Al Maghţas

Bethany Beyond the Jordan (al-Maghtas) is of immense religious significance to the majority of denominations of Christian faith, who have accepted this site as the location where Jesus of Nazareth was baptised by John the Baptist. This has led generations of monks, hermits, pilgrims and priests to reside in and visit the site, and to leave behind testimonies of their devotion and religious activities, dating to between the 4th and the 15th century CE. The site has popular status as pilgrimage destination for Christians, who engage in baptism rituals on site. It is also where Elijah is believed to have ascended to heaven and where Mary the Egyptian is believed to have lived as well as the place through which the Israelites are thought to have crossed into the Holy Land for the first time.

Before going down to the river, we stopped in at a little museum with lots of Orthodox artifacts, but no explanations.

The site where the Baptism took place is now far from the current river, as the river has changed course several times. There was a shrine built over the site and they have excavated down to the level of the old channel. The current river is now a site of Christian pilgrimage with people coming down to both sides to participate in baptism ceremonies. The river is actually the international boundary between Jordan and the occupied West Bank.

You know you are in a different place when as you are leaving the parking lot, there is a travel disruption caused by camels crossing the road.Read more