Day 3

Greetings friends!

We just finished Day 3 in Israel by driving up the Mediterranean Sea coast to Caesarea Maritima. There is so much history there. Caesarea was once the ancient capital of the Roman province. All morning we walked along the short admiring the impressive archaeological remains of the Roman and Byzantine city that once dominated the region. Many emperors spent time here. It was at Caesarea that Peter came to understand that the Good News was not for Jews only, but for the whole world. Here he baptized the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, and his family. 

After several hours and may photos taken in Caesarea, we drove north to the city of Haifa and then Stella Maris, the Carmelite Monastery dedicated to our Lady of Mt. Carmel. After eating lunch at the monastery, we visited the cave where Elijah the prophet lived! Can you believe it? Elijah appears in 1 Kings 17, 18, 19, etc. The cave, which is located below the monastery, was a very holy place to visit. People had stuck prayer requests on little sheets of paper inside holes in the cave's walls. Pretty cool.

Then we drove to Nazareth, where Mary was born, lived, and received the message from the Angel Gabriel. In the Church of the Annunciation, we were actually able to see the exact space where Mary's home is thought to have been. We celebrated Mass using the readings for the feast of the Annunciation. We then went to the Byzantine Church of St. Joseph, where St. Joseph and the Holy Family lived. We then continued on to Tiberias, a city on the Sea of Galilee, where we will spend two days. Photos will follow later.

Shalom!