Where did the baptism of Jesus Christ take place? Sacred River Jordan: a trip to the place of baptism of Jesus Christ

From the sacred texts of the New Testament it is known that the baptism of Jesus Christ took place in the Jordan River in Jerusalem. The Holy Prophet John the Baptist performed baptism over the Savior Himself.

John's baptism was a symbol of repentance and faith in the one true God. Every person entering the waters of the Jordan first confessed their sins, and only then came out of the water. Christ, having reached the age of thirty, also approached John. However, the Savior himself did not have to confess his faith in God (Himself) and repent of sins, because the difference of Christ from other people is understood in the sense that Jesus had no sins. It turns out that the baptism of Christ can be called formal. It was a kind of symbol that Christ does not reject the Jews about God. Jesus is, for the most part, for the rest of the people.

John the Baptist did not want to baptize Christ, because he understood that he himself needed to be baptized by the Savior. However, Jesus commanded John to perform this rite.

The gospel tells us that Christ immediately came out of the water, because there was no sin in him (there was nothing to confess). At the same time, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove. and the voice of God the Father was heard from heaven, asserting that Jesus is His beloved Son, in whom all the favor of the Father is. Only after baptism did Christ go out to preach publicly.

The event of the baptism of Jesus Christ is expressed in the feast of Orthodoxy, also called Theophany. Celebrations in honor of this event take place in all Orthodox churches on January 19 (new style). There is a tradition to bless water in churches on Epiphany Eve, as well as on the day of the holiday itself.

A bit of history and geography

The Jordan River stretches for 252 km from the foot of Mount Hermon, through Lake Kinneret, flowing into the Dead Sea. This natural border between the modern states of Israel and Jordan once separated the territory of the Promised Land, where, according to the promises of the Almighty, Joshua led the Jews who wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. Then the waters of the Jordan parted before the procession, and this is far from the only miracle of the river described in religious texts. The prophets Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan on dry land, and numerous miracles of healing were revealed here. Belief in the healing power of its water was widely used in the Byzantine period.

However, the main reason for the pilgrimage of Christians to the Jordan River lies in the New Testament. According to the Bible, in the waters of the Jordan, Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, after which the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended to earth in the form of a dove, testifying to the Messianic mission of the Savior.

Baptism in the Jordan River

What to see

Like the Dead Sea, the Jordan River can be visited by tourists from both Israel and Jordan. The Israeli side of the Jordan is more comfortable and convenient to visit, but also more commercialized - this is especially felt at the site of the baptism of Christ. Jordanian - almost untouched by man, wild and pristine, but less comfortable.

The most popular place to touch the waters of the Jordan from Israel is the Yardenit tourist complex, located at the exit of the river from Lake Kinneret, a few kilometers from Tiberias. More than 400 thousand tourists and pilgrims visit Yardenit every year, most of them to accept a symbolic baptism. Yardenit does not correspond to the exact place of the baptism of Christ, but was chosen by the Israeli authorities as a symbolic landmark. In a well-equipped bath with a smooth descent into the water every day (and not for free, for 10 or 25 USD, depending on the set of services), you can go through the rite of triple immersion in the Jordan, and in the store you can buy consecrated Orthodox cult items. Prices on the page are for April 2019.

From the Jordan side, the symbolic place of Christ's baptism looks simple and utilitarian: a wooden platform with three steps, along which pilgrims descend into the water. There is no charge for diving, but there are no facilities and services here either.

To the east of the Jordan River lie the ancient plains of Moab.

It was through these ancient plains and mountains that we went to the Jordan Valley in order to visit one of the greatest Christian shrines - the Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.We didn’t have to go very long - the road from it took about 15-20 minutes, and, it should be noted, it took us 7 minutes to pass the checkpoint - we had to get out of the taxi and show the strict military who were standing next to the BMP that we had located in the trunk, as well as present passports. Seeing that we were from Russia, the law enforcement officers broke into wide smiles and friendly wished us a good journey. It was nice.

