7,000 pilgrims visit Jesus' baptism site
On Easter, Christians from across the world arrive at sacred place of Qasr al-Yahud near Jericho to be baptized in Jordan River
Some 7,000 Christian pilgrims arrived at Qasr al-Yahud near Jericho on Tuesday to be baptized at the place believed to be Jesus' baptism site in the Jordan River.
The site is the third most sacred place for Christians, after the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
Many of the visitors saved up their entire life to travel to the Holy Land. "We're so excited," said one teary-eyed pilgrim. "We can’t believe that we're in such a holy place."
The Syriac patriarch on the riverbank (Photo: Efrat Weiss)
The baptism ceremonies are held at the site one after each other, separating between the different forms of Christianity. The pictures presented in this article show the ceremony of the Syriac Christianity, followed by the Greek Orthodox and members of the Ethiopian Church. Some of the denominations will hold their baptism ceremonies on Wednesday.
The ceremony is held on an elevated wooden platform built on the riverbank. For security reasons, only the head of denomination, the patriarch, is allowed to descend from the podium to the small wooden dock and take a dip in the river. The rest of the pilgrims wash themselves with water drawn from the river with a pump.
Once the renovation of the site is completed in November, all pilgrims will have access to the river.
A similar ceremony was held on the Jordanian site of the river, several meters away, supervised by a Jordanian soldier.
Millions invested in rebuilding site
"The Christians believe that Jesus was baptized (at Qasr al-Yahud) by John the Baptist," says Saar Kfir of the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority. "God appeared before him as a dove."According to Kfir, the Christians believe that Jesus' spiritual birth took place in this place, after his physical birth in Bethlehem. In Judaism, he adds, the site is referred to as the place where the people of Israel crossed Jordan after leaving Egypt.
The Civil Administration and the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority have invested NIS 7 million (about $1.7 million) over the past two years in the site's rebuilding and preservation project.
"We prepared on two levels," says Lieutenant-Colonel Itzik Deri, commander of the Coordination and Liaison Authority in Jericho. "The first was the Christians' prayers and ceremonies. In addition, we were in touch with leaders of the Christian community, the patriarchs and the church heads, and deployed also in terms of security, as this is a closed military zone."
A road has been paved on the path leading to the site, which has mines scattered on both sides. The site itself has been renovated recently, and now includes a staircase leading to the wooden platform. The podium provides access to the Jordan River, to allow the pilgrims to dip in the water.
In spite of the renovations, says Lt.-Col. Deri, fewer pilgrims arrived at the site this year compared to previous years, whether because of the financial crisis or because of the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
Up to now the site has been opened several times a year, as well as for organized tours coordinated with the army. As of next winter, Deri promises, the sire will be open all year round.
