St Columba's 10th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Church
8-Day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
12-19 November 2018
Monday 12 November
Time has a disconcerting way of operating, seemingly, in its own inscrutable manner. After planning, organising, and talking about our Parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land - over 18 months in the making - the time is now upon us. We leave St. Columba’s at 11.45pm on Sunday night, courtesy of D&E Coaches, and make our way down to Manchester Iarport. Despite arriving at a good hour, the layout of the airport necessitates a lot of walking from Terminal 2, where we are dropped off, to Terminal 1. After excessive delays passing through Security, we have to dash to Gate 10, as the ‘Final Boarding’ announcement is made. Not the best start to a Pilgrimage. Yet once aboard, things settle.
Almost imperceptibly, there is a recognition amongst our Pilgrims of what is taking place. We are following in the footsteps of countless others - from the so-called anonymous Bordeaux Pilgrim and Egeria, to St. Francis, St. Ignatius, and other luminaries, journeying to the Terra Sancta. Best of all, we are journeying in the footsteps of Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. We will walk where he walked, see the landscapes that he saw, sail on the same lake on which he calmed the storm, visit the town (Capernaum) where he spent more time as an adult than anywhere else. The excitement is almost tangible.
We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 5.30pm, renewed and ready. After passing through Passport Control and Baggage Reclaim, we are taken by our driver Makram, in a luxury A/C coach, complete with wi-fi and USB ports (.. which I am sure St. Francis and St. Ignatius did not have), to a restaurant for a most welcome meal - lentils, humous, vine leaves, pita bread, and salad, followed by veal and chicken. We meet our Guide for the week - Raed - a former High School Teacher from Galilee, who has worked as a Tour Guide for over 10 years. We are in good hands. In fact, we are in the very best of hands.
As we journey along the highway at 9.30pm, towards Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, I think of all the graces the Good Lord has bestowed on myself and on the parish over the past year. We are now placing ourselves in his hands, trusting in his love, and in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts over the coming days. Two lines from the Psalm at Compline are particularly pertinent: “Show me, Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.” May each one of us on this Pilgrimage walk in the truth of the carpenter from Nazareth.
Time has a disconcerting way of operating, seemingly, in its own inscrutable manner. After planning, organising, and talking about our Parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land - over 18 months in the making - the time is now upon us. We leave St. Columba’s at 11.45pm on Sunday night, courtesy of D&E Coaches, and make our way down to Manchester Iarport. Despite arriving at a good hour, the layout of the airport necessitates a lot of walking from Terminal 2, where we are dropped off, to Terminal 1. After excessive delays passing through Security, we have to dash to Gate 10, as the ‘Final Boarding’ announcement is made. Not the best start to a Pilgrimage. Yet once aboard, things settle.
Almost imperceptibly, there is a recognition amongst our Pilgrims of what is taking place. We are following in the footsteps of countless others - from the so-called anonymous Bordeaux Pilgrim and Egeria, to St. Francis, St. Ignatius, and other luminaries, journeying to the Terra Sancta. Best of all, we are journeying in the footsteps of Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. We will walk where he walked, see the landscapes that he saw, sail on the same lake on which he calmed the storm, visit the town (Capernaum) where he spent more time as an adult than anywhere else. The excitement is almost tangible.
We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 5.30pm, renewed and ready. After passing through Passport Control and Baggage Reclaim, we are taken by our driver Makram, in a luxury A/C coach, complete with wi-fi and USB ports (.. which I am sure St. Francis and St. Ignatius did not have), to a restaurant for a most welcome meal - lentils, humous, vine leaves, pita bread, and salad, followed by veal and chicken. We meet our Guide for the week - Raed - a former High School Teacher from Galilee, who has worked as a Tour Guide for over 10 years. We are in good hands. In fact, we are in the very best of hands.