HOW TO GET TO:by car or taxi. Land of Baptism (Betania) is a 40-minute drive from. At the exit from the city, take the road leading to the airport and follow it south until the sign for . Turn onto the road to the Dead Sea and follow it until the sign towards the Land of Baptism (Baptism site).

Discovered by archaeologists in the late 1990s, the baptismal site at Wadi Harar on the Jordanian side underwent significant renovation in 2002. There are walking paths, two restaurants, a VIP room and a tourist center.

Arriving at the entrance to this peculiar memorial complex, spread over several hectares in the Jordan Valley, we left our taxi driver under a canopy where tourist buses and other cars stood, bought entrance tickets for 7 dinars per person and just managed to get into a funny excursion a cart in the form of an open van with three rows of benches, where a heterogeneous group of people from different countries in the amount of about 15 people.

On this van we drove for about five minutes, surveying a mountainous landscape very reminiscent of the famous landscape in the painting by Alexander Ivanov. Then we were dropped off near the entrance directly to the fenced "Place of Baptism" - it occupies at most about a hectare and is a kind of gardens surrounding part of the Jordan River.

Red, in some places cracked from the sun earth,

trees resembling olive trees in size and appearance, but not with leaves, but with soft needles similar to fir. Later I was told that these were thickets of tamarind.

The atmosphere of participation in the holy mysteries of antiquity reigned here. Here, for the first time in these parts, I heard birds singing - large, black, the size of a blackbird, and similar to them. Here, my mobile connection finally turned on (for three days in a row I could not send a text message to my relatives so that they would not worry about me).

By the way, before the place The baptism of Christ was considered Eizariya on the banks of the river from Israel. The photo below clearly shows the Israeli bank of the Jordan River (the river is narrow)

However, archaeological finds have confirmed that it was here that Jesus crossed the Jordan River, where he was baptized.

In the writings written by pilgrims to the Holy Places during the heyday of the Byzantine Empire, a Greek column with a cross on top was often mentioned, marking the place of baptism and installed in early Christianity.

In the 5th century, the Jordan somewhat changed its course when it flows into the Dead Sea.
An international team of biblical archaeologists said they had found the exact spot on the Jordan River where John the Baptist performed a ritual on Jesus Christ. It was discovered, as scientists believe, the base of the same column. It was discovered 40 meters east of the Jordan, which is consistent with the findings of scientists.
It was here that archaeologists found the remains of 3 churches named after John the Baptist, and nearby, on the banks of the old riverbed of the Jordan, exactly at the site of the baptism of Jesus, the remains of a 5th-6th century church built by Emperor Anastasius. Here is the place:

This place is filled with the deepest spiritual meaning for religious pilgrims who come here from all over the world. People from all over the world come here to be baptized.

With bated breath, we went down to the riverbed, passing a stone bowl with consecrated water from the Jordan (they washed their faces with this water), went down to the wooden platforms, where a place for baptism is now equipped.

Excitedly, she stepped ankle-deep into the waters of this sacred river. And now I remember that despite the very hot day, the water in the river is so cold that it even cramped my legs.

Having risen to the bridges, I heard a mobile phone signal - the SMS to my mother finally passed! Then my mother said that she, of course, was worried during the three days that we were in Jordan, we did not have a mobile connection. And this smska really was a small long-awaited miracle.
Well, for skeptics, I can add that literally 10 meters from us, across the river, the border checkpoint of Israel was already clearly visible - perhaps their mobile connection worked
better?

A new Orthodox church has been built on the banks of the Jordan; on the days of the great Christian holidays, the Orthodox Patriarch conducts services in it.

Here you can buy crosses and consecrate them in the most holy water.

Those wishing to undergo the rite of Baptism in this holy place can do this without any problems by contacting the Center by phone (00 962 777 607036 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 00 962 777 607036 end_of_the_skype_highlighting g) or by e-mail.

The Great Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is approaching, which is dear and joyful to every Orthodox Christian! In the liturgical calendar, the Baptism of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Theophany of the Lord) is one of the twelve feasts.

