Israel is preparing for the influx of pilgrims expected to flock to the Holy
Land where Christ was born, lived, preached and died, to mark 2,000 years
since his birth.
Israel is gearing up for the year 2000 and an expected increased influx of
pilgrims visiting the country to mark the second millennia since Christ's
birth. From Jerusalem to Nazareth and elsewhere in the Galilee, major
projects intended to construct new facilities for visitors and expand the
tourist infrastructure are underway.
"Israel is the very land where Christ was born, lived, preached and died,"
stresses Moshe Katzav, Israel's Minister of Tourism. "There can be no more
meaningful pilgrimage for Christians than a visit to the Holy Land."
According to Israel's Ministry of Tourism, some 25% of the 2.5 million
tourists who currently visit Israel each year are Christian pilgrims. In the
year 2000, the number of pilgrims is expected to reach a million. In
addition, many of the tourists to Israel who describe themselves as
"sightseers" are drawn to Israel, first and foremost, because it is the Land
of the Bible.
Indeed, Christian pilgrims have been coming to the Holy Land since Byzantine
times. Queen Helena, the mother of Byzantine Emperor Constantine who
converted to Christianity, traveled to Jerusalem herself and identified the
principal sites related to Christ: the Church of the Annunciation in
Nazareth, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem where Christ was born and
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem where Christ was crucified,
buried and resurrected.
Jerusalem, the Holy City, is Israel's premier tourist destination. Eighty
percent of all visitors to Israel spend time in Jerusalem, which has 7,000
out of the 30,000 hotel rooms in the country. Jerusalem is, of course, holy
also to Jews. It was here that King David established his capital over 3,000
years ago and King Solomon built the First Temple. Muslims believe that the
Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven from the spot on which the resplendent
Dome of the Rock stands. Indeed, as the peace process gains momentum, Mr.
Katzav hopes that Muslim pilgrims will also come to Israel in greater
numbers.
Jerusalem is not only a city of history. It is the modem, flourishing
capital of Israel, with national institutions like the Knesset (parliament)
and the Supreme Court ensuring that democracy prevails and safeguarding
freedom of religion for all. The Israel Museum, which also houses the Dead
Sea Scrolls, Hadassah Hospital's stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall and
the Jewish National and University Library, which holds the very manuscript
on which Albert Einstein worked out his theory of relativity, are some of
the additional attractions of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem also makes an ideal base for visiting Bethlehem, birthplace of
Christ, just 10 kilometers to the south. Bethlehem is now under the control
of the Palestinian Authority. It is easily accessible from Jerusalem and is
a further reason for an expected increase in the number of pilgrims.
The main focus of construction for the year 2000 is in the Galilee.
Nazareth, a sleepy village in the time of Christ, is now a bustling city of
60,000. The government has allocated $30 million for infrastructure
improvement, from new highways to renovation of the city's ancient
marketplace and squares. Some 2,600 hotel rooms will be constructed, mainly
by local entrepreneurs.
Elsewhere in the region, the shores of the Sea of Galilee are a major draw
for pilgrims: the Mount of the Beatitudes where Christ gave his Sermon of
the Mount; Ein Tabgha, where he performed the miracle of the loaves and the
fishes; and Capernaum, where he healed the sick. While there are now 3,500
hotel rooms in Tiberias, several thousand more rooms in small guest houses,
in keeping with the region's rural character, will be made available by the
year 2000.
Though the year 2000 has a special significance for Christian pilgrims,
Israel will be just as eager to host visitors either before or after. The
Holy Land is eternal.