Mar Elias

About 1 km before entering Bethlehem is he silver- domed Greek monastery of Mar Elias on the saddle of a hill giving a panoramic view of he city.Even though the original Jerusalem-Bethlehem road used to pass right in front of the monastery,the visitor now has to ake a side road to he left if coming from Jerusalem,just before the red lights preceding the Bethlehem check point.The original date of the monastery is uncertain,but the building was restored by the Crusaders.The origin of the name is attributed in some traditions to Prophet Elijah who is said to have slept here.Another story holds hat a Greek Bishop of Bethlehem,Elias,was buried here in 1345.A hird version places the sepulchre of St.Elias,an Egyptian monk who became Patriarch of Jerusalem in 494,on the site.The monks who lived here upheld the virtue of labor,and have lived here since the 4th century AD as an agricultural community,cultivating olives and grapes.Today,Mar Elias is a popular site for pilgrims before making their entry o Bethlehem on the Christmas Day procession.The Patriarchs traditionally pause here to be received by the notables of the area. Near Mar Elias is a field covered with millions of small pebbles called the Field of Grey Peas.Opposite the field is the Tantur Ecumenical Institute,originally a hospice built in 1876.The Institute,which houses a large and impressive library,was established in 1964 to promote understanding between the churches.

Source:PACE tour guide to Palestine.

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Latrun

On the road from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv,twenty kilometers out of Jerusalem,the highway begins to descend steeply reaching "Bab al Wad"(in Hebrew Sha'ar HaGai)both meaning gate of he valley.This area was the scene of fierce battles in the 1948 war. To he west is the Latrun corridor which during the war was under Arab control.

In World War I the British took Latrun,and in World War II they set up prisoner-of-war camps here for German and Italian prisoners.At he outbreak of the 1948 war the police fort and military positions were taken over by the Jordanian Arab Legion,hus blocking the road from the coast to Jerusalem until an alternative route -the Burma road -was opened.The police fort and the Latrun corridor were occupied by the Israelis on the first night of he 1967 war.A major new road now circles north from Latrun towards Ramallah.

On the hillside opposite the famous Latrun police station is the Latrun Monastery.Established in 1861 as a rest station and inn for Christian pilgrims travelling through he rough road to Jerusalem,it was sold to French Trappist monks when the road was paved and it was no longer useful as an inn.The French monks built the present monastery in 1926.Set within beautifully tended gardens,olive groves,and vineyards,the monastery is famous for its wine and honey.From he monastery there is a beautiful panoramic view of the area which expounds the strategic importance of the place. On the summit of he hill above the monastery is a twelfth century Crusader fortress built by Flemish knights o guard the road from Jaffa o Jerusalem.The name Latrun is said to come from he name of this fortress -Toron des Chevaliers (Tower of the Knights). The remains of the castle's arches,huge columns, underground passages and outer walls can still be seen.

Opening hours for the monastery:Monday –Saturday 07:30 -11:30 and 14:30 -16:30.Tel.08-9220065,9255180.