In Slavonic "twelve" means twelve. Thus, the Twelve Feasts are the 12 greatest feasts of the Church, 12 most important events from the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Most Pure Mother, from the history of the Apostolic Church, which reveal the most significant moments of Sacred History. The feast of the Epiphany is celebrated no less solemnly than the Nativity of Christ. It can be said that Christmas and Epiphany, connected by Christmas time, constitute a single, majestic and soul-saving celebration - the feast of the Epiphany. It is in the unity of these feasts that all the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity appear to us. In the Bethlehem den, the Son of God was born in the flesh, and at His baptism, from the open heavens, “The Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22) and the voice of God the Father was heard, saying: “You are My Son Beloved; My favor is in you!” (Luke 3:22).

The Monk John of Damascus said that the Lord was baptized not because He Himself had a need for purification, but in order to “bury human sin with the waters”, fulfill the law, reveal the sacrament of the Holy Trinity and, finally, sanctify the “water nature” and give us the image and example of Baptism .

In accordance with the foregoing, we note that the Baptism of the Lord is called:
1) Epiphany, because on this day God appeared, worshiped in the Holy Trinity: God the Father - in the voice, the Son of God in the flesh and the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove;

2) Enlightenment, since from that day on Christ was the light that enlightens the world.
The name of the holiday comes from the Greek term baptisma (in the Slavic-Russian tradition - "baptism"), which literally means "immersion in water", "ablution"). Historically, it goes back to the Eastern Christian celebration, called Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia - means a miraculous Appearance, a manifestation of divine power), or Theophany (Teofaneia - “Epiphany”). The last name - Holy Theophany - is preserved as the main one in the modern Russian Orthodox calendar.

holiday event

According to the words of the Holy Gospel, Jesus Christ (at the age of 30 - Luke 3:23) came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Bethabara (John 1:28), in order to be baptized. John, who preached a lot about the imminent coming of the Messiah, when he saw Jesus, was surprised and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” To this, Jesus replied that "it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness" and was baptized by John. During the baptism, “...the sky was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My favor is in you!” (Luke 3:21-22).

Thus, with the participation of John the Baptist, it was publicly testified that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. The baptism of the Lord, which took place then, is considered by all evangelists as the first event in his social activity. After the baptism of Jesus, “John also baptized at Aenon, near Salem, because there was much water; and they went there and were baptized” (John 3:23). Evangelist John connects the appearance of the first of the twelve apostles precisely with the sermon of John the Baptist: “The next day John stood again and two of his disciples. And when he saw Jesus walking, he said, Behold the Lamb of God. Hearing these words from him, both disciples followed Jesus” (John 1:35-37).

After his baptism, the Savior, led by the Spirit, withdrew into the wilderness in order to prepare in solitude, prayer and fasting for the fulfillment of the mission with which he came to earth. Jesus for forty days "... was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during these days, but after they had passed, he finally became hungry" (Luke 4:2).

Speaking about the Baptism of the Savior, we point, first of all, to the external side of the event. Christ comes to John the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan River along with other people who are thirsty for the baptism of repentance. He comes, is baptized, descending into Jordanian waters along with all the people, and the Holy Spirit descends on Him in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father is heard from heaven. But this, one might say, is external, visible side- the Baptism of Jesus Christ itself, and the inner, semantic side is precisely the Epiphany.

The very name Epiphany reflects the inner side, the main meaning of this event. Theophany is the manifestation of God, the manifestation of the Holy Trinity to the world, of which extremely vivid gospel evidence has been preserved (see: Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:33 –34). This is the first clear proclamation of God by the Trinity: the witnessing voice of God the Father, the Son, baptized from John the Baptist and the Holy Spirit descending on the baptized.

Since ancient times, this holiday has also been called the Day of Enlightenment and the Feast of Lights, because God is Light and appeared to enlighten “those who sit in darkness ... and the shadow of death” (Matt. 4:16) and save by grace, which is the Enlightenment (appearance) of the Savior (see: 2 Tim. 1:9-10), the fallen human race. Let us note that on the eve of Theophany it was customary to perform the baptism of the catechumens, which is actually spiritual enlightenment and at which many lamps were lit.

The baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ is in the closest connection with the whole of His God-human work of saving people (the dispensation of our salvation), it constitutes the decisive and complete beginning of this service. The Baptism of the Lord in the redemption of the human race has a great saving ontological significance. Baptism in the Jordan exudes forsaken mortals, remission of sins, enlightenment, the restoration of human nature, light, renewal, healing, and, as it were, a new birth. The baptism of Christ in the waters of the Jordan, therefore, had not only the meaning of a symbol of purification, but also a transforming, renewing effect on human nature. The baptism of the Savior was in fact a prefiguration and foundation given after His Resurrection and Ascension of the grace-filled way of rebirth by water and the Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism. Here the Lord shows Himself to be the Founder of a new, gracious Kingdom, into which, according to His teaching, one cannot enter without Baptism (see Matt. 28:19–20).

The threefold immersion (of each believer in Christ) in the sacrament of Baptism depicts the death of Christ, and the coming out of the water is the communion of His three-day Resurrection.

At the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan, true worship of God was revealed to people, the hitherto unknown mystery of the Trinity of the Godhead, the mystery of the One God in Three Persons, was revealed, the worship of the Most Holy Trinity was revealed.

Having been baptized by John, who trembled at the request of Christ, the Lord fulfilled “righteousness,” that is, faithfulness and obedience to the commandments of God. Saint John the Baptist received from God the command to baptize the people as a sign of the cleansing of sins. As a man, Christ had to fulfill this commandment and therefore be baptized by John. By this He confirmed the holiness and greatness of the actions of the Prophet John, and gave Christians for eternity an example of humility and obedience to the will of God.

Location of the Baptism of the Lord

The place where John the Baptist preached and baptized, according to church tradition, was called Bethabara (the area beyond the Jordan, where there was a crossing over the river, which explains the name of the city - “the house of the crossing”). The exact location of Bethavara, possibly Beit Awara, has not been determined. Since the 16th century, it has been considered the place where the Greek monastery of St. John the Baptist is now located, a kilometer from modern Beit Avara, about 10 kilometers east of Jericho and 5 kilometers from the confluence of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea. Already in the time of King David, a ferry was arranged here, and in the 19th century this place was called the "Pilgrim's Ford", because of the many pilgrims who flocked here to bathe in the waters of the Jordan.

It was this way, 12 centuries before the birth of Christ, that ancient Israel, led by Joshua, entered the Promised Land. Here, a thousand years before the Incarnation, King David crossed the Jordan, fleeing from his own son Absalom, who had rebelled against him. In the same place, the prophets Elijah and Elisha crossed the river, and already in the Christian era, by the way, in the same way, St. Mary of Egypt went to the Jordanian desert to mourn her sins.

History and Patristic Exegesis of the Feast

The Holy Church on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord affirms our faith in the highest, incomprehensible mystery of the Three Persons of the One God and teaches us to confess and glorify the Holy Trinity, Consubstantial and Inseparable; exposes and destroys the delusions of the ancient false teachers who tried to embrace the Creator of the world with human thought and word. The Church shows the need for Baptism for those who believe in Christ, instills in us a feeling of deep gratitude to the Enlightener and Purifier of our sinful nature. She teaches that our salvation and cleansing from sins is possible only through the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefore it is necessary to worthily preserve these grace-filled gifts of holy Baptism in order to keep clean that precious garment that the Feast of Baptism tells us about: ” (Gal. 3:27). In these words, the Lord, through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, commands us to purify our souls and hearts, so that we may be worthy of a blessed life.

The celebration of the Theophany dates back to apostolic times, this is mentioned in the Apostolic decrees. The testimony of St. Clement of Alexandria (II century) has been preserved about the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord and about the night vigil performed on the eve of the holiday, held in the reading of Holy Scripture.

In the Apostolic Decrees we read: “Let the feast of Theophany be celebrated, because on that day there was a manifestation of the Divinity of Christ, testifying to His Father in Baptism, and to the Comforter of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, showing the forthcoming Witnessed” (book 5, ch. 42; book. 8, ch. 33).

