Page 54 - Holyland Magazine - 2015 edition
P. 54
Dir Rafat Monastery.
Photos: Eyal Shapira
After the Second Temple was destroyed in adorned the ancient church
70 CE, Emperor Titus built a city here, which on this site – a wonderful
way of expressing Christian
he named Nicopolis. Later, when the city
became Christian, a large church was built continuity in this land. A dark
here, and it became famous. An earthquake burial cave under the church
in the year 499 stopped up the hot springs is believed to hold the bones
and over the years, the city declined. of Rabbi Gamaliel and his
son, Habib.
In 1927, a monastery and an inn were built
here, but the site was generally closed to In 1989, new life was
visitors. Over the past few years it has been breathed into this place
reopened, with visitors holding prayers and when a new convent was
built to house nuns of the
Bible study against the backdrop of the
impressive Byzantine church. The site also order of the Little Sisters of
Bethlehem. The design is
has a small archaeological museum and
shop, and Roman mosaics are on display. modernist and Spartan, and
the visit is unforgettable,
A very special community of monks and nuns especially if you have a
from all over the world now lives at Emmaus, chance to speak with the
where they have built a beautiful chapel. Most sisters. Visitors can also see
a short ilm that describes the
are relatively young, and see their mission
sisters’ daily life. A charming
as working and praying for understanding
among all faiths. shop ofers wine, olive oil
and the stunning ceramics
produced by the nuns.
Beit Jimal
Some 130 years ago, Italian monks of the
Salesian order established this picturesque Deir Raf’at
monastery at the top of the hill overlooking the A few kilometers west of
city of Beit Shemesh, where Rabbi Gamaliel, Beit Shemesh, but light
teacher of the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:3), was years away from a modern
said to have had his home and farm. urban experience of the 21st
century, is the monastery
of Deir Raf‘at. The name,
A narrow, winding road climbs to the site,
which in Arabic means
passing through beautiful, quiet olive groves. “monastery of mercy,”
The large gate, opposite a pleasant pine
preserves the name of the
grove, will lead you to what seems no less village that once stood near here. Built in
Within the church, the walls and ceiling are
than the perfect combination of beautiful covered with the words Ave Maria – the words
1926 by the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem,
architecture, well-kept gardens, a captivating the monastery is inhabited by Italian nuns
with which the Angel Gabriel greeted Mary
view and a welcoming atmosphere. Behind from the Order of St. Dorothy. A courtyard, (Luke 1:28) – in hundreds of languages and
the monastery stands a church, built in dialects.
shaded by aromatic old pine trees, overlooks
the 1930s over the remains of a Byzantine cultivated ields and rolling hills. These are
church. The balcony next to it ofers a lovely the same ields where thousands of years These four monasteries, each on or near
view of the surrounding hills. ago the Israelites were harvesting their
a signiicant biblical site, bring greetings to
modern Christian visitors on an of-the-beaten-
wheat when they looked up and saw the
cart bearing the Ark of the Covenant coming
The church walls have been decorated track adventure that is just a 20-minute ride
with sections of original mosaic that once back from Philistine captivity (1 Sam. 6:13). from Jerusalem.
54
Photos: Eyal Shapira
After the Second Temple was destroyed in adorned the ancient church
70 CE, Emperor Titus built a city here, which on this site – a wonderful
way of expressing Christian
he named Nicopolis. Later, when the city
became Christian, a large church was built continuity in this land. A dark
here, and it became famous. An earthquake burial cave under the church
in the year 499 stopped up the hot springs is believed to hold the bones
and over the years, the city declined. of Rabbi Gamaliel and his
son, Habib.
In 1927, a monastery and an inn were built
here, but the site was generally closed to In 1989, new life was
visitors. Over the past few years it has been breathed into this place
reopened, with visitors holding prayers and when a new convent was
built to house nuns of the
Bible study against the backdrop of the
impressive Byzantine church. The site also order of the Little Sisters of
Bethlehem. The design is
has a small archaeological museum and
shop, and Roman mosaics are on display. modernist and Spartan, and
the visit is unforgettable,
A very special community of monks and nuns especially if you have a
from all over the world now lives at Emmaus, chance to speak with the
where they have built a beautiful chapel. Most sisters. Visitors can also see
a short ilm that describes the
are relatively young, and see their mission
sisters’ daily life. A charming
as working and praying for understanding
among all faiths. shop ofers wine, olive oil
and the stunning ceramics
produced by the nuns.
Beit Jimal
Some 130 years ago, Italian monks of the
Salesian order established this picturesque Deir Raf’at
monastery at the top of the hill overlooking the A few kilometers west of
city of Beit Shemesh, where Rabbi Gamaliel, Beit Shemesh, but light
teacher of the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:3), was years away from a modern
said to have had his home and farm. urban experience of the 21st
century, is the monastery
of Deir Raf‘at. The name,
A narrow, winding road climbs to the site,
which in Arabic means
passing through beautiful, quiet olive groves. “monastery of mercy,”
The large gate, opposite a pleasant pine
preserves the name of the
grove, will lead you to what seems no less village that once stood near here. Built in
Within the church, the walls and ceiling are
than the perfect combination of beautiful covered with the words Ave Maria – the words
1926 by the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem,
architecture, well-kept gardens, a captivating the monastery is inhabited by Italian nuns
with which the Angel Gabriel greeted Mary
view and a welcoming atmosphere. Behind from the Order of St. Dorothy. A courtyard, (Luke 1:28) – in hundreds of languages and
the monastery stands a church, built in dialects.
shaded by aromatic old pine trees, overlooks
the 1930s over the remains of a Byzantine cultivated ields and rolling hills. These are
church. The balcony next to it ofers a lovely the same ields where thousands of years These four monasteries, each on or near
view of the surrounding hills. ago the Israelites were harvesting their
a signiicant biblical site, bring greetings to
modern Christian visitors on an of-the-beaten-
wheat when they looked up and saw the
cart bearing the Ark of the Covenant coming
The church walls have been decorated track adventure that is just a 20-minute ride
with sections of original mosaic that once back from Philistine captivity (1 Sam. 6:13). from Jerusalem.
54
