I'm posting this entry -- from the air!!!! -- from somewhere in the skies between Atlanta and St. Louis. This fills my nerdy soul with delight, that such a thing is even possible. Felix Fabri probably never even dreamed of such a thing. (Although I have no doubt that he'd have done it too, given half the chance. I bet he'd have been one of the first friars in the Ulm convent with both a Facebook Page and a Twitter account.)
After the formal conference ended on Friday, we were taken to tour Galilee and Nazareth on Saturday and Sunday. We saw three early synagogues -- one from the 2nd Century (Zippori), one from the 4th century (Hammat Tiberias), and one from the 6th Century (Beit Alpha Synagogue) -- and archaeologists have uncovered the most beautiful mosaics. Each synagogue floor had a zodiac as its central symbol. What was a pagan representation of Helios, the sun god, and the pagan signs for the months doing in the very heart of a Jewish place of worship? It was an amazing multi-cultural mix of the kind that you find all over the ancient world. The Jewish cities of Tiberias and the region were so integrated into Hellenistic culture that the pagan deities had become a part of "good taste" and had lost their religious, pagan meanings. It's interesting, because I think we usually think of people in "ancient times" as being extremely religious, and I think this shows that they were as complicated as we are today.
The zodiac in the synagogue of Beit Alpha
We also spent the afternoon looking at Capernaum, where there is a beautiful, white marble synagogue, and happens to be the very same town where, as the tradition goes, Jesus called Peter to be a "fisher of men".
The site is owned by the Franciscan Friars, and they make sure you know it's a holy place before you enter --
-- yep, that's right -- no dogs, cigarettes, guns, or short clothing!
After a long day of touring, driving by the Horns of Hattin (which we didn't get to stop at!), we had lunch and later sat in the evening sun on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Just being in a place that I'd heard so much about, and which seemed so unchanged, gave me the shivers. Big waterbirds flew low over the sea, and the sun turned the sea golden, and 2,000 years ago seemed really close.
The sight of the ancient synagogue floors was absolutely amazing. It's unbelievable to view the amount of detail and precision that were placed into the zodiac signs and symbols. It is also interesting to observe that people of "ancient times" were just as curious as modern people are today about religion, but it makes sense because of events such as the Scientific Revolution. The Sea of Galilee might be one of the most peaceful sights that I have ever witnessed.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the Horns of Hattin? The sea looks so peaceful and beautiful. Thats somewhere I would love to go see. The seas Ive seen did not look like that at sunset.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was pretty funny that they put those pictures up for the holy place. No dogs, guns, short clothes, and no smoking. The other pictures that are on the floor ar every interesting. It's amazing that those tiles are still very clear after thousands of years.
ReplyDeleteWould it be common sense to not bring a firearm into a place like that? I mean you would think that would be wrong. So I guess beer and wine would be okay right?
ReplyDeleteI always remember the story of Peter being called to be a 'fisher of men', and to be at the actual site where it was believed to have happened sounds amazing. The zodiac mosaic floors look so intricate and detailed. The Sea of Galilee does look very peaceful, somewhere I would probably enjoy visiting.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how good of shape the floors are in. You would think after all these years they would look tarnished. I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been to see the sea of Galilee in person at sunset! So many stories from the Bible happen at the sea of Galilee. Again, you make me jealous.
ReplyDeletebefore my real commen i have to say that sunset picture is reall beautiful i haven't seen sun for many day in cape girardeau.
ReplyDeleteThe real common is here: I always couldn't unerstand why the god doesn't like people wearning short clothing, and i can see that there is a man in the picture wearning a T-shirt behind the holy place sign
It's fascinating to see that other cultures are even particular about what kinds of clothes you can wear in certain places.
ReplyDeleteThose mosaic floors are amazing! They look to be in great shape too (for the most part)! I can only imagine how beautiful they were in person. The "no short clothes" sign is funny, you never see anything like that here. The photograph of the Sea of Galilea, makes me miss Boston!
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting how aspects of paganism were integrated into synagogues. It reminds me of how so much of Christianity is borrowed from pagans. Even in modern times, aspects of pagan holidays are very much a part of Christian celebrations, such as Christmas and Easter.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all the blogs I still found this to be one of the most interesting and thought provoking blogs about your trip. I completely agree with your statements about most people feeling like those living in "ancient times" were extremely religious. I even felt as though I expected those living in ancient times to be religious, therefore seeing the pagan symbols in the Jewish synagogue threw me a little off guard. Im glad that you were able to show us this detail into the lives of the people living in "ancient times" because it is likely something I would have never picked up on or realized.
