December 24 in the Holy Land
When I visited the Saxum Visitor Center, I was struck by the timeline: on vertical panels it traces the most significant events in the history of salvation, interwoven with milestones of universal history. In the same outdoor courtyard, a map laid into the floor marks...
Did the Good Samaritan Exist?
On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho stands the Inn of the Good Samaritan: a museum and waystation that houses a fine collection of mosaics from synagogues and churches in Israel and the West Bank, assembled by Yitzhak Magen, a renowned Israeli archaeologist. During...
Saint Jerome: The Hermit of Bethlehem
Born in the Illyrian city of Stridon (likely in present-day Bosnia) in the decade of 340 AD, Jerome spent his youth in a spiritual and intellectual quest that led him to Rome, where his frequent visits to the martyrs’ tombs sparked a prolonged process of conversion....
A Church for the Grandparents
After my vacation, back in Jerusalem, I received a message from Nick which, of course, included a query. “At the village, on the 8th, they celebrate another feast for Jesus’ mother. My grandmother says it’s her birthday.” Church for the Grandparents: Joaquim and St...