Deir Hajla / Monastery of Saint Gerasimos
Deir Hajla (in Arabic: “Monastery of the Partridges”) is the local name for the site of the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos, a monastic complex in the plains of Jericho, near the Jesus’ baptism site.
History of the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos
Acknowledging Christianity as a legitimate religion, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine brought a fundamental change to the Roman Empire and Christianity. This change would significantly impact the Holy Land. The local population gradually embraced the Christian faith. Christian pilgrims were now traversing through the Land of Israel, eager to venerate sites relating to figures and events in the holy scriptures. Some even settled at these sites. In 455 CE, Gerasimos (spelled also “Gerasimus”) was the first to pay in the area of Jesus’ baptism site (Qasr el-Yahud), east of Jericho. He first lived as a hermit in a cave; later, a monastery complex was built nearby.
The Monastery flourished up to the 7th century AD. The Persians rampaged it in 614 CE and massacred its monks. The site was built and destroyed several times in the following centuries. In the late 19th century, the Greek-Orthodox church rebuilt the site, providing a refreshing stop for pilgrims on their way to the baptism site. They maintain the site to this day.
Gerasimos and the Lion
Over the years, different traditions developed around the figure of Gerasimos. One such tradition asserts that when Gerasimos lived in isolation in a cave, he cured a wounded lion. In return, the lion protected him and later rescued his donkey from thieves. In local Christian art, Gerasimos is always depicted with a reclining lion next to him and sometimes also his donkey.
Touring the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos
Today, Gerasimos monastery is maintained by a single Greek-Orthodox monk, Abuna-Christo. By local tradition, the first floor is where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, as infants, took shelter while fleeing from King Herod on their way to Egypt. On the second floor, the main church is decorated with mosaics and frescoes. Some depict monks who led the monastic movement in this region in the Byzantine Period. Both floors also present, in cabinets, bones of monks massacred in the Persian invasion of the Holy Land in 614 AD.
The Monastery’s Mosaic Workshop
Aside from the café and souvenir shop, the monastery also operates a unique mosaic workshop. It offers both secular, Christian, and Jewish-themed artworks. This mosaic workshop was also responsible for the creation of a giant size mosaic wall depicting the Holy Land. It is a brilliant artwork dialogue with the 1,600-year-old mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba, Jordan. It is on display next to the monastery’s parking lot and should not be missed!
A dirt road heading half a mile east of the monastery leads to the Laura of Gerasimus, the caves where Gerasimos and his early followers dwelt.
A monastery tour can be combined with a guided day tour of the Dead Sea.
