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No immersion in the Jordan River for the Orthodox celebration of the Baptism of Jesus
Orthodox clergy and pilgrims watch the traditional ceremony for the blessing of the waters on Epiphany Day at Kasser el Yahud baptismal site, on the Jordan river near the West Bank town of Jericho, Jan. 19, 2008.
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No immersion in the Jordan River for the Orthodox celebration of the Baptism of Jesus
Posted on Sun Jan 20 2008
Asia News
Thousands of faithful who gathered at Qasr el-Yahud were not allowed to dip into the waters of the river. The monastery where they were granted leave to pray has been closed by Israel since the start of the second Intifada.
Jericho (AsiaNews/Agencies) – No immersion in the waters of the Jordan River this year for Orthodox believers who gathered on its shores to celebrate the Feast Day of the Baptism of Jesus. They were prevented by Israeli security forces.
Several thousands of pilgrims were able never the less to take part in a prayer service celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III at the Qasr el-Yahud Monastery dedicated to St John the Baptist on the west bank of the river, a site which the Israelis closed at the start of the second Intifada in 2000 and have generally kept off limits ever since. Even on this exceptional occasion Israeli soldiers were all over the place.
At the end of the ceremony the faithful walked in procession to the river bank where according to tradition Jesus was baptized.
Thousands of pilgrims also gathered for a similar ceremony on the east bank of the river, in Jordan, which for some years has claimed that its side of the waterway is the true place where the baptism was performed.
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