Jordan map in Russian. Sacred River Jordan: a trip to the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ Lake Jordan

The Jordan River - the eastern border of the Holy Land - is mentioned more than once in tones and other Jewish sources.

It was the crossing of the Jordan and the miracles revealed by Gd during this passage that served as the starting point, the beginning of the conquest of the land of Israel by the Jewish people.

In the future, the Jordan River became the border between the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Lesser, who asked for a donation on the east bank of the Jordan, and the rest of the tribes.

Interestingly, according to the prescription of the Torah, 3 of the 6 cities of refuge created by the Jews, Moshe-Rabbeinu singled out on the other side of the Jordan, although the population and territory occupied by the Israelites there was much smaller (Bemidbar 35: 9-15). And Rashi explains: this is because "... there are many murderers in Gilad" (Gilad is a region in Transjordan). Since we are talking about unintentional, accidental murders here, this can be interpreted as follows: there are more accidental killers there than in the Land of Israel. Obviously, this is due to the spiritual differences of the lands lying on opposite sides of the Jordan River.

And our wise men also say: the reason why those tribes were the first to be taken captive is that they chose to live beyond the Jordan.

One way or another, from these examples we see that the Jordan River served as a kind of spiritual "watershed" between the land of Israel and its neighboring lands.

Consider the main events of Jewish history associated with the Jordan.

Splitting the waters of the Jordan

Twice in history G-d parted the waters for the sake of the Jewish people.

The second time this happened was when Joshua bin Nun was leading the Jews to Eretz Israel across the Jordan. As it is said in one of the psalms: “The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned back” ( Tehillim 114:3).

However, there is a significant difference between the two events. When the Jews who left Egypt reached the Red Sea, they saw themselves in a hopeless situation. The Egyptian army overtook them from behind, and the deep sea blocked the way forward. There was nowhere to run. All that remained was to hope for a miracle. And a miracle happened: the sea parted, and the Jews were saved.

When the Jewish army led by Joshua approached the Jordan River, no one was chasing them. On the contrary, the Jews were to enter territory controlled by enemy forces. The width of the Jordan was only about thirty meters, and a bridge or a boat could be used for the crossing. Why, then, did the Almighty need to split the waters of the Jordan?

This miracle had a double purpose. First, it was to remind the Jews of how Moshe led them through the Red Sea, and thus elevate Joshua bin Nun in their eyes as a worthy successor to Moshe and the undisputed leader of the nation.

And, secondly, Hashem wanted to instill fear in the Canaanite peoples and throw them off balance. Both goals have been achieved.

The crossing of the Jordan took place on Tuesday, the 10th of Nisan. 1270 BC e.

“That day Hashem magnified Yehoshua before the eyes of all Israel; and they began to fear him just as they feared Moshe ... "( Joshua 4:14). “And it came to pass when… all the kings of Canaan heard… that Hashem had dried up the waters of the Jordan… their hearts were trembling” ( there 5:1).

The miracles that happened to the Jewish people during the crossing of the Jordan showed him that, even in the absence of Moshe, G-d still patronizes them. Now they knew for sure that success was assured, Eretz Israel would be conquered.

In order to strengthen this impression and give His Will greater persuasiveness, Hashem ordered them to change the order of the formation of the twelve tribes when crossing the Jordan. During their wanderings in the wilderness, the Ark of the Covenant was carried by the Levites, who followed the tribes of Judah and Reuben, who led the column. Now the Levites handed over the Ark to the Kohanim, who stood in front of the whole procession.

When the Kohanim entered the river, the waters immediately parted. It was visible from afar how two gigantic water walls shot up to the sky, opening the way for the Jewish people to triumphantly enter their land.

Malbim gives the following figurative comparison: when the army is preparing to conquer foreign lands, the king becomes its head. With all his actions, he wants to show that he is the commander-in-chief of his army and the future ruler of the country to be conquered. Just as the battle columns of warriors respectfully part, opening the way for the king, the guards open the gates before him, in the same way the waters of the Jordan parted to allow the envoys of the King of Kings to enter the Holy Land.

