Our days always begin with prayers, Bible readings, and lives of the Saints of the day, followed by comments on the days readings. As we set out this morning for the wilderness where the Devil tempted Christ, we were prepared for new experiences in the land of the Lord, experiences that would help us feel nearer to Him. We already knew to expect goosebumps and feel ever more humbled. Sights of the Judean Desert, Bedouins, and camels and continuous historical and Biblical accounts from our guide accompanied us on the ride.
In our travels through Jericho, we first stopped at the Greek Orthodox Church of Zaccheas and saw the oldest sycamore tree in the world, which was planted almost 1,600 years ago in commemoration of his meeting with Jesus. Inside we received explanations of some of the icons there that related to the story.
Approaching the Mount of Temptation Monastery, we saw the caves in the side of the mountains, where the monks used to fast for forty days before entering the Monastery. Inside a room, we were most blessed to see, touch, feel, kiss, pray by the rock that tradition holds Jesus may have sat upon and fasted for forty days in this wilderness.
An arduous path led us up to St. George Monastery, originally the Church of St. Mary, within which lie the relics of St. John of Romania. It was so special and pleasurable to be able to talk with three monks there, one Serbian, one Greek, and an American from San Francisco, who'd been converted to Orthodoxy at the Russian Church in the city. They served us cool beverages and warmed our hearts as they stood waving good-bye from a terrace almost all the way down the mountain.
The day ended with a dip in the Dead Sea. Floating no matter what we did in the water and everybody slapping the black mineral-laden mud on his skin, we thought we were all healthier and beautiful. It was fun, and we were all relaxed. Another day was conquered, and the Pilgrims were far from divided!
