E07940: The pilgrim Egeria, in her Itinerary, travelling up the Jordan valley comes to Sedima (biblical Salem, Palestine), where she visits a church 'at *Melchizedech' (Old Testament king and priest of Salem, S01783). Written in Latin during Egeria's journey to the East, probably in 381-384.

Egeria, Itinerary 13.3-15.5

Travelling up the Jordan valley, Egeria sees a fertile valley descending to the river:

13.3 Nam in ea valle vicus est grandis, qui appellatur nunc Sedima. In eo ergo vico, qui est in media planitie positus, in medio loco est monticulus non satis grandis, sed factus sicut solent esse tumbae, sed grandes: ibi ergo in summo ecclesia est et deorsum per girum ipsius colliculi parent fundamenta grandia antiqua: nunc autem in ipso vico turbae aliquantae commanent. (4) Ego autem cum uiderem locum tam gratum, requisiui, quisnam locus esset ille tam amenus. Tunc dictum est michi: "Haec est ciuitas regis Melchisedech, quae dicta est ante Salem, unde nunc, corrupto sermone, Sedima appellatur ipse vicus. Nam in isto colliculo, qui est medio uico positus, in summitatem ipsius fabricam, quam uides, ecclesia est, quae ecclesia nunc appellatur greco sermone opu Melchisedech. Nam hic est locus ubi optulit Melchisedech hostias Deo puras, id est panes et uinum, sicut scriptum est eum fecisse."

14.1 Statim ergo ut haec audiui, descendimus de animalibus, et ecce occurrere dignatus est sanctus presbyter ipsius loci et clerici: qui nos statim suscipientes duxerunt suso ad ecclesiam. Vbi cum uenissemus, statim iuxta consuetudinem primum facta est oratio, deinde lectus est ipse locus de libro sancti Moysi, dictus est etiam psalmus unus competens loco ipsi, et denuo facta oratione descendimus.


'13.3 For in that valley there is a large village which is now called Sedima. In that village, which is set in the middle of the plain, at its centre is a hillock of no great size, rather like a large tumulus: there at its summit there is a church, and below, all around that hillock, there are massive ancient foundations, whereas now in that village there live only a few groups of people. (4) So, when I saw such a pleasant place, I asked what such a fine place was. I was told: "This is the city of Melchizedech, which earlier was called Salem, whence the name of the village has been corrupted to Sedima. For on that hillock, which is in the middle of that village, that building at its summit, which you see, is a church, which is now called in Greek opu Melchizedech ['at Melchizedech']. For this is the place where Melchizedech made pure offerings to God, that is bread and wine, as it is written that he did.

14.1 As soon as I heard these things, we got off our animals; and, see, the holy presbyter of this place kindly approached us with the clergy: receiving us, they took us up to the church. When we arrived there, at once, as is our custom, we first said a prayer, then read of this place in the book of holy Moses, recited a psalm suitable for the place, and then after a further prayer descended.'

Egeria is shown round by the presbyter, who points various details mentioned in the bible. She then remembers that John the Baptist baptised at a spring near this place, and, accompanied by the presbyter, visits it (see E05222).

15.5 Illud etiam presbyter sanctus dixit nobis, eo quod usque in hodierna die semper cata pascha, quicumque essent baptizandi in ipso uico, id est in ecclesia, quae appellatur opu Melchisedech, omnes in ipso fonte baptizarentur, sic redirent mature ad candelas cum clericis et monachis dicendo psalmos uel antiphonas et sic a fonte usque ad ecclesiam sancti Melchisedech deducerentur mature omnes, qui fuissent baptizati.

'15.5 The holy presbyter told us that to the present day, always at Easter, whoever in this village is to be baptised, that is in the church which is called opu Melchizedech, all of them are baptised at that spring, and speedily return by candlelight with the clergy and the monks reciting psalms and antiphons, and thus all who have been baptised process from the spring to the church of holy Melchizedech.'


Text: Franceschini and Weber 1965, 56-57. Translation: Bryan Ward-Perkins.