Against the laws of nature

The splitting of the waters of the Jordan was the first of a series of miracles performed by the Almighty for his people in Eretz Israel. In addition to this miracle, there were others.

The sun and moon stood motionless over the Ayalon valley for a whole day to allow Yehoshua's army to complete the defeat of the Amorites (Emorites) ( Joshua 10:12-15).

During the battle in Beth Horon, huge boulders fell directly from the sky on the heads of enemies ( there 10:11).

Under King Hezkiyau, the 185,000-strong army of Sancherib, preparing for the siege of Jerusalem, died out completely in one night ( II Kings 19). In the books of the prophets and in the oral tradition, one can find many such stories when G-d miraculous way intervened in the course of events on the side of his people.

A miracle occurs in those cases when the Almighty wants to change once and for all the established, natural order of things. Whatever the goal pursued by Hashem - to save one person or an entire nation, or to show His power - the miracle He performed proves His complete and undivided power over man and nature. Although G-d is omnipresent, we are most clearly convinced of His Presence when something “impossible” is done, such as splitting the sea or delivering a small nation from the power of another nation, stronger and more numerous.

In Eretz Israel, His power is felt much stronger than anywhere else. “This is the land that Hashem, your G-d, takes care of, - the eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are incessantly on it” ( Devarim 11:12). In this regard, let us remember the laws established in memory of the miracles that have happened.

Laws related to visiting miracle sites

When visiting places where G-d performed miracles for the Jewish people, the following blessing should be said:

"Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our fathers in this place" .

This blessing is only recited if the person has not visited the place for thirty days (excluding the current day and the day of the last visit).

If, passing by a memorial site within the mentioned 30-day period, you did not read the blessing or did not know about the holiness of this place, you still cannot say the blessing until another 30 days have passed.

Many historical sites in Israel are associated with the conquest of the country by Yehoshua's army; among them is the place where the waters of the Jordan parted ("and the people went over against Jericho" - Joshua 3:16 ).

And also - the place where the boulders fell from the sky on the heads of the Canaanites (next to Beth Horon); and, of course, the remains of the ancient walls of Jericho (Jericho) that have sunk into the ground.

However, if you do not know the exact location of the place of the miracle, the blessing cannot be read. Instead, at the sight of, for example, some section of the Jordan River, one can read a laudatory song.

Song of the Jordan

Lived in the 14th century Rabbi Ishtori Aparhi composed a poem that is read at the sight of the Jordan River.

On the banks of the Jordan I will bless, praise, exalt and give thanks to Your Name,

For Your people You cut them like the Red Sea ...

And for Eliyahu you divided it...(before he ascended to heaven in a chariot); and the same for Elisha (his student), who was in no hurry when the Jordan parted before him.

Your holy right hand was naked (You showed dominion over the laws of nature), O bringer of salvation to a humble people.

Do as you see fit, O savior of Zion.

Circumcision at Gilgal

The day after entering Israel, Joshua circumcised all the males born in the wilderness.

The Levites and individual righteous people carried out this mitzvah(commandment) even during forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The rest of the people legally refrained from this sacred rite, so as not to endanger the lives of children. G-d led the Jews through the wilderness, and no one knew what would happen to them the next day. If the column of smoke stood still over the Mishkan, they did not move. If the pillar went up, they packed their things and set off, following the Cloud of Glory. Under such conditions, it was dangerous to circumcise a newborn baby, as it was easy to infect. Feverish preparations and the hardships of the campaign could also endanger the life of a child. For all the time of their wanderings in the desert, the healing northern breeze never blew, so as not to displace the Cloud of Glory. Insofar as Sanhedrin could not guarantee the safety of the children, he decided not to force the people to obey the commandment of circumcision.

