A Guide to Religion and Faith in Jordan Ahlan Wa Sahlan Welcome to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, founded by carved from rock over 2000 years ago, it also offers much more King Abdullah I, and currently ruled by King Abdullah II son of for the modern traveller, from the Jordan Valley, fertile and ever the late King Hussein. Over the years, Jordan has grown into a changing, to the remote desert canyons, immense and still. stable, peaceful and modern country. Whether you are a thrill seeker, a historian, or you just want to relax, Jordan is the place for you. While Jordan is known for the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, Content Biblical Jordan 2 Bethany Beyond the Jordan 4 Madaba 6 Mount Nebo 8 Mukawir 10 Tall Mar Elias 11 Anjara 11 Pella 12 As-Salt 12 Umm Qays 13 Umm Ar-Rasas 14 Jerash 15 Petra 16 Hisban 17 The Dead Sea & Lot’s Cave 18 Amman 20 Aqaba 21 The King’s Highway 22 Letters of Acknowledgement 23 Itineraries 24 Jordan Tourism Board: Is open Sunday to Thursday (08:00-17:00). 1 BIBLICAL JORDAN The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has proven home to some of the most LQpXHQWLDO%LEOLFDOOHDGHUVRIWKHSDVW$EUDKDP-RE0RVHV5XWK(OLMDK -RKQWKH%DSWLVW-HVXV&KULVWDQG3DXOWRQDPHDIHZ$VWKHRQO\DUHD ZLWKLQ WKH +RO\ /DQG YLVLWHG E\ DOO RI WKHVH JUHDW LQGLYLGXDOV -RUGDQ breathes with the histories recorded in the Holy Bible. 7KURXJK WKH ZRUGV RI WKH SURSKHWV $EUDKDP -RE DQG 0RVHV LQ WKH %LEOH V2OG7HVWDPHQWWKLVODQGLVZKHUH*RGoUVWPDQLIHVWHG+LPVHOI WR PDQ +HUH $GDP DQG (YH PD\ KDYH VWRRG LQ WKH IRUPHU *DUGHQ RI(GHQLQDQDUHDDORQJWKHQRUWKZHVWEDQNRIWKH5LYHU-RUGDQQRZ known as Beysan (Beth-shean). When Cain killed his brother Abel and ZDVEDQLVKHGE\*RGWRWKHDUHDkHDVWRI(GHQyKHPD\ZHOOKDYHVRXJKW VKHOWHU DW RQH RI WKH WKUHH VLWHV HDVW RI WKH 5LYHU -RUGDQ ZKLFK ODWHU become known as the ‘Cities of Refuge’. ,WZDVLQ-RUGDQZKHUHWKHSURSKHW0RVHVMRXUQH\HGZLWKWKH,VUDHOLWHV Aaron’s Tomb where John the Baptist heralded in the New Testament of the Christian IDLWKDQGZKHUH-HVXV&KULVWWKULYHG7KLVVSLULWXDODUHDZDVNQRZQDVWKH k3ODLQVRI0RDEyLQWKH2OG7HVWDPHQWDQGk3HUDHDyLQWKH1HZ7HVWDPHQW ,WVSDQVDZLGHUHDFKIURPWKH(DVWEH\RQGWKHIDPRXVEDSWLVPDOULYHUWR the West on the shores of the Dead Sea. 2 WWW.VISITJORDAN.COM 7UXO\WKHKLVWRU\-RUGDQKROGVLVLPPHQVH7KLV LVZKHUH-DFREZUHVWOHGZLWKWKH$QJHORI*RG ZKHUH/RW VZLIHZDVWXUQHGLQWRDSLOODURIVDOW ZKHUH-REZDVWHVWHGDQGUHZDUGHGIRUKLVIDLWK and where Elijah