My Pilgrimage: June 1

This morning just might be the highlight of the trip.  We had a private Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the altar directly above the tomb of Jesus (and obviously the sight of the Resurrection).  It was a profoundly moving experience that few people are privileged to partake of.  I’m still processing it to a certain extent.

After breakfast, we headed out to the Dead Sea.  We were able to go to a private beach, so we almost had the whole thing to ourselves.  I did not go all the way in, but I did walk in up to my knees.  Even that little bit I could tell the water was different, almost thicker.

 The mountains on the other side is Jordan

We then went to Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  We toured around the main area, and then had a little lunch (a very dry chicken shawarma for me).  After lunch, a few of us were adventurous and decided to hike up to one of the caves.  I made it some of the way up, but decided to hang out at a small impression while the others continued all the way.  It was quite an experience to pray Daytime Prayer on the mountain looking out at the Dead Sea.  We weren’t quite as adventurous as one large group which seemed to be hiking to the top of the mountain!  One poignant note from our professor: after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, which is believed to have happened where it empties into the Dead Sea, he wandered the wilderness for forty days, including the temptations.  Perhaps it was these very mountains!

 That black spot is the cave where the first Scrolls were found

 A view from my spot

The upper cave was where the others went, the dark spot on the middle right was my hangout

We then got back into the bus and drove down to Masada.  This was an extremely important mountaintop fortress used by, among others, the Maccabees and Herod.  It was also the last holdout against the Romans, and was finally put down when the Romans built a ramp and knocked down part of the wall.  You can still see the ramp and their encampment!  Braving the heights, I went with the group on the cable car to the top.  We then had a tour around the remnants of the fortress.  When we were done, it was time to go back to Jerusalem.

 View of Roman encampment remains from Masada

Roman ramp

Overall, it was a great day, though very hot around the Dead Sea.  Tomorrow we head up north to Bethlehem!