Church of Visitation - Ein Karem

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The Rock behind which Elizabeth hid John in the Church of the Visitation

A huge stone set in a niche is known as the Stone of Hiding. According to an ancient tradition, the stone opened to provide a hiding place for the baby John during Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents, an event depicted in a painting on the wall.

To reach the church we have to pass a spring where Mary is reputed to have quenched her thirst, before she climbed up the hill to Elizabeth’s summer home.

Mary's Spring,   Ein Kerem

    A Holy spring which was the center of the ancient village. According to tradition, virgin Mary stopped here to drink while visiting John the Baptist's parents.  http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/MarySpring.html