The place of the baptism of Jesus Christ, the Jordan River is the place of Epiphany. Place of Christ's baptism. Jordan River

The Jordan is a sacred river for all Christians, a place of pilgrimage for many thousands of believers. According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. On the territory of the religious-archaeological reserve "Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan" you can see Byzantine monuments built on the site of the Baptism of the Lord - the ruins of Byzantine temples of the 5th-6th centuries, which successively replaced each other and indicated the place of Baptism, the ruins of a chapel on the site where the Lord took off his vestments before going into the water. True, today these monuments are located at some distance from the Jordan - the river has changed its course over the centuries. Nearby are the source of St. John the Baptist and the ruins of a Byzantine monastery at the supposed site of the exploit of St. Mary of Egypt. At a slightly greater distance is the hill of St. the Prophet Elijah, the place of his ascension to heaven, as well as the Tel Harrar hill with the ruins of a Byzantine cave church, revered as the dwelling of the Prophet Elijah and John the Baptist.
The Jordan originates at the foot of Mount Hermon, flows through Lake Kinneret, and flows into the Dead Sea. Once upon a time the Jordan Valley was green rainforests, and in the coastal thickets of papyrus there were hippopotamuses. Now there is nothing left of its former plant splendor, except that evergreen sycamore sycamore trees rise here and there, brightening up the deserted appearance of the Jordan Plain.
Mentioned many times in the Bible. According to the Old Testament, Joshua led the Jewish people on dry land between the miraculously parted waters of the Jordan, thereby ending the Jews' forty-year wandering in the desert. Later, according to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was baptized in the waters of the river. Christians treat the Jordan as a sacred river; Since the Byzantine era, there has been a widespread belief that the water of the Jordan heals diseases.
In November 2012, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' visited Jordan - he venerated the Christian shrines of Jordan and consecrated the recently built hospice house for Russian pilgrims. Next, he visited the Greek monastery of St. John the Baptist, standing on the site of the Baptism of the Savior. The monastery is located on the territory of the religious-archaeological reserve "Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan".
This land has belonged to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem since 1700. The buildings of the monastery were erected and destroyed three times over three centuries. The last construction began in 2005. Through the efforts of the Bishop of Jerusalem Patriarch in Amman, Metropolitan Benedict of Philadelphia, a temple was built here. It was built and signed with money from the Jerusalem Patriarchate, but the domes and cross were gilded Russian funds and Russian masters. Now the monastery has also erected two chapels, an abbot’s building, a reception hall, a refectory, a hotel for pilgrims, and the construction of a cell building continues. This monastery is not yet inhabited by monastics.
On July 4, 2006, at the initiative of the King of Jordan Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein, a decision was made to provide a plot of land in the “Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ” reserve on the Jordan River for the construction of a Russian pilgrimage house. The Jordanian government transferred to Russia free of charge and for indefinite use a plot of more than 9 thousand square meters, facing directly to the river, for the construction of a Russian pilgrimage compound. This happened in February 2007 as part of the official visit to Jordan of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (This year the site was transferred to Russian ownership).

The Jordan River has long changed its course

In modern times, one could say that Epiphany, celebrated on January 19, is among the “top 5” most important and popular Orthodox holidays celebrated by Russians. But where exactly did this event take place, which happened almost 2000 years ago and is described in the Gospel? “It turns out that this was only established with certainty relatively recently. Experts told MK about this geographical discovery.

“...In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came out of the water, John immediately saw the heavens opening and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This is how Evangelist Mark describes this event.

The most common geographical reference, known to everyone, is the Jordan, which Christians around the world treat as a sacred river. But the Jordanian shores stretch for many, many kilometers. Where exactly did the Lord then enter the river waters?

This is the information the employees of the press center of the Spaso-Bogoroditsky Odigitrievsky Convent, located in the Smolensk region, told us.

“The Gospel of John names the place where John the Baptist preached and baptized. According to this evangelist, it was located near the village of Bethavara beyond the Jordan. However, this guideline is ambiguous. Indeed, in Palestine at that time there were several villages with that name.

For a long time it was believed that the “Epiphany” Bethavara was located on the territory of present-day Israel, near the town of Qasr El-Yahud, which is 4 kilometers from the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. But only at the end of the last century did researchers finally understand the location of the place where the Savior was baptized and the miracle of Epiphany happened.

