According to local tradition, Saint George was imprisoned in the town of al-Khader, where the current church stands. The chains holding him were relics that were said to hold healing power.[3]
History
Crusader/Ayyubid and Mamluk periods
In the thirteenth century, an anonymous Greek text noted: ‘After Bait Jala, there is to be seen the church of the Great George; and in it is kept the chain that was laid on his back’.[4]
Around 1421/1422 the Church of St. George was mentioned by Western traveler John Poloner as situated on a hill near Bethlehem.[5][6]
In 1480 Felix Fabri noted: "At the side of this church there was once a great and fair monastery of Greek monks, but now it has been laid in ruins, and their remains only a little hovel, leaning against the church, wherein two Greek monks dwell."[7]
In 1863, Victor Guérin noted "As for the convent or Deir el-Khadher, it is not very considerable and does not seem so old. It is administered by a single religious Greek, assisted by two brothers and a few servants. A small number of narrow cells are reserved for foreigners. A solid, iron-clad door gives access to the interior of the cloister."[11]
During the late 19th century, part of the convent were used for the mentally ill.[12][13]
The modern church was built in 1912 but the remains of the chapel date back to the 16th century. The edifice has an Eastern Orthodox interior, and the dome contains a portrait of Christ Pantocrator.[14]
Modern era
Since the priest in al-Khader was the only Christian inhabitant of the town, Saint George's Monastery attracted al-Khader's Muslims. During the Feast of Saint George in early June, the bridle of Saint George's horse would pass over the bodies of visitors to prevent or cure any mental illness, for which Saint George was renowned.[15]
^Procházka-Eisl, Gisela, and Stephan Procházka. “Muslim Sanctuaries in and around Jerusalem Revisited.” Wiener Zeitschrift Für Die Kunde Des Morgenlandes, vol. 95, 2005, pp. 163–94. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23862773. "'Abd al-Gham an-Nabulusi passed it in 1690 and called it Maqam al-Khadir Abi l-'Abbäs. All earlier descriptions agreed that this is the most important al Khadir-sanctuary in the whole of Palestine. It is most famous for curing madness and possession by evil spirits."
