- Under the golden dome
- Cave dwellers
- Order of Faith and Spirituality
The grape, which in biblical times grew in abundance on its slopes, gave its name to Mount Carmel, which rises in the Israeli city of Haifa. Kerem Eli, or the Vineyard of God, resembles an iron, whose nose cuts into the sea and forms one of the shores of the Haifa Bay. Mount Carmel protects the city from cold weather in winter, and therefore in Haifa, even in December, you can meet people briskly walking off the beach.
Under the golden dome
The name of the city, where thousands of tourists come every year, is translated from Hebrew as "beautiful coast". But it is not only the picturesque views of the bay that attract travelers to Israel's largest port. From the height of Mount Carmel, a panorama of the Bahai Gardens opens on its slope.
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In 1868, the Turkish Sultan sent a small group of prisoners to the harbor at the foot of the Vineyard of God. They showed apostasy from Islam and they had to serve their term near Haifa. The exiles were charged with following a new religion, which they called "Bahá'ís."
The main attraction of Haifa - the majestic Bahai Gardens - resemble those described in the Bible. The picturesque ensemble, courtesy of dozens of gardeners, is a perfect example of landscape design and park art. But for adherents of the Bahá'í faith, these gardens mean much more than just perfect lawns and flower beds, in which every centimeter, degree and semitone is sustained. The gardens are a symbol of the Bahá'í religious doctrine, and in their form lies the deepest content.
The integrity and harmony of the landscape ensemble symbolizes the unity of all religions on Earth and the striving of every person who professes Bahá'ís to purity of thoughts.
Bahá'ís teach that the original essence of human beings is the soul, which needs to be developed, nurtured and strengthened. This process is similar to what a mother does with her child throughout her life
The garden terraces that descend from Mount Carmel are maintained by a group of 90 people, which includes both experienced gardeners and volunteers from the followers of the founder of the Bahá'í faith.
The park descends with ledges to the lower town and its length is about a kilometer. The width of nineteen terraces reaches 600 meters, revealing to the enthusiastic spectators a magnificent staircase leading to the golden dome of the Tomb of the Bab. The adepts of the faith, who consider him the messenger of God, spent about a quarter of a billion dollars on the creation of the Bahai Gardens in Haifa.
Guided tours of the Bahai Gardens are available several times a day by appointment. If you did not manage to book your time in advance, you can enjoy the panorama of the gardens from the observation deck and walk along the first upper terrace. Russian-speaking guides invite you to walk through the Bahai Gardens on Mondays and Saturdays
In 2008, the gardens and the tomb of a man who dreamed of the purity of the thoughts of any soul on Earth were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The best way to get to the upper platform is to take the local metro. In Haifa, it is one of a kind and there is no such means of transportation in any city in the world. The underground funicular follows a route that is only two kilometers long, makes four stops along the way, not counting the final two, and has served the people of Haifa since the 50s of the last century. They even gave it their own name, and today Carmelite is one of the most important city attractions in itself.
Cave dwellers
Historians claim that Mount Carmel in the Haifa region was inhabited 50 thousand years ago. Even Neanderthals were guests of the local caves, but the most interesting for travelers is the modest dwelling of the Prophet Elijah. He was forced to hide on the slope of the Vineyard of God from the follower of the Baal cult, King Ahab.
The complex vicissitudes of the relationship of biblical characters are no longer so important, but the ascetic stone cell of the prophet, with one wave of his staff, stopped or caused rain, serves as a place of active pilgrimage for citizens.
It is believed that the cave of the prophet Elijah also served as a hiding place for David, the future king of the people of Israel, so visiting it is equally often found in the must see lists of both Jews and Christians
Order of Faith and Spirituality
Only a thin strip of muslin-white collar enlivens the modest attire of a Carmelite monk. Their dark brown cassocks are often seen in Haifa, because the headquarters of the Carmelite Order was built in the 18th century right above Elijah's cave on the slope of the Vineyard of God.
Stella Maris Monastery is an equally famous landmark in Haifa, and its creators are known in the world as the most talented architects and artists of that era.
Belly's stained glass windows, Latin texts on the edge of the dome, and ceiling frescoes remind the traveler of biblical scenes and suggest stopping for a minute and devoting a little time to contemplating and analyzing one's own thoughts and aspirations.
Make a wish at the statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from Lebanese cedar and installed in the altar of the cathedral. The Carmelites believe that it was here, in a cave on the slope of the mountain, that the Mother of God rested, holding Jesus in her arms, on her way from Egypt to Nazareth
During the service in the monastery church, an ancient organ wakes up. Its deep surround sound rushes along the slopes of the Vineyard of God, like an outlandish bird. She flies over the Bahai Gardens, over the cave of Elijah and reminds the world that the soul of each of us, like a small and unreasonable child, needs education and strengthening.