The mosaic on the floor in the Church of St. George, located in the Jordanian city of Madaba, helped identify it. This mosaic image measures 15x6 meters and dates back to the 6th century. AD and is a well-preserved and quite accurate map The Holy Land, with all Christian Shrines indicated on it. Judging by the map, the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River is not in Israel, but on the opposite bank of this river, in the territory of modern Jordan in the town of Wadi el-Harar.

It is noteworthy that in the place where the Baptism ceremony took place 2 thousand years ago, there has been no water for a long time. Over such a huge period of time, the river changed its course as it flowed into the Dead Sea and now flows several tens of meters closer to Israel.

To confirm or refute the "clue" given by the mosaic map from St. George's Church, archaeologists conducted excavations in Wadi el-Harar in 1996. As a result, the ruins of three Byzantine churches were discovered there, and most importantly, a marble base slab, on which, it is believed, stood a column with a cross, installed during early Christianity at the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. It is this column that is often mentioned in written testimonies of pilgrims of the Byzantine era who visited the Holy Places.

After heated debate, scientists around the world and leaders of leading Christian denominations came to the conclusion that Wadi el-Harar is the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

In the spring of 2000, Pope John Paul II visited these places. The pontiff's visit ended with the Vatican's official recognition of the fact that Wadi el-Harar is one of the greatest Christian Shrines - the site of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. This fact recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church. As a sign of this, the Russian Orthodox Church took part in the construction of an Orthodox church in honor of John the Baptist on the territory of Wadi el-Harar. The temple is based on the very place where, according to legend, Jesus Christ left his clothes before plunging into the waters of the biblical river.”

Traditions of the holiday Epiphany of the Lord: head into an ice hole...

All holidays have their own traditions that have evolved over thousands of years. Christian holiday The Baptism of the Lord is no exception. The main tradition of this holiday is the blessing of water on Epiphany Eve. Blessing the water, the priest lowers the cross into a special baptismal hole in the shape of a cross, called the “Jordan”; the blessed water is called the “great agiasma,” that is, the great shrine. It is believed that Epiphany water has the same miraculous power as the waters of the Jordan into which Jesus Christ entered, therefore, according to Russian tradition, believers dive into an ice hole, regardless of the severity of the frost. The tradition of swimming in the Jordan arose after the arrival of Christianity in Rus': during the time of Jesus, there were definitely problems with ice holes in the Holy Land.

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Orthodox Church of John the Baptist in Wadi el-Harar near the Jordan River

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Thickets near the Jordan River

In fact, swimming in an ice hole is not a church thing, but rather folk tradition. Turning back the pages of history, one can discover the reasons for this.

According to one version, Slavic traditions Ice-hole swimming dates back to the times of the ancient Scythians, who dipped their babies into ice-cold water, acclimating them to the harsh nature. Here it is appropriate to remember the custom when, after a bath, people like to plunge into ice water or jump into a snowdrift.

There is a fairly convincing opinion that swimming in an ice hole is part of ancient pagan military initiation rites. It is a known fact that Ivan the Terrible loved to shock foreign ambassadors by forcing his boyars, throwing off their fur coats, to dive into an ice hole with an invariable expression of joy and fun on their faces. Moreover, this happened not only at Epiphany, but on any winter day, and what was demonstrated here was courage and valiant prowess in the best traditions of military valor, and not religious zeal.

For centuries, clergy blessed water only in springs. People took this water from the font, drank it, sprinkled it on their homes, but some wanted to further testify to the strength of their faith - they began to plunge into it.

For a long time, only participants in mass Christmas games involving dressing up and caroling swam in the ice hole. “Demonic acts” were strongly disapproved by the church, so bathing in ice water people wanted to cleanse themselves, to wash away all their sins. This is how this custom probably gradually developed - to bathe at Epiphany. And now this tradition has become widespread.

In general it is believed that in Epiphany night any water from an ordinary reservoir receives healing properties, so you can safely follow the advice of Korney Chukovsky, although expressed on a different occasion: swim, dive, tumble in a tub, in a trough, in a tub, in a river, in a stream, in the ocean...

Main Hot Springs

During my January vacation in Jordan, I, of course, could not miss the opportunity, and decided, at all costs, to plunge into the sacred waters of the Jordan River on the day of the Epiphany. Despite the fact that our vacation was coming to an end and by this time we had already moved to the resort area of ​​Aqaba from the Dead Sea, I was still ready to again travel through the entire country from south to north. To save time and convenience, I used the services of a local travel agency, signed up for an excursion called “Three in one: Ma’in hot springs, Jordan River, Dead Sea.”

