Advice for a Pilgrim Sending Worship to the Holy Land
13 April 2019
With this material, we open a series of publications about what a person should know when they first go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We'll start with the simplest. Pilgrimage is a spiritual journey; it begins not with arriving in Israel, but from the doorstep of his own home. Everything that happens to you on the way to the shrines and back, matters. Therefore, every act, every emotion must be weighed and correlated with the spirit of the Gospel. The people who meet you will judge all Christians in your country by your behavior.
For this reason, already at the airport, you should remember that airline employees - both local and Israeli - may ask you a variety of questions. Some of them may seem unexpected and even embarrassing to you. Be that as it may, you need to answer them calmly, without getting annoyed: those who work at airports are responsible for the safety and convenience of air travel and, as a rule, do not invest anything personal in communicating with passengers. It is very important to choose the right clothes and shoes. It is better if things are non-crease and can be folded compactly. If your trip falls between April and October, be sure to bring a bottle of drinking water and a light-colored hat with you. Sunglasses and a light umbrella will also not be superfluous: Israel is a hot country, many of whose shrines are located in areas with an arid climate. As for shoes, they should be as comfortable as possible, worn out and fit comfortably on the foot. Not every shrine can be comfortably approached by a tourist bus or a rented car; some of their monasteries and temples will have to walk for several kilometers, sometimes uphill. Therefore, a plaster, taken with you, just in case, will also not hurt. Actually, the requirements for clothing and shoes when visiting Christian shrines in Israel and in other countries are not much different. Shorts, flip-flops, short skirts, and oversized pilgrimage dresses are clearly not suitable. If the program of the pilgrimage trip includes swimming in the waters of the Jordan River, slippers will be needed. Women will also need a long white shirt (worn over a swimsuit). However, such a shirt can also be bought in places of bathing: its cost is low, moreover, it will remain a kind of reminder of an event exciting for every Christian. As for other equipment, for convenience it is best to bring a small, reliable bag for documents, money and essentials - and under no circumstances during the day with her not to part. It will not hurt to take with you a stick (or better two) of the kind that are used for sports walking: this object helps to significantly save energy during hiking. Actually, it was the staff and the bag that were and remain the main attributes of pilgrims from the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. In our time, a cell phone has become an equally important accessory for a spiritual traveler. Therefore, even before the trip, you need to activate all options for communication in roaming. In Israel, a local SIM card can be purchased directly at the airport of arrival (unless, of course, you decide to use the services of local operators) - the cost of calls in this country is quite acceptable. The monetary unit of the State of Israel is the shekel, or, to be more precise, the 'new Israeli shekel'. In some places, US dollars will be accepted for payment here, but in others not, so it is better to take care of their exchange for local banknotes in a timely manner. In addition, it is more profitable to buy in shekels in Israel. You can exchange dollars for shekels right at Ben Gurion Airport, in the center of the baggage claim area; there are many other exchange points that are scattered throughout the country. And, finally, the notes of health and repose that pilgrims, as a rule, serve in churches and monasteries of the Holy Land - it is better to write them in advance. Everything the names mentioned in them must be clearly legible and written in block letters. As a rule, each such note contains no more than ten to twelve names. Donations that are customary to leave when submitting a note are at least the equivalent of one dollar. Of course, if you wish, you can leave as a donation and more - as much as you think is appropriate. V. Sergienko
Advice for a Pilgrim Sending Worship to the Holy LandAdvice for a Pilgrim Sending Worship to the Holy Land With this material, we open a series of publications about what a person should know when they first go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We'll start with the simplest. Pilgrimage is a spiritual journey; it begins not with arriving in Israel, but from the doorstep of his own home. Everything that happens to you on the way to the shrines and back, matters. Therefore, every act, every emotion must be weighed and correlated with the spirit of the Gospel. The people who meet you will judge all Christians in your country by your behavior. For this reason, already at the airport, you should remember that airline employees - both local and Israeli - may ask you a variety of questions. Some of them may seem unexpected and even embarrassing to you. Be that as it may, you need to answer them calmly, without getting annoyed: those who work at airports are responsible for the safety and convenience of air travel and, as a rule, do not invest anything personal in communicating with passengers. It is very important to choose the right clothes and shoes. It is better if things are non-crease and can be folded compactly. If your trip falls between April and October, be sure to bring a bottle of drinking water and a light-colored hat with you. Sunglasses and a light umbrella will also not be superfluous: Israel is a hot country, many of whose shrines are located in areas with an arid climate. As for shoes, they should be as comfortable as possible, worn out and fit comfortably on the foot. Not every shrine can be comfortably approached by a tourist bus or a rented car; some of their monasteries and temples will have to walk for several kilometers, sometimes uphill. Therefore, a plaster, taken with you, just in case, will also not hurt. Actually, the requirements for clothing and shoes when visiting Christian shrines in Israel and in other countries are not much different. Shorts, flip-flops, short skirts, and oversized pilgrimage dresses are clearly not suitable. If the program of the pilgrimage trip includes swimming in the waters of the Jordan