By Antionette Mangion
Sometime ago my friend Len asked me if I would be interested in joining her on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with the Filipino Community. After some deliberation I decided to go and it is only last week that we came back.
We started our journey on the 28th of August and on the 29th late afternoon we arrived in Amman in Jordan where we were given a tour of the city. The next day we went to Madaba and Mt Nebo. Madaba is where the first mosaics were discovered, in fact it is known as the City of Mosaics. Mt.Nebo is the highest point in the Moabit Range and has been the centre of Pilgrimages since early Christian times. We had Mass celebrated in the chapel there. We also visited the Al Maghtas on the Southern bank of Whadfi Kharrar, where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist...
The next day we crossed the Sh Hussien Bridge to Israel and went through Beit Shean along the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee. We enjoyed a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visited Capernaum and the ancient synagogue, St Peter's house, Tabgha where the primacy of St Peter is commemorated. Mass was celebrated on Mt Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was taught.
On the fifth day of our journey we went to Cana. We had Mass celebrated in the Church that is built on the site where the first miracle took place and our married couples had the opportunity to renew their wedding vows and were presented with a certificate at a small reception held at the back of the Church. From there we went to Yardenit Baptismal Site Jordan River and there all of us renewed our Baptismal Promises and were able to touch the water. We continued on our way to Nazareth, the city where Jesus dwelt for most of his private life. We also visited the Church of Annunciation where the Angel appeared to Mary and travelled through Jericho Pass reaching the Dead Sea where we were able to have a swim (float).
Early next morning we drove to Mt Olives in Jerusalem from where we could have a good look at the city and went on to the Garden of Gethsemane where we had Mass celebrated. Here are the ancient olive trees that bear silent witness to the biblical events. We entered the Old City of Jerusalem and visited St Anne's Church and the Pool of Bethsada where the miracle of the healing of the disabled took place. We walked the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
We toured Old Jerusalem, Mt Zion where we visited the Upper Room, the site of the Last Supper. We also visited King David's Tomb and celebrated Mass in the Church of the Dormition (Assumption). At Ein Karem we came to the place of the Nativity of St John, as well as the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. At Bethlehem we went to the Church of the Nativity of Jesus, St Jerome's Caves and the Church of Sr Catalina. On our way back to the hotel we went past the Shepherds Fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce to them the birth of Jesus.
The next day we transferred to Egypt for an early morning rise to climb Mt Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments and after we visited the Burning Bush. After that we headed for Cairo where we spent the next day visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The last day we toured the Egyptian Museum and some Coptic Churches.
The Pilgrimage was a very uplifting spiritual experience. Having walked through places where Jesus lived, walked, taught and healed helped me to understand more the meaning of the scriptures.
All these places made me aware that I am a follower of Christ and as he called his disciples to be his witnesses to all nations so he calls us today to do the same.