But now, located at Gilgal and not fearing the attack of the Canaanite tribes, temporarily paralyzed by horror at the sight of the supernatural phenomena of nature that accompanied the passage of the Jews across the Jordan, the people felt safe enough to fulfill this most precious commandment.

“I am baptized in the Jordan, O Lord…” – we sing on the feast of the Epiphany, the purpose of which is celebrated on December 18th. What do we know about this biblical river?

A bit of geography

Every reader of Scripture is familiar with the Jordan River. She is mentioned many times in both the Old and New Testaments. The mention of the Jordan in the Old Testament books is mainly due to the fact that the river was a boundary, a watershed, or flowed along the border between territories. In the modern map of the world, the Jordan River is the border between the countries of Israel and Jordan.

The Jordan originates fourteen kilometers north of Lake Hula, near the settlement of Sde Nehemiah. Its source is three small rivers, originating at the foot of Mount Hermon at an altitude of about 520 meters above sea level, which then merge together and form a single stream of the Jordan.

The length of the Jordan River is 252 km, it is not very wide, and there is no navigation on it. The river flows in a north-south direction to its mouth. Near Sde Nehemia, the Jordan splits into two canals, which join again after a few kilometers. The canals were dug in the 1950s as part of a project to drain the Hula Lake Valley. From the place of their junction there is a canal to the Bridge of the Daughters of Jacob. From here, the Jordan flows in its natural course, passing along the bottom of the basalt gorge, until it flows into the Lake of Tiberias, which is sometimes also called the Sea of ​​Galilee. Along the way along the basalt gorge, the Jordan River has the largest slope - 17.6 m / km.

Lake Tiberias is the largest natural reservoir in Israel, its area is 167 km². In Hebrew, it is called Kynareth. There are many mineral springs along the shores of the lake, so the water tastes a little brackish. But it's still drinkable. The water from the lake is supplied by a pipeline to the densely populated central and waterless southern parts of the country. Lake Kinneret is the lowest freshwater lake in the world - 213 meters below sea level. It is believed that the waters of the Jordan do not mix with the waters of the lake: despite the fact that the waters of the lake are slightly brackish, the Jordan flowing from the Kinneret is absolutely freshwater.

In the New Testament, Lake Tiberias is associated with many stories about the earthly life of Jesus Christ. On the shores of the lake and in coastal cities, Jesus spent most of His earthly ministry. It was here that the apostles Peter and Andrew fished when they were called by Christ to the apostolic ministry.

After Lake Tiberias, the river flows through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea, which is about 100 kilometers. Here the riverbed becomes very winding, the banks in this area are high and in some places even sheer, the width of the Jordan reaches forty meters. During high water, the river washes away the banks, and this sometimes leads to landslides that create serious obstacles to the watercourse.

The Dead Sea, where the Jordan ends, is the most saline lake in the world. It is located on the lowest part of the earth's surface - 420 meters below sea level. The geographical division of the Jordan into the upper - from the sources to the Lake of Tiberias and the lower - from the Lake of Tiberias to the Dead Sea is accepted.

Old Testament

The name "Jordan" has no convincing etymology. It is most commonly associated with the Hebrew verb "to descend". According to one version, Jordan means "descends from Dan", according to another version - "go down to the water" and "watering hole". If we proceed from the Hurrian origin of the word, then the Jordan is interpreted as “the water of Dan”, and if we rely on the ancient Persian language, then we get “a river flowing all year”.

The earliest mention of the Jordan River is connected with the story of Lot, who chose the “Jordan region” as a pasture for his flocks, because it was all irrigated with water (Genesis 13:10). After the exodus from Egypt, the people of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, approached the borders of the Promised Land from the east and crossed the Jordan opposite the city of Jericho. The transition itself was carried out with the miraculous help of God. The events of the Jews crossing the Jordan are described as follows: “The water flowing from above stopped and became a wall for a very long distance, to the city of Adam, which is near Tsartan; but the plain flowing into the sea, into the Salt Sea, has gone away and dried up” (Josh. 3:16). It also says that the water stopped only when the priests holding the ark of the covenant touched the waters of the stream. Twelve large stones taken from the Jordan - according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel - were erected as one monument in Gilgal.

