mar saba tour

Mar Saba Monastery in the Judean Desert

The mar saba monastery .

The monastery of Saint Sabbas, also known as The Mar Saba monastery, is a Greek Orthodox monastery located down the cliff edge of the Kidron Valley which begins in Jerusalem between the temple mount and the mount of olives and runs eastward to the dead sea.

Saint Sabbas

St. Sabbas founded the monastery during the 5th century (483 AC), and today it is called “The Mar Saba Monastery” – In Arabic, “Mar” is as “Mr.” in English, and “Saba” means “respectful old man”.  Sabbas was born in Turkey, and when he reached the age of eight, he entered a nearby monastery and quickly learned to read and become an expert on the Holy Scriptures.  At the age of 27, Sabbas moved to Jerusalem and joined the monastery of Saint Euthymius, the great who later sent Sabbas to a monastery headed by Theoctistus, where Sabbas lived for three years. After the death of Euthymius (c 473), Sabbas left the monastery and moved to live in a cave nearby. After several years disciples moved to caves nearby, which was the beginning of the Mar Saba monastery in its form of a laura.

During the Persian invasion in 614 AD, the Mar Saba monastery was damaged and restored in 629 AD. Then it was raided several times during the Ottoman era and heavily damaged in an earthquake during the 19th century but finally rebuilt with the donation from Russia.

Today, the Mar Saba monastery is considered one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world.

During the glory days of the Mar Saba monastery, more than 300 monks lived there and in the caves surrounding it.

The Mar Saba monastery is built as a Laura, a type of monastery consisting of a cluster of cells or caves where each monk lives in seclusion but with a central church and other shared facilities such as a big dining room where the monk can dine together.

As you are about to see in our video, the monastery today is quite large, and it consists of two churches, a refectory for dining, 12 cisterns, cells for monks, and a hostel for visitors. In our current video, we were allowed to use our video camera at a specific balcony that oversees the Kidron valley and many caves and cells where monks lived in the past and today. We shall also see the cave where Sabbas lived for five years before the monastery was founded.

The Laura of Mar Saba is one of several Lauras that were built in the Judea desert area, such as the Laura of Chariton the Confessor, the Laura of Pharan (known as Wadi Qelt), the Laura of Douka on the Mount of Temptation west of Jericho and Souka Laura or Old Laura in the area of Tuqu in Wadi Khureitun.

Saint Sabbas was buried in the monastery, but during the Crusader era, his body moved to Venice, and in 1964, by order of Pope Paul VI, the body was returned to the monastery and can be seen lying in a glass case in the main church.

Each year on December 17, the monks light hundreds of candles around the monastery and within the caves to commemorate the day Sabbas was born.

That’s it for today and until we meet in our next video let’s live the Jerusalem Experience !!

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Mar Saba Monastery

The Mar Saba Monastery is a Greek-Orthodox monastery located in the Kidron valley in the Judean Desert, southeast of Bethlehem. It is the most renownedmonastic complex in the Holy Land, active continuosly since the 6thh century AD.

History of Mar Saba Monastery

During the Byzantine period (4th to 7th centuries AD), many devout Christian monks headed into the Judean Desert. They believed that living as a hermit in this wilderness fulfilled God’s will, especially in the wilderness where John the Baptist and Jesus passed. Over the centuries, these monks established more than 50 monasteries in the Judean Desert, especially around Jesus’s baptism site and the road from Jerusalem.

Saint Sabbas was a Cappadocian-Syrian monk who arrived in the Holy Land in the 5th century. He joined the Euthymius Monastery and later the Laura of Gerasimus . In 484 AD, Sabbas settled in solitude in a cave along the Kidron Valley. Monks that joined him led to the foundation of a monastery bearing his name – Mar Saba (In Syriac: Master Sabbas). By local tradition, a spring was discovered beneath the monastery, providing essential water to the hermits. Later, Sabbas founded additional monasteries, but after his death, he was buried in the Mar Saba monastery. The monastery was attacked by Persians in 614 AD but was restored a few years later. The Crusaders maintained it but carried Sabbas’ body to Venice. Only centuries later, in 1965, the catholic church consented to return his body to the monastery where he is buried to this day.

