St. Gerasimus Monastery: Ancient Monks and a Loyal Lion in the Desert

Just a few kilometers from the Jordan River, sits one of the region’s oldest and most storied monasteries: the Saint Gerasimus Monastery, or as it’s affectionately known in Arabic, Deir Hajla.

Location

The St. Garasimus Monastery is located just a few km west of the Jordan River and north of the Dead Sea. It lies in a unique terrain known historically as the “Desert of the Jordan,” a semi-arid plain distinct from the Judean Desert. The site sits in Wadi Nahil, a relatively dry riverbed, offering a peaceful place for contemplation and discovery. It’s also just a short ride from Qasr al-Yahud, the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism.

The Site’s History

St. Gerasimus and the Lavra Life

Born in Lycia in Anatolia, Saint Gerasimus was no novice to monasticism when he arrived in the Jordan Valley. After attending the Fourth Ecumenical Synod at Chalcedon in 451 CE, he went on to become the founder and spiritual leader of monasticism in the wilderness of the Jordan. In 455 CE, he established a lavra—a kind of halfway point between hermitic isolation and communal monasticism.

Here’s how it worked:

Monday to Friday, monks lived in small, rock-hewn cells, scattered across the desert.
Saturday and Sunday, they gathered at the central coinobion (communal monastery) to share a warm meal, pray together, and trade handcrafts and supplies.

This system allowed for both solitude and spiritual companionship—a model that influenced other monastic communities throughout the region, including nearby Choziba Monastery.

Monks under Gerasimus followed strict rules: one cloak, one hood, a mat, a quilt, a pillow, and a single pottery urn for eating and wetting palms. No fires, no candles in their cells.

The Lion Legend

One of the monastery’s most beloved traditions is the story of Saint Gerasimus and the lion. The monk once came across a lion in pain, with a thorn lodged in its paw. Without hesitation, he pulled it out. From that moment on, the lion stayed by his side—protecting him and the monastery. One tale says the lion even rescued a stolen donkey from thieves, dragging it back alongside a camel.

This unusual “novice” became a symbol of loyalty, humility, and the surprising gentleness of even the wildest creatures.

The Lavra of Calamon

Around the same time Gerasimus built his community, another lavra—Laura of Calamon (Laura of the Reed Bush)—was established nearby, likely named for the reeds growing around ‘Ein Hajla. It’s tentatively identified near the current monastery, adding another layer of early Byzantine life to the site.

Destruction and Revival

614 CE: The Persian conquest devastated monastic life here. The monastery was destroyed and its monks massacred. Their bones now lie in the monastery’s crypt.
640 CE: The Arab conquest followed. Though the monastery was rebuilt, the broader monastic movement never fully recovered.
Crusader Period (1099 CE onward): Crusaders restored Deir Hajla. Pilgrim Abbot Daniel described it as the “monastery of the Holy Virgin at Kalamoniya,” housing 20 monks and a miraculous icon believed to have been painted by Luke the Evangelist. That icon is now preserved at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem.
Ottoman Period (16th–19th centuries): The monastery passed through different hands, including monks of the Order of St. Basil in 1522. Rebuilt in 1588, it later fell into ruin again. In the 1870s, the PEF’s Survey of Western Palestine described it as “an important ruin,” filled with fragments of marble mosaics and faint frescoes.
Modern Era (1875–1890): Greek monks from Mar Saba took over and began major renovations. Despite an earthquake in 1837, they restored the monastery by 1890. The current complex is largely the result of their efforts.
1960s onward: The monastic buildings received significant mid-century reconstruction—especially living quarters and guest areas—to support monks’ life and visiting pilgrims.
Post-1990s: Modern amenities like guest housing, artistic workshops, and new mosaics were added, revitalizing the monastery’s role as both spiritual retreat and active pilgrimage destination.

What Can Be Found at the Site

Here’s what you’ll find:

Surrounding wall enclosing the monastery, complete with the flags of Greece and the Orthodox Church.
Statue of a lion in the yard, honoring the famous story of St. Gerasimus and his four-legged companion.
A peaceful inner courtyard surrounded by pale stone buildings. In the center is a well that taps into an ancient underground cistern—still functional.
A bell tower built in 1952 rises above the complex.
The main church, located on the second floor. A luminous space crowned with a metal-coated dome. Consists of thick stone columns and walls covered in vibrant frescoes—some dating back to the Crusader era, others painstakingly restored in the 20th century. An ornate iconostasis (icon screen) separates the sanctuary from the nave, decorated with gilded icons of saints, biblical scenes from the Jordan Valley, and depictions of Mary and Jesus.
A crypt located beneath the church. Here you’ll find:
- Cabinets with the remains of monks martyred during the Persian invasion of 614 CE and the devastating earthquake of 1837.
- A painting of the Holy Family, with Mary nursing Jesus—a tender nod to the tradition that they paused here on their flight to Egypt.
- Fragments of a 6th-century mosaic still visible on the floor.