As we journey along the highway at 9.30pm, towards Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, I think of all the graces the Good Lord has bestowed on myself and on the parish over the past year. We are now placing ourselves in his hands, trusting in his love, and in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts over the coming days. Two lines from the Psalm at Compline are particularly pertinent: “Show me, Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.” May each one of us on this Pilgrimage walk in the truth of the carpenter from Nazareth.
Tuesday 13 November
The pilgrims are up bright and early for a wonderful buffet breakfast in the Restal Hotel, involving all manner of delicious things. I play safe with fruit salad, followed by scrambled eggs and pitta bread, though Paul adventurously opts for a reddish paste, which turns out to be very hot and spicy. Unfortunately, the coffee is nothing to write home about, and I long for Fr. Piotr Rytel’s wonderful espresso machine in St. Mary’s Presbytery!
Duly fortified, we begin the first day of our pilgrimage together. After a prayer on the coach, we are taken to Tabgha, to the site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish (Mark 6: 30-46). The name ‘Tabgha’ is derived from the Greek ‘Heptapegon’, meaning ‘Seven Springs’.
Our excellent guide, Raed, explains the history of Tabgha.
The earliest building at Tabgha was a small chapel built in the 4th century A.D. (around 350) by the Jewish convert to Christianity, Joseph of Tiberias.
Ewen and Helen examine the church, and its famous mosaics.
The 4th century small shrine was dismounted in 480 and a bigger chapel was built by Martyrius, Patriarch of Jerusalem from 478 to 486. Martyrius was Egyptian by origin, and this may be the reason why the floor of the church is covered with a beautiful Nile mosaic, a style of art popular in the Byzantine era, describing the landscape, flora, and fauna of the Nile.
Here is the famous mosaic of Tabgha, depicting the two fish and.. four loaves. The fifth loaf is Jesus Himself, the Bread of Life, who is made present on the altar.
The mosaic of the fish and loaves is laid next to a large rock, under the altar. This has caused some New Testament scholars to speculate that the builders of the original church believed that Jesus stood on this rock when he blessed the fish and loaves just before the feeding of the crowd who had come to hear him.
The large monastery and a church were built in the fifth century. While some date the destruction of the site to the time of the Arab conquest, the church was most likely destroyed in 614 during the Persian invasion. By the time of the Crusades, the Byzantine site was forgotten, and rediscovered only in the 20th century.
A short walk from the Church of the Multiplication lies the Primacy of Peter, with its own church. Tradition dictates that this is the site where Peter is reconciled to the Risen Jesus in John 21, and where the Lord and His disciples enjoy a breakfast of fish on the lakeshore.
The mosaic of the fish and loaves is laid next to a large rock, under the altar. This has caused some New Testament scholars to speculate that the builders of the original church believed that Jesus stood on this rock when he blessed the fish and loaves just before the feeding of the crowd who had come to hear him.
The large monastery and a church were built in the fifth century. While some date the destruction of the site to the time of the Arab conquest, the church was most likely destroyed in 614 during the Persian invasion. By the time of the Crusades, the Byzantine site was forgotten, and rediscovered only in the 20th century.
A short walk from the Church of the Multiplication lies the Primacy of Peter, with its own church. Tradition dictates that this is the site where Peter is reconciled to the Risen Jesus in John 21, and where the Lord and His disciples enjoy a breakfast of fish on the lakeshore.
Here, in this evocative setting, we celebrate an outdoor Mass. Our opening hymn, ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ contains the following lines: “In simple trust like theirs who heard, beside the Syrian Sea”. The ‘Syrian Sea’, or Sea of Galilee, is just behind me, in the background. We feel so close to what these fishermen experienced, as Christ called them from the nets of their tangled mundane lives.
We continue on our pilgrimage around the Sea of Galilee to the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered his famous Sermon on the Mount. It is an idyllic location, and is ideal for prayer.. but not today. There are crowds of people, jostling one another to gain access to Antonio Barluzzi’s church, paid for by no less a person than Mussolini.
