Bethphage (Ancient Greek:Βηθφαγή,romanized: Bēthpagḗ;Imperial Aramaic:בֵּית פַּגִּי,romanized: Bêṯ Paggî,lit. 'house of unripe figs')[1] orBethsphage,[2] is a Christian religious site on theMount of Olives east of historical Jerusalem.
TheSynoptic Gospels mention Jesus stopping in Bethphage before histriumphal entry into Jerusalem. There is an annual CatholicPalm Sunday procession into Jerusalem, as there is a Greek Orthodox one (the respective feasts seldom fall on the same day), both beginning in Bethphage.[3][4]
.jpg)
Bethphage is mentioned in theNew Testament as the place in ancientIsrael to whichJesus sent his disciples to find acolt upon which he would ride intoJerusalem. The Synoptic Gospels mention it as being close toBethany, where he was staying immediately prior to his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.[5][6][7]
Unknown villagers living there, the owners of the colt according toGospel of Luke 19:33, permitted Jesus' disciples to take the colt away for Jesus'triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which would have been four days beforePassover.[3]
Bethphage is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the modern village ofal-Azariya.
Eusebius (Onom 58:13) located it on theMount of Olives.[6] It was likely on the road from Jerusalem toJericho and the limit of aSabbath-day's journey from Jerusalem,[8] i.e., 2,000cubits.[citation needed]
The FranciscanChurch of Bethphage was built on the foundations of a 12th-centurycrusader chapel.[9][failed verification]
Just up the hill from the Catholic church is the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Palm-bearing Bethphage. TheGreek Orthodox mark the feast day every year at the site.[10]
31°46′38″N35°15′03″E / 31.7772°N 35.2508°E /31.7772; 35.2508
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
