The Samaritans celebrate passover today, April 28, 2010. Lambs will be sacrificed and roasted in the pits seen here on Mount Gerizim.
Pits used by Samaritans on Mt. Gerizim at Passover. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
See old photos at Life in the Holy Land here. Todd Bolen has some nice photos and explanations at Bible Places here, and another article here. A website provided by the Samaritans is available here.
Passover is a celebration that originated as the Israelites prepared to depart from Egypt.
And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. (Exodus 12:26-27 ESV)
The Samaritans are a curiosity in the modern world. The men and boys wear a dress-like robe, while many of the women dress in modern fashions. We have written more about the Samaritans here.
Samaritan man and woman on Mount Gerizim. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
Jesus paused in the valley below Mount Gerizim at Jacob’s well. He discussed the issue of worship in “this mountain” with the woman of Samaria (John 4:1-42).
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:20-24 ESV)
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