Also, the story of Mary from Egypt is connected with the monastery of Gerasimus. The story of Mary from Egypt strengthens the principles of faith. Historically, the image of Gerasim of Jordan is of great importance as a person who managed to create a new model of monastic life and transform the reclusiveness into the form of a religious organization. The first hermit monks appeared in the Judean desert during the time of the Second Jerusalem Temple. But such a statement can cause heated debate because at this time such a thing as monasticism and reclusiveness did not exist. People left away worldly life and retired to the desert to put themselves to the temptation and through hardships to strengthen the spirit, find humility of the soul, and, most importantly, prepare for the coming of the Messiah.
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.
