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Episode 2 – Petra, a crossroads of people

In the footsteps of Scripture

In the second episode of the podcast In the footsteps of Scripture: a travel diary in Jordan between the Old and the New Testament, the group travels to Petra, also located in the territory of Edom. On their arrival, the pilgrims venture through the siq, the narrow canyon, and admire the traces left by the Nabataeans, who settled here around the sixth century BC. Beyond the undeniable charm of this place, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Father Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio explains why the Nabataeans were a “people of passage,” at the crossroads of caravan routes and cultures. Reflection once again turns to the relationship between brothers, inspired by the story of Jacob and Esau. The episode is enriched by the moving testimony of Pina Tinè Mascaro, the oldest member of the group at 84, who is deeply moved by this experience. “All of this helped me to realize," Pina says, "how the Lord has always loved and supported me, giving me the grace to see all these places together with my community, which surrounded me with such affection. I was deeply moved by the way they constantly helped me, with the wheelchair, getting on and off the bus, and especially in Petra, where they arranged for me to travel by jeep rather than on foot, given the long and demanding path.”