Jerusalem, the city sacred to three monotheistic faiths, is pictured here in a postcard circa 1910.

It is a sad indictment of human nature that this “City of Peace”, which enshrines the history of encounters with the Divine, has seldom been free of conflict.

When captured by King David, the fortress at this site was developed by him into a city – and became the center of Jewish worship and government (with interruptions) for centuries.

Since 1948, the nation of Israel has renewed claims to the city as the revived center of national life.

Published by The English firm of Raphael Tuck & Sons, the postcard illustration represents an innovative printing technique (called “oilette”) which attempted to capture the texture of oil painting.

The artist is an English illustrator, John Fulleylove, (1845-1908).

The description on the reverse of the postcard indicates that this is a view of the Mount of Olives from Mount Zion, a name given to the hill on which the original fortress of the city was built and, later, to the mount on which the first Temple was erected.

In this picture, it is evening in Jerusalem.

On this Sunday, many Christians will join the ancient prayer that they may see the perfect and eternal city of God, “Jerusalem”.