Mount Tabor
While the Holy Land is blessed with a wide range of geographical features, there are only a few prominently elevated points as Mount Tabor in the Lower Galilee of Israel.
At 575 meters above sea level, the top of the mount commands a spectacular view of the gently rolling hills and plains of the Lower Galilee. It is little wonder that the mount features in both the Old Testament and the New Testament: the books of Joshua and Judges, a battle between the Israelites and the Caananites is described. In Christianity, Mount Tabor is the site of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, as described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and also mentioned in the Gospel of John and alluded to in the Second Epistle of Peter. The chroniclers of the New Testament note that Christ went to Mount Tabor with Peter, James, and John. The three disciples bore witness to Christ illuminated by a tremendous bright light, flanked by the Prophets Moses and Elijah, with the voice of God calling out to Christ as His Son. The Transfiguration of Christ is considered one of the greatest signs of His affirmation as the Messiah, and the concept of Christ being the light to the world.
There are two monasteries on Mount Tabor. The Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land keeps watch over the large Church of the Transfiguration, built in the early 20th century by the noted Holy Land architect, Antonio Barluzzi. The church is designated as a basilica, with a beautiful illuminated interior meant to represent the transformation, while two side-chapels are dedicated to the Prophets Moses and Elijah. The foundations of the basilica and the grounds around it include ruins of Byzantine and Crusader churches, while modern-day structures allow for some shade from the usually-prevalent hot rays of the sun, allowing pilgrims a moment of prayer and meditation outside the usually busy church.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem has its own monastery on Mount Tabor. While less visited than its Franciscan counterpart, it too has its place of prominence in the Transfiguration story.
Each year in August, pilgrims arrive at Mount Tabor to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. Celebrated on August 6th in the Catholic Church and August 19th in the Orthodox Church in the Holy Land, it is traditionally (and informally) considered the starting point of the end of the long, hot summers of the Holy Land, as recalled in an Arab Orthodox Christian proverb "Summer comes with Saint George (early May) and leaves with the Transfiguration (late August). " This folk wisdom is in part connected to a curious meteorological phenomenon that occurs on Mount Tabor on the feast day as celebrated by the Orthodox Church. On the evening of the 18th into the 19th, a heavy fog covers the hilltop during the all-night service; a highly unusual occurrence for the region as the rainy season almost predictably ends in early May and does not return until late October. Many Christian believers hold that this fog is indeed from the Holy Spirit, and a sign of God’s continual blessing on believers who keep the feast day holy, and on Mount Tabor itself.
Whether a miracle or not, both the Franciscan service and the all-night vigil of the Orthodox feast day is known for its beautiful atmosphere, bringing together pilgrims from many nations across the world. And on any other day of the year, a visit to Mount Tabor is a blessing in of itself, where pilgrims can gaze out across the Galilee, spend time at the beautiful churches, and ponder the mystery and significance of the Transfiguration of Christ.
To learn more about the mysterious occurrence on the feast of the Transfiguration, visit this website link: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/08/miraculous-holy-cloud-of-mount-tabor.html.
Be Not Afraid!
Good Shepherd Travel offers pilgrimages to Mount Tabor as part of their Holy Land tours. Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, Ireland, and many other destinations are among our most popular programs. For more information on how to begin preparing for a pilgrimage in late 2020 or in 2021, contact Tony AbuAita at Tony@goodshepherdtravel.com. We will return to pilgrimage – and we hope to see you with us!