A journey to one of the oldest monasteries in the world - Mar Saba Monastery, Judean Desert

Information about Mar Saba Monastery itself will be provided after this announcement.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a tour guide as from Feb 2020
Should you wish to support me and my videos please subscribe to my channel and let me guide you through the Holy Land via my videos. In this way, I will be able to continue to do my work of uploading to KZbin. Upon your request and in return I am very much happy to pray for you at the Western Wall and/or light a candle in your name at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or anywhere else in the Holy Land of Israel.
Should you have a personal request I will be more than happy to respond and even film it in a personal video.
Donations: www.buymeacoff...
Kindly share this site with your other friends/family that are interested in the rich and sacred history of Israel.
Thank you so much
Your tour guide
Zahi Shaked
/ zahishakedisraelitourg...
/ zahi_shaked_israeli_to...
linktr.ee/zahi...
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 kilometers 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.
Mar Saba
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.
A thick wall and slit-like windows give Mar Saba the appearance of a fortress. These defensive features recall plundering by the Persians in 615 and attacks from Bedouins in the following centuries.
What began as a series of cell caves along two kilometers 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 center 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.
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 defenses 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 Persian invaders are displayed in the sacristy and their bones are collected behind a grille.
In contrast to the austere simplicity of the monks’ lifestyle, church and chapel walls glitter with the gold of innumerable icons, many were donated to the monastery by the Russian government in the 19th century.
Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera [e-mail] [phone] tel סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
My name is Zahi Shaked
In 2000 I became a registered licensed tourist guide.
My dedication in life is to pass on the ancient history of the Holy Land.
Following upon many years of travel around the world, which was highlighted by a very exciting emotional and soul-searching meeting with the Dalai Lama, I realized that I had a mission. To pass on the history of the Holy Land, its religions, and in particular, the birth and development of Christianity.
In order to fulfill this "calling" in the best way possible, I studied in depth, visited, and personally experienced each and every important site of the ancient Christians. I studied for and received my first bachelors degree in the ancient history of the Holy Land, and am presently completing my studies for my second degree.(Masters)

[@anantharaj2844]

Thankyou very much brother for your hard work and effort to show us the unseen things in Israel, God bless you with more strength and energy to do more videos, Love from INDIA 🙏👍

[@Mohammadayassa]

Palestain not israil

[@suecrowhurst4393]

Appreciate what you do for us

[@zahishaked]

Thanks Sue

[@speakout22]

1947 - THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS were discovered in caves near Mar Saba Monastery. "Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient, mostly Hebrew, manuscripts (of leather, papyrus, and copper) first found in 1947 on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is among the more important finds in the history of modern archaeology."

[@egnathan5856]

IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC AND HISTORICAL THANK YOU SO MUCH BROTHER

[@sir.joshuarane.doebler3762]

Praise and Glory to God. Bless God's Holy name. Jesus Christ is His name. He lives. Prosperity and longevity to the King. Thanks.

[@danasandlin2435]

Prayer in caves: happens a lot in the Bible, but they don't call these places caves, so we don't realize that these actions are happening in caves: the Essenes lived and prayed in caves; John the Baptist lived in a cave; Mary's home in Nazareth was half in a cave (the storage area); Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem (which also housed animals); a lot of Jerusalem is part of a cave (under the old city); no wonder ritual baths were culturally important...dts/usa

[@alcala8221]

Hello just watched your video's and may I say beautiful huge blessings to you always the places you show fantastic hope to one day make a trip there. Again thank you for your video's..

[@ajenkins710]

Oh my goodness Brother, that was quite the climb but so worth it I'm sure. Shalom.

[@jmt9000-k4k]

WoW! Thanks - this is amazing to experience even as a video 😊👍🇮🇱🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@syedabdulwahidsohaily493]

Amazingly Beautiful place thanks for the video Zahi Sir 👍🏻 God Bless All of Us Amen thanks again,👍🏻 Sohail Karachi.

[@syedabdulwahidsohaily493]

I am so honored by your ❤️ reply Zahi Sir 🙏🏻

[@rubia484]

THANK YOU ZAHI ,,,,, THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL VIDEO WE LOVE YOU APPRECIATE YOUR TIME BLESS YOU 🙏🏻🙌🇦🇺

[@cyrilruben5473]

Brother zahi Thank q you take somuch of pain to take out this video God bless you Cyril Ruben

[@reddiamond6688]

Oh wow!!! Never heard of this one before. Thank you. I put this on my bucket list.

[@angellehull7949]

Lol….”thank god you cannot smell if “…thank you for taking us on this journey…you need to become a tour guide again.

