Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Nazareth, Cana

  Caesarea, Israel
Wednesday, November 5, 2008

After breakfast at the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv, we loaded the bus and headed north along the coast.  Our first stop was Caesarea, a seaport on the Mediterranean built by King Herod the Great in 20 B.C. and named after Caesar Augustus.  It was one of the most spendid cities of the ancient world and was the capital of the Roman province of Judea for 600 years.  Caesarea was the official residence of governors, including Pontius Pilate. Here we toured the Roman theatre

Roman Theatre

  and enjoyed spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Mediterranean Sea

From Caesarea we drove to Mukhraka on Mount Carmel where the prophet Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to prove whose god was more powerful.

Statue of Elijah in the courtyard

A Carmelite monastery, built in 1886, marks the traditional site of the contest.  The modern city of Haifa is at the foot of Mt. Carmel.


"Solomon's Chariot City", Megiddo, in ancient times was an important city of north central Palestine.  It guarded the western branch of a narrow pass and important trade routes which connected Egypt and Assyria.  "Armageddon" (Rev. 16:16) is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name "Har Megiddo" - "the hill of Megiddo".   Here we visited the site of 21 superimposed layers of civilization and walked through a water tunnel system. 

Megiddo uncovered

..."the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth... And the angel...said unto her, fear not Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus."  Luke 1:26-31.

In Nazareth we exchanged money, shopped, and enjoyed coffee and delicious Baklava.

Baklava in Nazareth

  As we left the city on our way to Cana, I caught a glimpse of Mary's well which, unfortunately, I did not photograph.




"This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."  John 2:11    It was in Cana that Jesus performed His first miracle, changing water into wine at a wedding where He, His mother and disciples were guests.  

Cana

The Franciscan Church of the Miracle, which was built in 1879 over the ruins of a sixth century sanctuary, is the site of the village synagogue where the wedding is believed to have taken place.   

Church of the Miracle