The name Bethphage means "House of The Unripe Fig". The site, on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, is mentioned several times in the New Testament (Luke 19:29-40, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, John 11:1-45;12:12-16). It may be where Jesus cursed a fig tree for failing to produce fruit (Mark 11:12-14). This is also where Jesus began his triumphal entry to Jerusalem the Sunday before his Crucifixion. The small Franciscan chapel was built on the spot where Jesus is believed to have mounted his donkey before entering Jerusalem. The exact spot is marked by the Stone of the Meeting, a cubical stone near the north wall of the chapel. The walls are decorated with murals depicting the biblical scene. Crusader foundations are visible near the floor of the apse. The altar is of a type that was common in previous centuries, where the priests stand with their back to the congregation during Mass.
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