Touring Mar Saba Monastery

A visit to the monastery or its viewpoint can be combined with a full-day Jeep tour in the Judean Desert .

“After the long drive in the mountainous terrain, the view from the lookout over the monastery is full of grandeur and excites me time and time again”    (Team Member Pini Refael )

Contact us to inquire more about a private off-road tour to Mar Saba Monastery:

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Mar Saba Monastery

Top choice in Bethlehem

A must-see on any journey through the Holy Land is Mar Saba Monastery, a bleak and beautiful 20km drive east of Bethlehem (beyond Beit Sahour).

Women must view the phenomenal cliff-clinging copper-domed hermitage, founded in 439 CE, from the opposite slope, but men are permitted inside, where tours are available with one of the 15 monks in residence.

Also residing here (rather more eternally) are the remains of 5th-century ascetic St Saba, whose body lies in the church’s second chapel, and the skulls of some 120 monks massacred here in 614 CE.

If you're driving, the monastery is well signposted from Beit Sahour. Otherwise, you’ll need to take a private taxi out to Mar Saba from Bethlehem; plan on around a three-hour journey, costing 120NIS to 150NIS.

Be aware that the monastery closes between noon and 1pm for the monks to have lunch.

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Mar Saba Monastery

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About this place

Mar Saba Monastery is built into the side of a rocky cliff in the Judean Desert , overlooking Kidron Valley , 15 km east of Bethlehem The brown dusty tones of the monastery make it blend into the desert surroundings. The complex has thick walls, giving it a fortress-like appearance. Mar Saba is known as the greatest of Israel’s desert monasteries. It is also referred to as the Holy Lavra of St. Sabbas. Lavra is Latin for the monastery, and Saint Saba (or Sabbas) founded the monastery. At one time, Mar Saba Monastery was inhabited by over 300 monks. Today, there are about 20 monks at the monastery, continuing their ancient traditions.

History of Mar Saba Monastery 

The monastery was founded in 483AD by Turkish monk, Saint Sabbas the Sanctified (439-532) or Mar Saba in Arabic. The monastery started as a cluster of cave cells where monks would retreat for solitude. Saint Sabas was one of these monks. He lived for five years in one of the caves, which you can see across the valley. Together with other monks, living in the nearby caves, they formed a community. When two monks arrived, who were architects, Saint Sabbas had the monastery built. The monks would spend weekdays in their caves and gather on weekends for communal prayer. Sabbas became the superior of all hermit monks in Palestine. 

The monastery grew for 131 years after its establishment in the 5th-century before being destroyed and plundered by the Sassanid Persians in 614. Mar Saba Monastery was rebuilt and monks continued enjoying the tranquility of this remote location. Then, after suffering attacks by the local Bedouin, the monastery was abandoned. In 1504, Serbian monks purchased the monastery, and 150 years later they were forced to sell the property because of dept. Mar Saba Monastery was bought by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the 1630s. In 1834 Mar Saba suffered damage from a major earthquake.

The Monks of Mar Saba Monastery

Monks of the Mar Saba Monastery helped to develop how the Divine Liturgy is celebrated today. The monks created a typicon, a book to guide worshipers through religious services and ceremonies. How they celebrated became the standard throughout the Orthodox world. A tradition holds that the last Divine Liturgy before the Second Coming will be hosted at the Mar Saba Monastery.

The monistic life of Mar Saba involves complete isolation and disconnection from modern-day life. In the early days of the monastery, monks would make rope and weave baskets out of rushes to help finance their community. The monks are in a state of constant prayer. They are not permitted any contact with women. Even a woman’s voice could break their focus on prayer, so no women are allowed on the grounds. The Women’s Tower is the only place in the complex where women are allowed. A stone stairway leads from the monastery entrance to the tower where there are magnificent views. Tradition holds that the tower was built by Saint Saba’s mother, who was also forbidden to enter the monastery.

Highlights of the Mar Saba Monastery

Within the monastery, walls are two churches, chapels, a dining room, kitchen, storerooms, water cisterns, and living quarters for the monks. The entrance is through a low door in the western wall. A passageway then takes you to the central courtyard. The monastery complex’s main church is a 6th-century Byzantine basilica with a blue dome. Attached to the church are several ancient chapels. The most interesting of the monastery structures is the small St. Nicholas grotto church. It was the first church built in the monastery complex and inaugurated by Saint Sabbas. The church doubles as an ossuary and holds the skulls and bones of monks killed by Persians in the 5th century. 

