Jordan Pilgrimage Day 1 - This is Holy Land Too!

Shortly after we registered for the Footsteps of Jesus Pilgrimage we were asked if we were interested in a four day pilgrimage in Jordan. And we boldly said yes. Why not? We will probably not get back to this part of the world and seeing Jordan was an added bonus. So, we along with a few others signed up.

When I signed up, I thought of it as a tour more than a pilgrimage. The pilgrimage motif came about later in England. And even as we began, it did feel like a tour more than an ongoing time in the Holy Land. Holy Land meant Palestine-Israel – right? Maybe not. So, this became both a pilgrimage and a tour, as we eased out of the intensity of the past 10 days.

At 7am we were outside ready to board our bus with bags in hand. It felt a tad early, but we discovered why soon enough. We drove down the road to Jericho and on to the the King Hussein Bridge, also known as the Allenby Bridge, which is also is the only official border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan and is the sole designated exit/entry point for West Bank Palestinians travelling abroad by land.  So security was/is really high, and it took us several hours to get through border control and security on both sides of the bridge.  And it was not that busy. It didn’t help that our Jordanian tour guide and bus were late on the Jordanian side. I am not even sure we would be able to do that today as the war on Palestinians continues.

Our first stop was Madaba and the Madaba Mosaic Map preserved in the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George, sometimes called the "Church of the Map". The Madaba Mosaic Map depicts the hills and valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta in the 6th century. The mosaic is made up of over two million pieces of coloured stone, and contains the earliest extant representation of Byzantine Jerusalem, labelled the "Holy City." Importantly the map provides important

 details about 6th-century landmarks both in Jerusalem and surrounding holy sites, and has played an important role in archaeologists work over recent years. This includes siting various places including Bethany Beyond the Jordan – more about that later. The mosaic places Jerusalem at the centre of the world with Holy Sepulchre placed in the centre. Importantly it shows the physical layout of Jerusalem after its destruction and rebuilding in 70 AD including the cardo, or central colonnaded street. We were clearly still in holy land.

The mosaic was discovered in 1896 during the building of the Greek Orthodox Church of St George – the first allowed in that part of the world for some time. It was sadly damaged with that building. But what remains is amazing and the findings were published a year later, drawing the attention of scholars worldwide.

After lunch in Madaba we set off for Mt. Nebo. Here we were clearly in biblical lands. Here we are told Moses stood and looked out across the Jordan to the promised land. Here we looked down to the Jordan where John the Baptiser baptised – on the Jordanian side. Further down by the Dead Sea John was later held captive and eventually executed by Herod Antipas. We could see Jericho and the Judean Wilderness, and on a good day you can see up to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. This is the highest point in Moab, where Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem from (see Book of Ruth). To the right are the hills of Gilead. For some reason I had imagined the land of the Bible stopped at the Jordan. Bur there are no boundaries here. It was breathtaking to look out over these panoramic views.

On Mt Nebo is the modern Catholic building of Moses'Memorial Church, built over the remains of a Byzantine Basilica and monastery built in the fourth century. The remains include well preserved ancient mosaics, extraordinary examples of early Christian art, depicting scenes from the Bible. Visitors are invited to marvel at these beautifully restored mosaics. Outside is the striking serpentine cross sculpture, the Brazen Serpent Monument, symbolizing the bronze serpent created by Moses in the wilderness. 

We then set off for Petra, stopping on the way at a shop and workshop showcasing examples of "Madaba School" of mosaics, with women working on new pieces. They were beautiful.

 

We arrived at the Petra Palace Hotel. It had been a long day. Full of surprises. It was good to find our rooms and have some dinner. Our guide first came here when there was one hostel. Now there are a number of hotels to suit all budgets. It would be an early start the next morning to beat the crowds and the heat.

You can find my facebook photos from the time here.