| Monastery of Saint George of Choziba (Mar Jaris) | |
|---|---|
دير القديس جورج | |
 St. George Monastery in Wadi Qelt, Jericho | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Eastern Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem |
| Location | |
| Location | Area C, Jericho Governorate, West Bank |
  Shown within the West Bank  Monastery of Saint George of Choziba (State of Palestine) | |
| Palestine grid | 1890/1389 |
| Geographic coordinates | 31°50′35.5″N 35°24′53″E / 31.843194°N 35.41472°E |
The Monastery of Saint George of Choziba (Arabic: دير القديس جورج, Greek: Μονή Αγίου Γεωργίου του Χοζεβίτου), also known as Monastery of Choziba (or Hoziba) or Mar Jaris,[1] is a monastery located in Wadi Qelt in Area C of the eastern West Bank, in the Jericho Governorate of the State of Palestine. The cliff-hanging complex, which emerged from a lavra established in the 420s and reorganised as a monastery around AD 500,[1] with its ancient chapel and irrigated gardens, is active and inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks. It houses the relics of Saint George of Choziba, after whom the monastery is named, as well as the relics of Saint John of Choziba[2] (420/450–520/530) and those of Saint John of Choziba the Romanian (1913–1960).
The monastery is reached by a pedestrian bridge across Wadi Qelt, which many believe to be Psalm 23's "valley of the shadow of death".[3] The valley parallels the old Roman road to Jericho, the backdrop for the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37). The monastery is open to pilgrims and visitors.[4]
Established during the Byzantine period near Jericho, it was destroyed by the Persians in AD 614, rebuilt in the 12th century during the Crusader period, abandoned after their defeat, and rebuilt again by Greek monks starting at the end of the 19th century. The location of the monastery has been associated with the lives of Elijah and that of the parents of the Virgin Mary. That, allied with the Eastern Orthodox saints whose relics are kept in the monastery, both make it a site of intense pilgrimage.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Pringle183was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Abraham Path Initiative: St. George's Monastery". Archived from the original on 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- ^ Dave Winter, Israel Handbook: With the Palestinian Authority Areas, page 271, 1999. "St George's Monastery Clinging to the side of the Wadi Qelt ravine, this monastery takes its name from St George of Koziba; a monk born in Cyprus c 550, but who spent much of his life at various lauras in the Judean Desert"