Paul and Lydia
Today, we ran out of sunshine. For the most part in our travels, we’ve enjoyed mild winter weather, and when there’s been the expected cold winter weather, the sun was kind enough to make an appearance. In Israel, it only properly rained on us once as we walked about the Herodium/Herodion site.
Today, it rained with determination as we explored Lydia’s Baptistry, in Philippi. Lydia is the first European baptised by the apostle Paul – a further indication of how central women are to ministry. As a businesswoman, Lydia would have been well connected (networked) to other merchants, and no doubt would have been pivotal in introducing Paul, a tentmaker, to people she knew and worked with.
The wet weather blessed our time at the baptistry, and provided us a brief and yet vivid picture of what it would have been like for apostles (and other travellers) in ancient times walking from one destination to another… we of course had umbrellas, and waterproof jackets, and thermal underwear!
Ruins of Philippi in front of its Acropolis
The wet only lasted for the duration of our visit to the baptistry, easing a few minutes later when we visited the ruins of the Roman city of Philippi. Here we walked along a small stretch of the Via Egnatia, a road which bridged Europe with Asia, and on which Paul travelled from Philippi to Athens.
In 49 or 50 AD, Paul visited the city, accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke. Here he preached for the first time on European soil – first to Jews, and then later to Gentiles.
Ibillin wrap-up (apologies for late post):
Ibillin is a small town in Galilee, roughly half-way between Nazareth and Haifa. Much of the reputation of this town is tied up with Mar Elias College, a school of very high standing that was set up by Elias Chacour, now Archbishop of the Melchite church here in Israel. For each of the last two weeks, about 14 people from our group have stayed in the school and enjoyed the warm hospitality of the people of Ibillin.
We are getting quite an amount of exercise, walking around the village. It is SO hilly and steep, one thinks twice before heading to the shops! As well, we have been caught out several times with the shops not being open at the times we expected. This has caused minor problems with banking and postal services.
The nights have been quite cold, the days mostly sunny and windy. Washing is no problem – providing it stays on the line on the roof of the building! We have had a really friendly reception from the people in the local shops, and the students have been almost overwhelming with their desire to talk to us as we pass across the campus. Twice we have gone out for coffee at night. Twice we have had a BBQ, with delicious “white meat”, and met with local school people.
Each group has also been on an afternoon excursion to Haifa, where we have had Abuna (Archbishop Chacour) talk with us, visited Stella Maris church on the top of Mt Carmel, seen the impressive Baha’i temple, and visited a restored Melchite church where they have set up a series of caves to tell the Christmas story as it would have been with local customs, clothes and food. It is a wonderful display and they have had something like 10,000 people through in a few weeks.
All send their love to their friends and family at home.