Until the 4th century, the Baptism of the Lord and the Nativity of Christ were celebrated together, on January 6, according to the old style. At the same time, the appearance of God in the world was noted, i.e. the coming, the incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity of Jesus Christ and at the same time the Epiphany, as a revelation, the manifestation to the world of the mystery of the Holy Trinity in the event of the baptism of the Savior. The separation of the Nativity of Christ and the transfer of its celebration to December 25 (according to the old style) occurred only in the 4th century. The Nativity of Christ as an independent holiday appears initially in the Christian West in the Roman Church, and somewhere by the end of the 4th century it has already gained fame in the Christian East. People who come to the temple on holidays can pay attention to how close and similar the services of these holidays are in their structure.

In the III century. on the feast of the Epiphany, conversations are known during the divine service of the holy martyr Hippolytus and St. Gregory the Wonderworker of Neocaesarea. At the same time, in line with the debate about the separate or syncretic celebration of Christmas and Epiphany, vivid works appear in which the first point of view is substantiated on solid theological grounds, but very emotionally. Thus, St. Proclus of Constantinople (5th century) preached: “On the previous feast of the Nativity of the Savior, the earth rejoiced; on today’s feast of the Epiphany, the sea rejoices greatly, because through the Jordan it received the blessing of purification.” And Cosmas Indikoplios (6th century) in his “Christian Topography” briefly recorded what all Orthodox accepted over time: “Since ancient times, the Church, so as not to forget about one of the two holidays, if it began to celebrate them together, decided that they should be separated by twelve days according to the number of the apostles.

Subsequently, from the 4th to the 9th centuries, the great fathers and teachers of the Church (St. Gregory the Theologian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose of Milan, Blessed Augustine of Hippon, St. John of Damascus) created their festive homily, skillfully combining dogmatic content and symbolic-allegorical imagery.

The Holy Fathers - Anatoly, Archbishop of Constantinople (V century), Andrew and Sophrony of Jerusalem (VII century), Cosmas of Maium and John of Damascus (VIII century) - compiled the canons, and Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, Joseph the Studite, Theophanes and Byzantium ( IX century) - many hymns for the feast of the Epiphany, still sung on this day.

Iconography of the holiday

The eventual complexity of the holiday, its significant dogmatic component influenced the fact that the images of the Epiphany, which appeared already in the first centuries of Christianity, captured not only the Baptism of the Savior in the Jordan from John the Baptist, but, above all, the appearance of the incarnated Son of God to the world as One of the Persons of the Holy Trinity to whom the Father and the Holy Spirit, who descended on Christ in the form of a dove, testify.

In early Christian monuments of the 4th-5th centuries, such as the ampullae of Monza, the mosaics of one of the baptistery in Ravenna, a plaquette from the throne of Archbishop Maximian, Christ being baptized by the Forerunner was represented as a young beardless youth. However, in the future, in accordance with church tradition, the image of the Baptism of the Savior in adulthood will become widespread.

Despite the fact that the main source of iconography for the event of the Epiphany was the Gospel, on whose testimony the descriptions of Baptism in the apocrypha are based, the images of the feast contained elements that were not borrowed from the narrative of the holy evangelists. Thus, following ancient pictorial techniques, in the scenes of Baptism, iconographers placed the personification of the Jordan River - a gray-haired old man sitting, as, for example, in the mosaic of the dome of the Arian baptistery, on the shore or in the river itself, along with the personification of the sea in the form of a floating woman.

In addition, the Gospel does not report the presence of angels at the Lord's Baptism, although their figures in varying numbers, starting from the 6th-7th centuries, are always depicted standing on the opposite bank of the Jordan from John the Baptist, usually occupying the right side of the composition.

Since ancient times, a segment of the sky has been depicted above the Savior in the water, from which a dove descends to Christ - a symbol of the Holy Spirit, rays of trinity light, as well as the blessing right hand of the Almighty, meaning a “speech gesture” - a voice from heaven (painting in the monastery of Daphne near Athens, second half of the 11th century). Thus, the moment of the appearance of the Deity, the theophany, is emphasized.
Over time, more details appear on icons, mosaics, book miniatures, and so on: on the banks of the Jordan, people are shown undressing, waiting for their turn to be baptized; sometimes a cross is depicted on the water, the confluence of the streams of Jor and Dan, etc. (Church of the Savior on Nereditsa, Novgorod, 1199; St. Catherine's Monastery on Sinai; Pskov churches, first half of the 14th century).