A balcony overlooks the rugged desert landscape. From here you can see caves in the rocky hills where monks used to retreat, leaving behind their worldly distractions. At the base of the monastery is an area enclosed around a spring. It was this rare water source, in the harsh desert environment, and the remote, peaceful surroundings, that made this the ideal location for the Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas.

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Visit Mar Saba Monastery In The Judean Desert

HIKE TO MAR SABA MONASTERY IN THE JUDEAN DESERT

Mar Saba monastery in the Judean Desert is a man Orthodox monastery hidden in the mountains. Like a fortress on Mount Arbel, its foundation goes into the walls of the mountain, which once served as the abode of thousands of monks who lived here. Now only 16 monks live in Mar Saba, but on holidays this monastery, reminiscent of a medieval fortress, can host up to 400 people.

HISTORY OF MAR SABA MONASTERY IN THE JUDEAN DESERT

The Sava was born in the 5th century in Cappadocia (Turkey). At the age of 8, he became a novice at the monastery of St. Flaviana, and at 12 he took monastic vows. After several years as a novice and life in seclusion, Sava left for the Jordanian desert, where novices soon began to flock to him. In 484 they erected the first of the monastery buildings - a church in a cave. Here was written the monastery charter of the famous monk Sava, which was later adopted throughout the Orthodox East.

There is a funny legend that says that Savva's cell was so impregnable that the Bedouins, who made periodic raids on the monastery, could not get to it. The Sava took pity on them and threw them the ladder. When the Bedouins finally entered his cell and saw how poor he lived, they began to bring him food. By the way, even now the monastery exists largely due to the help of pilgrims. Everything here is so traditional and ascetic that there is not even electricity in the monastery.

By the end of Sava's life, about 5,000 monks lived in Mar Saba Monastery. The monastery contains the relics of both the Sava himself and the monks killed by the Persians in the 7th century. Interestingly, the monastic manuscripts say 10,000 dead, while the remains of 700 were found.

The monastery is open to visits, but its charter prohibits women from entering. At the same time, they say that the monastery's holy water helps women who cannot get pregnant. Everyone who wants to take out the water in a glass. Women can also stay in a separate hotel next to the monastery. During the life of Sava, this was a monastery that he built for his mother.

Of course, I did manage to get inside, and the decoration of the main church, founded in the 6th century, is quite rich: black and white marble floor, gilded altar, and walls are decorated with frescoes.

HOW TO GET TO MAR SABA MONASTERY

Finding an excursion to Mar Saba monastery is much more difficult than to Jaffa, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and other tourist places. but I can take you on a tour to Mar Sava Monastery every day!, there is also an excursion to Mar Saba on my site called the" Judean desert tour". This time I took a hike and used the local camels provided by the Beduins - more on that below.

As for "under its power": since the main road leading to the monastery passes through zone A, it is not dangerous to drive there by car with Israeli license plates (that is, it is not prohibited, a tour guide's official car will do the job). Many people will think twice if it's worth it, but believe me, this is a lifetime experience! The thing is that 19 years ago it was in this place that a  jeep tour was shot, in which there were, of course, Israelis. The case is old, but the locals still remember it.

VISIT MAR SABA WITH A PRIVATE TOUR GUIDE IN ISRAEL

It seems to me that no person in the Israeli community has not heard of The famous tours in the Judean desert. Once upon a time, I found a group on Facebook called " hikers of the desert" and followed what was happening there for a long time before I had the opportunity to guide myself in the Judean desert.

In case you still don’t know about them or you’re just wondering how it all goes, I’ll tell you. The creators of the group are, judging by the description on their website, professional guides in love with Israel. Every (well, almost every) Thursday and Friday, they arrange free trips to less touristy places in Israel.

What does shareware mean? There is no official set price - at the end of the hike, everyone gives as much as they see fit. There is a guide who leads you along the route but tells you to a minimum, so this is a hike, not a tour. The main thing is that you can get to the meeting point. If you don't have a car, you can find a tremp in the group, therefore the best option to visit a unique place such as the Mar Sava monastery in the Judean desert is definitely with a professional tour guide!

