Haifa kehilla of Saint John the Baptist


Father Roman describes the renovated community house.

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The patron of the Haifa kehilla is John the Baptist. In order to underline the connection between John son of Zechariah and Elijah the Prophet, on one of the walls of the chapel there is writing that represents two quotations.

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On the right, a quotation from the Book of Malachi (3:23-24):
Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents.
Under this citation lies the book of the Tanach (Old Testament).
On the left, the words of the Archangel Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke (1:13-14):
Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Under this citation, lies the book of the New Testament.
Recently, in the salon through which one enters the house to go to the chapel, a special place of marble was prepared for a special painting of John the Baptist. In this image one can see John with wings. This is the way to depict him in the Byzantine Church. The wings remind one of the prophecy in the Book of Malachi, which says: “See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me” (Malachi 3:1) – “my messenger” can also mean “my angel”. Like the prophecy about the coming of Elijah the Prophet, this prophecy was fulfilled in the birth of John the Baptist and from this derives the way of painting John with wings.

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