Tell Mar Elias - sacred destinations (sitios de interés)
Descripción del sitio
Elijah's Hill is the tradition site where the Prophet Elijah ascended into heaven (2 Kings 2). The small hill has the ruins of three churches, three caves and three baptism pools encircled by a wooden catwalk. Starting on the west side, a cave forms the apse of a small Byzantine church, with small niches to the east and south and tiny fragments of a mosaic floor.An open chapel on the northwest side leads around to the large, late Byzantine northern church, now covered with a shelter. It incorporates a strange black stone into its apse to commemorate the fire which accompanied Elijah's rise to heaven. Its detailed floor mosaic includes a cross motif in diamonds and an inscription in Greek dating it to "the time of Rhotorious" (early 6th century).
Up a couple steps on the northeastern side of the tell are two pools from the Roman period, one cut later with the addition of a 14m-deep well. Further around the tell is a large rectagular pool, plastered on the bottom and with four steps leading into it. This is believed to have been used for group baptisms.
Learn more: The Baptism Site (Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan)
Explore more: Sacred Sites of Jordan
Category: Biblical Sites
Category: Early Christian Sites