Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan: The site of the Baptism of Christ (Part – 1)

By asad russel –

About the Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan:
In the biblical archaeology is one of the most important recent discovery is the Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan (el-Maghtas in Arabic) which located on the Jordan side of the Jordan River. In 1996 only began here the excavations, with Israel in 1994 following Jordan’s peace treaty, but more than 20 churches already have uncovered, from the Roman and Byzantine periods there are also caves and baptismal pools.

Although is not certain absolutely the identification, the area known as the Wadi Kharrar has shown that the archaeology and to be the biblical Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan has long been believed, when Jesus was baptized and where lived the John and Baptist. Into heaven, at a hill called Tell Mar Elias which is commemorated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah this area is also associated. With the Bethany in Jerusalem where lived Mary Magdalene and from the dead Lazarus was raised this Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan should not be confused.

The history of the Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan:
In 333 Ad of the anonymous Pilgrim of Bordeaux is in the writings the first historical mention of this site, which say that, north of the Dead Sea five Roman miles (7400 meters) Jesus was baptized, which is where to the Jordan River the Wadi Kharrar enters.

At the Jordan River to mention a church the pilgrim Theodosius was the first, at the end of the 5th century to commemorate St John the Baptist by the Emperor Anastasius (491-518) which was built. In shape built on square and arcades, with an iron cross marking the spot where Jesus had been baptized the people then thought that the church had a marble column.

In the 5th through the 7th centuries various other church writes and pilgrims commemorating the baptism of Christ in the lower Jordan River-Bethany region mentioned churches. Mentioned seeing the ruins of the church on the east bank at this spot the 7th century pilgrim Arculf, in the river a wooden cross, and from the west bank into the water steps leading. The spot to have marked was said another nearby chapel while the Jesus was being baptized where were kept the Jesus’s cloths.

Along a disputed border with thousands of land mines which was dotted due to its position in more recent times the site was long off the limits. As the archaeologists guide some pre 1948 studies using and the accounts of the early pilgrims, an astonishing 21 ancient sites archaeologist quickly uncovered. From the Roman and Byzantine periods five baptismal pools (with plaster shallow pools) these includes, a monastery of Byzantine, caves of the monks and hermits, for pilgrims lodgings and 11 Byzantine churches (many with Greek inscriptions and mosaics).

On Epiphany in January 2000, in a massive pilgrimage along with the church leaders from 15 world churches at the Baptism Site more than 40,000 people were gathered, as the location of the baptism of Christ shortly after the American Church officially declared the site. And with 25,000 worshipers in attendance at the site Pope John Paul II held an outdoor Mass on March 20 in 2000.

Posted by : Unknown 9:04 PM Tags : Travel Destinations

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