ascended to heaven. This is the land through which Moses led the Israelites on DID YOU KNOW? In the Book of Genesis, WKHLUpLJKWIURP(J\SWZKHUHKHGHOLYHUHG*RG V God refers to the Jordan /DZ WKH VLWH RI -HVXV EDSWLVP WKH JDWKHULQJ River Valley around the Dead Sea as the JURXQGV RI WKH oUVW GLVFLSOHV DQG ZKHUH WKH “Garden of the Lord,” +RO\ 7ULQLW\ WKH )DWKHU 6RQ DQG +RO\ 6SLULW and it is believed to be the location of the manifested itself. Garden of Eden. ,WLVWKHODQGRIPLUDFOHVZKHUH*RGDSSHDUHGWR WKHSURSKHWVLQWKHIRUPRIZKLUOZLQGVDFORXG RI OLJKW DQ DQJHO RU D YRLFH WKDW FRPPDQGHG them to do His will. Here is where Jesus began KLVoQDOMRXUQH\WR-HUXVDOHP Baptism Site -RUGDQERDVWVVRPHRIWKHZRUOG VHDUOLHVWFKXUFKHVLQFOXGLQJWKHQGRUUG FHQWXU\CSUD\HUKDOO DW%HWKDQ\%H\RQGWKH-RUGDQWKHWKFHQWXU\FKXUFKDW 8PP4D\VDQGWKHUHPDLQVRIZKDWLVEHOLHYHGWREHWKHROGHVWSXUSRVHEXLOW FKXUFKLQWKHZRUOGLQ$TDED7KHWKFHQWXU\%\]DQWLQHFKXUFKRI6W*HRUJHLQ 0DGDEDLVKRPHWRWKHZRUOGUHQRZQHGPRVDLFpRRUPDSRI-HUXVDOHPDQGWKH +RO\/DQG0RVWRIWKH+RO\VLWHVLQ-RUGDQKDYHEHHQLGHQWLoHGDQGH[FDYDWHG and are easily accessible to visitors. 3 BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN 7KHVLWHDFNQRZOHGJHGERWKLQWKH%LEOHDQG%\]DQWLQHDQG0HGLHYDOWH[WVKDV EHHQ LGHQWLoHG WR H[WHQG IURP 7HOO DO.KDUUDU (OLMDK V +LOO 7DOO 0DU (OLDV LQ $UDELF WRWKH-RKQWKH%DSWLVW&KXUFKDUHDRQWKHHDVWHUQEDQNRIWKH5LYHU-RUGDQ Tell al-Kharrar is the same place from which Elijah is believed to have ascended to KHDYHQLQDZKLUOZLQGRQDFKDULRWRIoUH 7KRXJK-HVXV&KULVW VGLYLQLW\ZDVDFNQRZOHGJHGEHIRUHKLVELUWKKHGLGQ WODXQFK his public ministry at Bethany Beyond the Jordan until the age of 30. During his WKUHHGD\VWD\DW%HWKDQ\-HVXVSUD\HGWR*RGIRUWKHoUVWWLPHDQGJDWKHUHGKLV oUVWGLVFLSOHVq6LPRQ3HWHU$QGUHZ3KLOLSDQG1DWKDQDHO %HWKDQ\IRUPHGSDUWRIWKHHDUO\&KULVWLDQSLOJULPDJHURXWHEHWZHHQ-HUXVDOHP WKH-RUGDQ5LYHUDQG0RXQW1HER7RGD\WKHDUHD V$UDELFQDPHLVDO0DJKWDVq 7KH3ODFHRI%DSWLVP,QVWXQQLQJDUFKDHRORJLFDOGLVFRYHULHVLGHQWLoHGWKLV DVWKHH[DFWVLWHZKHUH-RKQKDGEHHQOLYLQJDQGFDUU\LQJRXWKLVEDSWLVPV3RWWHU\ FRLQVVWRQHREMHFWVDQGDUFKLWHFWXUDOUHPDLQVFRQoUPWKHVLWHZDVXVHGLQWKH HDUO\VWFHQWXU\$'GXULQJWKHWLPHRI-HVXVDQG-RKQ Bethany Beyond the Jordan 4 WWW.VISITJORDAN.COM 7KHUGFHQWXU\5RPDQEXLOGLQJGHFRUDWHGZLWKPRVDLFVLVEHOLHYHGWR EHDQHDUO\&KULVWLDQC3UD\HU+DOO qSUREDEO\WKHHDUOLHVWEXLOGLQJIRUWKLV VSHFLoFXVHWRKDYHEHHQLGHQWLoHGDQ\ZKHUHLQWKHZRUOG &ORVHU WR WKH -RUGDQ 5LYHU DUH WKH UHPDLQV RI oYH PHPRULDO FKXUFKHV built by early believers. Records of