Phial
Crater lake located not far from Mount Hermon where the Samaritan woman is said to have taken refuge[1]
Description
When Jesus passes through Shechem again, just before the Passion, the Samaritan woman Photinaï is no longer there, and no one knows where she found refuge: "Someone among us believed they saw her working as a servant in a village near the Phialé. Another swears to have recognized her miserably dressed in Bersabea"[2]. This is the only mention of Phialé lake and Bersabea in the work, two places situated respectively at the extreme north and the extreme south of Palestine.
Name
Fialé, Phialé, Ram. Flavius Josephus calls it Phiale: "Phialé - the bowl - is located on the ascent toward Trachonitis, one hundred and twenty stadia from Caesarea (of Philip), on the right and not far from the road[102]: it is a pond so named because of its circular shape; the water always fills it to the brim without ever falling or overflowing. For a long time, it was unknown that the Jordan took its source there, but the tetrarch Philip provided proof: he had straws thrown into the Phialé which were found carried into the Panion, where the ancients placed the river’s source[3]"
Phialé designates a Greek bowl without handles, shallow, often circular and flared. Very common, it was used for libations. The lake was thus named by analogy of shape. Located in the Decapolis, Greek was spoken there.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
EMV 571.
Learn more about this place
Little-known lake, located at the extreme north of Palestine. It is now referenced on the Internet, but was practically unknown in Maria Valtorta's time.
The village where Photinaï works as a servant is without doubt the one called today Mas'ade
Explore
- 33° 14’ 02’’ N / 35° 46’ 00’’ E /
- +948m.
Notes and references
'
- ↑ Article partially written based on the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel, J.-F. LAVÈRE.
- ↑ EMV 571.4.
- ↑ Flavius Josephus, Jewish War, Book 3, chapter X, paragraph 7.