Day 16 - Holy Sepulchre; Monastery of St. George of Koziba; Jericho (Tel Es-Sultan); Jesus' Baptismal Site (Qasr el Yahud); Ascension Day Vespers and Outdoor Barbecue
Ascension Day dawned with rays of sunlight in my third floor room of "St. Thomas" and the usual 5 am bells urging all to get up for monastic Vigil and Lauds. No choice to sleep in for another two hours as today we were soon walking quickly down Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road, arriving at the Holy Sepulchre by
7:15 for our own Mass there at the Latin Calvary chapel. No St. Cyril of Jerusalem to be found - more will be written of this church and our experience there by our blond blogger, the focus of interest and marriage proposals from of many a camel owner...
It was already getting very warm by the time Jamal picked us up for our trip to Tel Es-Sultan (Jericho) in the West Bank, but we stopped about 20 km from Jerusalem (likely the same road on which the Good Samaritan walked) to see if the 6th century Orthodox monastery of St. George of Koziba might be open. This complex, complete with garden, is at the bottom of a steep stony track and the group of bedouins selling goods at the top of the path announced that it was open for visitors, despite it being Ascension Day. Women pilgrims/tourists are permitted at St. George's as the monks, centuries ago, received a sick noblewoman, whom had been convinced (by the Theotokos) to ask for assistance there. John of Thebes had been the first monastic inhabitant, after he left the Sinai area in the 4th century and relocated to this area of the Wadi Qilt. The skull and bones of monks, killed by Persian invaders about two hundred years later, are found in the monastery chapel. The treckers arrived back almost two hours later, tired and thirsty, collapsing into the seats of the "Sinbad bus", not all ready for the blistering heat of Jericho. They reported that the treck
had been very worthwhile, the present day monks being equally friendly.
Jericho is about 250 metres below sea level and is the oldest town on earth, settled by prehistoric nomads likely because of the temperate winter climate, warm summers, and wonderful subterranean fed oasis which still allows the growth of apricots, pineapples, figs, and other fruits and vegetables. The rich and famous built homes here or at least owned property - Selucid generals, Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and Herod the Great (his winter palace and aqueduct system). The Tel Es-Sultan site proved very interesting, though not exactly correlating with the Jericho of Biblical fame. The 15 metre mound shows evidence of multiple (>18) towns/civilizations, the first dating from the Mesolithic period (15,000 - 8000 BCE). A well preserved stone staircase leads to the defence tower for this town. Pottery has been found from the people of about 4000 BCE - these people lived in pits or huts partially under ground. The last inhabitants seem to have been those before the 7th century exile to Babylon. In Jericho, we had the usual falafel or smorgasboard salad, looked around a not very interesting tourist "boutique" and purchased local dried and candied fruit and nuts. Then, it was off to another Greek monastery (this time just off the road with no "trecking"), with less friendly monastics and an uncommunicative parrot, and then to Jesus' baptismal site on the River Jordan.
By now, it was EXTREMELY hot, and the drive to the baptismal site not very romantic, as the short road had protective barbed wire on each side. On the other side of the wire were mines with the everpresent Israeli military, complete with checkpoint. Apparently,the baptismal site has only recently been re-opened to pilgrims. The River Jordan, by the time it reaches this site (Qasr el Yahud) is narrow and on the other side of the river is the Jordanian equivalent with more tourists and a Jordanian guard. It was easy to speak to those on the "other side". The Jordanian site is that which was visited by Pope John Paul 11 and declared a Holy Site.
The Thursday evening was most enjoyable as we returned from our long day and joined Sung Vespers at Dormition Abbey, sitting in the Sanctuary with members of the German monastic community. Vespers, of course, was in German, but we did have copies of the Breviary and could at least follow the plainsong psalms and canticles and the readings.Afterward, Abbot Benedict, the monastic, and the lay volunteer communities hosted a sumptuous feast, a very European style barbecue, complete with white tablecloths, silver cutlery, much wine, and Bavarian beer. There was lamb, sausage, pita bread and rolls, multiple salads, and an elaborate Middle Eastern desert and choice of pastries. The three resident cats (two calico and one ginger) were there too. Surprisingly (as least to me), there were Benedictine community members (of Dormition Abbey) from Croatia, Belfast, and ?Cyprus, as well as from various parts of Germany. Abbot Benedict told us of his efforts to bring together the Jews, Muslims, and Christians for prayer and dialogue.
That is enough for tonight - any my first attempt at blogging.
Jane
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