Israel/Palestine (N/A) – Biblical Site of the Sermon on the Mount Mount Eremos, better known as the Mount of Beatitudes, is the hill which is traditionally associated with the Sermon on the Mount. Located (according to the Bible) between Capernaum and Gennesaret, Eremos has been recognized as the site of the Beatitudes since the late Roman era, but is not entirely certain. … [Read more...]
MOUNT ZION & MOUNT OF OLIVES
Israel/Palestine (765 m, 826 m) – Biblical Hills Surrounding Jerusalem Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives are two ancient hills which flank the old walled city of Jerusalem to the south and east respectively. Between them they almost perfectly flank the Temple Mount, the most sacred site in Judaism and also highly revered by both Christians and Muslims as well. Not … [Read more...]
CHURCH OF STS SERGIUS AND BACCHUS
Cairo, Egypt The Church of Sts. Sergius & Bacchus is believed to be the oldest church in Cairo and one of the oldest in Egypt. According to tradition, it stands upon the site where Mary, Joseph and the Infant Jesus resided while in exile in Egypt. It is also one of Christianity’s most sacred shrines in Egypt. Named for Sergius and Bacchus, two soldiers who served in … [Read more...]
ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF HEROD
Several Locations, Israel & Palestine Herod the Great, the notorious villain of the Christian Nativity Story and generally vilified by Jews and Christians alike, was also one of the most energetic kings and prolific builders in the entire history of ancient Judea. His architectural achievements surpassed even those of Solomon, and a surprising number of his projects … [Read more...]
LATER JERUSALEM AND THE SECOND TEMPLE
Jerusalem, Israel When most Jewish visitors to Jerusalem tour the city’s ancient sacred sites, it is generally not the legacy of David and Solomon that they are experiencing, but rather that of Herod the Great. Herod, the most prolific builder in ancient Israel, spent vast sums remaking Jerusalem into a magnificent capital city. The archaeological remains of his efforts can … [Read more...]
VALLEY OF JEZREEL
Tel Megiddo, Israel The Valley of Jezreel, also known as the Plain of Megiddo, or Armeggedon, is the Holy Land’s most famous battlefield. Countless armies have raged across this vast, open, and highly strategic valley, from the Egyptians and Canaanites in the 15th century BC to the British and Ottomans during World War I. The best-known Biblical conflict to have occurred … [Read more...]
HOLY GROTTO OF THE REVELATION
Patmos, Greece The Isle of Patmos in the Dodeconese Islands between Greece and Turkey has the honor of being the setting for the very last book of the Bible. It was here, sometime towards the end of the 1st century AD, that John the Evangelist received the supreme vision of the apocalyptic end of the world and the final triumph of God’s eternal kingdom. The Book of … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALL
Rome, Italy The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall, so-called because of its location outside the old city walls of Rome, is one of the great churches of both Rome and Catholicism. Although overshadowed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, it is nevertheless a beloved and popular pilgrimage destination. Aside from its antiquity, it is home to the grave of Paul, the … [Read more...]
CHURCH OF ST. PAUL’S SHIPWRECK
Valletta, Malta This tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean was the location of some of the adventures of the Apostle Paul as told in the Book of Acts. Paul visited the island sometime in the mid-1st century AD, and was instrumental in getting the local Christian community established. Much of the island’s Christian history is tied directly to Paul’s legacy, and … [Read more...]
VEZELAY ABBEY
Vezelay, France Exactly how the relics of Mary Magdalene found their way to Vezelay in France is not certain, and in fact Vezelay is only one of a number of cities to claim them. Nevertheless popular opinion supports the Vezelay tradition, which seems to be unofficially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. While neighboring Spain and Italy claim Apostolic tombs, the … [Read more...]