The next stop is the shoreline, to catch a boat out on to the Sea of Galilee. Things begin well, as the Saltire is raised to the strains of ‘Scotland the Brave’. I invite everyone to sit silently and to contemplate the day thus far, to feel the breeze on their bare arms, to listen to the water lapping against the boat, and the rolling of the ship on the surface of the sea. I then read out to them the passage from Mark 4: 35-41, and we sit quietly in prayer. It is a special moment for many of the pilgrims.
By this stage, the pilgrims are beginning to get hungry, so we pass by St. Peter’s restaurant for lunch. The fisherman from Galilee clearly must have had good business acumen; his premises continues to do a roaring trade in pilgrims.. The famous St. Peter’s Fish is actually quite tasty, though appearances can be deceptive, as the photograph reveals. It is a very bony, spiny fish (akin to tilapia), and care must be taken. It must have been a messy affair for Jesus and his disciples as they ate this post-Resurrection meal on the shore!
By this stage, the pilgrims are beginning to get hungry, so we pass by St. Peter’s restaurant for lunch. The fisherman from Galilee clearly must have had good business acumen; his premises continues to do a roaring trade in pilgrims.. The famous St. Peter’s Fish is actually quite tasty, though appearances can be deceptive, as the photograph reveals. It is a very bony, spiny fish (akin to tilapia), and care must be taken. It must have been a messy affair for Jesus and his disciples as they ate this post-Resurrection meal on the shore!
After our fishy lunch, we are in a better humour to make our way to Capernaum, the lakeside town in which Jesus lived and worked for the years of his ministry. We are able to access the church over the site that tradition maintains is the house of St. Peter (or does it belong to his Mother-in-law?!). The pilgrims examine the remains of the structure, and then walk to the fourth-century synagogue. Below this, archaeologists have discovered an earlier structure, dating back to the first century: the synagogue in which Jesus taught and healed a man possessed of an unclean spirit.
“And now for something completely different..”. We end the day with a visit to the ‘Caprice’ Diamond Centre. The most profitable industry in Israel is the diamond trade: about 50% of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished here. We are offered a tour of the factory and the showroom/shop. The facilities are impressive.. as are the prices of the jewellery. However, one intrepid romantic remained resolute, and got down on bended knee to ‘pop the question’ - with an $8,800 ring (a large sapphire, surrounded with diamonds, set in white gold). The identity of the suitor, and of the surprised but delighted bride-to-be, remains confidential until the relevant photographs are made available. Watch this space!
It may seem a rather odd way to end our day of pilgrimage, but perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye. We have spoken today about the importance of hearing the call of the Lord, and acting upon it, and of proclaiming the kingdom of God. That kingdom is more precious than a pearl of great price, more precious than a diamond - than all the diamonds we saw. Amidst the consumerist culture in which we live, some things really last. ‘Diamonds are forever’, perhaps - but only in this life. If we follow the Lord, and are obedient to His will and teaching, we can begin to live the Kingdom of God here on earth, and continue into the heavenly kingdom. It is a treasure beyond compare.
It may seem a rather odd way to end our day of pilgrimage, but perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye. We have spoken today about the importance of hearing the call of the Lord, and acting upon it, and of proclaiming the kingdom of God. That kingdom is more precious than a pearl of great price, more precious than a diamond - than all the diamonds we saw. Amidst the consumerist culture in which we live, some things really last. ‘Diamonds are forever’, perhaps - but only in this life. If we follow the Lord, and are obedient to His will and teaching, we can begin to live the Kingdom of God here on earth, and continue into the heavenly kingdom. It is a treasure beyond compare.
Wednesday 14 November
The focus of our pilgrimage this morning is Cana and Nazareth: we are contemplating the ‘hidden years’ of Jesus’ life.
We travel to Cana, to visit the Church of the Wedding. The site is busy with pilgrims, but we manage to visit the crypt, and see the large stone jar that was excavated. Six such jars, full of water, were transformed into wine. Such exuberance, such new life, so much grace, flowing in abundance, from Christ, the choicest new wine of the Kingdom.