After the Jewish people settled in the territory of Palestine, the Jordan River was somewhere inside, and somewhere - on the border of the regions owned by the Jews. In the Book of Judges, the banks of the Jordan are a place of constant battles with the Moabites, Midianites, Amalekites, Ammonites. Near the crossing over the Jordan, King Saul fought with the Philistines. David repeatedly crossed the Jordan in the days of victorious battles and in the days of defeat.

The prophet Elijah struck the water with his mantle (clothing made of sheep's skins) and stopped the Jordan. He ascended from the banks of the river in a fiery chariot to heaven. His disciple, the prophet Elisha, who received the gift of miracles after the ascension of the prophet Elijah, also crossed the Jordan along the bottom, the waters of which parted before him. After washing seven times in the waters of the Jordan, at the command of the prophet Elisha, the Syrian commander Naaman was healed of leprosy.

New Testament

The constant presence of the Jordan River in the pages of Scripture is not surprising, since it is located not far from the region where the main events of biblical history take place. But, undoubtedly, the most important purpose of this river, the most significant action that takes place in the waters of the Jordan, is described by the four evangelists. This is the Baptism that Jesus Christ received from the hands of the holy righteous John the Baptist. From the moment of Baptism, the messianic ministry of the Lord begins.

In the texts of the service on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, many hymns speak of the Jordan, they sing the Jordan precisely because this river involuntarily received such a high honor - to serve the Savior of the world with its waters. Church songwriters endow Jordan with human features: he trembles, seeing the Lord coming to him to be baptized by John, and in fear turns his channel back. Jesus Christ, plunging into the waters of the Jordan, dresses in them as in clothes, and thus He dresses the Church "in the clothes of incorruption."

Soteriologically important events take place in the Jordanian waters: By His Baptism, Christ raises the fallen Adam and crushes the “heads of the serpents”. The Sacrament of Baptism in the Orthodox Church originates from the event of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. And throughout the centuries of Christianity, this Sacrament introduces a person into the Church, makes him a child of Christ, makes it possible to receive other important Church Sacraments, such as confession, communion, unction, opens the way to salvation, because without life in the Church there is no active membership in it. During the Baptism of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Most Holy Trinity, Theophany takes place on the Jordan: “And when he came out of the water, immediately John saw the heavens open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on Him. And a voice came from heaven: You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:10-11).

Our days

After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the upper Jordan became its eastern border with Syria. The Lower Jordan and the lands adjacent to it came under Jordanian control and remained under it until they were captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. The upper course of the Jordan and its sources were also captured by Israel. After the end of the war along the Jordan from the Yarmuk River to the Dead Sea, there was a cease-fire line between Israel and Jordan.

In the early 1960s, the Jordan carried 1.3 billion cubic meters of water a year from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea. According to ecologists, today the amount of water flowing along the riverbed per year is only 10% of the previous one. According to the international organization Friends of the Earth in the Middle East, Israel, Syria and Jordan are to blame for the dehydration of the Jordan, which are constantly in conflict - each of the countries is trying to take as much water as possible. If this continues, the Jordan River will disappear.

The next point on the route is the Orthodox monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan, located five kilometers from the Dead Sea, a kilometer from the Jordan River and the alleged place of the baptism of Jesus Christ. Gerasim (in the world Gregory) was from Asia Minor (a region of present-day Turkish Antalya), from a wealthy family. After leaving the world and becoming a monk, he retired to the desert of Thebaid in Egypt, and then around the year 450 he came to Palestine, where he founded a monastery not far from the Jordan River.

1. The monastery is surrounded on all sides by a hot desert, but on the territory of the Lavra it is green and cozy.

2. Patio.

3. Panel depicting the Dome of the Rock. I wonder why this panel depicting the Muslim shrine of Jerusalem is located in an Orthodox monastery?

