Senatore, Marzocchi & Palaferri’s documentary: Terra Sancta, Gurdians of Salvation is an enriching and

educational video that gives emphasis on the early Christian faith based from archaeological findings, through

different time-table, place and people supplemented with scholarly and biblical interpretations.

In this paper, we will discuss a few archaeological facts/findings about the site while having a glimpse of Moses’s

experience, based from the scriptures given, while lastly focusing on personal questions that have arose after

watching the video.

A short background or contextualization of the Biblical text (Deut.32:48-50.52), it was where “The Lord spoke to

Moses, as he was asked to go up into this mountain Abarim, and see the Land of Canaan,” and, “it is where Moses

contemplated the Promised Land and ended his life.” Hence, according to biblical research this is one of the main

reason that this mountain has had a significant amount of importance about the sanctity “placed over” or “given” to

the mountain. Thus, “the tradition associating the death of Moses with Mt. Nebo may have had as a starting-point

the existence of sanctuary on the top of the mount, or, at all events, the sacred character of the mountain.” 1 Today,

Mt. Nebo, “or the summit of Siyagha, has been granted a perpetual care of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy

Land, in 1992, by king Abdullah.” 2 Through the efforts of brother Mihaic, and father Saller, an archaeologist, Mt.

Nebo’s biblical and historical treasures within and surrounding it has been “dug up,” taken care of and brought to

light for us Christians, pilgrims and lay peoples alike to gain knowledge of its context as we tread along the paths of

such a Holy place as we continue to seek God as he fills our hearts with prayerful faith. A place where Moses was

and where we might also encounter God’s salvation and revelation of promised hope in the OT and NT.

In Mt. Nebo there have been excavations (sites, made into churches so that people can pray inside) in its vicinity

which gives us context and background of what might have happened during the time of Moses in relation to the

scripture narratives mentioned. Being systematically reviewed from the 4 th-10th centuries AD, sanctuaries, mosaics,

and maps located inside monasteries, church’s walls, floors and tiles are some of the sources wherein we get facts,

messages, prayers, understandings, background and context of “a more comprehensive perception of the revered

nature of this site throughout the first Christian millennium.” The sites left behind by our ancestors as

1
. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_International_Encyclop%C3%A6dia/Nebo,_Mount

2
. https://web.archive.org/web/20131229072334/http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/fai/FAIeval.html
expressions of craftsmanship have been a source of strength and knowledge as we continuously strive to keep our

faith alive. It is also a tool used in guiding the biblical scholars addressing some issues pertaining to the location of

Holy places i.e., biblical map additions, and reconstruction on some important pages of Gospel Geography

Considering the site has been used to add some things or clear things up in the bible, what if we haven’t had

the chance to encounter these sites, i.e. Mosaics? Or, What if the mosaics have been completely eradicated?