John the Baptist’s Known (and Less Known) Baptism Sites
Titled by some as “the last prophet and the first Saint,” John son of Zachariah preached in first-century Judea about the coming of the Messiah. He operated mainly in the Judean desert, wearing a cloak made of camel hair, and mainly eating locusts (Matthew 3:4). John argued for immersing the body in fresh water to be ready for “the anointed one” (the Christ). His act became known as Baptism, and John became known as “John the Baptist“. This unique private tour will take you to two sites where the gospels recorded John operating and baptizing people.
All the gospels record John the Baptist conducting baptisms at the Jordan River, including of Jesus. Unfortunately, none of the gospels provide enough details to determine where exactly did it happen. Nevertheless, the texts hint that it was close to Jericho, and indeed since the 4th century Christian pilgrims started pointing to a spot east of Jericho as the baptism site. It developed into a major Christian pilgrimage destination, that attracts visitors to this day. Its east bank bears a few small springs and caves with shade and greenery. Perhaps this is where John resided during his baptism activity. Moreover, the site is not far from 
