Ein Kerem

This morning we visited the picturesque village of Ein Kerem which is nestled in a green valley on the outskirts of greater northwest Jerusalem.

The first two stops of today's outing are significant for all Christians. The first was to the Visitation Church situated half way up the western slope of the valley. The Church of the Visitation is at the location of Mary and Elizabeth's visit. In the Gospel of Luke we read that a pregnant Mary went to visit her older cousin Elizabeth who was also with child. When Mary greeted Elizabeth the unborn child inside Elizabeth leaped in response to the greeting. The familiar scripture passage we call the "Magnificat" or "Mary's Song" by tradition was uttered by Mary during this visit.

In the church courtyard stands a wonderfully modern sculpture of expectant Mary greeting a very pregnant Elizabeth.

Inside the grotto below the church santuary is a rock behind which legend tells us that Elizabeth hid with her infant son John (the Baptist) to escape the Roman soldiers carrying out the orders of Herod who decreed that all male babies under the age of two should be killed.

The church sanctuary has the most feminine character I have ever seen, especially for a Catholic Church. Mary is most definitely the prominent figure thoughout.




Our next stop took us to St. John's Church, also in Ein Kerem, which as the name suggests is the church that marks the location of the birth of John the Baptist, the son son of Elizabeth and Zechariah.



A marble relief on the floor beneath the altar marks the place of John's birth in the home of his parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah.




Also located in the village of Ein Kerem is a water source called "Mary's Spring" which is said to have begun to flow at the moment Mary greet Elizabeth and the baby lept inside Elizabeth. Here, my friend Hugh finds the water refreshingly cool.






After a brief stop for capacinno we continued to the Hadassah Medical Centre, a major hospital for Jerusalem and the surrounding area providing world class medical care to all who pass through the doors. Located in the Hadassah Hospital are the world famous "Chagall Windows," twelve in all created by Marc Chagall a French artist for the hospital's synagogue.