[@bucharestoctober]

Saint Sava Monastery is the foundation of the Isaurian emperor Zeno, who was part of the Byzantine dynasty of Leo the Great. Leo the Great was a Dacian and descended from the house of David, and his daughter, Ariadne, married Zeno, who became the Byzantine emperor after the death of Leo the Great and his son Leo II. But the monastery of Saint Sava has a special significance, because from here, from where you filmed, it was thrown into the abyss, the Scapegoat. I will reproduce below an excerpt from the book Ancient Messianic Festivals, written by Ken Johnson, which shows how the Scapegoat ritual of Yom Kippur was performed in the time of Jesus Christ. But it is known that Zeno's feat led to the end of antiquity and the beginning of the dark Middle Ages absolutely dominated by the Scapegoat ritual. Romulus Augustulus, the brother-in-law of Leo the Great, tried for a time a coup against Zeno to end the development of this ritual in the Byzantine Empire, but his coup failed. Only later did the Byzantine dynasty of Justinian (and this emperor was a Dacian and descended from the house of David) fix the problem in the sense that even in the domination of the Scapegoat ritual, Catherine of Justinian the Great became victorious (this was a character Jochebed, mother of Moses), and thus the messianic ancestors after the flesh of Jesus Christ became victorious too. >

[@joycedroza4585]

Thank you for taking time to give us the explanation of the two goats at the festival of Atonement.

[@dollahmusa6705]

So beautiful , thats the oldest monastery in israel , how far from the Jerusalem.. any access through vechicles.....

[@omnitrus]

You make us so happy with your hard work and showing us such interesting places !

[@ΒασίληςΔαραμουσκας-θ2ξ]

Η λαύρα του Αγίου Σάββα....my friend thanks once more for the video..in the Greek orthodox Christian monastery...there is the body of Saint Sabbas...i really hear for you all his life... thanks... hello from Athens Greece.

[@areopolitis1]

Saints Efthymios , Theodosios , Gerasimos and Savvas are the four great founders of communal - cenobite monasticism (in greek , coinobiakos monachismos) in Byzantium at 5th and 6th centuries AD. All of them founded their monasteries in the Holy Land . Today three of them exist and of course they are Greek Orthodox .

[@jonathanbarnes3061]

Lovely video most impressive photography ........💥📸

[@aruldassdass835]

Thank you very much sir. I am from India 🇮🇳. I Enjoyed your Vdio.

[@danasandlin2435]

Thank you for this...I believe this is called in the Bible, The Jericho Road...and it was known for being deserted and a place where thieves thrived...It is the setting for the parable of The Good Samaritan, which is central to Jesus ministry. In response to a question from a lawyer who asked Jesus, what is the most important part of your message to the world? Jesus answered, Love others as Yourself, and Love God above all others, and treat others as you would wish to be treated. Then he relayed his famous parable in order to illustrate how we should love others. A Man was robbed and left for dead along the Jericho road. A priest and a Levite passed the man and left him for dead, doing nothing. The Samaritan (a man of very low status) stopped and bound the man's wounds and paid for him to stay at a local inn (or monastery). Jesus then asked, 'I ask you, who was a neighbor to this man?" indicating that the priest and Levite did not do their duty to the man, but the lowly Samaritan did. This did not please the priests, but it was a truth about treating others==all others==as you wish to be treated, circumstances notwithstanding...dts/usa

[@leighannl6589]

Thank u sir that is awesome climb on your video a lot of work , I’m hoping someday to go to Israel and tour or help where I’m needed I’m in Oregon.U .S.A long wAys awAy , this my dream , blessings la

[@zahishaked]

I hope so too!

[@nadakaram4877]

Mery is NOT the mother GOD. God is from eternity to Eternity and He is God all by Himself!

[@kaloarepo288]

The countryside is unbelievably arid -not a blade of grass to be seen and getting a water supply must have been very very difficult!

[@suriyasj4646]

Thank you brother fantastic video.we love your videos.lots f LOVE FROM INDIA.❤

[@finncollins5696]

i love jewish people and support israel. bcz jesus is a jew and israelists are the chosen people by our almighty god..

[@meryjesmal8440]

Pray that by the precious blood of jesus this virus will die and we will be able to visit the Holy place again. God bless you.

[@reenasingh-hk2ui]

Thank you Jesus for the gift of our son Zahi who works so hard to take us spiritually to these holy places. Bless him 🙌🏻 🙌🏻 Lord abundantly protect him from this deadly virus Amen 🙏🏻 🙌🏻

[@zamanzahi2903]

Shalom today your very hard journey But I will pray for you God bless you amen

[@plumeria9990]

Very isolated. I am definitely not going to climb up there.

[@jancy1549]

🏆Amizing 🏆Thank you brother ✋

[@jacintadsouza5772]

Thank you very much Brother appreciated.

