In the 90s of the 20th century, the tradition of baptism in Qasr el Yehud came to a new life. On January 19, the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany, and baptisms are held in Qasr el Ehud. Another important date for prayers and baptisms is on Easter Eve. Pope John Paul II visited the place in 2000. In 2003, the Ministry of National Parks of Israel built a convenient approach to the water and landscaped the area.
Traveling to the place of baptism on the Jordan River and the ancient monastery of Deir Hijleh takes only an hour and a half. This one and a half hours bring us to a fantastic story. The Jordan River is associated primarily with the baptism of Jesus Christ from John the Baptist. The place where these events took place is called in Arabic Qasr El Yahud - the court of the Jew. The centuries-old tradition of baptism was renewed after the signing of a peace treaty between Jordan and Israel. The border between the countries runs along the river, and only a few meters are divided between them. Not far from the place of baptism is one of the oldest monasteries on the Dead Sea - the monastery of St. Gerasimus. It was one of the first monasteries of Koinonia. The walls of the monastery remember the battles of Muslims and crusaders. The skulls of monks pretend to be the bones of the martyrs of the Persian conquest. A journey of ten kilometers takes us on a tour of twenty centuries. Do not miss this adventure on the Dead Sea.
