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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1999, pages 90-91 Christianity and the Middle East Preparations for the Jubilee Holy Land Pilgrimage
On the average about two million tourists visit Israel annually. By all estimates this figure will increase substantially during the millennium celebrations in the coming year. The Israel Hotel Association predicts three million visitors in 2000. The Israel Tourism Ministry expects four million. The Vatican, however, is hoping for six million. There are, of course, differences between vacation tours, study tours, and pilgrimages. The latter will be most prominent during the coming year symbolically commemorating 2,000 years since Jesus’ birth. Among American denominations, Catholics are expected to dominate the pilgrimage scene.
It is thus appropriate that the National Council of Catholic Bishops has issued “Holy Land Pilgrimage Guidelines for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000”—with suggestions that may be helpful to Christians of all stripes. “The Great Jubilee is a special time of spiritual journey for Christians,” the Catholic document begins. “Pilgrimage may mean embarking on a journey of prayer; accompanying the poor, the oppressed, the refugees in their times of trial; visiting local holy sites; and countless other acts of faith. For a great many American Catholics, the celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ will mean going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.” Many of the 24 guidelines deal with the spiritual component of pilgrimage, the need for trained leaders, opportunities for prayer and sacraments and with practical considerations, including the encouragement to support Christian businesses and travel agencies. Four pages of addresses for various offices and agencies are included. Guideline number 23 may have the most far-reaching significance, since a major criticism of Holy Land tours today is the manipulation and misrepresentation by guides and tour operators who want to restrict the visitors’ experience. “If your guide does not want to enter certain areas, inquire about reasons,” suggests the document. “Has there been a recent disturbance? Is a disturbance expected today? Be aware that some guides will be averse, solely for ideological reasons, to entering some areas. If a pattern of comments seems to suggest that this reluctance is ideologically based, consult with his superiors, CRS [Catholic Relief Services Millennium Outreach Office] or the Pontifical Mission, or with local Christian leaders for advice. While not taking unnecessary risks, the religious goals of the pilgrimage, including solidarity and reconciliation, would suggest crossing over boundaries when possible.” Consistent with this practical word of advice, six other guidelines encourage pilgrims to seek solidarity with the local Christian community—meeting with local parishes, being attentive to the stories of the faithful, and learning about issues of justice and peace. Pilgrimage, as defined in this document, is not a private or exclusive venture, but focuses on dialogue. Christians should also visit Muslim religious sites, such as the Haram al Sharif and the Al-Aqsa mosque and plan for meetings with Muslim groups. “Visit a Muslim village and meet the people,” recommends guideline number 18, “especially where Catholic Relief Services, the Pontifical Mission, or the Franciscans are sponsoring a project.” Likewise, “the spirit of dialogue especially recommends making serious efforts to come to know the life and aspiration of Jewish communities in Israel. Therefore, pilgrims should try to engage in interfaith dialogue with Jews” (Guideline 14). A number of agencies to facilitate such dialogue are listed. Recognizing that pilgrimage traditionally has been seen as a time for healing and reconciliation by the participants, the document envisions that today’s pilgrimage “can contribute to reconciliation between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and the three monotheistic religions of the Holy Land: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” The complete document can be obtained from the Office of Communications of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/ United States Catholic Conference and is available on the Web at <www.nccbuscc.org/comm/archives/99-070a.htm
While pilgrimage is a concept less familiar among Protestants, local churches in the Holy Land often speak of Alternative Tourism. The basic principle is to find a balance between encounters with the historic stones and the living stones of faith as in the guidelines presented by the Catholic Church. This past March an important resource was published to facilitate these kinds of experiences. Living Stones Pilgrimage: With the Christians of the Holy Land is written by Allison Hilliard, Head of Religion at the BBC World Service in London, and Betty Bailey, an ordained United Church of Christ minister from the United States. Both have lived in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. “This is a guidebook with a difference,” reports esteemed biblical scholar Father Jerome Murphy-O’Connor of the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. “It is more concerned with people than places. It is an invitation, not merely an explanation. It is written with a passion that stirs the heart of the reader.” Murphy-O’Connor continues, “Its purpose is to transform Christian visitors into pilgrims by luring them off the tourist track into the company of Palestinian fellow-believers who trace their roots to the disciples of Jesus.” Information concerning the Living Stones book can be obtained from the Middle East Council of Churches Jerusalem Liaison Office, P.O. Box 14634, Jerusalem 91146; e-mail: <mecceto@cd.huji.ac.il> Protestants with questions about planning such tours are encouraged to contact local churches in the Holy Land or the MECC Jerusalem office.
Both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Tourism Ministry have invested millions of dollars in preparations for the influx of visitors. Cities like Bethlehem and Nazareth are undergoing a major facelift. Preparations are also in the works at other centers of Christian interest such as Old City Jerusalem and Galilee. Some have raised concerns whether improvements in infrastructure will be enough to accommodate the Year 2000 visitors and whether they will be completed on time at the beginning of celebrations this Christmas. “My impression is neither the Palestinians nor Israelis are ready,” said Barry Weetman, a journalist and Methodist lay preacher from the United Kingdom, when he visited Jerusalem for a tourism conference last spring. “I don’t think they have prepared the sites well enough. The infrastructure such as toilets can’t cope.” Shabatai Shai, director of Israel’s Tourism Ministry, acknowledges that the Israelis are equipped for four million tourists. “If six million arrive, this would create problems.” Others, such as Monsignor Librio Andriatta, the director of the Vatican’s official travel agency, see the figure of six million as realistic and call on authorities to see that preparations are complete. He also is requesting special care for pilgrims who will be crossing military checkpoints such as the one between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. “It is important that the tourists feel secure and welcome,” Andriatta said.
