المزارات الدينية في مصر والشام وبلاد الرافدين في القرن الرابع الميلادي في ضوء رحلة إيثيريا Etheria

Etheria was one of the Christian pilgrims who came from Western Europe to visit the holy lands in Palestine. The importance of her journey is that she stayed for almost three years in the Levant, which has many religious sites in Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia as well. Thus, she gives us an important image about the important religious places in the ancient Near East in the fourth century AD and an image also for celebrations and religious holidays of eastern Christians in that period. Perhaps, this is what make the journey occupies a paramount importance among the historians, particularly as it was recorded in Latin, language of Western Europe at that time, not in Greek, making her popular reputation among the Europeans, especially Catholics
Accordingly, this paper aims to trace the details of her trip to the Levant to show the religious shrines in Egypt and the Levant in the fourth century AD, and what should have been on the Christian pilgrim be done during his visit to the holy lands in the East, particularly in Palestine.