MONASTERE SAINT-GEORGES

A trip to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St George is worthwhile if only for the spectacular scenery you'll encounter along the way. This^5th century monastery was built into the cliffside in Wadi Al-Qilt because of the biblical significance of the area. It is said to be on the route that Jesus took from Jerusalem to the Jordan Valley. It is not far from here that he is said to have spoken his parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrating his definition of "love of neighbour". Wadi Al-Qilt could be the "valley of the shadow" referred to in Psalm 23 of the Bible. The founders of the monastery also believed that it was in one of the nearby caves that the prophet Elisha was fed by ravens (Book of Kings I 17:5-6). Finally, it is in one of these caves that Joachim, the father of the Virgin, would have received the visit of an angel announcing the coming of a child, in spite of the sterility of his wife.

The caves of Wadi Al Qilt were occupied by hermits who came to pray and meditate even before the monastery was built. In the^5th century, the Egyptian monk Saint John of Thebes, accompanied by Syrian hermits, founded a monastery there. The monastery was sacked by the Persians, who killed the 14 resident monks. In 1179, the Crusaders attempted to rebuild the monastery, but were driven out before they could complete their work. In 1878, a Greek monk named Kalinikos began to rebuild it. The work was completed in 1901. The bell tower was added in 1950.