ANCIENT EMMAUS
Emmaus is believed to be a place where Jesus appeared before his followers after the resurrection. An exact place is not known, but a tradition connects it with a small town Kyriat Yearim, also known as Abu Gosh. Located near Jerusalem, this is also believed to be a place where Kind David brought the Arch of Covenant before taking it to Jerusalem.
Today Abu Gosh is a prospering Moslem village, which inhabitants trace their origin to the Chechen People from Caucasus Mountains.
At the top of the hill stands a Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant. Initially built in Byzantine times, this beautiful early XX Century church still have an ancient mosaic floor.
Down the hill, in the village, there is a Benedictine Monastery of St. Mary of the Resurrection Abbey. Built at the site of the Roman Military Camp, this monastery still hides a beautiful spring, used by the Romans for their steam bath. But the most important part of the Abbey is its huge Crusades church, decorated with the Byzantine frescos.
And the last but far from the least sites at Abu Gosh is its huge modern Mosque, a present from the Chechen President Kadyrov. Built in a great taste and the best tradition, combining Palestine and Caucasus, this tremendously beautiful most welcomes all visitors.
To conclude, Abu Gosh is another example not only of ancient and modern architecture and Biblical History, but also of a great mutual respect and tolerance of the three Monotheistic religions peacefully coexisting in the Holy Land.