Church of Saint George, Lod

Church of Saint George

Rooftop view, Lydda c. 1920
Basic information
Location Lod, Israel
Affiliation Greek Orthodox
Country Israel
Completed 1872

The Church of Saint George (Arabic: كنيسة القديس جيورجوس or كنيسة مار جريس, Hebrew: כנסיית גאורגיוס הקדוש קוטל הדרקון) is the major shrine for the fourth-century Christian martyr Saint George and is located in Lod, Israel.[1] The current church, built in 1870, shares space with the El-Khidr Mosque (الخضر Al-Khidr, often associated with Saint George).

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem received permission from the Ottoman authorities to build a church on the site of a previous basilica. The church is built over a ruined 15th-century structure, and occupies the north end of the nave and left-hand aisle of the earlier church, from which there survive two apses - which, contrary to the normal rule, face north rather than east.

The Ottoman authorities stipulated, that part of the plot be made available for a mosque. Consequently, the current Church of St. George incorporates only the northeast corner of the Byzantine basilica. The prayer hall of the adjacent mosque contains a column that once stood in the nave of the basilica. The church contains the sarcophagus of St George.

See also

References

  1. "Excursions in Terra Santa". Franciscan Cyberspot. Retrieved 2007-02-22.

Bibliography

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Coordinates: 31°57′10.8″N 34°53′58.15″E / 31.953000°N 34.8994861°E / 31.953000; 34.8994861


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