The land of Zoar, on the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea, is where the Bible says Lot and his family found refuge after they fled the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jordan is home to plenty of sites mentioned in the Old Testament as well. A clear spring still bubbles up from the ground, and up close, visitors can see and feel the crosses etched into sandstone by early Christian pilgrims in the seventh century A.D.

Though tourists tend to snap selfies at the picturesque, olive-colored River Jordan at the border, the spot that has been recognized by religious officials as the baptism site lies slightly farther east, inside the original dried-up streambed, paved with the worn marble steps of a seventh-century shrine. Aside from the cave where John the Baptist supposedly lived, eating РІР‚Сљlocusts and wild honey,РІР‚Сњ and ElijahРІР‚в„ўs Hill, where religious scholars claim the prophet ascended to heaven on a chariot of fire, visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site can witness the spot where many believe Jesus was baptized. РІР‚СљThis is the actual РІР‚Вwilderness of JohnРІР‚в„ў spoken of in the Bible,РІР‚Сњ says Mkhjian. To many Bethany Beyond the Jordan-or Al-Maghtas-represents the birth of Christianity, where some believe Jesus came to see John the Baptist. Jesus had no borders-all of this is the Holy Land, and it belongs to all of humanity. РІР‚СљJesus walked here, the first Apostles joined him here, Christianity was born here. РІР‚СљThis is not Disneyland,РІР‚Сњ insists Mkhjian.

Unauthorized use is prohibited.Р”Р‡or the faithful, Jordan offers an opportunity to visit religious sites referenced in the Bible. We have Druze, Chechens, Armenians, Circassians, and Bedouin-and thatРІР‚в„ўs right now!РІР‚Сњ RELIGIOUS DESTINATIONS РІР‚СљJordan is the great melting pot of the Middle East and beyond. РІР‚СљChristians and Muslims live in harmony-we all grew up together,РІР‚Сњ says Rustom Mkhjian, assistant director general of the Baptism Site Commission, an independent board of trustees tasked with supporting the Jordanian national park believed to be the site of JesusРІР‚в„ў baptism.

The nation is founded on religious diversity and tolerance. Jordan is also a land of pilgrims, spiritual seekers, and mystics. Aside from prehistoric art, the Jordan Museum displays some of the Dead Sea Scrolls and offers marvelous cultural context, including detailed insights into Bedouin life and the many written languages that evolved in Jordan. and uncovered at the Neolithic site of Ayn Ghazal. Get a close-up look at some of the oldest human statues in the world, dating back to 6750 B.C. Long before the time when religious scholars claim Jesus and Muhammad walked through Jordan, the KingРІР‚в„ўs Highway linked the three kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, and Edom.Р”В«efore embarking on the archaeological adventure of a lifetime, orient yourself at the phenomenal Jordan Museum in Amman. Jordan has been old for the last 50 centuries.Р”В®very stone has a story, and every road follows the forgotten footprints of merchants, pilgrims, and ancient armies.

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