|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Pam Ayuba, Amman, Jordan
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, (NCPC), Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam has commended the fourth batch of Easter pilgrims currently in Jerusalem and Jordan for behaving well as good ambassadors of Nigeria.
Rev. Pam made the statement while giving a closing remark at a brief ceremony in honour pilgrims with the prestigious title of Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP) at Tabar Hotel, Jerusalem.
Rev. Pam, represented by a senior staff of the Commission, Mr. Olanrewaju Olaribigbe appreciated the various states’ executive secretaries and their chairmen for working hand in hand with the Commission to achieve success.
He thanked Tabor Tours for their efforts in making sure pilgrims were adequately catered for in feeding, transportation and accommodation, calling on them to pray for the country.
Meanwhile, early in the day, pilgrims both in Israel and Jordan visited some of the holy sites in continuation of their spiritual exercise.
Some of the places visited and their spiritual significances were highlighted as they prayed for the country and their leaders.
At Mount Precipice pilgrims were told the significance of the Mountain and how it has become an important pilgrimage site for Christians. There’s a church there, the Church of the Beatitudes, which commemorates the location of the Sermon on the Mount. In addition, there’s a statue of Jesus on the mountain, and pilgrims sometimes walk up the mountain, retracing Jesus’s steps on his journey from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee.
According to Christian tradition, Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount on this very mountain. It’s worth noting that the Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known and influential passages in the Bible and have become a key part of Christian ethics and spirituality.
Many people use them as a guide for living a virtuous life and following the teachings of Jesus.
Also at Armageddon as recorded In the Book of Revelation, Armageddon is described as the site of a great battle between the forces of good and evil, which will mark the end of the world. The word “Armageddon” itself according to history, comes from the Hebrew word “Har-Magedon,” meaning “hill of Megiddo,” which was a city in ancient Israel.
While the biblical idea of Armageddon is a very specific religious event, the word Armageddon is a highly significant concept in Christianity. In the Book of Revelation, the battle of Armageddon is portrayed as a key event in the Second Coming of Christ, and many Christians believe that this event is inevitable and will bring about the end of the world as we know it. (Revelation 16:16, KJV).
Pilgrims were also at Galilee. In the region of Galilee, which includes the hill of Megiddo (the location of Armageddon), played an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus. It was the place where he grew up, and where he began his public ministry. Several key events in the New Testament, including the Sermon on the Mount and the feeding of the 5,000, were said to have taken place there.
Today, the area is still of great religious and historical significance, as it’s home to numerous Christian pilgrimage sites. Many Christians believe that the events of Armageddon will one day take place in the same region where Jesus lived and ministered.
In Jordan, pilgrims visited the Baptism Site of Jesus, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan. It’s located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, and is considered to be the place where Jesus was baptized by His cousin, John the Baptist.
The site is considered to be one of the most important pilgrimage destinations for Christians, and it’s believed to be the third holiest site in Christianity after Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Further to its religious significance, the Baptism Site has also become an important archaeological site, where many artifacts and ruins have been discovered in recent times.
The pilgrims were also taken to the Church of Saint Stephen in the ancient Byzantine village of Umm ar-Rasas in southern Jordan, not far from the city of Madaba built in the 6th century, with impressive mosaics and other well-preserved features.
The Church today has been adopted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical and cultural importance especialy, the mosaics at the Church of Saint Stephen are some of the most important and best-preserved mosaics from the Byzantine period in the Middle East.
On Tuesday, pilgrims in both the Holy Lands of Israel and Jordan will visit other holy sites to pray for the country and its leaders.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.