We started from Aqaba at five in the morning on January 19, most of long road the bus passengers slept together in anticipation have an interesting day and numerous water procedures. The weather that day was not expected to be very good: the sky was gloomy, it was blowing cold wind, on the way we even saw sandstorm in a desert.

Our first stop was an extraordinary place with hot mineral springs, twenty-five kilometers from Madaba.

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The Ma'in hot springs are considered one of the oldest resorts in Jordan; the Romans came here to improve their health or simply relax in the healing waters. IN medicinal purposes The king of Judea, Herod the Great, also used hot mineral springs.

Descending to the Main springs, the bus made an ornate path along a serpentine road descending to the bottom grand canyon. Arriving at the place, we saw the waters of the springs falling from the basalt rocks, whose height reaches 30 meters. The hot waterfall dissolves in the cold river flowing below and forms a natural pool, the temperature of which reaches 38-40 degrees. Because of the rain and the threat of landslides, we were not allowed to get close to the waterfalls, but we were taken to the territory of a hotel famous for its spa treatments. Mineral water from the springs here it flows into the equipped swimming pool, in which we had to relax and, of course, warm up.

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Main Hot Springs

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The height of the rocks reaches 30 meters

The morning was cool, and the first rain I had seen during my entire stay in Jordan was falling. I had to fight with myself a little to finally force myself to change clothes, plunge into the water, covered with a cloud of steam on top, and immediately feel a state of bliss. I saw genuine joy on everyone’s faces, hot springs, cool rain, water everywhere: the Epiphany morning was definitely a great one.

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The territory of the SPA hotel near the hot springs

Wadi el-Harar and the Holy River Jordan

After a short stop at a shop with Dead Sea gifts and Arabic-style beauties, we headed to the main goal of the trip - the Jordan River in the town of Wadi el-Harar.

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Stop at the store

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In the store, one of the tourists received an SMS message from the operator: "Welcome to Israel". Indeed, as we approached the Jordan, we found ourselves closer and closer to the border between the two countries. And the Jordan River is not only an object of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world, but also a natural border between Jordan and Israel. The border between the countries has not always been peaceful, so the approaches to the river on both sides are under close surveillance by the military.

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View of the Israeli shore, through the thickets you can see people plunging into the Jordan

The Jordan River is mentioned many times in Old Testament as a place for various events, including miraculous ones. Jordan was the border of the Promised Land. The first miracle occurred when the Israelites, after forty years of wandering in the desert on dry land, crossed the Jordan opposite Jericho under the leadership of Joshua. The prophets Elijah and Elisha also crossed the Jordan on dry ground. But most importantly, Jesus Christ himself was baptized in the waters of the river.

For a long time, there was no complete certainty about exactly where the baptism of Jesus Christ took place. The Gospel of John says that John the Baptist preached and baptized near the village of Bethany (otherwise known as Bethavara) on the upper Jordan. It was assumed that Bethany was located on the territory of Israel, not far from where the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea.

The mosaic on the floor in the Church of St. George in the city of Madaba helped determine the true location.

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Mosaic map from the city of Madaba (photo from the Internet)

A perfectly preserved mosaic map indicating all Christian shrines indicated that the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River is not in Israel, but on the opposite bank of the river in the town of Wadi el-Harar, in the territory of modern Jordan.

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Wadi el-Harar

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I repeat that the approaches to Wadi el-Harar are under increased control of armed border guards. We were warned that under no circumstances should we take photographs of the military on the Jordanian side, but on the Israeli side you are welcome, they won’t do anything to you anyway, they won’t shoot accurately.

At the checkpoint we were asked to get off the bus with all our belongings and our bags were put through a scanner. Then we moved on to the border guards with metal detectors for a personal search. And only after that we got on the bus again to cover the remaining five minutes of the journey, during which we saw border guards almost “under every bush.” The bus parked near the only store where one could buy baptismal shirts and other Christian paraphernalia.

Not far away on the hill I saw several Christian churches, I couldn’t identify them, but from sources I know that on the territory of Wadi el-Harar there are Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian and Lebanese churches; a Jordanian Orthodox church is also being built nearby convent. I was struck by the silhouette of a Muslim performing prayer against the backdrop of a number of Christian churches.

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Meeting of religions

You can get to the river itself by walking along a wooden path that runs through dense thickets of gray plants unknown to me. The feeling was very unusual, as if you were in a magical enchanted forest.

