Lod, The City of Saint George
Lod, located in central Israel, is a city with a rich history and cultural diversity. It was known as a Rabbinical center in Talmudic times, as well as home of Georgius, a Christian saint. Today, Lod is a bustling urban center of mixed Jewish and Arab communities.
History of Lod
Both Canaanites and Israelites inhabited Lod, thousands of years ago, yet little can be seen of these periods today. The Romans developed Lod into a regional center and named it Lydda, or Diospolis (“City of Zeus”). Roman Lydda was Pagan in nature but it did have a Jewish community and vibrant Rabbinical activity.
The New Testament records Peter healing a dissabled person in Lydda –
“As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” (Acts 9:32-35).
Lod Named After Saint Georgius
Interestingly, the main church of Lod does not commemorate the healing of Aeneas by Peter, but rather an alternative local tradition relating to a Roman soldier and a saint named Georgius. Georgius was a native of Lydda who joined the Roman army. By his late 20s, he was promoted to the rank of Tribunus and was stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor. In 302 AD, Diocletian declared new anti-Christian edicts; with the courage of his faith, Georgius objected and approached the Emperor and declared his faith in Jesus. Diocletian attempted to convert Georgius, offering him gifts of land, money, and enslaved people, but to avail. Diocletiona had Georgius tortured by laceration on a wheel and decapitated.
His body was later taken for burial in his hometown, Lod. When Christianity prevailed, Georgius was titled a Martyr and a saint, and a church was built over his tomb. Later, the city’s name was changed to “Georgiopolis”.
How Georgius Became to be George
In the middle ages a legend developed around his figure of saving a girl from a fire spitting Dragon. Under the western name “George” Georgius became the patron of many cities and countries, such as England, Portugal, Georgia, Ethiopia, Lita, Moscow, Genoa and more. The current church over the tomb of Saint George in Lod is based on a church from Crusader times, although part of it became a mosque in the Mamluk period. Every November 16th the Eastern churches commemorate the martyrdom of Saint George with a big procession in the church.
Lod in Muslim to Modern Times
After the Muslim conquest, Lod was elevated to a regional capital. The Muslims also venerated the local Christian Martyr George, equating him with the Muslim figure of el-Khader. In Crusader times, the city was Christian again and even had an independent military force called Militia Sancti Georgii. When the Mamluks re-conquered Lod, they turned part of the Church of Saint Geoge into a mosque. In the 1930s, the British built an international airport next to the city named “Lod Airport.” Later, the State of Israel renamed it after its first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion. Today, Lod is a mixed city of Arabs and Jews, with a colorful market and several points of interest.
Touring Lod
At the eastern entrance to Lod, the 700-year-old Baybars bridge still carries the weight of cars, as it has in Mamluk times. In 1996, near that bridge, a spectacular mosaic floor of a Roman villa was discovered by chance while a pipeline was installed. It was especially famous for its depictions of African wildlife and sea life. In 2022, it was finally opened to the public.
The Greek-Orthodox Saint George church is a popular Christian pilgrimage destination at the heart of the old city. In its crypt, a stone coffin marks the tomb of O Άγιος Γεώργιος – Saint George.
The architecture of the adjacent mosque leaves no doubt that it is a re-use of a Romanesque-style Crusaders’ church. At the other end of the parking lot, a synagogue also marks the Jewish presence in central Lod.
A tour of Lod can be combined with a guided day tour in the Judean Foothills (the Shephelah).