[@suecrowhurst4393]

Crikey that looks very steep, be careful,

[@commandercool1953]

Oh my goodness Zahi, I'm watching the video and I must say this is so scary. I'm so afraid of heights and I'm so afraid for you to go slip and fall. Getting dizzy. But thank you so, so much for making this video. I am enjoying it even though I close and peek at times lol! God bless you.

[@donnaheller4394]

I truly enjoyed your effort and hike! Thank you for sharing this wonderful site and history. God Bless~

[@barbaraglover4451]

Shalom my bro zahi

[@Catwoman1464]

Breathtaking! My inner adventurer feels called to this place!

[@finncollins5696]

mine too..

[@leov6840]

Beautiful! Thank you

[@albertbanal9534]

What a wonderful place of solitude... perfect for prayer and mortification ♥️🙏

[@melodymurray7742]

Zahi thank you for taking us along! I am very fearful of heights and surely would have fallen to my death! And if by chance I made it that far, the climb would have given me a heart attack! You are very brave! How beautiful that whole area is! ♥️

[@eflanders3805]

God bless you!

[@MrSavedman]

“Mary the mother of God” that would elevate her above God the Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. The word of God says, “For their is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1Timothy 2:5 It was the Lord Jesus Christ who lived a perfect sinless life and died on Calvary’s cross for our sins. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit thus bypassing Mary’s fallen nature and bloodline. Colossians 1:14 Mary had to give a sacrifice of two turtle doves for her uncleanness after the birth of Jesus and she had to trust her own Son as Saviour to be born again. Act20:21; Romans 10

[@tomklock568]

I understand why but it would be fascinating to see photos if nothing else from inside. But thanks for the video, glad you survived the difficult hike!!

[@gulistabegum1937]

THANKYOU ZAHI FOR SHARERING THIS VIDEO.. I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE PLACES WHICH WERE UNSEEN.. SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND VEIW WITH YOU..EVERY THING IS LIKE LIFE WATCHING... GOD'S GRACE BE UPON YOU ALWAYS AMEN... LOVE AND BLESSINGS FROM FIJI ISLANDS...

[@MikeNeri1]

Wonderful! At first I thought this was the Monastery on the Wadi Qelt but then noticed the river was flowing in the wrong direction😂

[@maryantonette2825]

Dear brother I really thank u from the bottom of my heart for bringing this holy place to our sight

[@stephenbalga102]

We too made the trek in 1975 but arrived to late to enter. I remember the wadi kidron wss browner then since Jerusalem's sewerage was completely untreated. I think the attitude was upon reaching the dead sea it would be cleansed!

[@iyappannatarajan8077]

Painstaking video, there are no words to Thank you, Godbless you.

[@suecrowhurst4393]

Lovely view

[@lenyvarkey8086]

Little known but very interesting . Incorruptible body story.👍

[@daniellevaladez6106]

Wow! I never knew this existed. Thank you for sharing!

[@Zara-fd2ec]

Zahi, what an amazing historical presentation you gave🌟So fascinated my Monks and Monasteries. This was truly so very kind of you to make this treacherous hike for us.🌟May God keep you safe and protected on journeys doing his will!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@jyotishchandrabaruah7521]

So nice old religious place just a wonderful place so maserabole

[@jaynex903]

God bless you.... Such a beauty....worth the hard work.

[@camelliam.4235]

I feel bad for the cat at the end of the video. How does he survive in this place?

[@MartinaNarita]

Thank you brother..

[@markrhone1537]

Glory to your Holy Name o Lord you are so Holy

[@yhwhhecausestobecome8529]

😃😁😊😇🤗💕

[@sibs01]

wooowww so beautiful view... it's so wonderful !!!! Tnx a lot Mr Zahi Shaked, you are really a great tour guide and better than many history teachers :) God Bless you always, sir !!!

[@joenock3466]

HOW DID THEY DO IT? NO COMPUTERS NO CRANES, NOTHING HOW

[@reginamauro9299]

Hi Zahi. Fantastic video. I was tired walking with you! One question. You had mentioned that women were not allowed to go inside.. But I saw in this video..there were several women. Did they wait outside..while then walked in? Also...I was thinking..by time you were finished did you have to walk back the same way. I think you arrived you said at 1800 that day...it would be dark when you were finished. How did you manage walking back at that time. Thank you. Regina

[@zahishaked]

This time no one entered. In regular days women would stay outside

[@barbaraglover4451]

please get in touch with my bro Zahi

[@susanfennimore3152]

Wow!!!

[@traylerh48]

What was the walls called outside and around?

[@division17]

Beautiful ... unbelievable

[@lidialia8256]

San Saba founded several monasteries and this one is particularly suggestive and "terrifying", very impervious, suitable for hermitages. The Holy Land has countless scenic beauties and calls a lot to holiness...

[@John316TOGODBETHEGLORY]

God Bless you, Thank you so much for going to a place I have never heard of or seen. It is truly beautiful. I think I would have been scared going down that mountain. I see we can count on you to give us a real tour.

