Tag: Christianity
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Holy Lands Tour Final Stop: Cairo
It’s already late afternoon. The route to our next stop, St. Simon the Tanner Cathedral, skirts through narrow and congested streets. Our bus is too large to pass here, so the group is divided into two taxi vans, kind of like the UV Express in the Philippines but slightly larger. We drive through piles of…
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Holy Lands Tour: Jericho
Our group sets off at about 11 am, and as we leave Mount of Olives, the landscape opens to the arid expanse of the Judean Desert. It’s the Shabbat as well, and Jews aren’t allowed to drive on this day, so the highways are almost empty. About an hour later, we stop at a roadside…
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Holy Lands Tour: Jerusalem
Jerusalem—it’s complicated. Claimed as a capital by both Israelis and Palestinians, it holds deep religious importance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, making it a focal point of longstanding conflicts. The city is divided into East and West Jerusalem, with East Jerusalem, including the Old City, being considered by Palestinians as the capital of a future…
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Holy Lands Tour: Bethlehem
Bethlehem is both the birthplace of Jesus and a city of profound spiritual significance. Yet, beyond the nativity story, Bethlehem is also a place shaped by resilience, conflict, and history. As we cross the Israeli separation barrier into the Palestinian-controlled city, we are met with stark contrasts: ancient stone churches standing alongside walls covered in…
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Holy Lands Tour: Qasr al-Yahud
As we draw closer to the checkpoint to cross the border to the West Bank, Iad provides a bit of background and explains the security process. “This checkpoint is one of several that manage entry into the West Bank,’ he begins, keeping his tone calm and reassuring. “Just show your passports and your entry permits–the…
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Holy Lands Tour: The Lower Galilee Region
After breakfast the next morning, we leave our hotel in Nazareth and drive about 17 kilometers southeast to Mount Tabor. The mountain is identified in the Bible as the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus, where he was transformed and appeared alongside Moses and Elijah, as described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.…
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Holy Lands Tour: The Sea of Galilee’s Northwestern Shore
Early the next morning, we depart for the Sheikh Hussein Bridge, one of the main entry points for travelers moving between Jordan and Israel. The Jordan part of our tour has concluded, and we’re now heading to one of the world’s most high-tension areas. It’s an overall disconcerting feeling, although aside from a random security…
The Tourist Gaze 