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A fairytale forest thicket, no less...

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Blue-green bushes

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And finally, we came to the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.

The finds discovered during the excavations confirmed the correctness of the assumptions that Wadi al-Harar is the true place of the baptism of Jesus Christ. In 1996, on a dry site near the Jordan River, archaeologists discovered the ruins of three Byzantine churches and a marble slab, on which, supposedly, stood a column with a cross, installed during early Christianity at the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. It is this column that is often mentioned in written sources of pilgrims of the Byzantine era who visited the Holy Places.

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Place of baptism of Jesus Christ

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Even the fact that the column was discovered forty meters east of the current bank of the Jordan is quite consistent with the conclusions of scientists that over time the Jordan somewhat changed its course as it flowed into the Dead Sea.

Steps leading down to the water were also discovered. Many believe that it was on these steps that Christ left his clothes before entering the water for baptism. The results of these studies and excavations are considered the most important discovery XX century in the Middle East.

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In 2000, the Vatican, represented by Pope John Paul II, and the Russian Orthodox Church officially recognized Wadi el-Harar as a genuine shrine and confirmed that it was on the Jordanian shore, and not on the Israeli shore, that the Savior was baptized. In 2006, King Abdullah II ibn al Hussein of Jordan transferred to Russia for free and indefinite use a plot of land on the banks of the Jordan River, the so-called “Russian hectare,” for the construction of an Orthodox church. To commemorate these events, there are several mosaic paintings and a plaque that reads: “Heritage belongs to humanity, by caring for it, you help us preserve it. His Majesty is King Hussein."

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A sign about the exclusivity of this place

It is amazing how much the government of a Muslim country, the king himself and his religious advisor, Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, are doing to preserve this historical site, while demonstrating extreme respect for other religions. Along the way, of course, not forgetting to develop the tourism potential of your country.

In the sacred waters of the Jordan

Again, we meandered along the path a little, we came to the Orthodox Church of John the Baptist, which is located a few meters from the Jordan, and, as expected, we saw a huge crowd of people trying to get to the sacred waters.

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Bell tower of the Orthodox Church of John the Baptist

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Inside the temple

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The territory of the complex is equipped with several changing rooms, but they did not cope well with the flow of pilgrims, so queues formed everywhere. At the gate, with the help of which the border guards tried to regulate the entrance to the river itself, a huge queue lined up, divided by gender: women separately, men separately. By this time the weather had improved significantly: the rain stopped and the sun came out.

One of the most popular winter tours, especially in the second half of January, are trips to the Jordan River. This natural stream is considered a natural border between the two Middle Eastern countries. Jordan and Israel are taking advantage of the opportunity to welcome tourists and pious pilgrims, thus capitalizing on their historical and religious attractions. In this article we will look at how to get there, what you must see and visit, as well as which city is located on the Jordan River.

Location

This stream is mentioned in almost all the holy books of Judaism and Christianity. Here, according to legends, numerous miracles took place. The prophets crossed the river without any ford, as if on dry land. As the Jewish commander Joshua walked with the Israelite army and the Ark of the Covenant, the waters parted to allow them through. But most of all this place is known because, as the Gospels say, Christ was baptized here. Therefore, it is hardly possible to find a person who would not know where the Jordan River is. But if we are to be geographically precise, this stream flows from Mount Hermon (the so-called Golan Heights), bypassing Lake Kinneret (the former Sea of ​​Tiberias). It begins at the confluence of three rivers - Khatsbani, Baniasi and Dan. Then, after traveling more than two hundred and fifty kilometers from north to south, it flows into the Dead Sea.

Jordan River. Place of baptism of Jesus Christ

This stream is best known for the fact that the so-called Epiphany took place here. This is what the three synoptic Gospels say, as well as the Scripture from St. John about where exactly the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, when he received the rite from the hands of John the Baptist. True, the exact location of this place is still unknown. There are even disagreements on this matter. Thus, many Greek manuscripts contain references to the fact that such a place could be the city of Bethavara on the Jordan River. There are other names for this settlement. It is also called Bethany Transjordan. Sources also differ on where exactly this city was located. For example, Origen claims that its location is the west bank of the Jordan River. Other Bible translations state that this city was located beyond the stream.

