God's Child: Off to the Hill Country of Judah

We started out our morning at the Holy Sepulchre with mass in which we co-celebrated with the Franciscan monks in front of the tomb of Jesus. After mass we had the opportunity to enter the tomb were Jesus was laid after he was crucified. This is the spot where Mary Magdalene came and Jesus appeared to her saying "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." Luke 20:17

The entrance to Jesus's tomb

The interior of Jesus's tomb

An addition view of the interior

After breakfast we traveled to the hill country of Judah. We visited the Church of the Visitation. The Church of the Visitation is the place in which Elizabeth was visited by her cousin Mary. Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist at the time.
"At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. " Luke 1:39-41

Exterior of the Church of the Visitation

Statues of Mary and Elizabeth

The art work on the walls of the interior of the church

Art work depicting the slautering of the innocents. To the left of the photo you can see the angel of the Lord guiding Elizabeth and her baby to safety.

The Magnificat

Luke 1: 46-55 This is also referred to as Mary's Song. Mary proclaimed this after Elizabeth said to her " Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished." Luke 1:45

The Magnificat in various languages

This is the rock that is believed to be the rock that Elizabeth hid John the Baptist under after he was born.

We then walked over to another church called Ein Karem. This church was built in the place where John the Baptist was born.

"Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this childturn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him." Luke 1:57-66