This presumed Prayer Hall is one of the earliest worship facilities at the site, perhaps dating from before the 4th century AD. A rectangular structure built of undressed fieldstones; it is located near the southeastern corner of Tell al-Kharrar. A plain white mosaic pavement covered the floor, and the ceiling was probably wooden. The manner of construction and location suggest that the structure functioned as a prayer hall or chapel in the very early Byzantine period.

The 7th-century writer John Moschus narrates the story of one monk's personal experience in the monastic caves (Laura) of the area. On his pilgrimage to Sinai by way of Ayla (Aqaba) in south, a monk from the monastery of Saint Eustorgius in Jerusalem crossed the Jordan River, was struck by a violent fever, and had to take refuge in a cave at Bethany beyond the Jordan River. Three days later, Saint John the Baptist appeared to him in a dream and tried to dissuade him from continuing his pilgrimage. John told the monk: "This little cave is greater than Mount Sinai. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself has come in here to pay me a visit". Convinced and recovered from his illness the monk transformed the cave into a church for the hermits living in the area. "It is the place which is called the Laura of Saphsaphas near the ", concludes John Moschus.

There are several other legends about the caves and hermits living in the area. One was told by Antoninus Martyr the Pilgrim of Piacenza around 570 AD: "On the bank of the Jordan River there is a cave with cells for seven virgins. They have people outside to look after them. The virgins are taken there when they are very young. When one of them dies, she is buried in her cell, and another cell is carved from the rock so that another girl can be replaced to keep the number of virgins always seven. With great reverence, we entered the caves to pray there, but we did not see the face of a single one of them. It is said that the cloth, which the Lord wore on his face, is kept in this place. On both banks below the mountains there are serpents from which people make antidotes against poisoning".

Wadi al-Kharrar is the modern name for the site of “Saphsaphas”, which is depicted on the 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba. The site lies east of the Jordan River, just west of the village of Al-Kafrayn and within sight of the famous town of Jericho west of the river.

At the beginning of Wadi al-Kharrar, near the monastic complex, or "Laura", Christian pilgrims have traditionally been shown a hill (known as Jabel Mar Elias in Arabic) where the Prophet Elijah ascended into heaven. Here, you can see a sanctuary that attracted pilgrims well into the medieval period.

The Russian pilgrim Abbot Daniel was impressed by the place and in 1106 he wrote: "Not far away from the river, at a distance of two arrow throws, is the place where the Prophet Elijah was taken into Heaven in a chariot of fire. There is also the grotto of Saint John the Baptist. A beautiful strong fast stream (torrential rain) full of water flows over the stones towards the ; the water is very cold and has a very good taste; it is the water that John drank while he lived in the holy grotto".

The memory of the place was not lost by the writer Theodosius either, who wrote around 530 AD: "Where my Lord was baptized there is, on the far side of the , the 'little hill' called Hermon, where Saint Elijah was taken up".

Similarly, the Pilgrim Antoninus Martyr from Piacenza wrote around 570 AD: "This is the place wher Elijah was taken up (to heaven). In that place is the 'little hill of Hermon' mentioned in the Psalm. At the foot of the mountain at seven o'clock in the morning, a cloud forms over the river, arriving over Jerusalem at sunrise, above the basilica on Zion, the basilica at Christ's Tomb and basilica of Saint Mary and Saint Sophia (once the Praetorium where Christ's case was heard). Above these places the dew comes down like showers, and sick people collect it. In the hospices all the dishes are cooked in it, and in the places where this dew falls many diseases are cured. For this is the dew of which the Psalmist signs, 'it is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion ' (Psalm 133.3)".

Here you can see the Byzantine Monastery (5th - 6th centuries AD) with several churches and other buildings, all within a surrounding wall. The entrance in the northern wall leads to the living quarters of the monks. The complex had a fine water system.

The monastery is the first east of the river along the pilgrimage route between Jerusalem and Bethlehem to the west and Mount Nebo east of the site.

The Northern Church has two sections: the altar and a nave (the central part of the church) that are separated by the chancel screen. It has two entrances, in the northern and western walls. A colored mosaic includes geometric designs with the cross marks depicted at their corners and center within a surrounding frame.

A distinguishing feature of the church is a complete Greek inscription set in a mosaic floor. It reads: "By the help of the grace of Christ our God the whole monastery was constructed in the time of Rhotorius, the most God-beloved Presbyter and Abbot. May God the Savior give him mercy". The church was restored according to international charters, and a reversible shelter was added to protect its beautiful mosaic floor.

A well, a cistern and settling basins connected with water channels are located between the “prayer hall” and the nearby small chapel, called the Church of Pope John Paul II. The cistern was dug out of the natural lissan marl rock; it is the largest reservoir discovered at the site, built during the 5th – 6th centuries AD. Well-cut sandstone ashlars were used to build its inner sides, while a thick layer of lime was added and covered by a smooth layer of plaster to prevent any seepage. The pool was roofed by a vault system and carried a white mosaic floor on top.

