It is no secret that Christians regard Israel as the biblical Holy Land with its most sacred sites in Jerusalem and Nazareth. Not only is Israel considered Christianity's place of birth, but it helps Christians connect with their religion which is why it is vital for any Christian to make at least one trip to Israel in their lifetime. Visiting the Holy Land does help one visualize and reimagine the events that they read in the bible.
According to the Ministry of Tourism “More than half the tourists – some 56% – who visited Israel in 2018 were Christian, with approximately 19% defining themselves as pilgrims. Forty-one percent of Christian visitors were Catholic, 27% Protestants and 28% Orthodox”. So if you are a Christian and you have not visited Israel here's a couple of reasons why you should.
1. Israel has many holy sites which have a significant meaning to Christians around the world. Among the holy sites are the Via Dolorosa, the Room of the Last Supper and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem; the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth; and the Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha and Capernaum near Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) just to name a few.
2. The ancient city of Nazareth is a must see for any Christian tourist looking to be overwhelmed by the spirit of God and amazing new experiences. Apart from it being the childhood home of Jesus, Nazareth is also home to the largest Christian church in the Middle East. This is the place to go if you want to spend Christmas in the holy land. Bethlehem is known to Christians throughout the world as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The must-see place to see in Bethlehem is the Church of the Nativity, probably the world’s most important Christian site and one of the world’s oldest operating churches.
3. Set foot in the city of Jerusalem and you can’t help but feel the deep, indescribable bond that it has with Jesus. What is unique about Jerusalem is that it has some of the holiest sites for all three of the major religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. If Christians want to learn more about other religions Jerusalem is a good place to start.
4. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is believed to be the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and hence regarded as one of the most important Christian sites in Israel. Any Christian who has been to the site can attest as to how emotionally moving this site is. Other sites to visit while in Jerusalem will be the The Church of All Nations and The Church of St. John the Baptist which is located in the gorgeous hillside neighborhood of Ein Kerem, a short drive out of Jerusalem city center. Located just north of the Sea of Galilee, where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee, Bethsaida. Bethsaida is known as the birthplace of three of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew and Philip. The area offers archeological fans over its 21-acre site: there is even an old cobbled street from the days of Jesus.
Apart from the main sites listed above we have made a small list to give you more reasons to want to visit Israel
· Qasr el Yahud, the site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, deep in the desert.
· Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus, and today home to the largest Christian church in the Middle East and other great sites.
· The Jesus Trail, the recently created hiking trail that follows in Jesus’ footsteps in the Galilee, running from Nazareth to Capernaum.
· Capernaum, “The town of Jesus”, where several churches and a museum celebrate the life and teachings of Jesus.
· Mount of Beatitudes, the home to The Sermon on the Mount, and a tranquil oasis overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
· Tabgha, the famous site of the feeding of the five thousand (with five loaves and two fish), celebrated today by the Church of the Multiplication.
· St. George’s Monastery, the stunning cliff-hugging monastery (one of the world’s oldest) in the heart of the Judean desert.
And of course if you are exhausted from the religious tour, you can take a stroll along the beautiful beaches of Tel Aviv and also enjoy the Israeli culinary scene. If you are a South African citizen, you don't need a visa.