Churches at Jesus' Baptism Site reopen

Under layers of heavy dust, the doors of a dresser stand open, showing crockery neatly stacked inside and even a stash of beer on the bottom shelf. Candlesticks and religious artefacts peep out from wooden drawers. A cooking pot rests forgotten in the sink whilst a set of butter knives remain, pristine in their original box.

For over 50 years, time has stood still in the churches at the Baptism Site on the West Bank of the River Jordan. Mined and booby trapped following the 1967 Six Day War these places of worship have lain abandoned ever since.

But in March 2018, with the support of the Israeli and Palestinian Authorities, HALO began work to remove the mines and explosives. A team of Georgian HALO deminers were the first people to enter the Ethiopian and Franciscan churches in over 50 years, revealing a fascinating insight into the priests’ daily lives before they fled their homes during the 1967 conflict.