Church of St. George

While standing before this structure in the triangle of religions, we are looking at an impressive historical structure inside an even more historic city, a city that has seen Roman, Byzantine, Early Muslim, Christian Crusader, Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman, British Mandate, and now Israeli control. The Church of St. George is one of two major shrines dedicated to the important Saint George. Dating back to the fourth century, this dragon-slaying solider-saint is buried in the crypt of this Greek-Orthodox church, in the same city where he died. The building you see before you was completed in 1870, and shares a wall with the El-Omri Mosque.

The church was first constructed in the Byzantine era. It was rebuilt by the Crusaders and later reconstructed as we see it now in the late Ottoman period. Completed in the late 19th century, there are embedded elements from the earlier Crusader’s period fortified church, which was built over the ruins of the original Byzantine church. This structure helped protect the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem.

The tomb of Saint George was also once the resting place of his Holy Relics, however, now it remains empty as the Holy Relics have been dispersed around the world. Such relics included the chains that were used to secure Saint George while in jail. The Tomb is revered by both Christians and Muslims. The Church of Saint George sees numerous people every year flocking to this significant religious site. In religious ceremonies, oil and myrrh are poured over the tomb as a Tama (a votive offering) to Saint George and they are given out as a form of blessing to pilgrims. As you step inside the church you will find two sets of the iconostasis (a wall of icons and religious paintings) and alter tables.