Pool of Bethesda - the ruins of a vast ancient baths, famous for one of the most touching scenes of evangelical. It is almost right next to the ruins of the Catholic Church of St. Anne, that the Lion's Gate.

In biblical times, Jerusalem, located in a fairly dry area, well supplied with water. First City Waters arose in the VIII century BC. e. On the Temple Mount water was supplied special water pipeline from the II century BC. e. Herod the Great built a huge pool of Israel (110 meters in length, 38 in width). For the grand work had good reason: the water was needed priests the Levites for the ritual washing of the sacrificial animals.

On a special role in the life of Jerusalem pools tells John: "Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of water ... "(Jn. 5: 2-3). As Scripture says, from time to time in the pool went angel, "disturbing the water", and the first one then dipped, recovered. It is at Bethesda, Jesus makes healing, struck his opponent, because it was the Sabbath, a holy day of rest. The pool lay relaxed, suffered from the disease for thirty-eight years. Jesus asked - Do you want to be healthy? The sick man answered, "Yes, Lord; I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; when I am coming, another steps down before me "(John 5: 7). Then Jesus said, "Get up and walk," and once the patient has recovered.

For a long time the gospel of Bethesda placed in different parts of Jerusalem, some experts even believe that the story is more metaphorical and no baths in ancient Jerusalem actually was not. But at the end of the XIX century German architect, archaeologist and Protestant pastor Conrad Schick discovered near the remains of the Church of St. Anne huge pool. His studies began in the sixties of the last century.

With absolute certainty whether these excavations - Evangelical Bethesda, can hardly be and now there are other hypotheses. But some features of the ruins correspond to the Gospel text: archeologists have found the remains of five porches, mentioned in the Scriptures, as well as a wide ladder that could go down to the pool for a swim. An impressive buildings: one hundred and twenty fifty meters. Surrounded by columns Pool - a monument to the genius of the engineers of antiquity: it reaches a depth of fifteen meters.

Whatever it was, the excavations of Bethesda have confirmed that large pools near which could find a place for the "great crowd" of patients in ancient Jerusalem really were.