The Sacred Tree
The olive tree is called the Sacred Tree because it symbolizes the Holy Land. It is also called The Peace Tree, Clock of Ages, The Tree of Light, and Tree of Legends. The olive tree represents the Holy Land in all religions. "The olive tree stands as a perfect personification of man's historical memory in the Holy Land. It is the tree with the highest endurance and fruitful capacity. It is the sign of peace between God and mankind."
The olive tree is special to the Christian faith. The Bible contains many references:
- Jesus prayed under an olive tree on his way to Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
- He was crucified on an olive wood crucifix made from the olive trees near the garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.
- Jesus was arrested on The Mount of Olives. He ascended into Heaven from there after His Resurrection from the tomb.
- In the Book of Genesis the dove sent out from the Noah’s Ark returned with an olive branch (Genesis 8:11). It became the great symbol of peace, indicating the end of God’s anger.
Not one tree is damaged or destroyed in order to create a carving. All the the artists use dried trimmings of the olive trees in the Holy Land. Trimming the tree yearly is an essential process for healthier growth of the trees, which also generates environmental stability. The olive tree is native to the Holy Land where it has been cultivated since ancient times. According to historians, the first olive groves took root in the Holy Land and along the coast of the eastern Mediterranean around 4,000 B.C.
"His branches shall spread, and His beauty shall be as the olive tree"...(Hosea 14:6)
"Out of the ground, the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant for the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Genesis 2:9.