{Was near} ((886e) eggus). See  2:13  for the same phrase.
This last passover was the time of destiny for Jesus. {Before the
passover to purify themselves} (pro tou pascha hina hagnis(9373)in
heautous). Purpose clause with hina and the first aorist
active subjunctive of hagniz(935c), old verb from hagnos (pure),
ceremonial purification here, of course. All this took time.
These came "from the country" (ek t(8873) ch(9372)as), from all over
Palestine, from all parts of the world, in fact. John shifts the
scene to Jerusalem just before the passover with no record of the
way that Jesus came to Jerusalem from Ephraim. The Synoptic
Gospels tell this last journey up through Samaria into Galilee to
join the great caravan that crossed over into Perea and came down
on the eastern side of the Jordan opposite Jericho and then
marched up the mountain road to Bethany and Bethphage just beside
Jerusalem. This story is found in  Lu 17:11-19:28  Mr 10:1-52  Mt
19:1-20:34 . John simply assumes the Synoptic narrative and gives
the picture of things in and around Jerusalem just before the
passover ( 11:56,57 ).