5. Proud rooster in the yard.

Leaving the monastery, we head directly to the Jordan River, along which the border between Israel and Jordan passes. The alleged place of the baptism of Jesus Christ was in the area of ​​Bethabara, in the lower reaches of the Jordan, about 10 kilometers from its confluence with the Dead Sea. Today this place is known as Qasr El Yahud. It is located in the border military zone between Israel and Jordan and for a long time was closed to the general public - access here was only possible for pilgrims once a year on the feast of Epiphany. Therefore, for mass visits by pilgrims and tourists in 1981, the Israeli government chose another, "symbolic" place, completely on Israeli territory, 50 kilometers from here up the river - in the place where the Jordan flows from the Lake of Gennesaret on the territory of Kibbutz Kinneret. This place is called Yardenit.

And in 2011, the historical place of baptism, Kasr El Yahud, was opened for mass visits. So today you can plunge into the Jordan River in two places at once - the "symbolic" Yardenit (completely in Israel) and the "historical" - Qasr El Yahud (and you can get there both from Israel and from Jordan). We are heading to that very "historical" place - to the border of Israel and Jordan.

6. Kasr El Yahud is a strictly protected border area surrounded by barbed wire - before getting to the Jordan River, tourists pass through a checkpoint with inspection. The territory bordering the Jordan behind the fence is mined in many places - since the Six-Day War of 1967 (as a result of which the West Bank from Jordan came under Israeli control). The desert is all around - the Jordan flows in the green valley below, and the distant mountains are already the territory of Jordan.

7. Both banks of the Jordan at the site of the alleged baptism of Christ are now available for visiting - from the side of Jordan, a small font descends to the water, and on the Israeli coast everything is much larger. The border runs in the middle of a small river barely ten meters wide. Swimming areas from each coast are limited by floats, beyond which you cannot go so as not to cross the border. Numerous signs also warn about the border between Israel and Jordan passing here. It is also interesting that you cannot contact people on the opposite bank - shout to them, wave your hands. The military is watching. It looks especially funny when Russian groups arrive from each shore in Qasr El Yahud.

8. Ahead - the state border.

9. On the Israeli coast.

10. On the opposite coast of Jordan is a Greek Orthodox Church.

11. Flag of Jordan.

12. Jordan, meandering through the valley, often changes its course. Studies have shown that, apparently, 2000 years ago, the riverbed passed to the east, in the territory of modern Jordan. And accordingly, the exact place of the baptism of Christ is located today on Jordanian soil. If you visit Qasr El Yahud not from the Israeli, but from the Jordanian side of the border, then a few hundred meters from the river you can see the archaeological sites of the alleged old channel. However, it is hardly possible to determine the place of baptism 100% accurately today.

13. The riverbed of the Jordan outside the tourist area. The width is three or four meters, the current is rather weak, the banks are swampy. In the upper reaches, the water of the Jordan is widely used for irrigation, several dams have been built. Many centuries ago, the river was, apparently, much more powerful. However, sometimes even today, during the winter rains, there are significant rises in water in the Jordan and even floods.

14. Photo with a view of Jordan.

15. Pilgrims plunge into the waters of the Jordan from the opposite bank.

16. Having visited the bank of the Jordan River in the place of Qasr El Yahud, we continue the route through Palestine: the next stop is ancient Jericho. This city is considered one of the oldest cities on Earth from among the permanently inhabited - its history goes back about 10 thousand years.

Of course, during this period, the settlement that existed here was repeatedly destroyed, rebuilt and passed from hand to hand of different rulers. The most famous destruction of Jericho was reflected in the biblical tradition - according to which in the XIII century BC the walls of the city fell from the loud sound of trumpets during the siege by the army of Joshua. And the expression "Jericho Trumpet" has long become a household word.