such churches remained throughout WKH ,VODPLF SHULRGV D VLJQ RI FRQWLQXHG &KULVWLDQ0XVOLP FRH[LVWHQFH in Jordan. Pope John Paul II visited Bethany Beyond the Jordan during his 0DUFKSLOJULPDJHWR-RUGDQDQGWKH+RO\/DQGDQGLWZDVGHVLJQDWHG as a Jubilee Year 2000 pilgrimage site by the Catholic Church in the Middle (DVWDORQJZLWK0RXQW1HER0XNDZLU7DOO0DU(OLDVDQG$QMDUD Directions 7DNHWKH'HDG6HD+LJKZD\:KHQ\RXUHDFKWKH6XZD\PHK,QWHUVHFWLRQ WDNHDULJKWWXUQQRUWKERXQGIROORZLQJWKHVLJQVWRWKHVLWH%HWKDQ\LV around 45 minutes away from Amman. For further details please refer to: www.baptismsite.com Churches at Bethany 5 MADABA .QRZQ LQ WKH 2OG 7HVWDPHQW DV 0HGHED 0DGDED DQG LWV KLQWHUODQGV DUH located in central Jordan. These lands were featured in narratives related to 0RVHVDQGWKH([RGXV'DYLG VZDUDJDLQVWWKH0RDELWHV,VDLDK VRUDFOHDJDLQVW 0RDEDQG.LQJ0HVKDRI0RDE VUHEHOOLRQDJDLQVW,VUDHO 6RPH RI WKH oQHVW DUW RI WKH HDUO\ &KULVWLDQ FHQWXULHV FDQ VWLOO EH VHHQ LQ 0DGDEDDQGLWVVXUURXQGLQJUHJLRQV%HWZHHQWKHWKDQGWKFHQWXULHV$' the prosperous ecclesiastical center of Madaba produced one of the world’s ULFKHVWFROOHFWLRQVRI%\]DQWLQHPRVDLFVPDQ\RIZKLFKDUHZHOOSUHVHUYHG 6HYHUDOFKXUFKpRRUPRVDLFVFDQVWLOOEHVHHQLQWKHLURULJLQDOORFDWLRQVZKLOH others are displayed in the Madaba Archaeological Park. The park houses -RUGDQ V ROGHVW PRVDLF q D VW FHQWXU\ %& pRRU IURP WKH +HURGLDQ SDODFH fortress at Machaerus. Mosaic Detail in Madaba 6 WWW.VISITJORDAN.COM %XW0DGDED VUHDOPDVWHUSLHFHORFDWHGLQWKH2UWKRGR[ &KXUFKRI6DLQW*HRUJHLVWKHWKFHQWXU\$'PRVDLF PDS RI -HUXVDOHP DQG WKH +RO\ /DQG q WKH HDUOLHVW religious map of the Holy Land in any form to survive IURP DQWLTXLW\ $FFRUGLQJO\ 0DGDED LV GXEEHG k7KH &LW\RI0RVDLFVy DID YOU KNOW? In keeping with Jordan’s Directions commitment to restore Take the Airport Highway south from Amman. After and preserve its mosaic masterpieces, Madaba’s DERXW NP WXUQ ZHVWZDUG IROORZLQJ WKH VLJQV extensive Archaeological Madaba is 45 minutes away from Amman. Park and Museum complex encompasses the remains of several Byzantine churches, including the outstanding mosaics of the Church of the Virgin and the Hyppolytus Hall, part of a 6th century mansion. Saint George church 7 MOUNT NEBO 0RXQW1HERMXVWWHQPLQXWHVZHVWRI0DGDEDE\FDUZDVWKHoQDOVWDWLRQ LQ0RVHV KLVWRULFpLJKWIURP(J\SWWRWKH+RO\/DQG0RVHVDQGKLVSHRSOH FDPSHGkLQWKHYDOOH\QHDU%HWKSHRUyDSODFHORQJDVVRFLDWHGZLWKWKHVLWH known today as Ayun Musa (Springs of Moses). 