Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
John 5:1-9
There are a couple of special things about the Church of St. Anne. Even in Israel it’s not everyday that you get to walk into a church built in the 12th century (although if you’re walking the Via Dolorosa next, and we bet you are, at the end of your journey you’ll be in the other 12th century church in the Old City). And then there’s the acoustics. We guide Nigerian pilgrims. They really know how to sing and their harmonizing will move the staunchest atheist. The highlight of our 10 day tours occur here where we sit back and marvel at the sounds they produce in this nearly 900 year old building. But it’s not just the Nigerians. Dozens of groups pass through every day with one thought in mind: the glorification of God by making beautiful music composed solely of the human voice.
Acappella group at St. Anne’s Church. Thanks to Joshua Teng
When you leave the church turn right and go down the stairs. You’ll see the Bethesda Pools. In Jerusalem as we dig down into the Earth we go back in time and here we see dramatic evidence of this as the pools lie 20 meters below the modern city.