Today Jericho is a large city of the West Bank, completely controlled by the Palestinian Authority ("Zone A" -). Israeli citizens cannot visit these areas of Palestine, and holders of Palestinian passports, on the contrary, cannot visit Israel without special permits. V recent history this was not always the case - in the 90s, Israelis liked to relax in Jericho: it was cheap here, plus there were several casinos and gambling zones. But after the Arab-Israeli conflict of 2000-2005 (the "Second Palestinian Intifada"), everything changed - the mutual rules for the movement of Israelis and Palestinians became tougher, separation barriers appeared, etc. Today, it is relatively calm again, tourism has begun to develop again, but people live in Jericho very poor. And this is very striking in contrast to Israeli cities.

17. In the oases of the Judean Desert in the area of ​​the Dead Sea and the lower reaches of the Jordan River, there are a lot of plantations of date palms. Dates are one of the most important agricultural products in Israel, including for export.

18. This is how they grow.

19. In Jericho, there is a cable car that takes tourists from the city center to Mount Karantal (or Mount of Temptation), where, according to legend, the devil tempted Jesus when he fasted for 40 days. While traveling by cable car, very beautiful views of the city, the oasis, the Judean Desert and the Jordan Valley open up.

21. Archaeological excavations of ancient Jericho.

22. Mosque.

23. Many houses are abandoned. The streets are deserted, almost no people.

25. Outside the city is the Jordan Valley, along which the border with Jordan passes. Not far from here there is a border crossing controlled by the Israeli authorities.

27. Mount Karantal.

28. On the rocks of this mountain is the Orthodox Greek monastery of the Temptation (or Karantal), founded in the 4th century.

29. The buildings of the monastery are built right on the steep ledges of the mountain.

32. Monastery streets on a steep rocky ledge.

33. In one of these caves on the mountain, according to legend, Christ fasted for 40 days.

36. Views from one of the balconies.

39. We sit down in the cable car - and go back down. It's good for tourists - there is a funicular. But pilgrims have to climb the Mount of Temptation on foot, which is very difficult in the forty-degree heat.

On this one-day trip to Palestine ended - from Jericho to Jerusalem, only 30 kilometers, very close. In conclusion, I will traditionally say that I will return to these parts with pleasure: it would be interesting to travel around Palestine, see Nablus, Ramallah and other cities ... Bethlehem, of course. But that's for another time. And then according to our plan - Israel again: the fortress of Masada, the Dead Sea and then - the north of the country, the city of Haifa and its environs.

Flickr.com, grandpamony

Christians around the world treat the Jordan as a sacred river, because in its waters Jesus Christ was baptized. But where this very place is located for sure, it became known only at the end of the 20th century.

Vifara beyond the Jordan

The Gospel of John indicates the address of the place where John the Baptist preached and baptized - not far from the village of Bethabara beyond the Jordan. But where exactly is this village located? The fact is that in Palestine at that time there were several villages with the same name.

For a long time it was believed that Vifavara is located in Israel, not far from the town of Qasr El Yahud, which is 4 kilometers from the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea.

A mosaic on the floor in the church of St. George in the city of Madaba helped determine its true location. The 15 x 6 meter mosaic image, dating back to the 6th century AD, is a perfectly preserved accurate map of the Holy Land, indicating all Christian shrines.

The map indicated that the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River is not in Israel, but on the opposite bank of the river in the town of Wadi al-Harar (on the territory of modern Jordan).

In addition, in the place where the rite of Baptism took place 2000 years ago, there is no water at the moment. For such a huge period of time, the river changed its course at the confluence with the Dead Sea and now flows several tens of meters closer to Israel.

In support of this version, in Wadi al-Harar, on a dry spot in 1996, archaeologists discovered the ruins of three Byzantine churches and a marble slab, on which, as they say, stood a column with a cross, installed in early Christianity at the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. It is this column that is often mentioned in the written sources of the Byzantine era pilgrims who visited the Holy Places.

