My name is Fr. Raphael. I am an Orthodox priest, a historian and a church tour guide in the holy Land. For the past 4 years, my family and I have been living in Northern Ireland, where I serve in the Greek Orthodox Church of Annunciation in Dublin. Being an Orthodox priest in Dublin is almost the same as being an Orthodox guide in the Holy Land: you are surrounded by people of many different nationalities and cultures who are seeking an encounter with God, and the Lord has appointed you to help them in this. It is both joyful and a great responsibility.

For me, this kind of ministry is natural: I was born and raised in Jerusalem, the holy city that was created to lead people to God. From childhood, I was surrounded by biblical places. Moreover, my ancestors on my father’s side were Levites. And as is well known, the Levites served in the Old Testament Temple in Jerusalem. Perhaps that is why my relationship with God has been very serious since childhood, and I have always wanted to serve Him.

For me, pilgrimage is прежде всего a careful contemplation of a place and a deep immersion in its history. As a boy, I climbed into ancient Jewish tombs and the underground ruins of medieval churches. I felt at times like an archaeologist, at times like a screenwriter, or a director… I even made short films, and the main “characters” were always holy places: biblical valleys, ancient roads, and temples.

The Holy Land is a living Bible—it is the “fifth Gospel,” in the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. One can read this book and раскрывать its meanings to people endlessly…

My name is Anna Musan-Levi. I am an Orthodox guide in the Holy Land, a blogger, a musician, and a mother of five wonderful daughters. I lived in the Holy Land for 28 years, and for the past four years I have been living on the holy land of Ireland… And I am not misspeaking: every country has its own holy places—points where grace is felt especially strongly, where prayer flows more deeply, places that, when we see them, strengthen our faith.

Once, holy places changed my life. I was born into a believing Orthodox family in Moscow and grew up in the Church. But when, at the age of 16, my parents and I, by God’s providence, found ourselves at the Holy Sepulchre… our whole life changed by 180 degrees. It was as if a different kind of vision opened within us. It felt as though a path had been revealed to us—one we only had to follow, despite all fears and obstacles.

And now, for 20 years, I have been witnessing how people encounter the Lord in holy places, and how their lives begin to change. And I am endlessly grateful to Christ for giving me the opportunity to take part in this.