Importantly, on this trip, you don't have to carry tents and sleeping bags, this place can be explored in one single day. as a tour leader in Israel, I agree with the Bedouins to spend the night in their camp(in case you are interested to spend a night in the Judean desert), where they were to transport our things and where makluba (rice with chicken) and hot tea were waiting for us in the evening. Their services cost 20$ for bringing things, overnight stay, and security, and 15$ for dinner.

So, we drove a caravan to the parking lot, which was guarded by the Bedouins. From there we immediately began a steep climb. Fortunately, we started walking at 18:00, when the heat had already subsided. The route is considered easy, but if you, like us, spend most of your weekends on the couch, it can be difficult for you. And it's also scary from habit, especially if you have a fear of heights or such a strange phenomenon as the fear of slipping, which luckily I don't have. This is where I have to say how important it is to invest in good trekking boots. They are comfortable, protect the leg well, and most importantly they do not slip. Better buy a tent and a simpler mattress, but take quality shoes.

SUNRISE OVER MAR SABA MONASTERY

We met at the sunset right in front of Mar Saba. The sun was slowly sinking behind the mountain that served as the walls of the monastery. The view is fabulous, although less spectacular than at dawn when the sun casts a golden light on the monastery. For this view, we got up at 4:30 the next day. By the way, keep in mind that if you want to take a more difficult (but "much more beautiful") route and you are a beginner with a lot of fears, do not see each other! Take your pride away and take an easier route. In the morning we acted differently and went along a "slightly more difficult route". On the other hand, small children (who have no fears) can follow the same route.

We spent the night in a Bedouin camp. Maklyuba was delicious (although how could it be otherwise after 7 km in the mountains?). There were tents in the camp, in which we were allowed to sleep, but it was so stuffy there that we just threw foam and sleeping bags on the ground and spent the night in the open air. We decided not to take the tent counting on tents, and in vain. The moon was shining so strongly that we could not sleep, but hey this is nature! Also, you need to understand that most people go on hikes for the sake of communication, including at night.

The advantage of these hikes is that they allow you to visit places that you would hardly go to yourself. And the main drawback is that if you are not one of those happy people who can sleep in any place and position, you will most likely have a sleepless night. Plus, on a hike, there will be a couple of people who believe that sleep is for weaklings and the night is given to hang out. On the other hand, if you are one of the people who would happily exchange a night of sleep on a hike for talking around a fire with wine and a guitar, then you will surely find like-minded people and, possibly, new friends.

So, we met at sunrise in front of Mar Saba. Here I usually tell my guests the history of the monastery. Then we headed back to the cars. The descent was easy even before the heat began.

The trek was great and I recommend visiting this place for you. I recommend this format to you if you need to have a tour guide who will tell the story of each stone, and if you are not afraid of the inconveniences of camping life.

Opening hours: from 9.00 (10.00 in winter) to sunset.

Closed on Wednesdays and Fridays (except Christmas, Epiphany, and Holy Week).

Opening hours of the monastery of Mar Saba

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The Mar Saba Monastery

by Miri –

No tour to Bethlehem is complete without a visit to Mar Saba. Located 10km east of Jesus’ birthplace, the Greek Orthodox monastery of Mar Saba (Arabic for “Saint Saba”) is built on cliffs overlooking the majestic Kidron valley.

Its founder Saba was born in Cappadocia (today located in Turkey) in 439. At the age of 18 he came to Jerusalem and moved to a Coenobium, a communal monastery, in the Judean desert where he stayed and studied for 12 years. At the age of 30 years he was allowed and sent off to live in seclusion, after which he reportedly wandered through the desert for five years. He soon found a remote site in the Kidron valley, the future location of the monastery, which with its natural caves and small spring provided the perfect spot for a life in seclusion.

With the years, Saba was joined by more and more monks, who resided with him in the caves in the valley and who eventually helped him to found the monastery in 483. During the Middle Ages the area was inhabited by hundreds of monks, who would stay most of the time alone in their private caves and cells and who would only gather at the monastery for special occasions.

