20th December 2018.
Divine providence led me to spend Christmas this year in the Holy land and I would like to share some highlights of this experience.
I arrived last night and this morning I was picked up by my guide and we began our journey to the North, to the towns of Caesarea, Carmel and Nazareth.
Caesarea Maritimo was the site of one of king Herod’s palaces, a fortified place on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea which he built for security from his enemies both home and abroad. The location was strategic because it was difficult to gain access to. As with most of Herod’s palaces, he built entertainment centers. There was a hippodrome for horse races and a theatre.
Mount Carmel is popular in the Bible as the venue of Prophet Elijah’s battle with the prophets of Baal. On this mount, you get a view of the entire Israel from the north to the south.
Nazareth was the town where Mary lived and where the angel appeared to her to announce the birth of Jesus. We visited the scene where this happened which of course now houses a church. Most of the notable biblical sites now have places of worship built on them either churches, chapels, shrines or grottos and are used by multiple faiths and religions.
High point of my day: Being in Nazareth, that feeling that I walked the streets Jesus walked as a young child. Visiting his home as a child, preserved through the years, priceless.
Enjoy the pictures.
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