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Pilgrimage in the Holy Land

St John Phocas, tr. Stewart, 1889

Chapter 11

Beyond this range of hills is a great plain, wherein, but near the hills, is Mount Tabor, the earthly heaven, the joy of the soul, and the delight of all who are of the true faith; for there is a divine favour which overshadows it, breathing forth spiritual grace. It is a round hill of moderate height; upon the top thereof are two monasteries, wherein Christians who are vowed to the same life invoke the mercy of God in hymns in various tongues. The monastery in which took place the Transfiguration of Christ for our salvation is inhabited by a number of Latin monks; but on the left that holy place is sanctified by the holy presence of Nazarenes of our Church. Now the Blessed Transfiguration of Christ took place on the summit of the hill, where stands the Latin monastery, the holy altar whereof stands on the place where the Lord was transfigured between Elias and Moses, and between the three chosen disciples, Peter, John, and James. This place is surrounded with a brazen railing; upon the place whereon the feet of our Lord rested there is to be seen a boss of exceeding whiteness, whereon is carved the figure of the Holy Cross, and from which an unspeakable perfume is breathed forth, and delights the senses of those who visit it. About a stone’s-throw outside the monastery is a small grotto, wherein, after His glorious Transfiguration, Christ entered and ordered His disciples to tell no man of what they had seen until He should rise from the dead. Towards the northern side of the mountain is the grotto of Melchisedec, which is well worth seeing, being excavated with several mouths, wherein are chambers both beneath the earth and above the earth, and various dwellings, and cells serving as habitations for ascetics, wherein many of the greatest saints have passed their ascetic lives.¹ Near this grotto is a church, built upon the very place whereon Melchisedec met Abraham returning from the slaughter, and blessed him and made him his guest. Looking from this hill towards the east, you will see the marshes and the channel of Jordan, blessed among rivers. Stretching your eyes still farther, you will see the parts of Lebanon which look towards the east, and two great hills, between which Damascus is built. Moving your eye aside a little to the left of the Jordan, you will see the sea of Tiberias clearly and without any difficulty, on the opposite side of which appears a slight rising ground, whereon the Saviour blessed the waves, and fed the five thousand, and after the Resurrection ate with His disciples, after the draught of the hundred and fifty-three fishes; and on the northern side of the same hill, another range of hills encircles the plain at a distance of about twelve stadia or even more. Within its circuit lies the city of Naeim,² wherein the Lord raised the widow’s son from the dead. Towards the eastern side of the same city may be seen the place (called) Endor, and between Thabor and Naeim and Endor runs the brook Kishon, whereof David says: ‘Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the brook of Kison, which perished at Endor.’³

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