After a heated debate, scientists around the world and leaders of leading Christian denominations came to the conclusion that Wadi al-Harar is the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

So, in the spring of 2000, the visit of Pope John Paul II to these places ended with the official recognition by the Vatican of the fact that Wadi al-Harar is the greatest Christian Shrine.

The Russian Orthodox Church, in recognition of this fact, took part in the construction of an Orthodox church in honor of John the Baptist on the territory of Wadi al-Harar. It is believed that the temple is based on the very place where Jesus Christ left his clothes before plunging into the waters of the biblical river.

The opening of this greatest object in the whole of Christendom was made possible as a result of the peace agreement signed between Israel and Jordan in October 1994.

Yardenite in Israel

Many pilgrims who visit Israel every year would like to be able to take a dip or even be baptized in the waters of the Jordan River.

But the Jordan River, almost its entire length from Lake Kinneret (Sea of ​​Galilee) to the Dead Sea, is a natural border between the two states of Israel and Jordan. The border, it must be said, is not always peaceful, in connection with which, the approaches to the river, both from one side and from the other, are under the close supervision of the military.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Tourism of Israel has identified a special place, which is a quiet backwater in the area of ​​​​the source of the Jordan River from Lake Kinneret (Sea of ​​Galilee). In 1981, a special complex for pilgrims was built on this site, called Yardenit.

According to the Gospel of Mark, at the moment of baptism in the waters of the Jordan River, a holy spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove: “And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And as he was coming out of the water, immediately John saw the heavens open, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him. And a voice came from heaven: You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”. (Mk. 1, 9-11) It is these words, written on the memorial wall in all languages ​​of the world, that greet the pilgrims who come here.

The complex is equipped with walking paths, convenient approaches to the water, changing rooms, showers. In the shops located on the territory of the complex, you can buy or rent pilgrim shirts, buy bottles for Jordanian water, various souvenirs and cosmetic products from the land of Israel.

In a local restaurant, you will definitely be offered to taste the tilapia fish, popular among tourists, which is called “St. Peter's fish” here.

The history of the origin of this name refers us to the Gospel of Matthew, according to which in those ancient times every Jew over 20 years old had to pay an annual tax of 2 drachmas for the maintenance of the Temple. But Jesus did not have money, and then he asked Peter to go to the sea, cast a line and pay the tax with the coin that he found in the mouth of the first fish he caught. It is believed that this fish was the tilapia. Behind the gills of the fish, two dark spots can still be seen, supposedly fingerprints of the Apostle himself.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Christian pilgrims from all over the world visit the Yardenit complex in Israel. Often entire buses arrive with pilgrims led by priests who perform the rite of Baptism here.

Very often among pilgrims who have already been baptized before, the question arises: “Is it possible to go through the rite of baptism again, but this time in the waters of the Jordan River?”. The fact is that baptism is a special ritual that takes place in the life of a believing Christian only once. The only exception can be a transition from one confession to another - in this case it makes sense to consult with the clergy of one or another confession.

Pilgrims perform ritual ablutions in the waters of the Jordan River to heal the soul and body. Dressed in white clothes, the pilgrims say the words of a prayer, after which they plunge into the waters of the Jordan three times in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Location: The southern end of the Kinneret, highway 90. From the highway to Yardenit 0.5 km.

How to get there: Regular buses from Jerusalem No. 961, 963, 964; by buses from the northern cities of the country, moving along highway number 90.

Opening hours:

Monday - Thursday: 08:00 - 18:00,
Friday and holiday eve: 08:00 - 17:00

Free admission. To maintain a pious atmosphere, all visitors are required to have white baptismal robes, which can be purchased ($24) or rented ($10).

Jordan is located in the heart of the region, most often called the Middle East - at the junction of Eurasia and Africa. The official name of the country is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country got its name from the Jordan River, which flows along the northern section of the western border of the kingdom.

Jordan is a continental state with only one small outlet to the Gulf of Aqaba at the northern end of the Red Sea, with a length of about 26 kilometers. If you look at detailed map Jordan, you can see that most of its borders are represented by broken lines. 90% of its territory is occupied by deserts, in which the boundaries are a very tricky and vague concept.

