Tracing the footsteps of Christ
“You can’t go to Israel and return the same,” is the way Reverend Mercy Mends, a Senior Pastor of the Action Chapel International (ACI), summed up her pilgrimage to Israel to trace the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
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For many Christians, it is a place to hold sacred but its incredible history, religious architecture and dramatic landscape make it a must see.
The spiritual journey to the Holy Land rolls you back as far enough to trace the footprints of Jesus Christ from his birthplace to where he last breathed and other places of Biblical importance.
Whether in Bethlehem where Jesus Christ is a whole industry, even among Muslims, through Jerusalem, the most revered place in the world for Christians, Jews and very significant for Muslims, through the bare and bloomy Judaean Desert to Jericho where Jesus was tempted after his 40 days and nights of fasting and baptism in River Jordan, each moment opens up the reality of the Bible and significantly lays myths to rest. The culture of preservation and protection of heritage sites is noteworthy.
That was the feeling during a recent pilgrimage to Israel. The trip was organised by One People Travels, a travel and tour agency, in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines, Krif Ghana and the Action Chapel International (ACI).
Places visited
The 21 pilgrims made up of pastors of the ACI and a team of journalists walked through the Shepherds Field, where angels announced the birth of Christ to a group of shepherds, and the Church of Nativity, the exact spot Jesus was born, both in Bethlehem; the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, the Room of the Last Supper, the Stations of the Cross, the Tomb of Christ, the birthplace of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the Wailing Wall, all in Jerusalem, a sacred place for Jews and highly favoured among Christians; the Mount of Temptation in Jericho, the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptised, and the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.
This tomb at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem where there are theories that Christ was buried. The real site also exist.
Other places the group visited included the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. The place Jesus fed the 5,000 people with five loads of bread and two fish, Nazareth, and where the remains of the house where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary stands protected under the canopy of a giant church—The Church of Annunciation.
Then there is house the holy family lived where evidence suggests that Joseph, Jesus father, was a building contractor and not a carpenter—a fact believed to have been lost in Bible translation. Also interesting is Capernaum—a town known to believers as the ‘Town of Jesus’ where the ruins of the house of Peter, a disciple of Christ, still stands.
The group also toured Mount Carmel, where Prophet Elijah defeated Baal’s prophets in the fire contest, and Caesarea, where an aqueduct built by King Herod to convey water to his people still stands.
The Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed with his disciples the night before he was
Attractive package
The Business Development Manager of One People Travel, Mr Victor Satuh, said the trip was like stepping on the footprints of Christ.
“We wanted the pastors to familiarise themselves with the Holy Land. The Holy Land is where Jesus Christ was born; and he is the central pillar of the faith of Christianity.
You can actually see the places he walked and pray at the places he prayed. In partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, we have well-planned packages for Christians who want to fulfil this spiritual exercise.”
The Public Relations Consultant to Ethiopian Airlines in West Africa, Mr Ikechi Uko, shared similar views and said through the partnership with One People Travel, the airline would continue to offer attractive packages to Christians who want to experience the thrills and the sanctity of the Holy Land.
Our reporter, Seth J. Bokpe standing underneath the Mount of Temptation in Jericho. This is where Christ was tempted by the devil after 40 days and nights of