The greatest attention in all the images of the Epiphany is attracted by the figures of the Savior and John the Baptist, who places his right hand on the head of Christ, which correlates with the Gospel and the hymnography of the holiday (icons from the Sergiev Posad sacristy museum and St. Sophia Cathedral, XV century).

In Russian monuments of the 16th-17th centuries, despite the prohibition by Church Councils to portray God the Father, in the Theophany in the segment of the sky, the figure of Hosts is often present. And usually a ray comes out of His mouth, in which the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a dove.

The rite of the great consecration of water

The Church annually renews the remembrance of the Jordanian event with the rite of the great blessing of water.

The consecration of water was accepted by the Church from the apostles and their successors. But the first example was given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when He plunged into the Jordan and sanctified the whole nature of water.

Holy water cleanses believers from spiritual defilements, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God, has the power of healing from diseases and all sorts of infirmities. It is important to note that the consecration of water, performed on January 18 (Epiphany Eve), does not in any way affect the grace-filled power of the Great Blessing of Water on this day, in comparison with the consecration on the very day of the holiday on January 19.

This rite originated in the Jerusalem Church and in the 4th-5th centuries was practiced only in it alone: according to custom, everyone went to the Jordan River for water blessing in remembrance of the Baptism of the Savior. Therefore, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the consecration of water on eve is performed in temples, and on feast days it usually takes place on rivers, springs and wells - in the so-called Jordans, for Christ was baptized outside the temple. The rite of consecrating water is attributed to the Evangelist Matthew. Several prayers for this rank were written by St. Proclus of Constantinople. The final design of the rank is attributed to St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Tertullian and Saint Cyprian of Carthage already mention the consecration of water on the feast. The Apostolic Decrees also contain prayers that were said during the consecration of water. In the second half of the 5th century, Patriarch Peter Fulon of Antioch introduced the custom of consecrating water not at midnight, but on the eve of Theophany. In the Russian Church, the Moscow Council of 1667 legalized the consecration of water twice - on eve and on the feast of the Epiphany. The follow-up to the great consecration of water both on eve and on the feast itself is, of course, one and the same, and in some parts has similarities with the follow-up of the small consecration of water. It consists in remembering the prophecies relating to the event of Baptism (paroemia), the event itself (the Apostle and the Gospel) and its meaning (litanies and prayers), in invoking the blessing of God on the waters and thrice immersing the Life-giving Cross of the Lord in them.

The story about the special properties of the water collected on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, we can already see in one of the sermons of St. John Chrysostom (VI century): “On this holiday, everyone, having drawn water, brings it home and keeps it all year long, since today the waters are consecrated; and a clear sign occurs: this water does not deteriorate in its essence over time, but, drawn today, it remains intact and fresh for a whole year, and often two or three years.

It is necessary to remember that holy water is beneficial to us - it is necessary to take care of the purity of our own soul, the lordship of our thoughts and deeds, and with each touch to the shrine, offer up a prayer in our mind and heart.

Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote about the help of holy water: “All the grace that comes from God through the Holy Cross, holy icons, holy water, relics, consecrated bread (artos, antidor, prosphora) and others, including the Most Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, has strength only for those who are worthy of this grace through prayers of repentance, repentance, humility, service to people, deeds of mercy and the manifestation of other Christian virtues. But if they are not there, then this grace will not save, it does not act automatically, like a talisman, and is useless for impious and imaginary Christians (without virtues).”

For all of us, Orthodox Christians, participation in the prayerful remembrance of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, its experience, reflection on its significance in the history of salvation should lead to reflection on our place in this salvation. In fact, when we enter the Church in our personal baptism, being adopted or adopted by God, we accordingly enter the Church as into the Body of Christ, forming its members. It would not be superfluous to recall that in the Sacrament of Baptism, each of us made a promise to God through the mouth of his godparents that he would always renounce Satan and his works and would always unite, “combine” with Christ.

