Representing the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Ibrahim Faltas, in charge of relations with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, and Father Silvio de La Fuente, General Secretary of the Custody, attended the official ceremony inaugurating the new facilities at the place where the Lord was baptized in Qasr al-Yehud, on the banks of the River Jordan.
The site is well known to the local Christians of the Holy Land, who used to go there once a year to commemorate the baptism of the Lord. However, as the Jordanians have been in charge of the border between Jordan and Israel since 1967, access to the site has been somewhat complicated and a little too random.
With a view to drawing more visitors, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, following the example of neighbouring Jordan, has spent a great deal of effort and considerable resources in the past three years on renovating the site, providing areas sheltered from the sun, extending the banks of the river and extensively cleaning up the surrounding areas.
The Israeli military authorities and the Ministry of Tourism have been able to find a compromise. The inauguration of these facilities was also the occasion to announce that, from now on, the site will be open on a daily basis for groups of pilgrims whereas to date, coordination with the military authorities had been required.
The Custody, which has always gone in pilgrimage to the Jordan on the last Thursday in October, can now organize this visit on the second Sunday in January, which is more in line with the liturgical calendar.
Since the liturgy of Epiphany, celebrated with great solemnity in Bethlehem, includes the three mysteries of the Adoration of the Magi, the Baptism of the Lord and the wedding in Cana, commemorating the Lord’s Baptism on the banks of the River Jordan will be an opportunity for further meditation on this particular mystery.
The ceremony was presided by the Minister for Regional Development, Mr. Silvan Shalom. The participants were welcomed to the notes of songs by Frank Sinatra, surprising the representatives of most of the Churches of the Holy Land, until a choir from the University of Tel Aviv began to sing religious songs in Hebrew.
A number of speeches were made, including one by the Patriarch Isykhios who expressed, in the name of the Churches, his thanks to the Israeli authorities, also taking this favourable opportunity to deliver a message of peace.
Article and photos by Marie-Armelle Beaulieu
The site is well known to the local Christians of the Holy Land, who used to go there once a year to commemorate the baptism of the Lord. However, as the Jordanians have been in charge of the border between Jordan and Israel since 1967, access to the site has been somewhat complicated and a little too random.
With a view to drawing more visitors, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, following the example of neighbouring Jordan, has spent a great deal of effort and considerable resources in the past three years on renovating the site, providing areas sheltered from the sun, extending the banks of the river and extensively cleaning up the surrounding areas.
The Israeli military authorities and the Ministry of Tourism have been able to find a compromise. The inauguration of these facilities was also the occasion to announce that, from now on, the site will be open on a daily basis for groups of pilgrims whereas to date, coordination with the military authorities had been required.
The Custody, which has always gone in pilgrimage to the Jordan on the last Thursday in October, can now organize this visit on the second Sunday in January, which is more in line with the liturgical calendar.
Since the liturgy of Epiphany, celebrated with great solemnity in Bethlehem, includes the three mysteries of the Adoration of the Magi, the Baptism of the Lord and the wedding in Cana, commemorating the Lord’s Baptism on the banks of the River Jordan will be an opportunity for further meditation on this particular mystery.
The ceremony was presided by the Minister for Regional Development, Mr. Silvan Shalom. The participants were welcomed to the notes of songs by Frank Sinatra, surprising the representatives of most of the Churches of the Holy Land, until a choir from the University of Tel Aviv began to sing religious songs in Hebrew.
A number of speeches were made, including one by the Patriarch Isykhios who expressed, in the name of the Churches, his thanks to the Israeli authorities, also taking this favourable opportunity to deliver a message of peace.
Article and photos by Marie-Armelle Beaulieu