The place where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven is one of the most special in all of Jordan, steeped in symbolism and religious significance. In this post, we tell you all about it, thus closing the circle on the life of this biblical figure, as we have covered his birthplace in another post.
This is the place where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven
Al-Maghtas is the place where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven. That Arabic name might not mean much to you, but it is the same site also known by a more famous name: Bethany Beyond the Jordan or the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ. In fact, Al-Maghtas in Arabic means ‘immersion’ or ‘baptism’.
Therefore, in this location declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, three great figures mentioned in the Bible are venerated. Firstly, of course, Jesus Christ, as this is the site of his baptism in the waters of the Jordan River. Secondly, Saint John the Baptist, as this preacher and prophet was responsible for officiating said baptism. And finally, Elijah, who is also considered a prophet, although he was not a contemporary of the previous two.
How Al-Maghtas is organized
The place where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven is part of a larger UNESCO-protected enclosure, which consists of two main areas:
- The area of the churches of Saint John the Baptist, located next to the Jordan River, where pilgrim reception areas and information points have also been established.
- The Tell Al-Kharrar area, also known as Jbel Mar Elias (Elijah’s Hill), further away from the river.
It is this second area that we focus on in this post, which we will elaborate on in more detail below.
Jbel Mar Elias: what is here
Elijah’s Hill (Jbel Mar Elias) or Tell Al-Kharrar is an elevation located about 2 km east of the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ and the churches of Saint John the Baptist. Today, it is an archaeological site associated with two different periods, featuring explanatory panels for better interpretation, as well as walkways and trails.
The first of those periods is the ascension itself, in the mid-9th century BC. According to popular belief, this hill is where the events recounted in 2 Kings 2 took place, which mentions that Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan River and that, at one point, “a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”
The second of those traceable periods at the archaeological site is the Byzantine era: from the 3rd-4th centuries, a religious complex was built here where baptisms could have been performed, as deduced from the presence of what are considered baptismal pools, fed by some type of aqueduct or canalization.
For all these reasons, the place where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven is visited daily by groups of pilgrims, and in the past, it has hosted important religious figures, most notably Pope John Paul II in the year 2000. That historic visit is commemorated here through artistic mosaics and inscriptions that also include some words spoken by the pontiff at the time.
So, if you wish to emulate this visit and evoke this space so sacred to Carmelites and Christians in general, our agency can organize a group or private trip to this and other sites filled with religious significance.
