10,000 Christian pilgrims expected in Israel next week
Planes from around the world will bring pilgrims to Qasr el Yahud, believed to be the site of Jesus' baptism by John, for the Epiphany holiday.
More than 10,000 Christian pilgrims will arrive in Israel at the start of next week to visit the traditional baptism site Qasr el Yahud (the castle of the Jews), on the banks of the Jordan River.
Planeloads of pilgrims from Russia, Greece, Ethiopia and other countries will arrive in Israel in honor of the Christian holiday Epiphany, during which Eastern Christians celebrate Jesus' baptism. The pilgrims' destination - Qasr el Yahud – is located on the banks of the Jordan River, near Jericho.
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Qasr el Yahud is believed to be the location of Jesus' baptism by John. According to Christian tradition, the site is the place of Jesus' “spiritual birth”, as opposed to his physical birth in Bethlehem.
The site, which is managed by the Nature and Parks Authority, each year plays host to a traditional baptism ceremony at the river. Each stream of Christianity holds its own separate ceremony. The event is considered particularly colorful, and as such attracts the thousands of pilgrims as well as numerous curious onlookers.
Qasr el Yahud is the one of the most important sites in the Christian world – after the Chiurch of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Each year, it attracts tens of thousands of believers to the spiritual ceremony. Visitors arrive with the assistance of the church and stay at churches close to the site.
The site was under Jordanian rule until the Six-Day War, after which it came under Israeli control, but access was prevented and it was declared a closed military zone.
In 2000, the Civil Administration transferred responsibility for the site to the Parks Authority, which manages to this day. In the same year, Pope John Paul II visited the site, as did his successor Pope Benedict in 2009. Following his visit, the site was opened to the general public.
The site has undergone renovations to improve access and navigability for visitors and is now open to all 365 days per year.
