KEREK.
385
is handsomely paid for baptising, reconciles his conscientious
scruples by the hope that the boy so baptized may perhaps die a
Christian ; added to this, he does not give the child entire baptism,
but dips the hands and feet only in the water, while the Christian
child receives total immersion, and this pious fraud sets all his
doubts at rest as to the legality of the act. The priests pretend
nevertheless that such is the efficacy of the baptism that these
baptised Turks have never been known to die otherwise than by
old age.
Kerek is the see of a Greek bishop, who generally resides at Jerusalem. -
The diocese is called Battra () in Arabic, and Héreag
in Greek; and it is the general opinion among the clergy of Jerusalem, ¬
that Kerek is the ancient Petra ;* but it will be seen in the
sequel of this journal that there is good reason to think they are
mistaken; Kerek therefore is probably the Charax Omanorum of
Pliny. The bishop’s revenue is about six pounds sterling per
annum ; he visits his diocese every five or six years. During
my stay, a Greek priest arrived from Jerusalem, to collect for his
convent, which had been at a great expense in rebuilding the church
of the Holy Sepulchre. The Greeks delivered to him in sheep to
the value of about fifteen pounds sterling.
The Kerekein cultivate the plains in the neighbouring mountains
and feed their cattle on the uncultivated parts. One-third of the people ¬
remain encamped the whole year at two or three hours distant
from the town, to superintend the cattle ; the rest encamp in
the harvest time only. During the latter period the Christians
have two large camps or Douars, and the Turks five. Here they
The Greck bishops belonging to the Patriarchal see of Jerusalem are : 1. Kaisaryet
Filistin; 2. Bysan: 3. Battra; 4. Akka; 5. Bethlehem; 6. Nazareth. The Greek bishops -
in partibus (a) are; 1. Lyd; 2. Gaza ; 3. Syna ; 4. Yaffa ; 5. Nablous ;
6. Shabashye ; 7. Tor Thabour: 8. Djebel Adjeloun.
