BIBLICAL JORDAN
BIBLICAL SITES IN JORDAN
BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN
Bethany formed part of the early Christian pilgrimage route between Jerusalem, the Jordan River, and Mount Nebo. Today, the area’s Arabic name is al-Maghtas – The Place of Baptism. In 1996, stunning archaeological discoveries identified this as the exact site where John had been living and carrying out his baptisms. Po!ery, coins, stone objects, and architectural remains confirm the site was used in the early 1st century AD, during the time of Jesus and John.
Jordan - Amman
MADABA, CITY OF MOSAICS
Madaba’s real masterpiece, located in the Orthodox Church of Saint George, is the 6th century AD mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land – the earliest religious map of the Holy Land in any form to survive from antiquity. Accordingly, Madaba is dubbed “The City of Mosaics”.
Jordan - Madaba
MOUNT NEBO
Mount Nebo, just ten minutes west of Madaba by car, was the final station in Moses’ historic flight from Egypt to the Holy Land. Moses and his people camped “in the valley near Bethpeor”, a place long associated with the site known today as Ayun Musa (Springs of Moses). Mount Nebo’s windswept promontory overlooks the Dead Sea, the Jordan River Valley, Jericho, and the distant hills of Jerusalem. From here, Moses viewed the Holy Land of Canaan that he would never enter. He died and was buried in Moab, “in the valley opposite Beth-peor” but his tomb remains unknown. After consulting the Oracle, Jeremiah reportedly hid the Ark of the Covenant, the Tent, and the Altar of Incense at Mount Nebo.
Jordan - Madaba
MUKAWIR
The 1st Century AD Roman-Jewish historian, Josephus, identified the awe-inspiring site of Machaerus (modern-day Mukawir) as the palace-fortress of Herod Antipas, the Roman-appointed regional ruler during the life of Jesus Christ. It was here, at this hilltop fortified palace overlooking the Dead Sea region and the distant hills of Palestine and Israel that Herod imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist; “He was beheaded a"er Salome’s fateful dance” Mathew 14:3-11 Mukawir is also one of the designated pilgrimage sites for the year 2000. The top of Mountain of Mukawir overlooks a breathtaking view of the Dead Sea. The summit can be reached a"er climbing a winding staircase up the mountain.
Jordan - Madaba
TALL MAR ELIAS
Associated with the Prophet Elijah, Tall Mar Elias is very close to the ruins of a village known as Listib. It is believed that this place was formerly Tishbi, the home of Elijah, a native of Giliad in Transjordan (2Kings 17:1). The presence of two churches, builton the Tall (hilltop) at the end of the Byzantine period, substantiates the fact that this was a religious site. It is believed that Elijah’s ascension to Heaven in a chariot of fire took place at Wadi Al Kharrar, in Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Referred to in the Bible as ‘Barreya’ in Arabic, ‘Perea’ in French, and ‘the desert’ in English, many scholars believe this to be the Holy place that was visited by Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. The site at Tall Mar Elias includes extensive architectural remains, scattered across the summit of the hill that rises above Listib, to the southeast.
Jordan - Amman
ANJARA
The ancient town of Anjara is located in the hills of Gilead, east of the Jordan Valley. The Bible makes mention of this town as a place where Jesus, his mother Mary and his disciples passed through and rested in a nearby cave. The cave, which has long been a Holy place for pilgrims, has now been commemorated with the Church of Our Lady of the Mountain. The cave was also designated by the Catholic Churches of the Middle East as one of the five pilgrimage sites for the Year 2000. The others were Mount Nebo, Machaerus, Tall Mar Elias near Ajlun, and Bethany Beyond the Jordan.
Jordan - AjlounMAP
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