“Ein Karem” by Sofia Kioroglou

Ein Karem

John’s birthplace

The city of Juda

7.5km south-west of Jerusalem

Blessed

Image courtesy of biblewalks.com/Sites/EinKarem

Today, Ein Kerem is a remarkable and picturesque village, with old Arabic style houses and lovely gardens. Many pilgrims visit the holy sites of Ein Kerem while staying in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Ein Karem means the spring of the vineyard and its Arabic name Ain Karim means “The spring of the dresser of the soil”

The Greek-Orthodox convent of St John the Baptist is located on the foothills of the western hill of Ein Kerem. It served the Greek-Orthodox community  in Ein Kerem. The ancient church (1894) was restored in 1975.