The focus of our pilgrimage this morning is Cana and Nazareth: we are contemplating the ‘hidden years’ of Jesus’ life.
We travel to Cana, to visit the Church of the Wedding. The site is busy with pilgrims, but we manage to visit the crypt, and see the large stone jar that was excavated. Six such jars, full of water, were transformed into wine. Such exuberance, such new life, so much grace, flowing in abundance, from Christ, the choicest new wine of the Kingdom.
We journey onwards to Nazareth, to Jesus’ home town. We have the joy and privilege of celebrating Holy Mass in the Basilica of The Annunciation. We enter the Lower Basilica and descend the steps to the Grotto, the traditional site of the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary. Before us lies the altar, in beautiful white marble, with the words: “Verbum caro HIC factum est” - “the Word was made flesh HERE”. The enormity of these words sink in. God took on our human form here, in this spot, just over two thousand years ago. “God became man so that man might become God”, wrote St. Athanasius. What a privilege - the Creator of the universe loved - and loves - us so much that He took on flesh and became one of us, to teach us how to become like Him.
Just as the Incarnation highlights the very humanity of Christ, so his divine nature is underlined in the Transfiguration. We journey, via minibus, up a steep mountain with hairpin bends, which the driver handles with great aplomb - so much so that he does it one-handed, whilst talking on his mobile phone. Scary indeed! The church is special in that it has both an upper and a lower altar. The apse mosaic is superb, as are the acoustics. We return to our hotel, and prepare to pack our luggage for our onward pilgrimage to Bethlehem, via Jericho, tomorrow morning.
Thursday 15 November
We begin our day with a renewal of our Baptismal promises, and thus head to Yardenit, not too far from Tiberias. Having visited the other Baptismal site on the West Bank near Jericho, I am keen to see Yardenit. It is a real revelation- not only are the facilities better, but one can imagine John the Baptist baptising Jesus in this lush floral setting. I fill up my plastic holy water bottle, which I had taken with me, bless the water, and after all of our party renew their Baptismal promises, I sprinkle them with the water from the river Jordan. Lillian bravely opts for total immersion, and wears a white cotton gown, which she has brought with her. I watch in fascination as a group of Zimbabweans, complete with a Bishop in episcopal cassock and zucchetto, make their way down to the water’s edge for an immersion ceremony. I have only entered the water as far as my knees. Mea culpa.
Reinvigorated, we are ready for our journey south, along the West Bank, to Jericho, the oldest inhabited settlement in the world, and the lowest below sea level. I cannot help noticing that the town boasts a branch of Domino’s Pizzas. This shatters my pious vision of Joshua and the Israelite army marching around the city walls with the Ark of the Covenant.
We make our way to a viewpoint of Quarantal Mountain (from the Latin for ‘forty’), known popularly as the Mount of Temptation. In truth, there is no need to ascend the mountain, as Jesus did, according to tradition. No sooner do we step off the coach than we are besieged by street-sellers, flogging their wares: coffee, teas, dates, jewellery, camel rides.. The temptations continue in a cosmetics shop, selling all manner of beauty products, made with Dead Sea mud and other local ingredients. I refuse to accept the recommendation of the owner to try a natural hair product for men to assist in slowing down baldness. He is more successful with the ladies in our group who succumb to the lure of various creams and ointments. Having been tempted thus far, it is easier to give in to the god of materialism, Mammon, and we are taken to a large shop selling leather products, ceramics, and dates. The first temptation of Christ was related to the satisfaction of the senses: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” (Mt 4:3). Indeed.
After Mass in the Franciscan Church of the Good Shepherd, where I preach on the story of Zacchaeus (are we prepared to go ‘out on a limb’ to see Christ?), whilst competing with the Call to Prayer from the Mosque on the opposite side of the road, we head to a rather nice-looking restaurant for a meal of salad, pitta bread, dips, and barbecued meat. The waiters struggle valiantly to provide for our vegetarian and coeliac pilgrims.