Additional Information

Article Sources

See the Holy Land
Deir Hajla – Wikipedia

Timeline of Main Events at St. Garasimum Monestary

4th Century AD:

251-356 AD: Anthony “the Great” operates in the Egyptian desert, regarded as the father of all desert dwellers. He inspires the hermitic lifestyle that influences Judean Desert monasticism.
Late 4th Century AD: Individual Christian hermits begin to settle in the “Desert of the Jordan,” marking the initial stages of monasticism in the area.
406 AD: Euthymius from Melitea, Armenia arrives in the Holy Land as a pilgrim and joins the Laura of Faran.

5th Century AD:

451 AD: Gerassimos (from Lycia, Anatolia), an abbot of 70 monks, attends the Fourth Ecumenical Synod at Chalcedon. He initially opposes but later supports its decisions.
455 AD: Gerassimos founds a new type of Laura, establishing a Coenobium at its center, near the later site of Deir Hajla. This is recognized as the founding date of the Holy Monastery of Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan.
460 AD: The original structure of the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos is built.
475 AD: Gerassimos dies. His memory is celebrated on March 4th.

6th Century AD:

Early 6th Century: Monasteries and hermitages in the “Desert of the Jordan” multiply, especially during the reigns of Emperors Anastasius and Justinian.

7th Century AD:

614 AD: The Persian army invades Israel, destroying many Christian sites, including the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos, and massacring the monks.
Circa 640 AD: The Muslim conquest brings an end to the widespread monastic movement in the Judean and Jordan deserts. The Monastery of Saint Gerasimos is restored after the Arab conquest but faces subsequent destruction and rebuilding.
Early 9th Century: The Monastery of Saint Gerasimos is rebuilt.
1099 AD: The Crusaders occupy the Jericho oasis and restore a few abandoned Byzantine monasteries, including Deir Hajla.
Early 12th Century: Abbot Daniel describes the monastery (then known as “monastery of the Holy Virgin at Kalamoniya”) as having protective walls and around 20 monks. He first mentions the tradition of the Holy Family stopping there.
12th Century: The monastery is restored under Patriarch John IX.
Late 12th Century: The Lavra of Kalamonos is continuously inhabited.

13th Century AD:

Late 13th Century: The actual monastery founded by Gerasimus (closer to ‘Ein Hajla) is abandoned after the final defeat of the Crusaders. The neighboring monastery at the site of Deir Hajla inherits its name, becoming the “monastery of Gerasimus.”
1283 AD: A German pilgrim reports only eight houses in the entire Jericho oasis, likely at ‘Ain Hajla.
1295 AD: An inscription in Jerusalem refers to income from “the village of Hajla” (identified with Deir Hajla).

14th Century AD:

The place is called Bet Agla by Marino Sanuto.

15th Century AD:

Late 15th Century: The monastery is in ruins and abandoned.

16th Century AD:

1522 AD: The site is temporarily inhabited by monks of the Order of St Basil, still known as the convent of Saint Jerome.
1588 AD: The monastery is rebuilt.

17th Century AD:

First half of 17th Century: The monastery is in ruins and abandoned.

18th Century AD:

The monastery, after being rebuilt in 1588, is destroyed almost a century and a half later.

19th Century AD:

1837 AD: A severe earthquake causes significant damage to the monastery.
1866-1877 AD: The site is examined during the PEF survey by Wilson, Conder, and Kitchener, appearing as “Kusr Hajlah” on maps.
1872-1875 AD: Conder and Kitchener describe the ruins of the medieval monastery, noting the presence of frescoes.
April 1882 AD: C. R. Conder revisits the site and finds Greek monks from Mar Saba building a new monastery, having scraped off the frescoes.
1875 AD: The reconstruction of the monastery is concluded, giving it its current shape.
1890 AD: The last comprehensive renovation is carried out following the 1837 earthquake.

Modern Times:

2009 AD: The area around the monastery undergoes restorations and hosts a pilgrimage center, becoming open to the public.
Present Day: The Monastery of Saint Gerasimos (Deir Hajla) continues to operate as a Greek Orthodox monastery.

Nearby Sites

Qasr al-Yahud – Just a short drive east, this is the traditional spot where John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.
Wadi Qelt – A stunning desert gorge with trails and views of ancient cliffside monasteries.
Qumran – The archaeological site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, revealing secrets of a desert-dwelling Jewish sect.
Dead Sea – Only minutes away, you can float effortlessly in its salty waters and enjoy a sunset like no other.