Saturday 3 October visited Nicopolis - considered to be the Gospel town of Emmaus. The most ancient christian tradition says this is now the Emmaus of St. Luke's Gospel ... two disciples walking on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus meeting "the stranger". You can walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus in one day so this location (7 miles from Jerusalem) is considered the authentic one. There are a few "other roads to Emmaus"! Local christian memory indentifies Nicoplois as a place of special importance. The first christians began to live here in the 3rd century. Successive basilicas were built since then; basilicas plural because of destruction, wars and rebuilding. We also saw 1st century tombs here: small entrance to a cave into an open area (which would have been for mourning), and then six small, low caves the size of a body. Excavations here as usual, especially the walls of a Crusaders church built in the 12th century. The Nicopolis site is now in the care of the Community of the Beatitudes - a French-founded catholic community of lay people, priests, nuns and monks. Very interesting. One of the lay members showed us around (dressed monastically). The Community is having problems with Vatican recognition. Rome is insisting that there must be 2 communities: one Lay (under control of the Congregation of the Laity), the other Religious (under the control of the Congregation for Religious. All because ... how can people who are priests, nuns or monks be "governed" by lay people (whom the Community elects). Big problem for some men sitting at desks with pens in the Vatican! We attended mass at Abu Gosh. (The Ark of the Covenant was kept in this area for 20 years until King David brought it to Jerusalem). We were in a Benedictine Monastery located in simple peaceful grounds right in the centre of town. Very interesting because there are two communities of Benedictines here: Monks (priests and brothers) and Nuns; so there was an Abbot there, plus the Abbess! Mass was celebrated in French with both communities present. Great dignity and care and a striking reverence with the body throughout. Wonderful singing - mostly gregorian chant. Time stands still.
