We schedule our appointments an hour apart every day between each appointment because we expect people to walk in. Today Wassim Razzouk is the man behind the shop and the current family patriarch. "My two religions," he jokes. Wassim Razzouk (center) with his sons Anton (left) and Nizar (right). Twenty years ago, as a budding tattoo scholar, I first read about the adventures of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land and the indelible souvenirs they had inscribed under their skin. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. From $1.61. Original Price USD 105.00 A Coptic tattoo artist marks the journey to Jerusalem. This long-married Christian couple went to Jerusalem earlier this year, and walked in the footsteps of Jesus. I'll be back in March and probably return with a permanent souvenir. In addition to his passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Razzouk is a devout Coptic Christian. Its not easy to be a Palestinian Christian in a country where you have the Jewish State that discriminates between Jews and non-Jews and on the other side you have Muslim Arabs who consider Christians to be pagans and frown on them. Its a place where ancient artifacts meet contemporary machines, rich history intersects with modern technology. These punctures they make with great quickness and dexterity, and with scarce any smart, seldom piercing so deep as to draw blood. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. As the arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the design is traditionally attributed to Godfrey of Bouillon himself. Wassim revitalized and reinvented the business, expanding beyond traditional pilgrimage tattoos to other genres. It can take some time in US about 3-4 . You can choose to have your item shipped via Economy shipping which usually takes 3-6 weeks for arrival, and it DOES NOT offer tracking options. Pilgrimage tattooing became a dying art. Offer subject to change without notice. They see the brand, respect, appreciation and recognition, and they want to be part of it. And, of course, lost it to Saladin at the Battle of Hattin. A carpenter would work as a carpenter, a builder would work as a builder, even during the pilgrimage. Tattoo artist, Wassim Razzouk, who is continuing his family's tradition of inking Christian pilgrims with ancient tattoos, completes a tattoo on a customers arm at his studio in Jerusalem's Old City November 27, 2017 - REUTERS/Amir Cohen . After I tattooed them, I cant tell you how many people came to my shop because of their following. There are variants to the design, also known as "Jerusalem cross", with either the four crosslets also in the form of Crosses potent, or conversely with the central cross, also in the form of a plain Greek cross. The borders were closed. Pilgrims come from all four corners of the world, and they become a part of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem becomes a part of them. People who want to be part of this history but cant visit the Holy Land for a variety of reasons can experience our tradition. Razzouk: Not many Jews or Muslims come to get tattooed in our shop. Another (American Catholic) priest, Father Mike Schmitz had a video against tattooing and how he would never get one. The Crusaders, geniuses they were, carried it into battle. Tripkovic: Your business model heavily relies on tourists. Theres nowhere else on Earth where one can get a traditional Christian design rendered from stencil blocks of such antiquity (some practitioners exist in Cairo, but they lack the Razzouks deep family history and collection of verified artifacts). In the meantime, we also decided to open another tattoo shop in the city center. This symbol or orb is a symbol of Christian evangelization and for a kingly rule. THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS ON-GROWING FAMILY. You can also find it as a five-fold cross. Such accounts report designs that have become enduring pilgrimage tattoos, such as the Jerusalem crossa motif consisting of a central, equal-arm symbol flanked by four smaller versionsalong with images of Christ, Latin mottoes, dates in banners, and more. We want to grow in the future. Thank you. Blending modern technology with tradition, the Razzouk family uses the Internet to draw clients to their business in a place that is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims. I think 10 or 11 people, including our priest, ended up getting tattoos. Sunday - Friday: 11AM 7PMSaturday: 12PM 7PM, Address:Shvil Saint George 31, Jerusalem. For 700 years, Christian pilgrims have sought out the Razzouk family for their specialist skills. We have been asked many times by people from all over the world about getting our tattoos. It's there for life. Traditional Coptic stamps are used at Razzouk Ink| Culture Trip Wassim Razzouk learned the art of tattooing from his father| Culture Trip I tattooed (American evangelical) Pastor Matt Chandler and his wife. And not only that, but also to spread the word in my own way, by tattooing pilgrims. However, people dont want to steal our designs. This offers significant benefit over the previous techniques, which would dip the block in stamp-pad ink or powdered charcoala fugitive transfer pattern subject to smearing and disappearing during the tattooing process. Your family has been in this business for 27 generations (28 with your sons). Going to a local ambassador, clients are aware that their tattoos come with a blessing and approval of the Razzouk family. We stayed in business for so many generations because of pilgrims. 