Page 14 - Holyland Magazine - Catholic Edition 2014
P. 14
O ver the past ifteen years, large-scale of fascinating evidence for Old and New
and impressive archaeological excavations
have been conducted on the eastern hill of Testament stories. A new tour route has
recently been opened, enabling visitors to
Ancient Jerusalem that lies to the south of view irsthand the site of the miracle of Jesus
the Temple Mount, which is identiied as the healing the blind man at the Pool of Siloam
site of the City of David from biblical times. (John 9:7), remains of the ancient church
The excavations have uncovered a wealth of Siloam built by the Byzantine Empress
Eudocia, and impressive inds from the period
of the famed Christian Emperor Heraclius,
renowned for restoring the True Cross to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
This exciting tour in the footsteps of the
early Christian scriptures begins at the Pool
of Siloam, at the southern end of the City of
David. Hills rising up on both sides create a
deep ravine known by its ancient name: the
Tyropoeon Valley. The lower part of the main
valley was well suited for the storage of water,
and it was here that a large pool was built to
collect the waters from the Gihon Spring as
well as the rainwater running down from the
surrounding hills. It was probably here that
From King Hezekiah installed the pool into which
the Gihon waters lowed, in the famous tunnel
hewn out on the eve of the Assyrian siege.
David The remains of the ancient pools were
removed by the builders of the magniicent
pool rebuilt here by Herod in Jesus’ time.
to
At the entrance to the site, steps can be seen
leading to a large square pool (which covered
New discoveries and new
Jesus about 3,000 square meters, or 0.75 acres,
understanding of ancient Jerusalem
in the Second Temple period), which has still
only been partially excavated.
This is the famous pool where Jesus
performed one of only two miracles within
mentioned in the New Testament (John, 9:7)
By Shahar Shilo the city of Jerusalem. The Pool of Siloam is
Photos: courtesy of City of David Archive as the place visited by the blind man whom
Jesus blessed, in which he washed the dirt
from his face and eyes and was cured of his
blindness. The second miracle performed
by Jesus in Jerusalem is the healing of the
crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda (John,
5:1–13); according to the New Testament,
therefore, only two miracles were performed
by Jesus in the city of Jerusalem itself at that
time. It is interesting to compare the story
of David’s conquest of Jerusalem with the
entrance by Jesus—who was descended
from the house of David—into the city of
Jerusalem one thousand years later. Here, at
the Pool of Siloam, we may recall the words
of the city’s Jebusite king to the young David
as he attempted to capture the city, “These
said to David, ‘You will not get in here. The
blind and the lame will hold you of.’ (That
is to say: David will never get in here.)”
(Samuel II, 5:6). King David had to remove
the blind and the lame by force in order to
ight his way onwards to capture the city. One
thousand years were to pass before Jesus,
Remains of the Byzantine Pool of
14 Siloam in the City of David
and impressive archaeological excavations
have been conducted on the eastern hill of Testament stories. A new tour route has
recently been opened, enabling visitors to
Ancient Jerusalem that lies to the south of view irsthand the site of the miracle of Jesus
the Temple Mount, which is identiied as the healing the blind man at the Pool of Siloam
site of the City of David from biblical times. (John 9:7), remains of the ancient church
The excavations have uncovered a wealth of Siloam built by the Byzantine Empress
Eudocia, and impressive inds from the period
of the famed Christian Emperor Heraclius,
renowned for restoring the True Cross to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
This exciting tour in the footsteps of the
early Christian scriptures begins at the Pool
of Siloam, at the southern end of the City of
David. Hills rising up on both sides create a
deep ravine known by its ancient name: the
Tyropoeon Valley. The lower part of the main
valley was well suited for the storage of water,
and it was here that a large pool was built to
collect the waters from the Gihon Spring as
well as the rainwater running down from the
surrounding hills. It was probably here that
From King Hezekiah installed the pool into which
the Gihon waters lowed, in the famous tunnel
hewn out on the eve of the Assyrian siege.
David The remains of the ancient pools were
removed by the builders of the magniicent
pool rebuilt here by Herod in Jesus’ time.
to
At the entrance to the site, steps can be seen
leading to a large square pool (which covered
New discoveries and new
Jesus about 3,000 square meters, or 0.75 acres,
understanding of ancient Jerusalem
in the Second Temple period), which has still
only been partially excavated.
This is the famous pool where Jesus
performed one of only two miracles within
mentioned in the New Testament (John, 9:7)
By Shahar Shilo the city of Jerusalem. The Pool of Siloam is
Photos: courtesy of City of David Archive as the place visited by the blind man whom
Jesus blessed, in which he washed the dirt
from his face and eyes and was cured of his
blindness. The second miracle performed
by Jesus in Jerusalem is the healing of the
crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda (John,
5:1–13); according to the New Testament,
therefore, only two miracles were performed
by Jesus in the city of Jerusalem itself at that
time. It is interesting to compare the story
of David’s conquest of Jerusalem with the
entrance by Jesus—who was descended
from the house of David—into the city of
Jerusalem one thousand years later. Here, at
the Pool of Siloam, we may recall the words
of the city’s Jebusite king to the young David
as he attempted to capture the city, “These
said to David, ‘You will not get in here. The
blind and the lame will hold you of.’ (That
is to say: David will never get in here.)”
(Samuel II, 5:6). King David had to remove
the blind and the lame by force in order to
ight his way onwards to capture the city. One
thousand years were to pass before Jesus,
Remains of the Byzantine Pool of
14 Siloam in the City of David