Saba directed the Laura, the cluster of caves around the monastery, for almost 50 years. Throughout his life he helped to establish 13 monasteries in the Judean desert and his lifetime achievement was summarised by the author of his biography as having “converted the desert into a city”. Saba was further influential in reshaping the customs and living habits of the monks, and the monks of Mar Saba are reputed to live an especially strictly regulated life. Until today women are not allowed to enter the main compound and have only access to one building, referred to as the Women’s Tower.

After his death in 532, Saba was buried in the yard of the monastery, and after being temporarily transferred to Venice, Pope Paul VI returned his relics which are now on display in the main church hall.

Throughout the turbulent history of Palestine, the monastery was subjected to numerous invasions and destructions, during which hundreds of monks were massacred. As a consequence it was fortified numerous times.

Although women are still not allowed to enter the interior of the place, (according to a local source the whole complex would collapse if they dared to do otherwise), I nevertheless encourage every woman to go and visit this place. Not only are the different views of the monastery from outside already breathtaking, but there are also many possibilities to hike around the valley and inspect the numerous caves.

Green Olive Tours visits the Mar Saba monastery during their Bethlehem tour .

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From: $ 400.00

Herodium, Mar Saba Monastery and Bethlehem Private Day Tour

Visit the Herodium to get an incredible view of the landscape from the top of the mountain of Herod’s the Great roman palace, and visit Mar Saba Monastery in the Judean Desert. Learn about the history of the sites and daily life from your local tour guide!

Experience the beauty of the Old City of Bethlehem on this day trip, walk along the narrow star street where Joseph and Mary walked when they came to Bethlehem. Visit Shepherd’s field, caves were used by the Shepherds 2000 years ago. Visit the Nativity Church, the birthplace of Jesus and the oldest church in the world still in daily use. By the end of the tour, you will see Banksy Graffiti art.

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Duration:  8 hours (Approx.)     |      Offered in: English

• Herodium National Park
• Mar Saba Monastery
• Bethlehem Star Street
• Olive Press Museum
• Nativity Church
• Shepherd’s Field
• Banksy The Walled Off Hotel and Graffitis

Meet your private guide-driver at Bethlehem 300 Checkpoint and depart to the Old City of Bethlehem . Walk the narrow streets of the old city and enjoy the old architects of the buildings from the Ottoman period. Stop by Bethlehem Icon Center , which used to be a local house and today it’s a center teaching Byzantine Iconography. Walk the Star Street — the way that Joseph and Mary took when they came to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Walk onward through the old city and stop the main old entrance of the city then to Hosh Al Syrian quarter , see the building from inside and stop for a cup of tea or Arabic coffee. Visit an old Olive Press museum and learn about olive harvest and olive oil production, the building which houses the museum dates back as far as the 19th century. It houses many ethnographic and archaeological artifacts featuring the entire process of oil production. Furthermore, the exhibit also shows the many uses for oil such as lamps, medicine, food, soap, and even cosmetics. You will have a nice lunch break at Afteem Restaurant for Falafel , Hummus and typical Salad lunch. (own expense). After you purchase lunch, continue to Manger Square and visit the Nativity Church , the birthplace of Jesus and the oldest church in the world. Drive to the Shepherd’s Field where the angel Gabriel appeared to the shepherds, see the ruins that go back to the Byzantine time and the current church.

Take a short drive to ​Herodium National Park , the palace of Herod the Great from the roman period 1st century BC. From the top of the mountain, enjoy a panorama view of the landscape of the area and from there you can see Jordan mountains and the Dead Sea.

Continue to visit Mar Saba Monastery , located in the Judean Desert and is one of the old monasteries in the Holy Land dates back to the Byzantine time.

Finally, visit Banksy Graffiti arts in Bethlehem, The Walled Off Hotel of Banksy and the separation wall . After exploring all the sites, drive back to Bethlehem 300 Checkpoint to return to your hotel.

What's Included

✓ Private driver-guide

✓ Private tour

✓ Pickup and drop off at Checkpoint 300 for less than 4 people

✓ Pickup and drop off from your hotel in Jerusalem for more than 5 people

✗ Herodion National Park entrance fee

✗ Entrance fees (If applicable)

✗ Gratuities (optional)

Departure & Return

Departure Point

• If you are coming from Jerusalem, you will meet your guide at Bethlehem 300 Checkpoint (known also as Rachels’ Tomb Crossing). It’s about 30 minutes drive from Damascus Gate by bus.
• Your guide will meet you after you cross to Bethlehem’s side.
• If you are staying in Bethlehem then a hotel pick-up is available.
• If you are more than 5 people , pick up and drop off from your hotel in Jerusalem is included.

