EATING THE PASSOVER 



The members of the six families collect, each around one of the lambs — men, women, chil- 

 dren, and nursing; babies. 



To escape the confusion caused by the 

 swarms of sight-seers, boys galloping 

 about on their horses or urging on lazy 

 donkeys, hawkers calling out in loud 

 voices as they peddle small cakes, 

 oranges, or sweetmeats, we follow a 

 friend, one of the priests, up to the crest 

 of Gerizim. This, to the Samaritan, is 

 the holiest part of the earth and crowded 

 with sacred spots and associations. 



THE SACRED SITES OF GERIZIM 



Here one is shown the place where 

 Joshua built the first altar of sacrifice 



with twelve stones taken from the Jor- 

 dan. Just above it are the foundations 

 of St. Mary's Church, built by the Em- 

 peror Zeno and restored by Justinian. 

 Adjoining these ruins is a small domed 

 mosque, Sheik Ghanim, now in a neg- 

 lected condition. A Moslem shrine and a 

 Christian church each in succession built 

 on the site from materials supplied by 

 the remains of a Roman temple ! 



Proceeding southward along the out- 

 most ledge of the plateau, the priests 

 point to spots where tradition says the 

 altars of Adam and of Noah stood. Be- 



29 