A canal feeds a cylindrical well, located near the northwestern corner of the cistern dating from the Byzantine period.

Three pools can be seen on the “Tell”. The first one is located on the lower southern slope, dating to the Late Roman period during the 3rd-4th centuries AD. The other two pools are located on the top of the northern edge of “Tell al-Kharrar”. Rectangular in shape, the southern pool had an inner staircase on the eastern side, and four steps extending the full width of the pool can be seen. Pilgrims would descend into the pool to be baptized.

The two northern pools are almost square in shape and also date from the same Roman period. Ashlars were added near the southwestern corner of the northwestern pool in later periods, possibly to form a staircase to go down into the pool. The pools received their water supply through aqueducts.

Excavations under the damaged floor of the pool revealed a well dating from the Early Roman to Late Byzantine periods. Circular on top, it is built of well-cut sandstone ashlars.

Not far from Tell al-Kharrar, at a distance of 300m to the west on the southern edge of Wadi al-Kharrar, some architectural remains were discovered. They consist of a small structure with foundations built from local fieldstones and upper courses built from mud bricks. Wooden beams were fixed to roof the structure that evidently was used by monks as living and prayer quarters, and for offering necessary services to the pilgrims visiting the site. Such facilities formed a Laura, or a monastery comprised of many individual hermit cells in a defined area.

A rectangular church (or chapel) is located on the saddle of land south of the main site, connecting it with the surrounding plain. It was built during the 5th–6th centuries AD, and was used by incoming pilgrims for prayer and worship. It had a mosaic floor with cross decorations and arches supporting the roof, of which one has been reconstructed. This church was named after His Holiness Pope John Paul II to commemorate his visit and blessing of the site on the 21st of March 2000.

Throughout history, Christian pilgrims visited the region east of the Jordan River on their way from Jerusalem to Mount Nebo. They usually crossed the Jordan River near Jericho, visiting and sometimes describing the Christian facilities or their remains along “ Wadi al Kharrar” back then Saphsaphas, "Wadi Gharabah" (about a kilometer south of “ Wadi al Kharrar”, and Livias (Tell al-Rameh).

A pilgrims’ station was built during the Byzantine period (5th–6th centuries AD) between the Jordan River and Tell al-Kharrar. This station for pilgrims visiting the area had a number of rooms around an open courtyard, which were served by an adjacent water pool.

Two Roman roads were built during the era of Emperor Hadrian. Around 129 AD, a road was built to connect “Hesban” Esbus with “Tell al-Rameh” Livias Jericho, and Jerusalem.“Tell al-Rameh” Livias Jericho, and Jerusalem.

A large pool was uncovered during the excavation in the lower area of Bethany beyond the flanking the Jordan River, called the “Zor” area. This large stone-built and plastered pool measures over 25 x 15 meters, and might have been used for group baptisms in the Byzantine period. A well-built canal directed water into the pool from a nearby spring to the north, and carried water out of the pool’s southern wall. Material recovered from the pool dates the structure to the Byzantine period, during the 5th-6th centuries AD.

Travelers and historians described this spring as flowing from a point near Tell Mar Elias and reaching the area near John the Baptist’s Church. Pilgrims said the water of this spring was used for drinking and for baptism. Several structures and pools were built along the route of the fresh water. Ancient writers referred to the site as Aenon.

Two caves (cells) were discovered dug into the upper layers of the cliffs on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

These types of caves are found in monasteries in “the wilderness”, near the banks of the Jordan River. Hermits used these caves as places of pious devotion, as dwellings, and for prayer. Prayer niches were carved into the eastern walls of the two caves, perhaps as an indication of the caves being converted into a church (place of worship).

One of The most famous legends regarding the area of “Wadi al-Kharrar” is about the life of Saint Mary the Egyptian who chose to live a disreputable life in Alexandria in her youth. She abandoned her life of sin during a visit to Jerusalem and went on to become a model of repentance.

After consulting the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, she had heard a voice telling her: “Cross the Jordan and you will find rest”. She crossed to the east bank of the Jordan River, and spent the last 47 years of her life living alone, praying and fasting in the Jordanian desert where she could be close to God. Before dying she was found by the monk Zosima from a nearby monastery, who prayed with her, listened to her story, and gave her Holy Communion shortly before she died. Zosima buried her, reportedly with the help of a lion that helped him dig her grave with its paws.

The site associated with Saint Mary the Egyptian is in the “Zor” area close to the place where Jesus was baptized.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, Jordan River runs through our land as it does through biblical history, purifying and nourishing both physically and spiritually. At this location one can instantaneously go back in history where God and man met in the path of salvation. A reality between soul and faith reinforced in time everlasting.

The authenticity of this site is as pure as the testimonies from the gospels, the pilgrims and travelers that have visited this cherished site. The archaeological sites discovered and the associated studies carried out recently show the remains of five churches uniquely designed and built since the 5th century as memorials of Jesus baptism. In addition, the mosaic map of the Holy Land where the site is depicted. Finally, all this is crowned by the official letters sent to the Royal Commission by many heads of churches around the world.