Check How to get from Jerusalem to Bethlehem (Click here to look up the location on google maps)

Departure Time

Return Details

Returns to the original departure point.

Additional Info

• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.
• Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
• Not wheelchair accessible

Cancellation Policy

• If you cancel your tour within (10 days) prior to the date of the tour, the deposit amount is non-refundable.
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Israel and Palestine – In Jerusalem

• Akeldama (Field of Blood)
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Israel and Palestine – Outside Jerusalem

• Baha’i Shrine
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• Church of St Catherine of Alexandria
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• Stella Maris Monastery
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• Bethany Beyond the Jordan
• Holy Family in Egypt
• Mount Sinai
• St Catherine’s Monastery
• A Holy Land hymn
• Attributions
• Bibliography
• Churches in the Holy Land
• Events in Jesus’ life
• Historical timeline
• Inside an Eastern church
• Overnight in the Holy Sepulchre
• Pilgrims’ experiences
• Relics of Jesus

Mar Saba from above (Steve Peterson)

The greatest of the ancient monasteries dotting the wilderness of the Judaean Desert, Mar Saba hangs dramatically down the cliff edge of a deep ravine.

The grey-domed Greek Orthodox complex was established in the 5th century by St Sabas (Mar Saba in Arabic), a monk from central Turkey, and was largely rebuilt following a major earthquake in 1834.

Its remote location is 15 kilometres east of Bethlehem , off route 398 and reached down a steep road.

During its heyday the monastery was home to more than 300 monks . Though it remains a functioning desert monastery, its numbers have dropped to fewer than 20 in the 21st century.

Women’s Tower standing apart from monastery at Mar Saba (© Deror Avi)

Occupied almost continuously since its founding, Mar Saba ranks with St Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world.

It also provides an enduring reminder of the age-old tradition of holy people leaving behind worldly distractions and seeking God in the solitude of the desert.

Part of the Mar Saba tradition is the exclusion of women visitors. They may only look over the complex from a vantage point called the Women’s Tower — built, according to tradition, by St Sabas’ mother, who was also forbidden to enter the monastery.

Saint’s body returned from Venice

Defensive wall around Mar Saba (Kaasmail)

A thick wall and slit-like windows give Mar Saba the appearance of a fortress . These defensive features recall plunder by the Persians in 615 and attacks from Bedouins in the following centuries.

What began as a series of cell-caves along two kilometres of cliffs has been consolidated into a complex containing two churches, several chapels, a common dining room, kitchen storerooms, 14 cisterns , cells for monks and a hostel for visitors.

From the entrance, a low door in the western wall, a stepped passageway descends to the central courtyard. In the centre is a hexagon-shaped dome which was once the tomb of St Sabas.

During the Crusades the saint’s body was taken to Venice. Pope Paul VI arranged for its return after his Holy Land visit in 1964, and it now lies in a glass case in the main church.

Remains of St Sabas in main church of Mar Saba (Adriatikus)

This church, with a large blue dome and small bell tower, is dedicated to the Theotokos (Mother of God).

From the entrance area, a stairway leads to a series of small chapels — one in the cramped cave where a brilliant monk, St John Damascene , spent 20 years in the 8th century writing classic defences of Christianity against heresy and Islam .

On the northwest side of the courtyard is the second church, built into a grotto in the rock. It is dedicated to St Nicholas.

The skulls of monks killed by Persians invaders are displayed in the sacristy and their bones are collected behind a grille.

Visiting priest in cave of St John Damascene (© Gregory Edwards)

In contrast to the austere simplicity of the monks’ lifestyle, church and chapel walls glitter with the gold of innumerable icons , many donated to the monastery by the Russian government in the 19th century.

Holiness attracted other hermits

Mar Saba clings to one side of the Kidron Valley — the valley that begins between the Temple Mount and Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and runs eastward to the Dead Sea .

