Holy Land Pilgrimage 4

On Monday, 10/24, we headed up to Mt. Tabor, the scene of the Transfiguration.  The buses cannot go to the top because the road is too narrow so you have to take a taxi.  I was the only one in the group who decided to hike up to the top. I was told that it is at least a 40 minute hike and that we were scheduled for Morning Prayer and Mass at 9am.  It was 8:34am.  I made it up by 9:04 and was sweaty but not late for prayers.  They had just beat me by a few minutes with the taxis.

Elijah

Side chapels

View from the road toward the top.

The outside of the church was amazing also.

This was underneath the main sanctuary to give the idea of this world and above is the view of heaven.

St. Francis at the Cross.

 About ten guys decided to hike down the road. Below you see some of the thorns if you got off the road.  It took them 35 minutes to hike down, five more than it took me to go up.  I was working to keep up though, because I was still working on my calling.

"Pick up the trash and walk."

From there we went to Tabgha, the place of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.  The Benedictines are adding on to the existing structure so this is the construction zone.

We couldn't get close to this mosaic of the loaves and fishes.

As you can see, it was a light day for tourists.  Most of the Galilee area was like this.  Once we got to Jerusalem it was a different story.

Then it was time for lunch at the Tanureen Restaurant.  Some had Peter's fish to eat.  As usual it is done whole so you can check to see if there is a coin in its mouth.

I had had that fish before so I ordered the mutton kabob.

 In NofGinosar? museum is the boat they found and preserved from the first century that would have been similar to the ones the apostle fishermen would have used.

I personally liked this one better.  The group went on a cruise on a large motor boat that could hold fifty or more.  I wanted a little more activity so I found an opportunity to kayak on the Sea of Galilee.

 These are displays in the museum showing different scenes of Galilee.

 Then we went up higher on the Mount of Beatitudes to the Domus Galilaeae, which is a more authentic spot for Jesus to have preached the Sermon on the Mount.  It is a very nice place that houses about thirty seminarians that come for a year or two to learn biblical languages and also serve as tour guides to improve their skills.  It also has become a place for young men who have gotten into trouble with the law and helps them to get back on the right track by giving them good role models, good work to do and distance from bad influences for a while.

The prayer chapel

We had a great sunset as we were getting a tour of the place.

Each of these roofs is over a room for the seminarians.  It overlooks the Sea of Galilee.

 These are the outside view of the rooms for visitors or pilgrims who want to stay here for study or just time in Galilee.  We were invited to come back with friends.

The last of three olive trees that were 2000 years old.  They almost killed this one also because they were watering the lawn and olive trees are not used to moist conditions.  But this is a likely spot for Jesus to have given the Sermon on the Mount.

This is what the whole place looks like.

The pope had Mass here for 100,000 people in 2000.

This is what the front looks like after dark.  Then it was back to our own Guest House for the night.