0RXQW1HER VZLQGVZHSWSURPRQWRU\RYHUORRNVWKH'HDG6HDWKH-RUGDQ 5LYHU 9DOOH\-HULFKR DQG WKH GLVWDQW KLOOV RI -HUXVDOHP )URP KHUH 0RVHV viewed the Holy Land of Canaan that he would never enter. He died and was EXULHG LQ 0RDE kLQ WKH YDOOH\ RSSRVLWH %HWKSHRUy EXW KLV WRPE UHPDLQV XQNQRZQ$IWHUFRQVXOWLQJWKH2UDFOH-HUHPLDKUHSRUWHGO\KLGWKH$UNRI WKH&RYHQDQWWKH7HQWDQGWKH$OWDURI,QFHQVHDW0RXQW1HER -RVKXD 0RVHV VXFFHVVRU FURVVHG WKH -RUGDQ 5LYHU ZLWK KLV SHRSOH DW D SRLQWGLUHFWO\RSSRVLWH-HULFKR7RGD\WKLVIRUGLVNQRZQDV%HWKDEDUDRU Beit ‘Abarah (house of the crossing). It is believed this may be the same ford NQRZQ LQ WKH %LEOH DV %HWKEDUDK %HWKDUDEDK DQG %HWKDQ\%H\RQGWKH -RUGDQ7KLVKDVORQJEHHQLGHQWLoHGDVWKHSODFHZKHUHFHQWXULHVODWHUWKH SURSKHWV(OLMDKDQG(OLVKDGLYLGHGWKH-RUGDQ VZDWHUVkWRULJKWDQGWROHIWy and crossed to the eastern bank of the river. Serpentine Cross Mount Nebo became a place of pilgrimage for early Christians from -HUXVDOHP and a small church was built there in the 4th century to commemorate the HQG RI 0RVHV OLIH 7KRXJK WKH FKXUFK ZDV H[SDQGHG LQ WKH WK DQG WK FHQWXULHVVRPHRIWKHRULJLQDOVWRQHVUHPDLQ 8 WWW.VISITJORDAN.COM 7KH6HUSHQWLQH&URVVZKLFKVWDQGVMXVWRXWVLGHWKHVDQFWXDU\LVV\PEROLFRI WKHEURQ]H RUEUD]HQ VHUSHQWWDNHQE\0RVHVLQWRWKHGHVHUWDVZHOODVWKH FURVVXSRQZKLFK-HVXVZDVFUXFLoHG7KHFXUDWLYHVHUSHQWZUDSSHGDURXQGD SROHGHVLJQDWHGWRVSDUHWKH,VUDHOLWHIROORZHUVIURPGHDWKZRXOGODWHUEHFRPH the symbol of the pharmaceutical industry. ,QWKH\HDUWKHODWH3RSH-RKQ3DXO,,FRPPHPRUDWHGWKHEHJLQQLQJRI WKHQHZPLOOHQQLXPZLWKDVSLULWXDOSLOJULPDJHWRWKH+RO\/DQGVWDUWLQJKLV Historical Display visit with prayers in the basilica at Mount Nebo. The viewing platform erected for Pope John Paul’s visit remains and is used by pilgrims to enjoy the same panoramic scene. Mount Nebo was designated as a Jubilee Year 2000 pilgrimage site by the &DWKROLF&KXUFKLQWKH0LGGOH(DVWDORQJZLWK%HWKDQ\%H\RQGWKH-RUGDQ 0XNDZLU7DOO0DU(OLDVDQG$QMDUD Directions 7DNH WKH $LUSRUW +LJKZD\ GLUHFWO\ WR 0DGDED URDG VLJQV ZLOO OHDG \RX ZHVWZDUGIURP0DGDEDWR0RXQW1HERZKLFKLVDERXWPLQXWHVDZD\ Mosaic Detail 9 MUKAWIR MUKAWIR 7KHVW&HQWXU\$'5RPDQ-HZLVKKLVWRULDQ-RVHSKXVLGHQWLoHGWKHDZH inspiring site of Machaerus (modern-day Mukawir) as the palace-fortress of +HURG$QWLSDVWKH5RPDQDSSRLQWHGUHJLRQDOUXOHUGXULQJWKHOLIHRI-HVXV &KULVW,WZDVKHUHDWWKLVKLOOWRSIRUWLoHGSDODFHRYHUORRNLQJWKH'HDG6HD region and the distant hills of Palestine and Israel that Herod imprisoned and EHKHDGHG-RKQWKH%DSWLVWk+HZDVEHKHDGHGDIWHU6DORPH