the beginning of the seventh century CE. The floor is surrounded by ribbons and wave motifs. The centre of the carpet is divided by squares containing round frames. The circles contain fruit, vegetables, flowers and fish. The Byzantine mosaic attest to the importance of agriculture for the people of the period. The motifs reflect the developed and progressive agriculture of Byzantine Palestine including Jerusalem. Some images also contain unique elements, as for instance luffa for the producing of bathing sponges, edible Snakes Melons, and figs tied by a blue string. Parts of the Byzantine mosaic can also be seen inside the modern church building, with a limestone slab bearing a large cross in the middle (fig. 2 in the gallery below). Architecture Located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives, the church was designed and constructed between 1953 and 1955 by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and is held in trust by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Dominus Flevit, which translates from Latin as "The Lord Wept", was fashioned in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ. Picture gallery References External links Dominus Flevit: history of the site Dominus Flevit — Jerusalem Photos Portal The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land VR Panoramic Images of Dominus Flevit Church Photos of the Dominus Flevit Church at the Manar al-Athar photo archive Further reading Bellarmino Bagatti and Milik, 1968. Gli scavi del Dominus Flevit An account of the excavations, 1953–55. Roman Catholic churches in Jerusalem Franciscan churches in Palestine Mount of Olives Roman Catholic churches completed in 1955 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings 1955 establishments in Jordan