River, slippers will be needed. Women will also need a long white shirt (worn over a swimsuit). However, such a shirt can also be bought in places of bathing: its cost is low, moreover, it will remain a kind of reminder of an event exciting for every Christian. As for other equipment, for convenience it is best to bring a small, reliable bag for documents, money and essentials - and under no circumstances during the day with her not to part. It will not hurt to take with you a stick (or better two) of the kind that are used for sports walking: this object helps to significantly save energy during hiking. Actually, it was the staff and the bag that were and remain the main attributes of pilgrims from the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. In our time, a cell phone has become an equally important accessory for a spiritual traveler. Therefore, even before the trip, you need to activate all options for communication in roaming. In Israel, a local SIM card can be purchased directly at the airport of arrival (unless, of course, you decide to use the services of local operators) - the cost of calls in this country is quite acceptable. The monetary unit of the State of Israel is the shekel, or, to be more precise, the 'new Israeli shekel'. In some places, US dollars will be accepted for payment here, but in others not, so it is better to take care of their exchange for local banknotes in a timely manner. In addition, it is more profitable to buy in shekels in Israel. You can exchange dollars for shekels right at Ben Gurion Airport, in the center of the baggage claim area; there are many other exchange points that are scattered throughout the country. And, finally, the notes of health and repose that pilgrims, as a rule, serve in churches and monasteries of the Holy Land - it is better to write them in advance. Everything the names mentioned in them must be clearly legible and written in block letters. As a rule, each such note contains no more than ten to twelve names. Donations that are customary to leave when submitting a note are at least the equivalent of one dollar. Of course, if you wish, you can leave as a donation and more - as much as you think is appropriate. V. SergienkoСвеча Иерусалима -en
With this material, we open a series of publications about what a person should know when they first go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We'll start with the simplest. Pilgrimage is a spiritual journey; it begins not with arriving in Israel, but from the doorstep of his own home. Everything that happens to you on the way to the shrines and back, matters. Therefore, every act, every emotion must be weighed and correlated with the spirit of the Gospel. The people who meet you will judge all Christians in your country by your behavior. For this reason, already at the airport, you should remember that airline employees - both local and Israeli - may ask you a variety of questions. Some of them may seem unexpected and even embarrassing to you. Be that as it may, you need to answer them calmly, without getting annoyed: those who work at airports are responsible for the safety and convenience of air travel and, as a rule, do not invest anything personal in communicating with passengers. It is very important to choose the right clothes and shoes. It is better if things are non-crease and can be folded compactly. If your trip falls between April and October, be sure to bring a bottle of drinking water and a light-colored hat with you. Sunglasses and a light umbrella will also not be superfluous: Israel is a hot country, many of whose shrines are located in areas with an arid climate. As for shoes, they should be as comfortable as possible, worn out and fit comfortably on the foot. Not every shrine can be comfortably approached by a tourist bus or a rented car; some of their monasteries and temples will have to walk for several kilometers, sometimes uphill. Therefore, a plaster, taken with you, just in case, will also not hurt. Actually, the requirements for clothing and shoes when visiting Christian shrines in Israel and in other countries are not much different. Shorts, flip-flops, short skirts, and oversized pilgrimage dresses are clearly not suitable. If the program of the pilgrimage trip includes swimming in the waters of the Jordan River, slippers will be needed. Women will also need a long white shirt (worn over a swimsuit). However, such a shirt can also be bought in places of bathing: its cost is low, moreover, it will remain a kind of reminder of an event exciting for every Christian. As for other equipment, for convenience it is best to bring a small, reliable bag for documents, money and essentials - and under no circumstances during the day with her not to part. It will not hurt to take with you a stick (or better two) of the kind that are used for sports walking: this object helps to significantly save energy during hiking. Actually, it was the staff and the bag that were and remain the main attributes of pilgrims from the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. In our time, a cell phone has become an equally important accessory for a spiritual traveler. Therefore, even before the trip, you need to activate all options for communication in roaming. In Israel, a local SIM card can be purchased directly at the airport of arrival (unless, of course, you decide to use the services of local operators) - the cost of calls in this country is quite acceptable. The monetary unit of the State of Israel is the shekel, or, to be more precise, the 'new Israeli shekel'. In some places, US dollars will be accepted for payment here, but in others not, so it is better to take care of their exchange for local banknotes in a timely manner. In addition, it is more profitable to buy in shekels in Israel. You can exchange dollars for shekels right at Ben Gurion Airport, in the center of the baggage claim area; there are many other exchange points that are scattered throughout the country. And, finally, the notes of health and repose that pilgrims, as a rule, serve in churches and monasteries of the Holy Land - it is better to write them in advance. Everything the names mentioned in them must be clearly legible and written in block letters. As a rule, each such note contains no more than ten to twelve names. Donations that are customary to leave when submitting a note are at least the equivalent of one dollar. Of course, if you wish, you can leave as a donation and more - as much as you think is appropriate. V. Sergienko