It is appearing more and more likely that Pope John Paul II will be among Holy Land visitors this coming March. The pope has expressed a strong interest in such a trip for a long time, but has been reluctant because of major differences between the Vatican and Israel concerning the future of Jerusalem. The last papal visit to the Holy Land was in 1964 by Pope Paul VI. It seems that many would like to jump on the papal visit bandwagon. In February, John Paul accepted an invitation from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to visit Bethlehem when the latter was in Rome for meetings. In March, Israeli Tourism Minister Moshe Katsav issued a news release announcing a March 2000 visit. However, the Vatican seemed reluctant to offer a confirmation because of continued political uncertainties in Israel. Only in June did the Vatican acknowledge the possibility of the trip. “A papal visit is in the very advanced stages of planning,” reported Richard Mathes, the Vatican’s cultural attaché in Israel, to a conference of religious leaders. According to Associated Press writer Laurie Copans, the Vatican is waiting for progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks before making a formal announcement. Speculation concerning the March date of a visit is increased because of the significance of the Feast Day of the Annunciation, March 25. Thus visits to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem would be most appropriate. An attitude of openness, dialogue, and concern for peace and justice is conveyed by such careful planning. In addition to the Holy Land trip, plans are also underway for a year 2000 papal visit to Iraq to commemorate the birthplace of Abraham and all three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Dr. Fred Strickert is professor of religion at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa and co-author with Mitri Raheb of Bethlehem 2000: Past and Present, available through the AET Book Club.
SIDEBAR
Year 2000 visitors to the Holy Land can expect the standard tour including the Mount of Olives, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem; the Church of the Nativity and Shepherds Fields in Bethlehem; the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth; and the Sea of Galilee sites such as Capernaum, Tabgha, and the Mount of Beatitudes. Continued archeological research, as well as concerns for the tourist market, have brought a number of changes. Access to the site of Jesus’ baptism on the southern part of the Jordan River will now be made available due to a $ 5 million investment in roads and facilities by Jordanian authorities. Because the Jordan River currently forms a boundary between the West Bank of Israel and Jordan, access has been limited by Israelis to a three-day period in January. Visitors have been restricted from entering the water or filling small bottles with river water. The Israel Tourist Ministry has also promoted an alternative, less authentic baptism site at the south end of the Sea of Galilee. Because the Jordanian site would offer free access to the river on a year-round basis, Israeli tourist authorities in a competitive spirit are pressuring the military to reconsider its policy concerning this military zone. Another controversial decision concerns plans for a submerged bridge on the Sea of Galilee so that tourists can “walk on the water” in imitation of one of the miracles of Jesus. A 13-foot-wide, 28-foot-long crescent-shaped floating bridge, which would be submerged two inches below the water, was designed to accommodate up to 50 people. Although Israel’s National Parks Authority announced these plans in February, nothing has yet materialized. Church groups have been less than enthusiastic. Wadia Abu Nassar, director of year 2000 celebrations for the Roman Catholic Church in Israel, stated his concern. “It is problematic. It will lead to various interpretations.” After 12 years of archeological excavation, the site of Bethsaida was opened to the public in March 1998. This biblical site, on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee, will be of special interest to Christian pilgrims because it represents the birthplace of three disciples: Peter, Andrew, and Philip; and is the location for several miracles of Jesus. The site offers the opportunity for a glimpse into the domestic life of a first-century fishing village (see Fred Strickert, Bethsaida: Home of the Apostles, Liturgical Press: Collegeville, MN, 1998). Remains of several ancient churches have been recently unearthed in interesting locations. At the controversial Har Homa housing project in south Jerusalem, archeologists uncovered an important fifth-century Church of the Kathima, commemorating a resting place of Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem. While refurbishing Nativity Square in Bethlehem, a mosaic from an ancient ecclesiastical complex brought delays to building plans. At Tel a-Shakef in the Gaza Strip, archeologists have located a church dedicated to John the Baptist. The mosaic floor includes inscriptions from the Old Testament, the name of the church, its dedication in 544 A.D. and the names of benefactors Victor and John. The church measures 13 meters by 25 meters and is located in a complex including a bath house and fish pond. A major complication is that the remains of the rest of the church, including the altar, remain below an Israeli machine-gun installation. A salvage dig south of Tiberias near the Sea of Galilee has uncovered artifacts which may have been used by pilgrims at the turn of the first millennium. One treasure trove included 58 “Jesus coins” showing an image of Jesus standing with a cross behind him or another of Jesus sitting on a throne. Greek inscriptions read “Jesus the Messiah, the King of Kings,” or “Jesus, the Messiah, the Victor.” A total of 500 to 600 metal objects were discovered in three large clay jars stashed underneath a shopkeeper’s floor from about one thousand years ago. At the time Tiberias had a mixed Muslim, Jewish, and Christian population. —F.S. |
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