Bethany, site of Jesus’ Baptism, is one of the most important pilgrim’s site in Middle East. Christianity made pilgrimages to the site at first centuries AD Many churches were built to memorize Jesus’ Baptism. The site was forgotten during Muslim domination of Middle East. At the end of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. The Jordan river has changed its course and today the original site of Jesus’s Baptism is several meters to the river’s bank. These days Christianity from all over the world pilgrimage to the site to see the place and to be baptized like Jesus. You can visit the site only with a tour with a guide. You can’t do it on your own. It’s well organized but… there is a little time for pray/contemplation. If you want to enter the Jordan River you need to buy a robe (10 JD) at souvenirs shop. The tour to the site of Jesus’ Baptism is not included in Jordan Pass but you can buy it as option for 8 JD. The ordinary price is 12 JD.
The story of Jesus’ Baptism was described in the Gospels eg. Gospel of Saint John:
‘This was the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He declared, he did not deny but declared, ‘I am not the Christ.’ So they asked, ‘Then are you Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?’ So he said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord. Make his paths straight!’ Now those who had been sent were Pharisees, and they put this question to him, ‘Why are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptise with water; but standing among you — unknown to you- is the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It was of him that I said, “Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.” I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptise with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.‘This was the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He declared, he did not deny but declared, ‘I am not the Christ.’ So they asked, ‘Then are you Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?’ So he said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord. Make his paths straight!’ Now those who had been sent were Pharisees, and they put this question to him, ‘Why are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptise with water; but standing among you — unknown to you- is the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It was of him that I said, “Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.” I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptise with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.‘
We visited Bethany and Mount Nebo on the way from Madaba to Dead Sea. The taxi cost 30 JD.
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