Saint Hilarion Monastery, at the archaeological site of Tell Umm el-'Amr, is an ancient Christian monastery close to Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.[1]
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Ruins of Saint Hilarion Monastery, 2023 | |
| Official name | Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer |
| Location |  State of Palestine |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii), (vi) |
| Reference | 1749 |
| Endangered | 2024 - |
| Area | 1.3293 ha (3.285 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 7.3226 ha (18.095 acres) |
| Coordinates | 31°26′50″N 34°21′59″E / 31.44722°N 34.36639°E |
History and archaeology
editThe monastery was founded in ca. 340 by Hilarion, a native of the Gaza region and one possible father of Palestinian monasticism (see also Chariton the Confessor). Hilarion had converted to Christianity in Alexandria and then, inspired by St Anthony, become a hermit first in Egypt and then in his home region. He then founded a hermitage close to his home village of Thabatha and by the time Hilarion was sixty-three, the monastery was large and attracted many visitors.[2] Though seemingly back then located in the desert, it was in reality at the crossroads between Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia and is believed to be a center of missionary work in the Gaza region.[3]
The remains of Saint Hilarion Monastery span more than four centuries, from the Late Roman to the Umayyad period, and are characterized by five successive churches, bath and sanctuary complexes, geometric mosaics, and an expansive crypt.[4] As the hermitage was likely consisting of small hermits' cells according to the tradition of St. Anthony build out of mud bricks and perishable material, resulting in that their remains have not been preserved.[2] The site was abandoned after a seventh-century earthquake and rediscovered by local archaeologists in 1999.[5] The fourteenth century pilgrim Antony of Cremona mentioned in his travel report that there was a church called St. Hilarion in Tabatha, but it is uncertain whether he was referring to a building that still existed or if he was retelling information derived from an earlier source.[6] According to local tradition and observations from Western travelers in the 19th century, the prayer hall of the Monastery of Hilarion is currently occupied by the Mosque of al-Khidr. French explorer Victor Guérin noted that two marble columns in the mosque were possibly parts of the Byzantine-era monastery.[2]
Current state
editIn 2015, it was the only archaeological site accessible to the public in Gaza, making it an especially treasured and important cultural heritage.[3] According to the Ministry of Tourism in Gaza, the Saint Hilarion Monastery in 2016 was in dire need of preservation.[7] Current preservation efforts are plagued by war and conflict in the region, as well as a shortage of materials and equipment needed for excavation. The site was included on the 2012 World Monuments Watch and classified as "Rescue Needed" by Global Heritage Network.[8]
In December 2023, UNESCO granted the monastery "provisional enhanced protection".[9] In January 2024, Al Jazeera reported that the monastery is one of 195 cultural heritage sites that have been damaged or destroyed since Israel–Hamas war began.[10] In July 2024, the monastery was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger by UNESCO.[11] The listing was fast-tracked using emergency procedures, with UNESCO expressing "deep concern about the impact of the ongoing conflict on cultural heritage, particularly in the Gaza Strip" and stating "The organization urges all involved parties to strictly adhere to international law, emphasizing that cultural property should not be targeted or used for military purposes, as it is considered civilian infrastructure."[12]
References
edit- ^ "New archaeological discovery in St. Hilarion Monastery". Al-Monitor. 13 April 2021. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Hirschfeld, Yizhar (2004). "The monasteries of Gaza: An archaeological review". In Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony; Aryeh Kofsky (eds.). Christian Gaza in Late Antiquity. Brill. pp. 67–69. ISBN 9789004138681. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b Isaac, Rami K.; Hall, C. Michael; Higgins-Desbiolles, Freya (14 December 2015). The Politics and Power of Tourism in Palestine. Routledge. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-317-58028-7. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Tell Umm Amer". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ "Tell Umm El-'Amr (Saint Hilarion Monastery) | World Monuments Fund". Wmf.org. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ Pringle, Denys (1993). The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: A Corpus: Volume 2, L-Z (excluding Tyre). Cambridge University Press. p. 373. ISBN 978-0-521-39037-8. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Middle East Monitor – Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa". Middleeastmonitor.org.uk. 2 December 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ "GHN Sites". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
- ^ "Gaza: UNESCO grants enhanced provisional protection to Saint Hilarion monastery". UNESCO. 18 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ Saber, Indlieb Farazi. "A 'cultural genocide': Which of Gaza's heritage sites have been destroyed?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "The Monastery of Saint Hilarion/Tell Umm Amer in Palestine is inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 26 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ UNESCO Adds Historic Monastery in Gaza to List of Endangered Sites; Francesca Aton, Artnews, July 29, 2024 [1]