At the foot of the monastery, beneath three great buttresses that support the wall of the dining room, kitchen, storehouse and bakery, is a walled-in space containing the spring that attracted St Sabas to the site. The Kidron stream is dry in summer.

Steps down to the walled-in spring at Mar Saba (© Deror Avi)

Across the valley is a cave where St Sabas spent five years in solitude. The opening is protected by a metal grille with a cross set between the letters A and C. Inside an entrance lower down, two ladders climb a 6-metre shaft to the simple cave, containing a rock-cut bench and a prayer niche cut into the eastern wall.

St Sabas had been a monk for 18 years before he sought seclusion in the Kidron Valley. Other hermits, attracted by his holiness, settled nearby and their cluster of cells led to the founding of Mar Saba.

A legacy from his mother and the arrival of two monks who had been architects paved the way for the construction of a large church and communal facilities.

Cave of St Sabas (© Clara Bonnet)

St Sabas founded several other monasteries and became superior of all the hermit monks of Palestine. He is credited with taming a lion that tried to eat him, and vowing never to eat apples because he believed Eve tempted Adam with this fruit.

Monks developed Orthodox worship

Originally the monks of Mar Saba meditated in isolation in their caves from Monday to Saturday, then gathered to spend Saturday night in prayer together before celebrating Mass at dawn on Sunday.

Church domes at Mar Saba (© Deror Avi)

They returned to their caves on Sunday evening, taking food for the following week and palm branches and rushes for their daily work of making rope, baskets and mats to be sold in Jerusalem to finance the monastery.

The monks of Mar Saba made a crucial contribution to the development of the liturgy in the Orthodox Church. They compiled a typicon — a book of directions for worship services and ceremonies — that became the standard for the Orthodox world up till the 19th century.

Administered by: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Tel.: 972-2-2773135

Open: Open daily except Wednesdays and Fridays, 8am-4pm (ring bell). Only men may enter monastery; women are admitted only to Women’s Tower.

Bourbon, Fabio, and Lavagno, Enrico: The Holy Land Archaeological Guide to Israel, Sinai and Jordan (White Star, 2009)

Inman, nick, and mcdonald, ferdie (eds): jerusalem & the holy land (eyewitness travel guide, dorling kindersley, 2007), freeman-grenville, g. s. p.: the holy land: a pilgrim’s guide to israel, jordan and the sinai (continuum publishing, 1996), murphy-o’connor, jerome: the holy land: an oxford archaeological guide from earliest times to 1700 (oxford university press, 2005), prag, kay: israel & the palestinian territories: blue guide (a. & c. black, 2002), walker, peter: in the steps of jesus (zondervan, 2006), external links, mar-saba monastery (biblewalks), holy lavra of st. savas (orthodoxwiki).

The Great Lavra of St. Sabas. Judean Desert, Palestine

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The Great Lavra of St. Sabas, known in Arabic as Mar Saba, is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the West Bank east of Bethlehem.

It was founded by saint sabas of cappadocia in the year 439 and today houses around 20 monks. it is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world, and still maintains many of its ancient traditions. one in particular is the restriction on women entering the main compound. the only building that women can enter is the women’s tower, near the main entrance., the monastery holds a well-preserved body, and of saint saba., mar saba was also the home of st. john of damascus (b.676 – d.749-754) st john damascene was a key religious figure in the iconoclastic controversy, who in ca. 726 wrote letters to the byzantine emperor leo iii the isaurian refuting his edicts prohibiting the veneration of images or statues of christ or other christian icons. john who was born in damascus and worked as a high financial officer to the muslim caliph abd al-malik, eventually felt a higher calling and migrated to palestine, where he was tonsured a monk and was ordained a hieromonk (monastic priest) at the monastery of mar saba. st. john’s tomb lies in a cave under the monastery..

The monastery is important in the historical development of the liturgy of the Orthodox Church in that the monastic Typicon (manner of celebrating worship services) of Saint Sabas became the standard throughout the Eastern Orthodox Church.

