Bethany near Jordan River
Many important events took place in Bethany beyondof the Jordan when the Hashemite Kingdoma of Jordan took part in the world celebrations of the year 2000 Great Jubilee:
On the 6th of january, heads of various churches held a mass with the presence of over 30000 believers in the newly discovered site just east of the Jordan River.
In Bethany Beyond The Jordan,where John the Baptist dwelled, preached and batized Jesus in the 1st century A.D.
On the 21st of March the late Pope John Paul II held a mass and blessed the site on the second day of His visit to Jordan, the first day visiting mount Nebo.
John the Baptist Spring
Travellers and historians described this spring as flowing from a point near Tell Mar Elias and reaching the area near John the Baptist's Church. Pilgrims said the water of this spring was used for drinking and for baptism.
Cave Cells
Two cave were discovered during the field survey of the area of Wadi al-Kharrar,Monks used caves on the eastren side of the Jordan River for various purposes. Caves used as churches are generally found in manasteries in "the wilderness", near the banks of the Jordan River
Laura
Not far from Tell al-Kharrar, at a distance of 300m to the west on the southeren edge of Wadi al-Kharrar, some architecural remains were discovered. They consist of a small structure with foundations built from local fieldstones and upper courses built from mud bricks. Wooden besms were holding roof of the structure that evidently was used by monks as living and prayer quarter, and offering necassary services to the pilgrims visiting the site.
Such facilities formed the center of a Laura, or a monstery comprised of many individual hermit monks' cells in a defined area.
Saphsaphas
The 7th century writer John Moschus narrates the story of one of monk's personal experience in the monastic caves of the area.
Site of Saint Mary the Egyption
One of the famous legends regarding the area of Wadi al-Khrar is about the life of Saint Mary of Eygpt who chose to live a disreputable life in Alexandria in her youth. She abandoned her life of sin during a visit to Jerusalem and went on to become a model of repentance . After praying to the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, she had heard a voice telling her:"Cross the Jordan and you will find rest". She crossed to the east bank of the Jordan River, and spent the last 47 years of her life living alone,praying and fasting in the Jordanian desert where she coulde be close to God.
Before dying she was found by the monk Zosimus from a nearby monastery, who prayed with her,listend to her story ,and gave her Holy Communion shortly before she died. Zosimus buried her ,reportedly with the help of a lion that helped him dig her grave with its paws.
محول الاكوادإخفاء الابتساماتإخفاء ركن الاسئلنة