Other versions

Exists old map sixth century, called Madaba, where the place of Christ's baptism is indicated. On it it is marked opposite the city of Jericho. That is, this is actually the western bank of the Jordan River. Some say that the author of the map simply mixed up the cardinal directions. After all, for quite a long time the eastern shore was considered the traditional place of Christ’s baptism. Before the Arab conquest, pilgrims flocked to the city of Jericho on the Jordan River, where, according to travelers of the time, there stood a marble column with an iron cross. Then, after Palestine and the eastern bank became difficult to access, the west of the river began to be considered the place of baptism. Numerous temples were built there. And after subsequent wars, all these churches were destroyed and exact location baptism is lost. There are suggestions that the river changed its course many times. Therefore, the historical place of baptism can be located on land.

Modern pilgrimage

Since the Renaissance, it is generally accepted that Christ entered the water ten kilometers from the city of Jericho on the Jordan River. But it is still unclear from which bank exactly. Therefore, both countries - Israel and Jordan - believe that this is the most important religious history the event took place on their territory. On the western bank of the river this place is called Qasr al-Yahud. It is more comfortable, crowds of people go there, but there is immeasurably more trade and commerce there. The Jordanian side is proud of a place called Wadi al-Harar. It is wilder, more pristine, but not too touristy and not very comfortable to visit. But perhaps it is more authentic. After all, that’s where they were held archaeological excavations and the foundation of a marble column was found, which was mentioned in ancient sources.

Yardenit

This is the most popular and famous place, for which the modern Jordan River is famous. Israel has built a very popular tourist complex here. It is located near Lake Kinether, near the city of Tiberias. Its location does not even correspond to the place of baptism that tradition places near Qasr al-Yahuda. However, the Israeli authorities chose it as a kind of symbolic landmark. There is a well-equipped swimming pool where services are provided for triple immersion in the water of the Jordan. Such a symbolic baptism costs from ten to twenty-five American dollars. Nearby there is a shop where you can buy various items consecrated in the Orthodox church. Up to four hundred thousand pilgrims come here every year precisely to receive this kind of baptism. The most popular date is the nineteenth of January, when the rite of blessing of water is performed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Wadi al-Harar

This place is located opposite Qasr al-Yahuda. There, on the territory of Jordan, it was built Orthodox church John the Baptist. Here you can find a small reservoir called Al-Makhtas, which has already lost contact with its bed, and this is no longer the Jordan River. The site of the baptism of Jesus Christ is nevertheless surrounded by the remains of Byzantine buildings dating back to the sixth century, as well as many ancient church foundations. Since two thousand fifteen, Al-Makhtas has been included in the list World Heritage UNESCO, and pilgrims flock here too. True, on this side everything is simpler, there are no fancy pools, but just a wooden platform with steps. But immersion in water is free.

Jericho

This interesting city on the Jordan River is worth a visit for those who go on pilgrimage to holy places. After all, this is the oldest human settlement known to historians. It is already more than ten thousand years old. It is located in territory where the Palestinian Authority operates, fifty kilometers from Jerusalem. True, due to the Arab-Israeli conflict, organized groups no longer come here, but individual tourists can easily get there by local minibuses and then by taxi. Here, on the Tells es-Sultan hill, you can see the ruins of a city that is at least seven thousand years old. In Old Jericho there is a mosaic floor of one of the most ancient synagogues in Israel, and three kilometers from there is the palace of one of the first Arab caliphs of the seventh century. Not far from the city there is a famous mountain where, according to legend, the devil ascended Jesus Christ and tempted him, and on its top there is a Greek Orthodox monastery.

Jordan Tours

IN Lately Such trips have become very popular, and many companies organize them. After all, the Jordan Valley itself is very beautiful. Regardless of the political conflict in the Middle East and disputes over which country owns the site of the Epiphany, excursions along this river are offered even to families with children, especially in the summer and autumn time of the year. Kayaking or even rafting downstream on inflatable rafts through very picturesque places, among waterfalls, grottoes and quiet creeks where you can swim and swim, is not all that local tourist clubs offer travelers. You can ride along the river on bicycles or jeeps, or walk. There are many comfortable places for recreation and picnics everywhere.

The Baptism of the Lord is one of the most important events in the history of Christianity. It marks the beginning of the mission of Christ, as well as the appearance of Jesus to all Christendom. For the Gospel, the Triune God turned to John the Baptist, who performed the ceremony. It is the Jordan River that is the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Holy water

Jordan River

About 2000 years have passed since people from all over the world come to the banks of the sacred river for spiritual and physical recovery. Everyone believes that after bathing, it will be possible to heal the soul and body. The river changed its course more than once, and the borders of neighboring states also moved directly. The only constant thing remained man's faith in God, in his power to give a miracle to everyone.

