Footsteps of Jesus Pilgrimage Day 1 - Immersed in the Wilderness

Some introduction first. We were booked in to the "Footsteps of Jesus" pilgrimage, one of the courses offered by St. George's College, Jerusalem, operated by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem (Arabic: أبرشية القدس الأنغليكانية) (the Anglican jurisdiction for Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon) which is part of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. This was my third time trying to do one of these courses. It was the last full course offered. The Hamas attack happened just after we left Israel, and Israel's genocidal response has continued unabated since then. 

St George's is The Anglican Centre for Pilgrimage, Education, Hospitality, and Reconciliation. The Very Rev'd Richard Sewell is the Dean of the College, and Rev'd Dr Rodney Aist is the Course Director. We were joined by Rev's Canon Dr Andrew Mayes TSSF who as chaplain led us in reflections and worship, and Rev'd Katie Kirk, the Porter Fellow, a very recently ordained deacon from the USA who was spending a year based at St George's offering ministry as the course assistant, and various other ministries in East Jerusalem. I cannot think of a better team to have led us for our time together. Dean Richard's role was limited - he had a college to run, but his input was greatly valued. Rodney is astoundingly knowledgeable and we were enriched by his talks, and by his gentle keeping us to time. It is a tightly timetabled thing, with enough time at each place, but also limited time so that we could fit more in. He did very well. It was so good to have a fellow Franciscan leading our reflections and prayers. And Katie's ministry, counting, making sure we had everything we needed, caring for us, was a real blessing.

Each day began with Holy Eucharist at 7am in St George's Cathedral. The College is part of the Cathedral compound, along with the Diocesan Offices and guest house. After breakfast we either had a lecture to set us up for the day, or needed to be on the coach ready to head out, and Rodney would talk to us on our journey.

So to day 1. If you read Rodney's book,  "Jerusalem Bound: How to Be a Pilgrim in the Holy Land", as we were asked to do and as I did, you will find out that all good Holy Land pilgrimages begin by visiting Holy Sepulchre in Old Jerusalem. Rodney says so. So it was with some surprise that despite what the program said, we found that this was not happening. Normally it would, but pilgrims on the previous pilgrimage had shared their nasty bugs with Rodney, Andrew, Dean Richard, and Katie. They were getting better, but were still not well enough for the walk around the old city. And Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, was happening in the middle of our time, and while it is a Jewish holy day, the Israeli authorities like to share and ensure that motorised travel is difficult for everyone, even pilgrims like us. So things were switched around.

Rodney speaking at the Jordan River

And day one began with Eucharist, breakfast, course photo and introduction of college staff, and then a lecture introducing our time together and an introduction to both Holy Land Pilgrimage and pilgrim spirituality by Rodney. We were invited to be disciple learners. To be like Peter and available to be flipped around, re-orientated, ready to revise our assumptions and expectations and to be prepared to think big. The place of fruitfulness is the place of risk.

And so we began by heading down the road to Jericho, stopping in the Judaean Desert. Our first taste of hot. It was mid 30's and hot, and dry. The Jordan river valley shimmered through the haze. We had 30 minutes to sit alone as Jesus sat alone for 40 days before he began his ministry. That intense time of questioning and testing his identity and what it meant to live as the "Beloved Son". (Temptation sounds too much like lets have some chocolate.) In this contested land we sat with our own identity as pilgrims. 

Jericho

After we had waded through the insistent Bedouin sellers (almost impossible when on your own) we journeyed down to Jericho, this ancient city, built on an oasis, offering hospitality, and surrounded by Israeli Army, at the mercy of Israeli decision makers. Here we encountered the army of occupation for the first time. It never got easier. We were greeted with enthusiasm, fed, and given time to explore their gift shops. Their livelihoods then hanging by a thread. The big seller was Hebron glass, an art from that goes back to Roman times.

Across the Jordan to Jordan

And then replete with find food and gifts we set off through the barren land (one-still mine fields?) to Qasr al-Yahud, one of the baptismal site on the Jordan River, operated by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. And here is a problem. This is not in recognized Israel. This is in the West Bank, and is Palestinian. But Palestinians have no say or benefit from this tourist venture. It is promoted as the "Welcome to Qasr al-Yahud, where history and spirituality intertwine along the peaceful banks of the Jordan River. This site, revered as the third holiest in the Christian world, offers more than just a visit; it’s an opportunity to connect with a pivotal moment in religious history. Whether you’re here for spiritual reasons or simply to soak in the historical ambiance, Qasr al-Yahud is a place that touches the soul." It is about that, but it is all about generating tourist income for Israel, and depriving the Palestinian economy. Not an easy place really.

It turns out that the real traditional site of the baptism is in Jordan, just over the way from where we were. But we will come to that in two weeks time. It was not easy to get into Jordan from Israel, it took us several hours, so this is where pilgrims and tourists based in Israel went.

Andrew led us in a quiet liturgy, and we were offered a chance for reaffirm our baptism in this sacred water.  At IPTOC we were each given a small olive wood tau cross. I wore it everyday from then on, and into that water. i still wear it as a reminder both of IPTOC and of being immersed holding the questions from the wilderness. 

You can find my Facebook photos here. And a reflection I wrote based on my journalling at the time here.

After dinner we had free time, so Bonnie and I set of and explored the Old City in true John style, operating off memory from 2005 and with no maps, because who needs maps. And mostly it was OK. We found the Damascus Gate, we eventually worked out where Holy Sepulchre is, we made it to the Western Wall. It was so much quieter than my last time here, which I put down to being at night. But that was to prove true during the day too. There are a number of Zionist hardliners who are working to push all non-Jews (including Christian Palestinians and Christian Armenians) out and are actively working to make life too hard. It was nice to be back.