{"id":2419,"date":"2017-04-04T20:30:56","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T01:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/?p=2419"},"modified":"2017-04-04T20:30:56","modified_gmt":"2017-04-05T01:30:56","slug":"baptism-jesus-beyond-jordan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2017\/04\/baptism-jesus-beyond-jordan.html","title":{"rendered":"The real place where Jesus was baptized"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

When Saint Mary of Egypt entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the mid-400s, she heard the voice of the Virgin Mary tell her to travel beyond the River Jordan and that there she would find peace. \u00a0We know she crossed the river and was baptized at the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist. \u00a0Where is this place? \u00a0Does it still exist? \u00a0No, it no longer exists, but the\u00a0site is known. \u00a0And it was rediscovered recently.<\/p>\n

\"DSC06279\"
Brand New Greek Orthodox Church of Saint John the Baptist in Bethany Beyond the Jordan\u00a0in the country of Jordan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For centuries, a significant pilgrimage site existed on the eastern bank of the Jordan River (in present day Jordan) where Christians venerated the baptism of Jesus by Saint John the Baptist. \u00a0The site is known as\u00a0Bethany Beyond the Jordan. \u00a0Monasteries, chapels, and baptismal pools where built there\u00a0on a stream that emptied out into the Jordan River. \u00a0Pilgrims would visit this holy site from the 4th to the 6th centuries as they traveled to Mount Nebo. \u00a0The site was abandoned in the 7th century after the Muslim conquest due to safety concerns, and it wasn\u2019t until 1996 that archaeologists began to excavate the area where they found significant traces of ancient pilgrimage sites.<\/p>\n

\"DSC06262\"
Depiction of the 6th century pilgrimage site in Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Pilgrims walked down a marble staircase towards the exact spot where Jesus was baptized by John.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A sign at Bethany Beyond the Jordan reads: \u201cThe chapels built on the eastern side of the river during the Byzantine period (5th to 6th centuries AD) include three churches built over each other and decorated with colored mosaic and marble flooring. \u00a0A marble staircase links the three churches with the \u2018John the Baptist Spring\u2019 at the spot where it flows into the River Jordan. \u00a0A stone footing hosting a marble column with a metal cross on top is thought to be the actual baptism site of Jesus Christ according to different historians and travelers. \u00a0A small chapel and remnants of a stone arch near the river were built over the spot where Jesus Christ supposedly unrobed before entering the water to be baptized by John.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DSC06258\"<\/p>\n

\"DSC06256\"<\/p>\n

The Jordanian government under the direction of King Hussain Bin Talal has overseen the restoration of this site and opened it for pilgrims. \u00a0It is beautiful and peaceful. \u00a0While visiting one cannot imagine that from 1967 to 1994 this was a heavily mined military zone. \u00a0Only in 2011 did it open to the public. \u00a0The Jordanian government has granted land to the major Christian Churches to build new chapels for pilgrimage. \u00a0Below you can see from a distance the various churches that are being built. \u00a0Only the Greek Orthodox Church which is along the River Jordan is complete.<\/p>\n

\"DSC06270\"<\/p>\n

The path at Bethany Beyond the Jordan leads to you the Jordan River from where one can see the country of Israel. \u00a0The Jordan is a very narrow river that divides the two countries. \u00a0While standing there, I saw a seminary classmate standing across the river on the Israeli side! \u00a0We were able to have a chat across the international border conscious of the fully armed soldiers standing close by.<\/p>\n

Bethany Beyond the Jordan holds\u00a0the strongest historical argument to be the actual site where Jesus was baptized. \u00a0The historical record shows that this is the first recognized site in antiquity as the place where the event happened. \u00a0Any sites on the western bank (in the country of Israel) do not have the historical backing this one does.<\/p>\n

A visit to Bethany Beyond the Jordan makes the border crossing into Jordan well worth it. \u00a0Combine it with a visit to Mount Nebo and perhaps the ancient city of Petra, and the trip will have been worthwhile.<\/p>\n

\"DSC06274\"<\/a>
With my mother at the Jordan River on the Jordanian side (the east bank)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"DSC06276\"<\/a>
My friend\u2019s pilgrimage group standing in Israel while I stand in Jordan taking the picture. Note how narrow the Jordan River is.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All pictures are mine, all rights reserved. \u00a0Jordan, 2015.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Saint Mary of Egypt entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the mid-400s, she heard the voice of the Virgin Mary tell her to travel beyond the River Jordan and that there she would find peace. \u00a0We know she crossed the river and was baptized at the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist. 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