![\"IMG_0741\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/56\/2015\/04\/IMG_0741.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe departed the Sheraton a little before 9 and headed up the road to Bethany, about an hour away.<\/p>\n
Along the way, we hit a traffic jam.<\/p>\n
Evidently, it was rush hour.<\/p>\n
We arrived at the site of Jesus\u2019s baptism and stretched our legs.<\/p>\n We were greeted by Rustom Mkhjian, Assistant Commission Director of the Baptism Site. He\u2019s a man of tremendous passion, knowledge and faith, and proved to be a wonderful guide for our morning visit.<\/p>\n He showed us the cave where archeologists believe John the Baptist lived\u2014and he made a persuasive and compelling case for this site we were touring being the actual place<\/strong> of Christ\u2019s baptism. It has been a pilgrimage destination\u00a0since the dawn of Christianity\u2014a place where churches were erected and memorials were built. People have been baptized here, in pools like the one below, since the 4th century.<\/p>\n We also saw the remnants of a monastery which was constructed so that monks could live out their lives just a few steps from\u00a0where Christ\u2019s ministry\u2014and the whole Christian story\u2014actually began.<\/p>\n The gospel tells us that Jesus asked his followers, \u201cWhat did you come out to the desert to see? A reed swaying in the wind?\u201d<\/p>\n To our amazement, we saw exactly what he was talking about. The area is surrounded by swaying reeds.<\/p>\n Finally, we followed a winding path to one particularly unusual spot.\u00a0Rustom explained that the course of the Jordan River has changed over the centuries, thanks to earthquakes and droughts. But research and archeological excavation have uncovered the remains of a massive Byzantine church, with stairs leading from the apse down into the Jordan at a place where the waters form a cross.<\/p>\n This was the site of pilgrimage from the earliest days of Christianity. All signs point to this being the place where Christ began his public ministry. This is where the Son of God was baptized.<\/p>\n The surrounding area, meantime, is slowly being developed into a place for research, prayer and preservation\u2014with efforts under way to maintain the original character of the site. Several Christian denominations, with the blessing of Jordan\u2019s Muslim king, have erected large churches near the site. We visited a Latin rite Catholic church that has been under construction for a few years. When completed, it will be stunning: the largest church in Jordan.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n