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated annually on January 19th. And on this day, when the patriarchate serves a festive prayer service on the Jordan River, the waters form a circulation, turn around and begin to flow in the opposite direction. The river itself flows from the mountains 400 meters and flows into Lake Kinneret. It does not become salty immediately; due to the power of the flow, it continues to flow for several hundred meters. Then the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea.

When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on him and the waters turned back. Since then, this has been repeated every year. Before Epiphany, Orthodox Christians place wooden crosses with candles burning on them along the river into the Dead Sea. On January 19 they sail for reverse flow back. Accordingly, on this day fresh waters biblical rivers are salty.

Since the sacred site is located in Jordan, local authorities allow the water to be blessed only on the feast of Epiphany. Only on this day can the patriarch hold a service.

The current of the Jordan is very strong, so no one dares to attribute a miracle that happens every year to attributing it to natural phenomena. In addition, more than one thousand people are present at each prayer service.

Many pilgrims come just to take a dip. Some people take the ritual here. It is customary to plunge headlong into the river seven times.

Ceremony center

Yardenit is an area with various structures, which is located on the Jordan River. The complex belongs to the northern part of Galilee, located near the shores of Lake Tiberias.

Note! You can get to it by following road No. 90.

Yardenit names the place where the river leaves the lake. Today, it is here that a symbolic ceremony is held, during which baptism takes place for parishioners of the Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches.

The place of the baptism of Jesus Christ is located downstream of the Jordan. Qasr El Yahud is considered a sacred point, where baptismal ceremonies for pilgrims still take place today. But the territory is located on the border of two states, so there is no free access. Since 2011, you can visit it only on the day of the Epiphany; at other times, absolutely everything is closed.

Since 1981, Yardenit was chosen as a conditional baptismal point, and it is here that today ceremonies are held for those who wish. The territory belongs to Kinneret and is managed by members of the kibbutz.

A little history

Baptism ceremony in the Jordan River

The entire territory is described famous saying from the Gospel, translated into various languages. It says that the Jordan River is the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.

In Christian historical facts it is indicated that in reality the ceremony took place in the settlement of Vifawara - today's Qasr El Yahud. Access to the territory was blocked due to the consequences of the Six Day War. Visits were allowed only after a peace treaty with Jordan was signed. This only happened in 1994.

Due to the events that took place, the Ministry of Tourism decided to build a complex that will serve as an additional site. Therefore, since 1981, it was Yardenit that was the only place of the sacrament on the Jordan side, which was subject to regulation, until Qasr El-Yahud was opened in 2011.

Later, excavations were carried out, as a result of which the remains of a Byzantine church were discovered. Therefore, it is believed that the place indicated in the Bible, Bethawara, was the village of Wadi al-Harar in Jordan. Only today there is no river bed there, because over so many years it has changed its route.

Another place of baptism was Lake Kinneret, near the restored Temple of the Twelve Apostles. But still, it is the waters of the Jordan River that carry that innermost spiritual meaning.

Modernity

Yardenit is a complex with all kinds of amenities for visitors: souvenir shops, restaurants, parking. For those wishing to perform ablution, there are locker rooms and shops where you can rent or purchase the clothes necessary for the ceremony. There are paths here, places for plunging, and a center for pilgrims is located nearby. Every year about 400 thousand tourists come to this place.

The border between countries is not visible, it is more conventional. But from the Jordanian side you can always see several armed soldiers. From Jordan, you can get to the place of baptism if you wish, but from Israel, access is open only in a situation of peace (Palestinian territory).

I really loved these banks of the river. various fish, as well as nutria, which used to be found near the Hula Valley. This is due to the fact that due to the constant influx of visitors, they have quite plentiful food.

The entire immersion process will take no more than half an hour. It is advisable to take swimming accessories with you (swimsuit, towel, flip-flops). But if necessary, everything can be purchased, the same applies to a baptismal shirt. No one takes money for bathing in sacred water.

The Jordan River and the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the photo looks small and muddy. The speed of the water flow lifts all the clay from the bottom of the river, so the water here is not very clean. But after you put it in a bottle and let it sit, you can make sure that it becomes transparent.

For every believer, this place is special, so you should not miss the opportunity to go there.

In addition to the sacred waters, it is worth going to see the Dead Sea with its beautiful landscapes.