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And I concluded that I need to do it at least as a part-time job just to keep it alive the same way my father did it. Tripkovic: The Razzouk family has been tattooing for 27 generations, 28 with your sons. It was the ultimate sign of your Christianity because you had to prove you are a Christian to enter a church. The emblem used on the seals of the rulers of Jerusalem during the 12th century was a simplified depiction of the city itself, showing the tower of David between the Dome of the Rock and the Holy Sepulchre, surrounded by the city walls. God keeps sending us a lot of opportunities, and I think that its a sin to miss out on them. Got it! Sale Price USD 89.25 If we feel that a person is not a good candidate, we dont continue the conversation. Being an Arab or Palestinian Christian makes it even more difficult. I highly recommend to future clients to set up an appointment and to give us at least a week or two. Legend says that when the Fatimid Caliph wanted to destroy Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the supposed site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, Christians hid the True Cross that held his body. Some of the wooden stamps they use date back hundreds of years. We also do tattoos that are tourist related such as the Jerusalem skyline or an olive branch. However, most of our work comes from old designs. Wassim Razzouk: We are a Coptic Christian family. Copyright 2018 - 2021 Tattoo Art from the Heart All rights reserved | Hosting and development by MSP. Our priest getting his first tattoo. Ill be back in March and probably return with a permanent souvenir. Razzouk: If you travel to Egypt and you visit traditional Christian tattooists, you will see that they have wooden stamps that they use as tattoo stencils. It is traditional for pilgrims who visit the Holy Land to get the Jerusalem Cross tattooed on, as a mark of attainment, to show that they have completed the pilgrimage. They are with either the four crosslets in the form of Crosses potent or conversely with the central one in the form of a plain Greek cross. Sometimes, they can be the symbol of hope in war. A post shared by Matt Chandler (@mattchandler74). The Jerusalem cross is often used in frequency selective surface application. Tattoo marks the cross: Christian tradition endures in Jerusalem Once used as a mark to differentiate Christians, tattoos are being reclaimed as a display of faith for those on pilgrimage. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Tripkovic: Countless media, including Deutsche Welle, The New York Times, BBC and CNN, featured your story. We dont want to be commercial. Now, a durable purple guide holds fast to the skin while the image can be rendered permanently via machine. Bull Tattoo: A Symbol Of Strength, Fertility, Confidence, Stability, And Pride. Tripkovic: Ive noticed that the most common tattoo is the Jerusalem Cross. Unlike any other tattoos which denote pilgrimage to Jerusalem, this is a design that symbolizes a pilgrimage to Bethlehem - the three crowns stand for the . We have offers from all over the world to expand. The Jerusalem Cross has long been the first (and possibly only) tattoo I've wanted. Looking for the ideal Jerusalem Cross Gifts? 3832. I hope that our shop will be the most famous tattoo studio in the world. Turning off personalized advertising opts you out of these sales. Learn more in our Privacy Policy., Help Center, and Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy. Anton noted wistfully that he would be the last generation of tattoo artist in the . Your email address will not be published. The four crosses are used to symbolize the motto of the retreat "Live the fourth". Original Price USD 125.00 In the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, Christian Palestinian tattoo artist Wassim Razzouk is carrying on his family's centuries old heritage of tattooing pilgrims to the Holy Land, a tradition . Its mostly Christian. The Jerusalem cross (also known as "five-fold Cross", or "cross-and-crosslets") is a heraldic cross and Christian cross variant consisting of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses, one in each quadrant. Like other pilgrims, my family brought the profession with them, which was the art of tattooing. Pilgrimage back then wasnt a couple of days or weeks it was a several months-long journey. The new shop is not Razzouk Tattoo. These tattoo designs show up in different cultures in history. This is the reason why it is already a normal thing to many. And four corner crosses represent Christianity spreading to the four sides of the world. But now the motorcycle-riding owner is teaching the art of tattooing to his 14-year-old son. Thank you! Haaretz.com, the online English edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, gives you breaking news, analyses and opinions about Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. [13] The Jerusalem cross was chosen as the emblem of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag (German Evangelical Church Congress) in the 1950s, since the 1960s shown in a simplified form where the central Cross potent is replaced by a simple Greek cross. It was used as the emblem and coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the 1280s. The Jerusalem Cross is rich in symbolism and meaning and goes by many different names, including the Crusader's Cross. This symbol has a long history in the world of Christianity and also in the world of tattoos. It can't be lost, or broken. This Jerusalem cross represents Christ's command to spread the Gospel around the world, a mission that started in Jerusalem. Wassim has developed new techniques for inscribing traditional pilgrimage tattoos faster and better. The email will also include the terms of use. Your email address will not be published. Photo by Jovan Tripkovic. Come check out our giant selection of T-Shirts, Mugs, Tote Bags, Stickers and More. Please also note that once you have bought this design, intellectual property remains for the Razzouk Tattoo Family and it would be a legal breach if posted online or resold or used for any other intentions other than getting the tattoo of this design on yourself. Will always treasure the unique, meaningful tattoos. We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. He had a souvenir shop, and in the back of his shop he had a tattoo studio. The melding of modern hygiene practices with hundreds of years of history allows this historic business to march into a future that must consider potential dangers like bloodborne pathogens, despite trusting in God to prevent unfortunate outcomes. Run by the Razzouk family, who are Coptic Christians, the business started in 14th century Egypt. 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cross of jerusalem tattoo