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sion passed. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES the elders of Israel were already in waiting.
First, the priest immersed his whole body, then he approached the pile of cedar-, pine-,
and fig-wood which was heaped like a pyramid, but having an opening in the middle,
LOOKING TOWARDS THE WEST. Into this the RED HEIFER was thrust, and bound,
with its head towards the south and its face looking TO THE WEST, the priest standing
east of the sacrifice, his face, of course, ALSO TURNED WESTWARDS. Slaying the
sacrifice with his right hand, he caught up the blood in his left. SEVEN TIMES he dipped
his finger in it, sprinkling it TOWARDS THE MOST HOLY PLACE, WHICH HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAVE IN FULL VIEW OVER THE PORCH OF SOLOMON or
through the eastern gate. -- The Temple, pages 352-353.

The author of the apocryphal work of Barnabas (late 1st or early 2nd century) makes men-
tion that during the ritual of the Red Heifer the priests tied a CRIMSON THREAD to a nearby
TREE an act that has tremendous symbolic meaning when one understands HOW Christ was put to
death.

From this area on the slopes of the Mount of Olives the priest could LOOK OVER the east-
ern wall of the Temple into the sanctuary itself. The Mishnah states that the "walls were high,
SAVE ONLY THE EASTERN WALL, because the Priest that burns the [Red] Heifer and stands
ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES should be able to LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE
ENTRANCE OF THE SANCTUARY when the blood is sprinkled." (Middoth 2:4).

The enormous curtain hanging in front of the Holy of Holies could also be clearly seen.
That is why the centurion and the others present at the crucifixion SAW the curtain tear from top to
bottom.

Since the Red Heifer was burnt to ashes at this site on the Mount of Olives, this spot was,
then, the point of origin for the MAIN PURIFICATION RITES of the Israelites; and therefore
Christ the SUPREME sacrifice, represented by the Red Heifer, had to die right here FACING the
Holy of Holies! He had to sprinkle His blood BEFORE the sanctuary. The blood of the Red Heifer
was sprinkled OUTSIDE THE CAMP TOWARDS THE SANCTUARY; whereas the blood of the
other sacrifices was sprinkled on the altar situated IN the Temple! In other words, Christ had to
shed His blood before the presence of His Father in the Temple -- in the Holy of Holies. That is
why He died facing the curtain, looking west towards the presence of His Father!

The fact that Christ died facing WEST towards His Father's House has come down to us in
various traditions. Damascenus, the eminent 8th-century theologian of the Eastern Church, stated
that "Jesus' eyes were turned toward the West..." (Lib.IV., cap.13); and the English Bishop Hall
(1574-1656) echoed this in a sermon to his congregation: "Our Saviour was crucified WITH HIS
FACE TO THE WEST (XXXV)." Even the Venerable Bede (673-735) concurs with this (in Lu-
cum, cap.93)!

Why do you think Christ cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Be-
cause Christ sensed that His Father had averted His gaze as His only Son died on that hillside fac-
ing the Holy of Holies!

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