Based on materials from the site: http://eparhia-kaluga.ru

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

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 land. When the Jewish general Joshua was walking with the Israelite army and the Ark of the Covenant, the waters parted before him to let them through. But most of all this place is known because here, as the Gospels say, Christ was baptized. Therefore, it is hardly possible to find a person who would not know where the Jordan River is located. But if we are to be geographically accurate, then this stream flows from Mount Hermon (the so-called Golan Heights), bypassing Lake Kinneret (the former Sea of Tiberias). It starts from the confluence of three rivers - Hatsbani, Baniasi and Dan. Then, having passed 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 exactly where 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 about this. Thus, many Greek manuscripts contain references to the fact that such a place could be the city of Bethabara on the Jordan River. There are other names of this settlement. It is also called Bethany of Transjordan. Sources also differ in exactly where this city was located. For example, Origen claims that his location is the west bank of the Jordan River. Other translations of the Bible state that this city was beyond the stream.

Other versions

There is an old map of the sixth century, called Madaba, which indicates the place of Christ's baptism. On it, it is indicated opposite the city of Jericho. That is, it 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 traditional place of baptism of Christ was considered east coast. Before the Arab conquest, pilgrims flocked to the city of Jericho on the Jordan River, where, according to the then travelers, stood a marble column with an iron cross. Then, after Palestine and the eastern bank became inaccessible, the place of baptism was considered to be the west of the river. Numerous temples were built there. And after subsequent wars, all these churches were destroyed and the exact place of baptism was 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 has been believed that Christ entered the water ten kilometers from the city of Jericho on the Jordan River. But it is still not clear from which coast. Therefore, both countries - Israel and Jordan - believe that this most important event in religious history 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 more wild, pristine, but not too touristy and not very comfortable to visit. But perhaps it is more authentic. After all, it was there that archaeological excavations were carried out and the foundation of a marble column was found, which was mentioned in ancient sources.

Yardenite

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 Kineter, near the city of Tiberias. Its location does not even correspond to the place of baptism, which tradition places near Qasr al-Yahud. However, the Israeli authorities chose it as a kind of symbolic landmark. There is a well-maintained pool where services are provided for triple immersion in the water of the Jordan. Such a symbolic baptism costs from ten to twenty-five US dollars. Nearby is a shop where you can buy various items consecrated in an Orthodox church. Up to four hundred thousand pilgrims a year come here just to receive this kind of baptism. The most popular date is the nineteenth of January, when the rite of blessing the water is performed by the patriarch of Jerusalem.

Wadi al-Harar

This place is opposite Qasr al-Yahud. There, on the territory of Jordan, the Orthodox Church of John the Baptist was built. Here you can find a small reservoir of Al-Makhtas, which has already lost contact with its channel, and now it is not the Jordan River. The baptismal site of Jesus Christ is nevertheless surrounded by the remains of Byzantine buildings dating back to the sixth century, as well as many foundations of ancient churches. Since 2015, Al-Mahtas has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, 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 diving is free.

Jericho

This interesting city on the Jordan River is worth a visit for those who go on a pilgrimage to holy places. After all, this is the most ancient settlement of people known to historians. He is over ten thousand years old. It is located in the territory where the Palestinian Authority operates, fifty kilometers from Jerusalem. True, in connection with the Arab-Israeli conflict, organized groups no longer go 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 the city, which are at least seven thousand years old. In Old Jericho is the mosaic floor of one of the oldest 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 is the famous mountain, where, according to legend, the devil took Jesus Christ and tempted him, and on its top there is a Greek Orthodox monastery.

Jordan Tours

Recently, such trips have become very popular, and many companies arrange them. After all, the Jordan Valley itself is very beautiful. Regardless of the political conflict in the Middle East and disputes over which country the place of the Baptism of the Lord belongs to, excursions along this river are offered even to families with children, especially in the summer and autumn seasons. Kayaking or even rafting downstream on inflatable rafts through very picturesque places, among waterfalls, grottoes and quiet backwaters 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, walk. Everywhere there are many comfortable places for recreation and picnics.

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