Pope Leo XIV – Inaugural Mass Homily
Elected on May 8, 2025, as the 267th successor of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV’...
In this 8 minute podcast describing the majestic summit of Mount Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Dr. Italy, who has visited Mt. Tabor nearly thirty times, explains the beauty of the place itself and the view of Galilee and Samaria from the top of the Mountain.
In this brief segment which aired on national Catholic radio, Marcellino D’Ambrosio shares his impressions of one of the most dramatic peaks in the Holy Land, Mount Tabor.
This mountain is directly across the valley from Nazareth, so would have been a landmark Jesus grew up seeing on the horizon. Anyone traveling from Nazareth to the holy city of Jerusalem would have to walk by Mt. Tabor. People going to Jerusalem from Capernaum and the other villages around the Sea of Galilee would have also seen Mt. Tabor on their journey.
Image of gardens atop Mt. Tabor by Susan D’Ambrosio. All rights reserved.
Image of Mt. Tabor Gardens by Susan D’Ambrosio. All rights reserved.
Image of the Crypt chapel of the Church of the Transfiguration by Susan D’Ambrosio. All rights reserved.
Though the gospel accounts pf the Transfiguration do not mention the name of the mountain (it is just described as “high”), very early Christian tradition locates Mt. Tabor as the site of the event. We can still see the ruins of the fourth century Byzantine Church that was built on the spot, and also the ruins of the Crusader church of the 12th century and the ruins of the medieval Benedictine monastery that stood next to it.
Like Peter, James and John, Holy Land pilgrims accompanying Dr. Italy and the Crossroads Initiative, pray at the top of this majestic peak. Those that come with us understand why Peter wanted to build a tent and stay a while on Mt. Tabor – the views are majestic and the sense of God’s presence is overwhelming.
Image by Susan D’Ambrosio. All rights reserved.
Image by Susan D’Ambrosio. All rights reserved.
Extensive footage of Mount Tabor appears in the video bible study Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, from Ascension Press. Jeff Cavins and Dr. Italy appear in that series discussing the meaning of the Transfiguration in the gardens surrounding the beautiful Church designed by architect Antonio Barluzzi.
Dr. Italy appears weekly on the Sonrise Morning show, a production of Sacred Heart Radio. You can listen to this show broadcast live Monday through Friday via the EWTN Global Catholic Radio, a network of over 120 local affiliate stations in the US. You can find podcasts from the Sonrise Morning on both Sacred Heart radio site and www.crossroadsinitiative.com.
To learn more about pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Dr. D’Ambrosio, visit the PILGRIMAGE SECTION of the Crossroads Initiative Website.
For more on the meaning of Jesus transfiguration atop Mt. Tabor, including reflections by some of the early church fathers, see the TRANSFIGURATION SECTION of the Crossroads Initiative Library.
To subscribe to Dr. Italy’s weekly podcast and never miss an episode, visit http://crossroadsinitiative.libsyn.com/ or the Catholic Heritage with Dr Italy podcasts on iTunes
Banner/featured image of Mt. Tabor by Felix Bonfils. Public domain.
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