Israel says NO to Christians trying to immerse themselves in the Jordan River

Wonder how that "holy" man of god, John Hagee, thinks of this action by his bestest buddies in Israel?

The river where Hagee's god was baptized is now cordoned off by Israeli placed land mines and occupation forces of the IOF.

Will Pastor Hagee rise up in righteous indignation and raise hell about Israel's religious discrimination or will he be too busy counting his money?

Think CNN will cover this on the evening news? Or maybe F**?

Or maybe they'll be tied up reporting on the latest in the Israeli spy story.

Christians flock to Jordan river but can't take the plunge

Thousands of Orthodox Christian pilgrims flock to site where they believe Jesus was baptised.

By Patrick Moser - QASR AL-YAHUD, West Bank

Thousands of Orthodox Christian pilgrims flocked under a scorching sun on Tuesday to the site where they believe Jesus was baptised but could not take the traditional plunge into the Jordan River.

Incense rose into the desert sky as the faithful from Greece, Eastern Europe, Russia and other parts of the Orthodox world marched in procession from the Qasr Al-Yahud monastery, dedicated to St John the Baptist, down to the Biblical river.

Israeli security forces kept a watchful eye on the celebrations to ensure no one strayed onto the surrounding minefields or rushed down to the waters that mark the border with Jordan.

A Palestinian Boy Scout marching band from the nearby occupied West Bank town of Jericho welcomed the faithful to the revered site set in a harsh landscape of arid hills, barbed wire and military positions.Pilgrims, many clad in white baptismal gowns or black priestly robes, expressed disappointment they couldn't descend the steep banks to the river.

"It was a very bad surprise. I came prepared to go into the Jordan river," said Theologos Dimakopoulos, who traveled from New York to attend the Orthodox Holy Week that culminates in Sunday's Easter celebration."I'm still hoping God may intervene to allow us to immerse ourselves" he added with a mischievous smile, his eyes raised toward the cloudless sky.

His prayers went unanswered, though one priest did manage to slip through the security cordon and plunge into the muddy water, much to the delight of tourists on the Jordanian side, just a few meters (yards) away.

In the past, pilgrims rushed into the river to perform ritual immersions in commemoration of their baptisms, but that has been banned by Israel, which only opens the otherwise closed military area to the public a few times a year.

Instead, the faithful stood under showers set up above the Jordan, drenching themselves in water pumped from the river.

"I have no words to describe the joy, the blessings I feel," said Greek pilgrim Chrisa Giauiki. "It is like being baptised again," she said, beaming.

Standing on the edge of the slow-flowing river, Greek Orthodox Bishop Christodoulos, flanked by priests, chanted prayers as he sprinkled holy water and dunked a bunch of twigs into the Jordan. "This celebration will bring us many blessings, many good things in our lives, as long as we believe fervently in Jesus Christ," said Nicola, a 33-year-old Romanian.

He had no doubt he was standing at the very spot where Jesus entered the waters some 2,000 years ago to be baptised by John, who immersed his followers in the Jordan to symbolise their purification in the eyes of God.

But many experts believe it was in what is now Jordan, on the east side of the river.

Dimakopoulos, has little interest in the archaeological controversy. The entire Holy Land exudes divine energy, he says.

"It is a blessing to be here, where we are reminded of the holy era of 2,000 years ago," he says.