Jordan on the world map: geography, nature and climate

Jordan is a relatively small state. The total area of ​​the country is about 92,000 km2. It is difficult to name the exact area due to the fact that it is increasing every year. With the shallowing of the Dead Sea, Jordan is expanding by several square kilometers per year.

The country's largest neighbor is Saudi Arabia, located in the south and southeast of Jordan. The length of their joint borders is 728 km, which is almost half the length of the state border. In the east, the country borders on Iraq, and the northern border separates it from Syria. The clearest borders of Jordan are in the west - here they are tied both to the relief and to the national composition of the population. The country's western neighbors are Israel and partially recognized Palestine.

Geographical position

Jordan on the world map is located in a unique place. The coast of the Dead Sea, the waters of which the country shares with Israel, is the lowest land point on the planet. At the moment, it is 430 meters below the level of the world ocean, but every year this figure increases by an average of 1 meter.

The territory of Jordan is represented mainly by desert plateaus up to 1200 meters high. highest point country is Mount Jabal-Umm-ad-Dami (1854 m). In the southeast and northeast of the country are vast regions of the Syrian desert. The northwestern part of Jordan, fed by the river of the same name, is more habitable. There are practically no large permanent lakes and rivers, apart from the salty Dead Sea, in the country. Only the Jordan River and its tributaries Yarmuk and Seil ez-Zarqa, often indicated on the map of Jordan in Russian as Yabbok, do not dry up during the season. However, it is difficult to call them large rivers - the width of the Jordan in the largest place does not exceed 40 meters, and the depth rarely reaches 2 meters. In addition, they are actively used in agriculture in Jordan and neighboring countries, which greatly shallows and pollutes the rivers. The area of ​​a few lakes and reservoirs is rarely more than a few square kilometers.

Animal and plant world

The flora of Jordan is extremely poor, which is typical for a desert state. Grass cover in semi-desert areas appears only with the winter rainy season. Only the north-western part of the country, which is relatively comfortable in terms of climatic conditions, can boast of shrub vegetation of the Mediterranean type. The fauna of the region is represented by typical desert inhabitants: striped hyenas, steppe lynxes and foxes. It is also possible to meet several types of gazelle. Of the other animals, various lizards and small desert birds are abundant.

Climate

Most of the country is in a dry desert sharply continental climate. Only along the western borders is it more similar to the Mediterranean subtropical. Save Jordan from unbearable heat fairly constant westerly winds. But hot air currents from the Arabian Peninsula are not uncommon. The average temperature in the western and northwestern part of the country rarely drops below 8 0 C in winter, and varies from 25 to 30 0 C in summer. The desert regions are, of course, much hotter. The average annual rainfall in Jordan is extremely low. In the north-west of the country, it can still reach 400 mm per year, while in the rest of the territory it will not even reach 100 mm.

Map of Jordan with cities. Administrative division of the country

The Kingdom of Jordan is divided into 12 governorates. This is a common administrative-territorial unit in Arab countries. At the same time, up to 85% of the population of Jordan lives in the north-west of the country, and less than 2% of the inhabitants live in the largest region of Maan, which occupies a third of the country's area. The map of Jordan with cities in Russian directly demonstrates this feature, which is classic for desert states.

Amman is the capital and largest city of the country. About 25% of Jordanians live in it, and the Amman agglomeration has concentrated almost 80% of the country's population. This is a major industrial center of the Middle East, located on one of the key oil transportation hubs.

A small town is located 35 kilometers north of the capital Ajlun, famous for the castle of Kalat ar-Rabat. This 12th century fortress is considered a gem of Muslim medieval architecture. Near the city is also located the largest botanical garden in the region.

Jordan's only port is the city Aqaba. It is both commercial and tourist centre country. It is noteworthy that the flag set in the city port is considered the largest in the world.

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