RMS Caronia Timeline

Highlights of the Holy Land

Israel

A storied past mingles with modern technology in this historic land of the Bible.

Israel is a new, up-to-the minute country, but it is also a land of tradition with strong links to the past. Here the local grocer speaks the language of the Bible, villages bear Biblical names, and towering apartment houses are engraved with Biblical quotations.

Jordan

Lilliputian in size but gigantic in history, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, from the rolling hills of Judea to the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, evokes a host of Biblical names.

Within its borders are all but a few of the Christian Holy Places, along with Graeco-Roman ruins, Hellenic and Byzantine churches, Moslem Mosques and Crusader forts and castles.

Lebanon

The purple coastline of Lebanon may well have been stained by the dyes of ancient Phoenicians, who became carriers of culture throughout the Mediterranean. Later, the Lebanon of which the Bible sings, became Greek, Roman, and Byzantine.

From today's modern port of Beirut, a wide variety of tours will visit the historic sights listed below:

Amman

Jordan's capital and site of the ancient city of Philadelphia. Amman boasts of Greek, Roman and Arab ruins — notably a Roman Theatre, still in good condition, a small Odeum and the remains of old Roman Walls.

Baalbek

Founded as a pagan religious centre for the worship of the sun god, Baal, and for the offering of human sacrifices in his honour.

Later the Romans built massive temples here, more grandiose than in Rome itself, making Baalbek one of the most impressive cities of ancient days. Remarkably preserved ruins include the temples of Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus — with colossal columns, arches and bas reliefs.

Bethlehem

Ten miles south of Jerusalem is the sleepy town of Bethlehem. The Church of the Nativity, built in the 6th Century under Emperor Justinian, has mosaic floors of a still earlier church. In the foundations of the church is the supposed Grotto of Christ's birth.

Byblos

Existing prior to 6000 B.C., Byblos is one of the world's oldest cities. The word “Bible” is derived from its name. Ruins that are still well preserved include royal tombs from the 18th and 19th Centuries B.C. with prototypic alphabet inscriptions, a Crusader's Castle, and walls from the 11th Century A.D.

Damascus, Syria

Capital of the neighbouring country of Syria. The city's highest development and greatest prosperity was reached during the period of the Crusades. Under the rule of Saladin, Damascus became a centre of art, culture, and Moslem civilisation.

Many of the ancient crafts are still practiced here, particularly in the vicinity of the bazaars and the historic “Street Called Straight”.

Jerash

In a valley of the Gilead Mountains, 80 miles from Jerusalem, stand the little-known ruins of Jerash: “Pompeii of the Middle East”.

Once a luxurious link in the caravan route from Arabia, this Roman city suffered the fate of the desert with the Empire's decline. Today Jerash is a newly excavated gem with towering Corinthian columns, an imposing Forum and Theatre and a grandiose temple to the patron deity, Artemis.

Jericho

Site of the oldest inhabited city in the world and of Joshua's legendary battle, Jericho is today two villages — old and new. Nearby is the Mount of Temptation and beyond lies the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptised. the Dead Sea (1292 feet below sea level), and the purple mountains of Moab.

Jerusalem (Israel)

Israeli-Jerusalem, the new nation's capital city, is crowned by Mount Zion, holy to Jew and Christian alike. Here is the site of King David's tomb, as well as the Church of the Dormition and a room where Jesus and his disciples gathered for the Last Supper.

Jerusalem (Jordan)

The Golden City — sacred to three of the world's great religions. Most of the old, historic sites of this divided city lie in the precincts of Jordan. Here at the Garden of Gethsemane, an ancient olive tree may have been mute witness to Christ's agony.

The Mount of Olives, traditionally regarded as the place where Jesus ascended into Heaven, has a 12th Century Crusader's chapel with the Saviour's apparent footprint in stone.

Entering the walled city at St. Stephen's Gate, pilgrims may go the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa), past St. Anne's Church and the quiet ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, through the narrow streets and bazaars to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — reputed site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

Nazareth & Galilee

Nazareth, 24 miles from Haifa across the Plain of Jezreel, is a sleepy Arab town of narrow lanes and flat-roofed houses. It is the scene of Christ's youth and is frequently mentioned in the New Testament.

Biblical history echos in the verdant valleys and hills lying between Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. Mount Tabor, Cana, Capernaum, Tiberias and a host of familiar place-names are to be found in this historic area.

Tel Aviv

This bustling seaside metropolis is a sophisticated melange of cafés, shops, theatres and concert halls — the undisputed cultural center of Israel.

Nearby Jaffa, in startling contrast, is one of the oldest ports of the world and the city from which Jonah sailed on his ill-fated voyage to Tarshish.