Why Olive Wood?
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. The Bible contains many references to the culinary and religious uses of olives and olive oil. In the Book of Genesis the dove sent out from the ark by Noah returned with an olive branch (Genesis 8:11). Here it became the great symbol of peace and goodwill, indicating the end of God’s anger. And its recognition by Noah suggests that it was already a well-known tree. Also, the use of the olive tree for carvings was mentioned in I KINGS chapter 6, “And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree… and for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree… also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree”. The olive tree is connected to our Christian faith as Jesus prayed under an olive tree in his way to Jerusalem after the last
