THE GREEK ORTHODOX MONASTERY OF SAINT GEORGE OF KOZIBA -WADI QELT, JERICHO. A Monastery since 4th Century AD.

Carved out of rocks and lying deep in desert canyons, this magnificent cliff-hanging Greek Orthodox monastery began in the 4th century AD, when a few monks settled here around a cave where they believed Elijah was fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:5-6). Later, several tarditions were added to the site, the most important one is about Virgin Mary's birth. The site where Joachim wept over the sterility of his wife Anne and where an angel announced to him the news regarding the conception of Virgin Mary are now commemorated at the churches on the middle level of the monastery complex. The Elijah's cave is now credited to the 'Church of the Cave' at the upper level of the monastery.

However, it was a hermit, John of Thebes (c. 480 AD) who transformed the small oratory here into a monastery complex. The monastery takes its name from a monk named St: George of Koziba or St: Gorgias of Coziba. Born in Cyprus c.550 AD, St: Gorgias spent much of his life in the Judean Desert including the site of this monastery. In 614 AD, Persians invaded the site and murdered all the 14 monks who lived in the monastery; perhaps including St: George himself. The bones and skulls of the martyred monks killed by the Persian invasion are still displayed in the monastery chapel. The Crusaders made some attempts to restore the site in 1179. However, it fell into disuse after their expulsion.

In 1878, a Greek Orthodox monk, Kalinikos, settled here and re-established the monastery, finishing it in 1901. The monastery is still inhabited by a few Greek Orthodox monks and are open to public today. We could only make to the entrance of the monastery; due to shortage of time we decided to skip visiting the interiors.You have to be here to feel that eerily wild surroundings and absolutely breathtaking views into the desert. Climbing down the steep serpentine path to the rock-facing monastery is indeed like walking the 'Valley of the Shadow of Death' (Psalms 23:4)-a truly memorable  experience for us in Jericho.