There are a couple of different sites along the Jordan River that are believed to be the area where John baptized Jesus, Yardenit (Or Bethany beyond the Jordan) in the Galilee region, and Qasr-al-Yahud along the southern portion of the river before it empties into the Dead Sea. This second location is the stop our group made. It seems to be a likely location since John had been preaching, “In the wilderness.” After seeing the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi, and Masada, this area seems much closer to the wilderness than anything we saw around the Sea of Galilee. From what we learned, this area has long been revered as the baptismal site, but during wartime, the area was heavily mined and closed to tourists, so they created the Yardenit tourist stop much further north in a more peaceful area.
The border of Israel and Jordan is marked by a rope in the center of the river. Guards were visible on the Israel side, and when looking very closely, we could see guards on the opposite side as well. A church building sits in Jordan opposite the baptismal site we viewed. Our guide told us that pilgrims also visit the Jordan river from the other side, but there were no pilgrims on that side on the Sunday we visited. We were there in the afternoon, so I assume any worshippers attending on that Sunday were gone for the day.
Another couple of church buildings could be seen in the distance near the Jordan.
A pilgrimage for many visitors to Israel includes a baptism in the Jordan River. There were white robes for rent nearby, and we witnessed many people being baptized. I saw one man dunking himself over and over and I wondered if he was reenacting the story of Naaman??? Elijah told Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan. Naaman questioned. Why the Jordan? There were much better rivers near where he lived. After looking at these brown, murky waters, I can understand Naaman’s hesitation.
Most pilgrims had someone else baptize them. All were practicing a full-immersion baptism. Our guide told us that one of his family members baptized his infant son in the Jordan. The whole family gathered as that father fully immersed his infant in the cold waters of the Jordan in the winter. It was mid-February when we were there, and I felt comfortable with a fleece jacket, but the water was pretty chilly.
From the Jordan River, we will head next toward Jericho and what is believed to be the Mount of Temptation.