We make our way to a viewpoint of Quarantal Mountain (from the Latin for ‘forty’), known popularly as the Mount of Temptation. In truth, there is no need to ascend the mountain, as Jesus did, according to tradition. No sooner do we step off the coach than we are besieged by street-sellers, flogging their wares: coffee, teas, dates, jewellery, camel rides.. The temptations continue in a cosmetics shop, selling all manner of beauty products, made with Dead Sea mud and other local ingredients. I refuse to accept the recommendation of the owner to try a natural hair product for men to assist in slowing down baldness. He is more successful with the ladies in our group who succumb to the lure of various creams and ointments. Having been tempted thus far, it is easier to give in to the god of materialism, Mammon, and we are taken to a large shop selling leather products, ceramics, and dates. The first temptation of Christ was related to the satisfaction of the senses: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” (Mt 4:3). Indeed.
After Mass in the Franciscan Church of the Good Shepherd, where I preach on the story of Zacchaeus (are we prepared to go ‘out on a limb’ to see Christ?), whilst competing with the Call to Prayer from the Mosque on the opposite side of the road, we head to a rather nice-looking restaurant for a meal of salad, pitta bread, dips, and barbecued meat. The waiters struggle valiantly to provide for our vegetarian and coeliac pilgrims.
The day ends with a trip to the nearby Dead Sea, for some ‘R&R’, and the chance to swim in the famous salt-laden waters. It is a lovely spot, if over-commercialised, with all manner of bodies from all manner of countries enjoying the experience of floating in the water. The Dead Sea is so-called because nothing flows out of it; two members of the group comment that the water level has fallen quite noticeably since their last visit. Global warming is taking its toll.
Our journey ends at nearby Bethlehem. It is neither a little town, nor do we see it lying particularly still; it is a noisy, bustling location, with built-up homes and shops all competing for space. We arrive at our destination - the Orient Palace - a beautiful hotel, if somewhat lacking in atmosphere and character. Still, it is no mean place in which to lay down our own weary heads. It is a far cry, though, from the lowly manger..
Friday 16 November
We make our way to Manger Square first thing in the morning, to visit the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Christ. It is a rather wet morning, though our pilgrims are in good heart, excited to visit the manger.
We enter the church through the so-called Door of Humility, and head off to the Chapel of St. Jerome for Mass. Although we are somewhat early (i.e., almost an hour..), and the Italian Franciscan friar is looking grimly at his watch, I charm him with some words of imploration in his own language, and he relents, allowing us to proceed directly to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for Mass. This is an appropriate setting to speak about the Word made Flesh, born in Bethlehem (which in Hebrew means 'House of Bread'), laid in a feeding trough for animals, and who one day will give his own body, as the Bread of Life, to sustain each of us.
Our early foray pays off, and the crowds, gathering in expectation for the opening of the grotto of the Nativity, are not as substantial as they might have been. Nevertheless, great patience is required, not to mention vigilance for every-ready queue-jumpers. We are able to marvel at the newly revealed and restored mosaics, thanks to the efforst of an Italian conservation team, who have been working on the project for over two years.
The experience of entering the grotto, and praying before the birthplace of Jesus, is somewhat different to my previous visit, and it leaves me unsatisfied. This time, the crowds push and jostle, and we are faced with two belligerant Eastern European women, who cast all semblance of Christian charity and tolerance aside, in order to barge past the members of the group. Words fail me. Here, even in this holy location, the birthplace of humility and meekness, we encounter Herodean arrogance and a disregard for others. We human beings still have so much to learn! Once inside, we are roughly pushed by the church custodians, who only allow each pilgrim 5 seconds or so for prayer and veneration at the Star of Bethlehem in the floor of the grotto.
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