John the Baptist’s Cave

On the western side of Elijah’s Hill, there is a cave where John lived, and where Jesus was known to visit him. This is considered a very Holy site and therefore a church was built around the cave at the time the monastery was built in the 5th century. It was the first monastery east of the Jordan River on the early Christian pilgrimage route between Jerusalem and Bethlehem to the west and Mount Nebo to the East.

Another significant point is that even during the period of Islamic rule, monks still lived in the monastery next to the cave, performing their daily duties freely, portraying the kind of coexistence between Christians and Muslims that is still the case in modern day Jordan.

Visually the site is very similar to how it would have looked in the time of Jesus and John, The Bible describes the reeds that can be seen throughout the year today. The small rough bushes are the natural habitat for bees, reminding us of what John the Baptist used to eat, wild honey and locusts.