St. Sabbas the Sanctified

The venerable sabbas the sanctified was a palestinian monastic who is credited with composing the first monastic rule of church services, the so-called “jerusalem typikon”. he was a staunch opponent of the heretical monophysites and origenist movements. his feast day is on december 5. he was born in mutalaska, near caesarea in cappadocia of pious christian parents, john and sophia, during the year 439. his father was a military commander. traveling to alexandria on military matters, his wife went with him, but they left their five-year-old son in the care of an uncle. when the boy reached eight years of age, he entered the monastery of st. flavian located nearby. the gifted child quickly learned to read and became an expert on the holy scriptures. in vain did his parents urge st. sabbas to return to the world and enter into marriage., when he was seventeen years old he received monastic tonsure, and attained such perfection in fasting and prayer that he was given the gift of wonderworking. in 456, after spending ten years at the monastery of st. flavian, he traveled to jerusalem, and from there to the monastery of st. euthymius the great (january 20). but st. euthymius sent st. sabbas to abba theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery that practiced a strict cenobitic rule. st. sabbas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty., after the death of the elder theoctistus, his successor blessed st. sabbas to seclude himself in a cave. on saturdays, however, he left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. after a certain time st. sabbas received permission not to leave his hermitage at all, and he struggled in the cave for five years..

St. Euthymius attentively directed the life of the young monk, and seeing his spiritual maturity, he began to take him to the Rouba wilderness with him. They set out on January 14, and remained there until Palm Sunday. St. Euthymius called St. Sabbas a child-elder, and encouraged him to grow in the monastic virtues.

When st. euthymius fell asleep in the lord (+473), st sabbas withdrew from the lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of st. gerasimus of jordan (march 4). in 478, he moved to a cave on the cliffs of the kedron gorge southeast of jerusalem. his hermitage formed the foundation of the monastery later named after him (lavra mar saba) and known in ancient sources as the great lavra. after several years, disciples began to gather around st. sabbas, seeking the monastic life. as the number of monks increased, the lavra came into being. when a pillar of fire appeared before st. sabbas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.,   in 491, patriarch salustius of jerusalem ordained him a priest., women’s tower standing apart from monastery at mar saba (© deror avi), in 494, the patriarch named st. sabbas the archimandrite of all the monasteries in palestine..

During the Crusades the saint’s body was taken to Venice. Pope Paul VI arranged for its return after his Holy Land visit in 1964, and it now lies in a glass case in the main church.

St. Sabbas founded several other monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St. Sabbas: at the Lavra: a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought, there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St. Sabbas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called “Jerusalem Typikon”, that became accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. St. Sabbas died in his lavra on December 5, 532 and is buried in a tomb in the courtyard between two ancient churches in the midst of the remnant of the great Lavra Mar Saba monastery. His relics had been taken to Italy in the twelfth century by Crusaders, but were returned to the monastery by Pope Paul VI in 1965 in a goodwill gesture toward the Orthodox.

  st. sabbas championed the orthodox cause against the monophysite and origenist movements of his day, personally calling upon the roman emperors in constantinople, anastasius in 511 and justinian in 531, to influence them in opposing the heretical movements., a tradition states that this monastery will host the last divine liturgy on earth before the parousia of jesus christ, therefore the last pillar of true christianity., administered by:  greek orthodox patriarchate of jerusalem, tel.:  972-2-2773135, open:  open daily except wednesdays and fridays, 8am-4pm (ring bell). only men may enter monastery; women are admitted only to women’s tower., religious tourism.

• en.wikipedia.org
• atlantaserbs.com
• seetheholyland.net

Photo biblewalks.com

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Mar Saba Monastery Loop

• Author: John Atick
• Created: February 7, 2019 8:30 am
• Updated: March 19, 2020 9:25 am
• Distance 12.37 km
• Time 6 h 20 min
• Speed 2.0 km/h
• Min Altitude 85 m
• Climb 506 m
• Descent 513 m
• Download GPX/KML

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• Distance Instructions
• Travel Mode:
• Straight-line

1. Mar Saba Monastery

A 5th Century AD monastery, the largest in the Jerusalem Wilderness. The complex is built on the southern cliffs of the Kidron creek, and is protected inside a walled area with dozens of structures. It was established by Saint Sabas (Arabic: Mar Saba), and named after him. The monastery started as a place of seclusion of few monks in the caves, led by Sabas. Over the years it was built, expanded, and fortified. During the peak times it housed about 500 monks.

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