HAIFA, CESAREA, AND MEGGIDO

Friday, we were up VERY early (4:30 AM) to leave the hotel by 5:45 AM.  An annual foot race in Tiberias started at 7 AM, and the streets would be closed.  I did manage to get about 4 hours' sleep.  And, the coffee here is strong.  Mega caffeine.  My kind of start to the day!!

An hour on the bus gave me time for a small nap.  We arrived in Haifa, a port city on the Mediterranean around 6:45 AM.  We visited a Baha'i shrine for the Bab.  It was a beautiful building surrounded by acres of incredible gardens situated on one of the best hillside pieces of real estate in Haifa. The view of the harbor was incredible.  From here, we could see to Lebanon.  It was too early to go inside.  After getting back on the bus, it occurred to me that this stop was likely to kill some time before our next stop.  Although it had nothing to do with our pilgrimage, it was, nonetheless, a beautiful site.

Was this Elijah's cave?  No one knows for sure

On to the Stella Maris monastery above the cave of Elijah.  Located at the tip of Mt Carmel where it ends in the Mediterranean, the sea surrounds the West, North, and East shores of this small, but high peninsula.  There are two caves, one much lower and another near the top of the mountain.  It is not known which of these caves in which Elijah lived, but scholars agree that he lived in one of them.

Next, we visited Discalced Carmelite Monastary.  This is high above the Jesreel valley, with views beyond the Sea of Galilee. to Jordan and Syria.  However, our views were short as there were storm clouds, which later brought freezing rain and a bit of snow.  This is the place where Elijah challenged the false prophets to prove their gods by preparing an offering, then praying to their gods for fire.  When their gods failed, Elijah prepared his sacrifice, then prayed to God for fire.  As the fire appeared, God was hailed as the true god and the false prophets (454 of them) were taken down the mountain and slaughtered.

The Theater

On to Caesarea.  Built by Herod the Great between 25 and 13 BCE, it was planned to be a "modern city" and was an ambitious yet remarkable architectural and engineering achievement for the time.  Caesarea included Herod's palace with indoor pool overlooking the sea, a deep sea port created by a massive breakwater, tower, temples, a Hippodrome seating more than 7,000 (I imagined the chariot race of Ben Hur), and a theater seating more than 3500.  Pontius Pilate was here before taking his post in Jerusalem.  Paul was imprisoned here before being taken to Rome for trial.  Much of the city has been destroyed by earthquake, occupying forces, and decay.

Cornice with cross.  Likely came from Byzantine
occupation of Caesarea

I am impressed with the ingenuity of ancient architects and engineers, while also being moved by the inequities and atrocities that took place in that time.  While taking in this wondrous site,  my mind reflected on the terrorist attacks in Paris, and thought:  Are the societies and governments of today so truly different and improved from the time of Jesus?  While we have advanced in technology and, we believe, improving the human condition, .... as a people, are we really still feeding upon each other and suppressing the human spirit?










Water was provided by aqueduct, bringing spring water from the base of Mt. Carmel, more than 6 miles away.







Megiddo is an ancient city that was destroyed and rebuilt 25 times from about 4,000 BCE until about 300 BCE, when it was abandoned.  (Side note:  the worst lunch I have had in recent memory .... Maybe our chicken and falafel were gathered from the ruins???)  It was a strategically important city on the crossroads of major trade routes leading from North/South from Egypt to Europe and East to Mesopotamia.  The earliest Biblical mention of Megiddo is in the Book of Joshua.  The Bible refers to Megiddo as Armageddon, the place of the final conflict.  There are remnants of what is believed to be King Solomon's stables.  King Solomon credited for the construction of a tunnel to provide water from outside the city, thereby strengthening resistance to invading forces.  Although the rain had turned to sleet/snow, we braved the cold to go through the tunnel.  Remarkable!!

Church of the Annunciation

In Nazareth, we visited the Church of Joseph and the Church of the Annunciation (honoring Mary).  Both churches contained caves, as it is likely that Mary and Joseph lived in caves.  Noticing the contrast between the simplicity of the caves and the ornate paintings, artwork, stain glass, and treasures, I wondered how Jesus would react to seeing His mother and father honored in such lavish fashion.  Would He be pleased?  Or would He be enraged as when He turned the tables at the temple?  Honoring Mary and Joseph in this manner is, no doubt, moving to many pilgrims.  There is a certain reverence and humility that one feels in these places.  But, could the time and treasures spent on these temples, cathedrals, and shrines be better used to take care of others?  Or, am I blaspheming? (I had similar thoughts when visiting the massive and ornate cathedrals in Europe).

Back to our hotel by 5 PM.  It was another whirlwind, and a long, cold, wet day.  I needed out of my soaked shoes and a beer....or two...or more.  Fellowship in the lobby, dinner, then sleep.  Tomorrow, we journey to Jerusalem.