[@hannah5245]

The path to the monastery looks treacherous!

[@jayaraj1629]

👍

[@CATherine001]

Definitely a must to go see, thank you so very much for sharing. Would have been nice to see parts of the interior spaces. Very hard to understand all the debris scattered around a remotely isolated area. People should never trash on Elaha’s chosen lands. 🙏🏼

[@markrhone1537]

We serve and Awesome God

[@a.premraj3872]

Praise the Lord. Thank you 💐 🙏 From India 🇮🇳

[@Ginvilla]

Fabulous place and story of peoples lived here. I'm waiting for next episode. Zahi is the best!

[@kindredtheembraced]

This was wonderful, and beautiful to see. Its hard to imagine building this on those steep mountains. Thank you for your climbing adventure.

[@shirleydofeliz9804]

Amazing..though it's hard to trek down and going up you brought us to a place that an ordinary person can go ..for all of us we appreciate your guiding thru this place Mar Saba Monastery..

[@shema3579]

When is inside

[@zahishaked]

Unfortunately because of the covid we were not allowed to enter

[@issith7340]

You mean St Saba’s monastery, I suppose.

[@zahishaked]

Indeed and it's called Mar Saba monastery

[@anitastephen5094]

Thank you brother. Love and prayers from India.

[@donnakeizer1468]

How wonderful

[@dorisdaye8188]

beautiful!

[@tizianacuscito]

🔥 Amen 🔥

[@autumn8034]

Zahi was Jesus alive when this was built?

[@zahishaked]

No

[@shardunc5187]

That is just beautiful I must show my husband.

[@susanfennimore3152]

Please more ,the rest

[@zahishaked]

They didn't let us go in

[@zahishaked]

They didn't let us go in

[@biblestudynetwork2949]

Looking at the topography, it shows the Old testament prophecy was fulfilled... Zechariah 14:4,7-9 KJV [4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. [7] But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. [8] And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. [9] And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

[@meowsthree]

Zahi, I was so nervous for you walking on those steep paths and filming at the same time! Thank you for showing us this amazing place🙂

[@TCHOOI]

Thanks google thanks youtube thanks Zahi!

[@panzergarden1232]

A

[@Faiten_FA5SA5HH2M]

رجعت ولهلحظةمابينت ياهوالكفةالاشرف لهلحظةماسلموني الي يخصني لا الطريقةولا الترليونات الاموال مقابل شفاءالناس من الامراض بعدهم قتل وتصفية وحديثهم لا جديد فيه يقتلوهم لاجل ان ينقل الشعاع لهم يرجع الشعاع للمركز ويرجعون يشفطون الشعاع للعملاء الوصخين الجدد وهكذا لا جديد في المسيرة تسقيط بينهم باللعبة المستمرة حاليا على لساني انافاتن ادهام حمادي حدادالعلواني

[@ByzAsian45]

It is Syriac orthodox monastery? really never knew this, only know St Catherine monastery on Sinai and Tur Abdin

[@zahishaked]

Today it's Greek Orthodox

[@areopolitis1]

@@zahishaked From its very begining Saint Savvas monastery was a greek speaking and Greek Orthodox monastery , exactly like the Saint Catherine monastery in Sinai and all the monasteries of the Holy Land . Saint Savvas (440 - 534 ΑD) of course was a Greek of Cappadocia Asia Minor ( not Turkey ) as many holy Fathers of the Church saint Bassilios ( the equivalent of santa Claus for the Orthodox people...) , Gregorios the Theologian , Gregorios Nazianzinos etc . At 8th century saint Jean Damaskinos lived and died in saint Savvas monastery and he is a great hymnographer of the Greek Orthodox Church .

[@dprsr]

🙏🙏

[@drock5404]

Fantastic story telling and scenery! Thank you

[@zahishaked]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dejanmisic3496]

Gledajuci snimak i ja sam isao ovom stazom ! Hvala za ovaj dozivljaj !

[@mandhathapa935]

Amazing 👏

[@gabrielalexanderkhoury73]

Not Israel but under international law Palestine.

[@zahishaked]

ISRAEL

[@sahabshraddha8453]

Grt architecture ❤️❤️

[@AilynDay1]

Wow, how amazing.

[@Faiten_FA5SA5HH2M]

رجعت ولهلحظةمابينت ياهوالكفةالاشرف لهلحظةماسلموني الي يخصني لا الطريقة والا الفليسات الدولارات ثمن شفاء الناس بشعاع امي وشعاعي انا فاتن ادهام حمادي حدادالعلواني وامي سميعة علوان جاسم الصافية بنت القهوجي ولازالت القذارة متواصلة التفلة متواصلة ومستمرة لهلحظة حسب ترتيب الخسيسات حسب السلطة تبعها