ReplyDeleteI was just reading the story about Jesus and Peter. I think it is really cool that you got to see the place where it may have taken place, I would like to visit there one day as well.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are great! It is really hard to think about life thousands of years ago. The ground we walk on is so rich with history it is hard to imagine (especially that of Jerusalem)!! I have a hard enough time keeping up in history class not to mention what the places look like. I know these places are not exactly as they were years ago, but I am impressed with how well things have been preserved. They are only in the good condition they are because short clothing is not allowed!! :) Too funny.
ReplyDeleteIt disappoints me that pagan images are part of the synagogues - I'm "Pollyanna" enough to want to believe that Christianity at the time of Christ and shortly thereafter was more "pure" than it apparently really was.
ReplyDeleteAre Galilee and Nazareth as commercial and as tourist filled as Jerusalem? My Pollyanna side would like to think there are some areas that people can visit quietly and respectfully without childish signs to instruct people on the obvious!
I really like the pictures from Nazareth and Galilee, I would really like to go see them also. I think that it is neat that you got to see the site where Jesus was talking to Peter about being fishers of men.
ReplyDeleteThat sea is absolutely beautiful! I really hope I can see a body of water like that one day. I've been to the Atlantic. It's not that impressive.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to know is what makes dogs so unholy? I can understand not bringing in guns and cigarettes, or wearing short clothing, but dogs? It baffles me, really.
It's not that dogs are unholy per se. I suspect it has a lot more to do with the destructive properties of urine and the fact that a dog, no matter how well trained, is not guaranteed to remain calm and reverent in a place considered holy. Or that with all the people around, one nervous pooch bite could result in a law suit.
ReplyDeleteI find the mix of culture with the pagan zodiac symbols incorporated in the mosaics to be very interesting and it puts things in perspective that although there are drastic differences in some areas humans in the past and today are very similar. Also, the last picture of the Sea of Galilee is breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteThe Zodiac in the Synagogue of Beit Alpha is awesome. It's amazing how much detail and how clear it still is after so many years of corrosion. The sea is amazing. I would love to visit it. Just the picture is like a window into the past 2000 years of history.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the art, like the mosaic floor, has stayed in such a great condition all these years. Also, over in that region women are not supposed to wear revealing clothing anyways according to their culture, especially around holy sites.
ReplyDeleteI loved picture of the sign that stated "no guns". I think that this sign tells us more about their current culture than anything else. It's also a not so subtle hint of the potential violence and tension that rests
ReplyDeleteThe picture that catches my attention the most is the one that shows the different zodiac signs. I find it to be very interesting because in a church is the last place you would think to see one of these type of almost sac religious signs. I say that because growing up I was always told that type of stuff was devil stuff, as far as that being true I’m not sure I just always thought it didn’t belong in the church. Especially in such a large depiction for everyone whom is on the church will see. Another aspect is the way these designs were put together and the way they have been kept to last so long and still be in pretty good shape.
ReplyDeleteThe synogogue is Capernaum is fascinating! Are you referring to the scripture in Mark? Mark 1: 24-31 because other than just "be ye fishers of men" they were in Capernaum because that is where most of them lived. Jesus' family had moved from Nazerth to Capernaum, and the disciples Simon and Andrew also had a house there. I am fascinated by the synogogue, but I'd be even more fascinated by seeing remaints from the house of Simon and Andrew, if only that were possible!
ReplyDeletep.s. the sign with ensuring people knew it was a holy place can be scripturally explained in verses 21-28 where it depicts the good of public services.
I see that there was the sign that said no guns and I was wondering if when you were in the city you felt at any time a threat or a presence of possible violence. I have been to Guatemala a few times and every time, there is always one moment that you get a sense of danger. I was wondering if you felt that in Jerusalem any.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the sea is gorgeous. Kind of epic to think how much history went down in and around that place. I got a kick out of the no dogs/cigarettes/short clothes/guns sign. But can people with seeing eye dogs can come? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteI found the moasics to be quite beautful and we should be thankful that such works of art haven't perished. It is ntersting to see how complex and multicultural societies and religions were back then, and how contemporary religions are as well. Just like how Western societies incorporate pagan traditions into our culture even though they are generally dominated by Christianity, Ancient Jewish Israelites took cultural aspects of other societies that were influencing the region and incorporated them into their own society. Israel today is still multicultural and it will be interesting to see how the culture of the region shapes due to the presence of different religions and ethnicities.
ReplyDeleteSo many people today are concerned with the "purity" of their faith. It seems rather silly when you discover that most of the religions we know today blended with and absorbed the aspects of the pagan cultures they lived side by side with so many years ago.
ReplyDeleteI love how they used the zodiac symbols even though they were pegan. I agree that it shows that they were as complicated then as we are in today's society. I wish I could go and look at what you have. It would be a privilege to do so. The view of the sun setting on the water. It looked breath-taking.
ReplyDeleteWhile the zodiac signs are intriguing because of the cultural mesh which they represent I think I far prefer the sign with the four forbidden items.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder how many people they had bringing guns in before they put the sign up.