to Jesus in similarity to the original tangible contents of the Ark

Biblical accounts relate that wherever the Philistines took the Ark after capturing it, people were besieged by calamities.

The Philistines finally connected the dots and returned the Ark to the Jews, who centuries later placed it in the First Temple.

The Babylonians are suspected of having stolen the Ark after they conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, although some Talmudic rabbis argued that the Ark remains somewhere under the Temple Mount.

Several theories have cropped up concerning the whereabouts of the Ark today, with most fingers pointing at the Catholic Church.

Five years ago, the patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, Abune Paulos, said he would announce to the world the next day the unveiling of the Ark of the Covenant, which he said had been kept safe and secure in a church in Ethiopia. He had second thoughts the following day and said he really was not sure.

France, Ireland, England Africa, Arabia and even Ireland have been suggested by other theorists as previous locations of the Ark.

Perhaps that explains why the world has suffered so many calamities.

 

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Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu is a graduate in journalism and economics from The George Washington University. He has worked as a cub reporter in rural Virginia and as senior copy editor for major Canadian metropolitan dailies. Tzvi wrote for Arutz Sheva for several years before joining the Jewish Press.