The St. George Monastery is near Wadi Qelt (which some people think is the "valley of the shadow of
Pictures I took as we walked to the monastery
We were driven in a van and accompanied by a security staff member. We first went to the St. George Monastery and by 9 AM it was already 95 degrees. He hiked down and then up to the monastery. It was incredibly hot. I had worn a skirt and was let in, but two of the women had worn pants and could not go in. Finally, the monk let MaryAnnMorrison wear a light jacket around her waist and I loaned a scarf I had brought to Christine Isom-Verharren, which she wrapped around her waist, and they were allowed in. Janet Skinner had to wait for one of them to come back and loan her something to put around her waist. The only thing I could figure out from what the Monk said, was that the area below the belly button had to be covered in a way that one could not discern the shape (like my very gathered skirt).
This amazing cliff-hanging monastery, one of the world’s oldest and definitely one of the most inspiring churches in the Holy Land, is a must-see for the desert / archeological fans of you out there!
St. George’s Monastery was originally started in the fourth century by a few monks who were looking to immerse themselves in the lifestyles and desert stories of John the Baptist and Jesus. The monks, and perhaps most notably the hermit John of Thebes, eventually settled on the spot around a cave where it is believed the prophet Elijah was fed by ravens.
The monastery was destroyed by the Persians and then rebuilt by the Crusaders before falling derelict. It wasn’t until 1878 when a Greek monk, Kalinikos, came to live here that the monastery started to look like its former glorious and cliff-hugging self. Kalinikos finished his renovations in 1901.
Today there are still a few Greek Orthodox monks who inhabit the monastery, and who are typically welcoming of visitors (but do take into consideration this is a church and a place of worship – so no short shorts!). Hence the Greek flag you’ll probably see flying in the monastery grounds.
A couple of highlights to watch out for, apart from the amazing Biblical-like scenery surrounding the monastery and the Wadi Kelt valley: the upper part of the monastery hosts the cave that Elijah the Prophet sought shelter in.
We walked out about 10:30 AM and it was 100 degrees--it was quite difficult, for me. We then were driven to Jericho, which looked like an oasis compared to Wadi Qelt and we boarded a able tram that took us steeply uphill to the Mount of Temptations monastery.
The Mount of Temptation, with a gravity-defying monastery clinging to its sheer face, is traditionally regarded as the mountain on which Christ was tempted by the devil during his 40-day fast.
Monastery of the Temptation with cable cars immediately below it (Seetheholyland.net)
The summit of the mount, about 360 metres above sea level, offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moab and Gilead.
The mountain is also known as Mount Quarantania and Jebel Quarantul. Both names arise from a mispronunciation of the Latin word Quarentena, meaning 40, the number of days in Christ’s fast. This period of fasting became the model for the practice of Lent in Christian churches.
Temptations on the mount
The Temptation on the Mount, by Duccio di Buoninsegna (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Siena)
As recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13) — and fleetingly in Mark (1:12-13) — the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert. While he fasted, the devil tempted him three times to prove his divinity by demonstrating his supernatural powers.
Each time, Jesus rebuffed the tempter with a quotation from the Book of Deuteronomy. Then the devil left and angels brought food to Jesus, who was famished.
Tradition dating from the 12th century places two of the devil’s temptings on the Mount of Temptation.
The temptation to turn a stone into bread is located in a grotto halfway up the mountain. The offer of all the kingdoms of the world in return for worshipping the devil is located on the summit.
Monks turned caves into cells
Monastery of the Temptation (Dmitrij Rodionov / Wikimedia)
Monks and hermits have inhabited the mountain since the early centuries of Christianity. They lived in natural caves, which they turned into cells, chapels and storage rooms. A sophisticated system of conduits brought rainwater from a large catchment area into five caves used as reservoirs.
A 4th-century Byzantine monastery was built on the ruins of a Hasmonean-Herodian fortress. The monks abandoned the site after the Persian invasion of 614.
The present Monastery of the Temptation, reconstructed at the end of the 19th century, seems to grow out of the mountain. The northern half is cut into the almost sheer cliff, while the southern half is cantilevered into space.
Cliff into which monastery is built (Kourosh)
A medieval cave-church, on two levels, is built of masonry in front of a cave. In the monastery is a stone on which, according to tradition, Jesus sat during one of his temptations.
In the valley of this mountain, Jewish priestsand Levites travelled the winding road from Jericho to Jerusalem when it was their turn to minister in the Temple. In the time of Jesus, about 12,000 priests and Levites lived in Jericho.
Marvel Earnshaw and Mark Morrison in cable car
One of the beliefs is that "God became man so that man could become God"
In the cable car on the way down.
We then drove to a restaurant, which was completely empty, so we had great service and Arab food!
Flatbread that was made right before our eyes and lots of toppings for it. Lee had grilled meat and I had a shrimp salad. It was air conditioned!
No comments:
Post a Comment