Two Caves of Elijah the Prophet at Mount Carmel, Israel

It happened that my focus of this winter travels was the Mount Carmel.

And today I place a first post of cave of Elijah the Prophet. It will be a cave, which usually visit Christians and it is situated on the upper slopes of Mount Carmel inside a church “Stella Maris” belonging to the Catholic Order of Carmelites.

So, we have drive up from Hadar up to Haifa Square Stella Maris. If you are traveling by auto, don’t miss an observation point on your way, and have enjoyed a place whence Haifa began (it called Bat Galim – the Daughter of Waves. Well, with bus excursion you will stop a little bit above. Also you can take photos from Stella Maris but I advice, don’t miss the first one.

Pay attention to some objects outside before we’ll enter to the church. The first one is located across the street – a former charity house of the monastery (now the naval base of Israel Army). The building is remained but unfortunately some fragments of painting were lost. I’ve retouched a photo minimal. A plot of painting is: Elijah’s the Prophet ascention. A statue of Virgin Mary is situated in front of entrance to this building.

Now we turn to the church and see the memorial to fallen French soldiers in shape of pyramid. The monument is devoted who died here after Napoleon’s unsuccessful campaign and siege of Acre when, because of events on France, he deserted army in Palestine. There is inscription “How the mighty have fallen” from King David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan and I’ll tell the next time about this connection. We won’t enter inside church today. I’ll postpone it for some days and now, before we’ll enter and light our small candle in the cave, some more photos of courtyard of man’s monastery “The Brotherhood of Virgin Mary from Mount Carmel”.



King of Mountain, Dedication to Persephone and Mandrake

My last photo report was completely devoted to the magnificent views opening from Mount Carmel.

Today, I offer to look not into the distance but under foot.

But in the beginning – the photos of family living at the foot of Mount Carmel in kibbutz Yagur. The true “King of the Mount” headed a small group consisting of father and three children. He went forward with confidence and when we turned to an easier path, this group continued a claiming to mount and the dog led them forward.

During a stroll we stopped, photographed and admired with magnificent views, but sometimes shifted the gaze to a sight that was closer, than an opposite slope. Namely – I’ve recalled - I’m flora designer, and photographed the miracle flora of Mount Carmel. It can be written a lot of books about plants of bible Carmel so today I’ll tell only about two but really magic plants.

I met Mandrake and Asphodelus.





Mandrake is mentioned in Old Testament when the eldest son of Jacob and Leah find mandrakes, and infertile Rachel (mother of Josef) barters with Leah for them but only years after did Rachel manage to get pregnant. Mandrake in Hebrew means “love plant”.  



Asphodelus connected with Persephone (the daughter of Zeus and the Queen of the underworld), who appears crowned with a garland of asphodelus.

I remind, both plants grow in National Reserve so I admired and photographed them only.

I don’t finish the story of Mount Carmel today. Soon we shall visit the cave of the prophet Elijah.

Climing on Mount Carmel

Today I invite to stroll on Mount Carmel. We enter the reserve from the side of kibbutz (a collective community in Israel) Yagur. The plate, just in front entrance, informs visitors that they need to have three liters of water a person (it happens, the tourists lose reference points of routs) and also: don’t disturb animals and plants living in reserve and return before dark. Entrance is free.

We have had this stroll on the day of Tu-bi-Shvat (see my post: Israel. Tu-b'Shvat 2011). And now I wanna note only: it has been at the end of January but it wasn’t winter it was spring. I was absorbing everything: the landscape, the smells, the sun beams, and the blue sky. The bright, fresh grass in my photos, it is true picture and not painted or improved photos with photoshop.

So, we begin a climbing on Mount Carmel.