SHARE THIS BLOG!!!

http://ascendingthesteps.blogspot.com

And remind them to sign up their email for reminders. 

Tabgha and the Church of the Multiplication.

Egeria, was a woman who left us one of the earliest accounts of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in around 380 BC. In the excerpt below she wrote about an area now know at Tabgha

“Not far away from Capernaum are some stone steps where the Lord stood. And in the same place by the sea is a grassy field with plenty of hay and many palm trees. By them are seven springs, each flowing strongly. And this is the field where the Lord fed the people with the five loaves and two fishes. In fact the stone on which the Lord placed the bread has now been made into an altar. Past the walls of this church goes the public highway on which the Apostle Matthew had his place of custom. Near there on a mountain is a cave to which the Savior climbed and spoke the Beatitudes."

In about 480 a beautiful stone mosaic floor was added that commemorates Jesus feeding of the 5000.

Our pilgrims will be visiting this area on our very first day in the Holy Land. 

Bedouin Girl

Another picture from years ago. The Bedouin are nomadic people spread out widely across the Middle East. This young girl was selling bead necklaces. 

Palestinian Bagpiper

A blast from the past...2009?

I found a fellow Highland Bagpiper

Seems odd that you would come across a bagpipe band in the Middle East. The explanation lies in whats called the British Mandate. Large swaths of of modern day Israel and Jordan came under the control of Britain from 1920 until 1948. As is true in the British Army regiments, Palestinian regiments adopted Pipe and Drum corps which remain today. 

Ka'ak (Jerusalem Bagal) with Zaatar

A popular street food in Jerusalem, make sure you ask for the paper cone filled with Zaatar to dip your bread in. Zaatar is the ubiquitous condiment of the Middle East. Oregano, Sumac, Sesame Seeds and Salt.  

Madaba map of Jerusalem

The Madaba Map is part of a floor mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George at Madaba, Jordan. The Madaba Map is a map of the Middle East. Part of it contains the oldest surviving  map of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. It dates to 550 AD. You can note the Roman Cardo or main street as well as the church of the Holy Sepulcher. We will see a full size replica when we visit the Cardo in the Old City.  

Tefillat Haderech...The Travelers Blessing

This is the Tefillat Hadarech...The Hebrew Travelers Blessing. Remember that Hebrew is read from right to left!

Omar is another old friend who is a master olive wood carver. We were introduced to Omar years ago by Pastor Gary Seaquist. He has a wonderful shop in East Jerusalem that we will certainly visit. We are hoping he will also join us on our last day in Jerusalem for a magnificent lunch at Pasha.

 (you've heard of an 8 coarse meal? At Pasha we lost count of how many courses!)

Meet our dear friend Hani who will be our guide in the 

Holy Land

Our new Friend Hani Zalatimo making fresh Mutabak Pastry in the Old City of Jerusalem. His family has been making just one kind of pastry for generations at this same little shop built into an outer wall of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.....and yes, we will set out on an adventure to find him again.