In the footsteps of Scripture

In the ninth and final episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the pilgrims are on their way home. They share photographs and, above all, the experiences of faith that marked their lives: from the desert of Wadi Rum to Petra, from Mount Nebo to the Jabbok, from Amman to Bethany beyond the Jordan, and finally to Gadara and Gerasa. “The common thread," Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains, "is the Catechumenate, or Christian initiation. The Fathers of the Church, especially in the fourth and fifth centuries, the golden age of the catechumenate, shaped according to the stages of the people of Israel in the desert”. “The whole of Christian life is a paschal itinerary.” It was essential for the pilgrims to immerse themselves in person in a tangible history and geography, where so many events of Scripture took place. Thanks to the renewal brought about by the Second Vatican Council, this pilgrimage, recounted in these podcast episodes, was therefore intended to begin with the Word of God, which speaks to the heart of the Christian community. This episode features the experiences of Donata Longo Censori and Loretta Raffaeli Ravaglia. In the words of all the pilgrims, one senses joy and gratitude that the kerygma, which resounded very early on in the cities of the Decapolis, had reached us.

In the eighth episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the group of pilgrims goes to Gadara and Gerasa, in northern Jordan. These cities belonged to the Decapolis, loyal to the Roman Empire and shaped by Hellenistic culture and were among the first places to receive the proclamation of the Gospel. “From the very beginning," Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains, "Jesus Christ and the Apostles did not only preach to the poor and the simple people; they also had to engage with the highest culture of their time.” This episode includes the testimony of pilgrim Pietro Marciani.

In the seventh episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the group of pilgrims, from the banks of the Jordan, walk to the nearby Church of the Baptism of Jesus, consecrated in January 2025. Here they meet Father Sergio Perez, who is responsible for the community of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, entrusted with the care of this site. He tells the story of the church’s construction. The episode also features reflections from Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso on the significance of the site. After visiting Madaba, where is found the oldest map of the Holy Land, designed as a mosaic floor, the pilgrims travel south to Machaerus, the ancient fortress where Herod Antipas ordered the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. “Today," Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains, "we can still see the same fortress where Herod held banquets and celebrations, and where this tragic yet deeply meaningful event took place: the martyrdom of John the Baptist, a fiery prophet who swam against the tide and had the courage to speak the truth to Herod.”

In the sixth episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the pilgrimage reaches Bethany beyond the Jordan, identified as the site of the Baptism of Jesus. On the opposite bank lies Jericho. It was here that the people of Israel, led by Joshua, crossed the river; the area is also associated with the place where the prophet Elijah was taken up into Heaven. There is ample evidence to support its historical authenticity. “The present site of the Baptism of the Lord on the Jordan", Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains, "is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of recent times. Ancient Byzantine churches have been uncovered, and locations described by the earliest pilgrims have come to light. We even have descriptions of the liturgies that were celebrated here.” The episode also includes the testimony of pilgrim Rosaria Del Fabbro.

The fifth episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, takes the pilgrims to the capital city, Amman, known in the Bible as Rabbath Ammon. Here they meet the Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and Cyprus, Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, who speaks about the role of Christians, peaceful coexistence, interreligious dialogue and the history of the country. “Visiting biblical sites," the Archbishop says, "can help in renewing one’s faith. I also hope that such pilgrim experiences may multiply. For our Christians in Jordan, seeing Christians from the West come here, on pilgrimage, means feeling connected to the universal Church, feeling that they are not alone.” That evening, the group have a special dinner at a pizzeria run by Iraqi refugees, organized by Father Mario Cornioli, an Italian fidei donum priest. His work brings hope and ligh. He has also created a tailoring workshop for women who fled Iraq during the time of ISIS. His powerful testimony is also featured in the podcast.

The fourth episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, brings us to the Jabbok stream, in the north of Jordan. Here, in a lush and green setting, the pilgrims sit on large rocks along the riverbank to pray and meditate on the episode of Jacob’s struggle with God and his subsequent reconciliation with his brother Esau. Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains that in our catechesis we recalled that I can go to meet my opposing brother — even an adversary or an enemy — "limping." “Only after encountering the radiant face of God, can I see, in the face of my brother, the very face of God. This is Penuel, which means ‘the face of God.’” The episode also features the voice of the youngest pilgrim, nine-year-old Francesco Di Carmine, and of Claudio D’Auria.

In the third episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the group of around thirty pilgrims heads into the land of Moab, the setting of the entire Book of Deuteronomy. The journey then continues to Mount Nebo, the extraordinary place where Moses glimpsed the Promised Land but did not enter it, and where he died. “Mount Nebo," Father Voltaggio explains, "is a place that has moved generations of pilgrims. We think of the pilgrimage of Egeria, the great Spanish pilgrim, the first to leave us an account of her journey in the fourth century A.D. She writes of her emotion, describing in detail what she saw and did on Mount Nebo”. The pilgrims then meet Brother Bernard Thilagarajah, a Franciscan friar, former guardian of the convent on Mount Nebo, and now parish priest in Limassol, Cyprus. He recalls the history and rediscovery of the site. This episode also includes the testimony of pilgrim Mario Di Carmine.

In the second episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the group travels to Petra, also located in the territory of Edom. On their arrival, the pilgrims venture through the siq, the narrow canyon, and admire the traces left by the Nabataeans, who settled here around the sixth century BC. Beyond the undeniable charm of this place, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains why the Nabataeans were a “people of passage,” at the crossroads of caravan routes and cultures. Reflection once again turns to the relationship between brothers, inspired by the story of Jacob and Esau. The episode is enriched by the moving testimony of Pina Tinè Mascaro, the oldest member of the group at 84, who is deeply moved by this experience. “All of this helped me to realize," Pina says, "how the Lord has always loved and supported me, giving me the grace to see all these places together with my community, which surrounded me with such affection. I was deeply moved by the way they constantly helped me, with the wheelchair, getting on and off the bus, and especially in Petra, where they arranged for me to travel by jeep rather than on foot, given the long and demanding path.”

The first stage of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament takes us to the desert of Wadi Rum, in the south of the country. It is here that the group of around thirty pilgrims begins its journey, marked by visits to places that bear witness to the history of salvation narrated in the Scripture. The pilgrimage sets out in the territory of ancient Edom, whose forefather was Esau, the brother of Jacob. Travelling in six off-road vehicles, the pilgrims experience the awe of crossing a desert marked by countless shades of red. Accompanying them is the biblical scholar Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio. “This passage is fundamental," Father Voltaggio explains, "because in this place Edom, that is Esau, Jacob’s brother and therefore his descendants, the Edomites, brothers of the Israelites, say to them: ‘You shall not pass through here.’ It is the enmity between brothers. Therefore, we made a meditation precisely on this essential point: the harshness of brother towards brother, that is two twins who are adversaries but who one day will be reconciled.” The stage concludes with a meditation at sunset in the desert on a passage from Deuteronomy, followed by a night spent in Bedouin tents. This episode also features the testimony of pilgrim Costanza Samuelli Buscaglione.