Qasr al-Yahud
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Qasr al-Yahud is a baptismal font on the western bank of the Jordan . It was formerly also known under the name El-Maghṭas , which is now used to designate the baptismal font on the opposite Jordanian bank, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Qasr al-Yahud is located on Palestinian territory, but is only accessible from Israeli territory. As the name (Arabic "castle of the Jews") suggests, in addition to Christian traditions of the baptism of Jesus , Jewish traditions are also associated with this area of the bank of the Jordan, namely the entry into the promised land ( Jos 3-4 LUT ) and the ascension of Elijah ( 2 Kings 2 LUT ). The eponymous "castle" is the fort-like Johanneskloster.
The Palestinian Authority put the baptismal site, which it calls Eshria'a , on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2015 : after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, it is the third holiest site of Christianity, "and is considered the birthplace of spiritual power of Jesus. "
Traditions
The older traditions of the baptism of Jesus stick to the eastern bank of the Jordan, where the first memorial building was erected in the 6th century.
But since the 6th century, while the east bank tradition continued, a tradition of the baptism of Jesus on the west bank of the Jordan was added - for practical reasons, because the west bank was more convenient to reach from the main pilgrimage sites of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The pilgrim from Piacenza was the first to report about a church on the west bank in connection with the feast of Epiphany , the feast of which at his time was Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist . The mosaic map of Madaba names the place Bethabara and explains (in red letters): Το του αγιου Ιωαννου του βαπτισματος, "the (church) of St. John's baptism." The church itself is also shown; on the opposite bank of the Jordan one recognizes Αινων, the biblical Ainon, on the mosaic map.
Since visiting the east bank was quite dangerous in the centuries that followed, the west bank of the Jordan drew all traditions into itself. The monastery of John the Baptist, built in the 6th century and rebuilt under Emperor Manuel Komnenos in the 12th century, commemorates the Israelites' passage through the Jordan, the ascension of Elijah, the effectiveness of John the Baptist and, above all, of course the baptism of Jesus.
Recent history
Little has been preserved from the Byzantine Johannes monastery (remains at the monastery gate and in the crypt); the current monastery was built in 1882 and restored in 1955. During the British mandate, the west bank of the Jordan was a much-visited place of pilgrimage, and various denominations had built their own churches on the bank south from the Greek Orthodox St. John's Monastery to the confluence of the Wadi Qelt: Syrians, Copts, Russian Orthodox, Ethiopians and Romanian Orthodox . The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land established its sanctuaries east of the Johannes Monastery.
This area near the border with Jordan has been a restricted military area since 1968. (The Christian pilgrims were rerouted to Yardenit during this time .) Since the Israeli military feared that terrorists might entrench themselves in the churches, some were set with booby traps and the whole area was mined.
In 2011, COGAT (the coordinator for Israeli government policy in the occupied territories) and the Israeli National Park Authority opened an access point to the baptismal font used by many Orthodox Christians, especially on the occasion of the Orthodox Epiphany on January 18. You have to walk a good kilometer on a road that leads through a minefield, but access to the baptismal font is free, while an entrance fee is charged at the Jordanian, competing baptismal site. A specialist company was commissioned in 2018 to remove the 2,600 anti-tank and 1,200 anti-personnel mines that are buried here over an area of around one square kilometer. This was done in coordination with the various Christian denominations as well as with the Palestinian Authority.
Another problem is the water quality, as the Orthodox pilgrims go into hiding in the Jordan to commemorate baptism on the Feast of Epiphany ( Great Consecration of Water ). Christians of other denominations often bottle the Jordan water, which is considered blessed, and take it home with them. In November 2013, 2300 E. coli bacteria were found per 100 milliliters, and a maximum of 190 E. coli bacteria applies to beaches in Israel.
Current status (2018)
According to the official website of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, the Qasr al-Yahud pilgrimage site has now been comprehensively repaired and equipped with wooden ramps, sanitary facilities and shady meditation areas "to improve the spiritual experience and physical well-being of the pilgrims".
literature
- Othmar Keel, Max Küchler: Places and Landscapes of the Bible , Volume 2: The South . Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1982. ISBN 3-525-50167-6 . Pp. 527-532.
Web links
- HALO Trust (specialist company in charge of mine clearance): Baptism Drone Footage . Video recordings of the state of the churches in the minefield.
- Moshe Gilad: Christian Pilgrims From Across the World Come to Israel to Visit This Site. There's Just One Problem: It's Sitting in a Minefield . In: Haaretz , January 18, 2018.
- Melanie Lidman: Israel will soon clear 4,000 landmines at Qasr al-Yahud baptism site . In: The Times of Israel , February 13, 2018.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Baptism Site "Eshria'a" (Al-Maghtas). In: UNESCO World Heritage Center. 2015, accessed June 10, 2018 .
- ↑ Othmar Keel, Max Küchler: Places and landscapes of the Bible . tape 2 , p. 530-531 .
- ↑ Othmar Keel, Max Küchler: Places and landscapes of the Bible . tape 2 , p. 528 .
- ↑ Qasr El Yahud, the place of baptism on the Jordan River, is now open seven days a week. In: ISRAEL Land of Creation. Ministry of Tourism, Government of Israel, accessed June 10, 2018 .
Coordinates: 31 ° 50 ′ 17.9 " N , 35 ° 32 ′ 21.1" E