Page 52 - Holyland Magazine - 2015 edition
P. 52
I t’s almost like a canvas painted in pastoral The Latrun Monastery “good thief” (in Latin, latronis means thief) –
who was cruciied near Jesus (Luke 23:39-
colors with soft brushstrokes that reveals Not far from the busy highway linking Tel Aviv
43) and whom tradition says is buried here.
the spirit of biblical nature and the joy of and Jerusalem, the Latrun Monastery nestles
being outdoors, surrounded by Scripture-
on the green slopes rising above the biblical
Valley of Ayalon. When it was established in Today, the monastery, surrounded by
rich scenery. That’s why people love to visit
olive groves and grape arbors, houses a
1890, its monks took a vow of silence which,
the Judean lowlands – the region where Israel’s
magniicent church inviting a tranquil amble,
pleasant plains meet the dramatic slopes of in keeping with the rules of the Trappist
the mountains that climb toward Jerusalem. order to which they belong, meant avoiding and a modest collection of archaeological
secular or unnecessary conversation to focus items. A real treat awaits you after the climb
It’s not a desert – where perhaps we are more on their spiritual lives. Prior to the arrival of up the hill behind the complex. There you can
used to picturing monasteries – but it was the Trappists, the site had been an inn that see the Ayalon Valley where Joshua made the
far enough from the big cities for a number served pilgrims on the three-day journey from moon stand still in the west (Josh. 10:12), and
of monastic orders to plant themselves here the port of Jafa to Jerusalem. Centuries the sun stand still in the east. The sun blinded
long ago. Latrun, Emmaus, Beit Jimal and before that, it had been a Crusader fortress. the Canaanite armies as they made their way
Deir Raf’at – the names are exotic, but they Some say Latrun is named after that fortress up the mountains to do battle with Joshua
blend in beautifully with the scenery, evoking and comes from the French word for tower. and, as the Bible famously tells it, gave the
both biblical and modern history. Others say it comes from the name of the victory to the Israelites (Josh. 10:13-14).
Havens
It seems like they’ve always been there, as if they have taken root
in the heart of the rolling Judean foothills: close to the biblical and
modern city of Beit Shemesh are four monasteries, where time seems
to have stood still. These are their stories
By Eyal Shapira
52
who was cruciied near Jesus (Luke 23:39-
colors with soft brushstrokes that reveals Not far from the busy highway linking Tel Aviv
43) and whom tradition says is buried here.
the spirit of biblical nature and the joy of and Jerusalem, the Latrun Monastery nestles
being outdoors, surrounded by Scripture-
on the green slopes rising above the biblical
Valley of Ayalon. When it was established in Today, the monastery, surrounded by
rich scenery. That’s why people love to visit
olive groves and grape arbors, houses a
1890, its monks took a vow of silence which,
the Judean lowlands – the region where Israel’s
magniicent church inviting a tranquil amble,
pleasant plains meet the dramatic slopes of in keeping with the rules of the Trappist
the mountains that climb toward Jerusalem. order to which they belong, meant avoiding and a modest collection of archaeological
secular or unnecessary conversation to focus items. A real treat awaits you after the climb
It’s not a desert – where perhaps we are more on their spiritual lives. Prior to the arrival of up the hill behind the complex. There you can
used to picturing monasteries – but it was the Trappists, the site had been an inn that see the Ayalon Valley where Joshua made the
far enough from the big cities for a number served pilgrims on the three-day journey from moon stand still in the west (Josh. 10:12), and
of monastic orders to plant themselves here the port of Jafa to Jerusalem. Centuries the sun stand still in the east. The sun blinded
long ago. Latrun, Emmaus, Beit Jimal and before that, it had been a Crusader fortress. the Canaanite armies as they made their way
Deir Raf’at – the names are exotic, but they Some say Latrun is named after that fortress up the mountains to do battle with Joshua
blend in beautifully with the scenery, evoking and comes from the French word for tower. and, as the Bible famously tells it, gave the
both biblical and modern history. Others say it comes from the name of the victory to the Israelites (Josh. 10:13-14).
Havens
It seems like they’ve always been there, as if they have taken root
in the heart of the rolling Judean foothills: close to the biblical and
modern city of Beit Shemesh are four monasteries, where time seems
to have stood still. These are their stories
By Eyal Shapira
52
