The Wailing or Western Wall

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
(1 Kings 6.1)
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid. (Ezra 6)

King David conquered Mt Ophel and made the city of Jerusalem the religious and politcal centre of Israel. Solomon (965-928) with the help of Hiram of Tyre built the magnificent temple that became the centre of Jewish worship. The temple is said to be on the site of Mt Moriah where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac (18th cent BC?). Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed this building in 587BC but rebuilt in 516 and again by Herod in 37-34. It was here Jesus cast out the money lenders. The Temple was finally destroyed by the Romans in 70AD (as predicted by Jesus) and is now the site of a slendid mosque. The Western or Wailing Wall is the most signifiant remnant of the great Temple.

Mount Carmel

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18 19-20)

At the ‘Pace of Burning’ on the highest point of this twelve mile ridge near Haifa, this was the place where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and won. At the foot is the river Kishon where the losers were put to death with the other followers of Jezebel. Centuries later the order of Carmelites was founded here.

If you would like to folow the people of Israel into virtual exile to Babylon, use the link below.

Church of the Nativity

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (Luke 2:4-8)


This small town was the home of Ruth (there is a ‘Field of Boaz’ in Beit Sahur) and of the young David (later king) who kept sheep on the nearby hills. There is evidence that the site of the nativity was sacred to Christians as early as 135AD when Hadrian deliberately built a pagan temple on top of it. It was probably a private house rather than an inn that was involved and the stable may have been the lower part of such a building.
The Church of the nativity in Manger Square is extremely ancient. It was build by Justinian in the sixth century and restored by the crusaders in the 1160s. It has a door 4 feet high to stop Muslims riding in on their horses. In the Grotto a silver star marks the spot with the words ‘hic de virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est’.

There are ‘Shepherd’s Fields’ and a grotto and the monastery of Theodosius marks the cave where the magi are said to have rested. The holy family is said to have hidden in the Grotto of the Milk
For more on the Star of Behlehem use the link below or these sites:
http://sciastro.net/portia/articles/thestar.htm
http://www.griffithobs.org/IPSChristmasErrors.html
http://www.bethlehemstar.net/
http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/bethstar.htm

Here Jesus was tempted by the Devil
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Mat 4.1)

Near Jericho and over 1000 feet high is a mountain riddled with caves - later the homes of hermits - and it is here that Jesus is said to have been tempted by the Devil. There is a monastery and, on the summit, ruins of a Greek church.

The Mount of Beatitudes and Sea of Galilee
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim (Matt 4.12-13)

In the area around the Sea of Galilee took place many biblical events - calling the disciples, walking on the water, stilling the storm etc. the sea itself is 12 miles long and 8 miles wide and often quite turbulent. Magdala is near here, as is Tabgha - scene of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes - and nearby The Mount of Beatitudes slopes down to the water. This was the scene of the Sermon on the Mount.

It was at Capernaum that Jesus was based after leaving Nazareth, living in the house of St Peter, whose mother-in-law He healed. Archaeologists have found remains of fishermen’s houses dating back to the 1st century BC ad one of these has a strong claim to be Peter's. Also found there are remains of a synagogue (c400AD) almost certainly on the site of the one Jesus taught in.
(Matt 4.13, 8.14 , Mk 1.32, Mat 5))


Pictures of Capernaum are available on

http://www.bibleplaces.com/capernaum.htm

or use the link below for a more detailed site.

Jerusalem - St Anne’s Church / Bethesda Pool

John 5
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Near to the Lion Gate (also called St Stephen’s after the martyrdom commemorated by a chapel - Acts 7.58) is St. Anne’s Church (built by Queen Avra in 1142) which is said to be the site of Mary’s childhood home and contains a grotto where she was supposedly born. Next to this site is the pool with an intermittent spring, also called the Sheep Pool, where a man crippled for 38 years was healed (John 5 1-9). Near here, along Lion Gate Street, starts the Via Dolorosa.


http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/nes266/page16.htm

Via Dolorosa

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. ... And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. (Matt 27)



This ‘Street of Sorrows’ was designated in the 18th century as the route Jesus took after his condemnation by Pontius Pilate. Each Friday monks lead a procession taking in all 14 ‘stations’ (some Biblical, others traditional), though they should not be regarded as strictly accurate historic sites in every case (the present route dates from the 19th century). The street level and route have changed, though the start (at the Antonia fortress) and end (Golgotha) are correct. Near the ‘Ecce Homo’ Arch (named so because Pilate brought Jesus out here but only built in 135AD) it is possible to visit the Convent of Sion and the Lithostroton, or pavement on which Pilate sat in judgement and on which can be seen marks from soldiers’ games. Near here (station II) Jesus received the cross.

Jerusalem - Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Luke 23
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.


Built on Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion, this is probably the holiest of all Christian sites. It is a medium sized church (dating from 1149) on a site originally outside the walls and was known as the site of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection since the very earliest times. It was on this site that the ‘true cross’ was was supposedly found (see Reliquary). The church is shared by various denominations and is under restoration. The two focal points are the chapels on Calvary and, in the Rotunda, the Sepulchre itself, with a ‘stone of unction’ nearby. On Easter eve the Greek patriarch symbolises the resurrection by lighting holy fire. A chapel houses the stone the angel sat on.

Jerusalem - Garden Tomb


The Burial of Jesus

57As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. (Matt 27.57-60)



Some Protestant authorities claim that this is the real tomb but the evidence seems against it. Whatever the case, it probably gives a good impression of what the tomb originally looked like.

Jerusalem - Mount of Olives

Matthew 26
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Here at the foot of the mount can be seen the ‘Tomb of the Virgin’ (one of several!) with a Grotto of the Death Agony adjoining the putative Garden of Gethsemane (the name means ‘oil-press’ and there are a number of old gnarled olive trees as well as a modern church in which can be seen the ‘rock of Agony’).


Nearby are the ‘tombs of the prophets’ (Haggai and Malachi) - this is where the Jews expect the Last Judgement to take place. For this reason there is a large and ancient cemetery in the Kidron Valley. In the village of Et-Tur is the Ascension Chapel, near to the place Jesus ascended to heaven. It was near here that Jesus wept over the city on Palm Sunday. Also on the mount are Jacob’s Grotto and the tomb of Zachariah

St Peter's Church


Second only to the Holy Land as a place of pilgrimage Rome has enough to keep the religious person (even non-Catholics) occupied for years! It is possible to attend a Papal audience or simply wander in awe around the historic places and artistic treasures inspired over centuries by people’s faith in God. The main attraction is St. Peter’s, built originally by Constantine over the tomb of the great Fisherman. The exact location of his remains is controversial - it was probably necessary to move them during times of persecution. Most of the present church is renaissance but more authentically ancient remains can be found by visiting some of the catacombs or underground cemeteries used by early Christians for worship and burials, though not as places of refuge.

Holywell



For those who would like to visit a traditional place of pilgrimage in Britain there are many to chose from, some more authentic and worthy than others. Glastonbury claims to have been visited by Joseph of Arimathea (though some give that honour to the Wirral), Canterbury has Thomas a Becket and there are countless places in Wales and Scotland associated with Celtic saints, of which Iona is the most significant. The north of England boasts Durham and Lindisfarne while East Anglia has Walsingham.



One place well worth a visit (for historical if not religious reasons) is Holywell in North Wales. As well as the holy spring itself there is a beautiful chapel and a legend about a headless princess called St. Winifrede.