After a few days of early mornings I have fallen behind in reporting our progress. Sunday we were at Mt. Tabor (the traditional site of the Transfiguration), where our group celebrated the Eucharist just outside of the "official site". After Eucharist we made our way up to visit the Roman Catholic church constructed on the top of Tabor. After a short visit to the church and the attached overlook of the valley below, we quickly went back down the mountain to depart for Caesarea Maritima (not to be confused with Caesarea Philippi).
Caesarea Maritima, built by Herod the Great in order to win favor with Caesar, is a beautiful city on the coast of the Mediterranean. There are still impressive ruins of the theatre (still in use today), the hippodrome, and other first century buildings. Others who followed Rome made their mark on Caesarea Maritima, including the Crusader fortress that was one of the last stands for European Christians in the Holy Land.
One might ask, what does Caesarea Maritima have to do with Jesus?...Best I can offer is that there was an inscription found at the site that mentions Pontius Pilate as the governor of Judea. Also Paul, as he traveled the Roman roads, was likely to have been there, perhaps even imprisoned there. Otherwise it is just a great excuse to stick our feet in the beautiful Mediterranean.
Monday was a day spent at Masada, Qumran, and the Dead Sea. Masada is another of Herod's building projects, but is most well known for the fortress where the last of the Jewish rebels held out until the Romans built a ramp to the top of the fortress to rout them in 72 AD. Qumran, of course, is the location where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, including the Isaiah scroll, and where the Essenes lived as a separate Jewish community.
Bryn braved the Dead Sea float (I chose to rely on my past experience). It was 118°F on the beach at the Dead Sea. So for our Texas friends and family who are braving the heat, it could be worse!
Today we are back in Jerusalem with a very exciting visit scheduled...stay tuned!
Grace and peace to you all,
Bryn & Chris
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