Less than 10 km from Jerusalem, as the crow flies, lies the site of the first monastic settlement in the Judean Desert, one of the major centers of monasticism in Palestine, alongside the monastic movement of Gaza.
Saint Chariton was a young man who traveled from Iconium (in modern-day Turkey) to pray at the holy sites at the end of the 3rd century.
Before even reaching Jerusalem, he was kidnapped by bandits and held captive in a cave overlooking Wadi Qelt, which descends toward the Dead Sea. It was in this cave, in an oasis at the heart of the desert (Ein Fara, also known as Ein Prat), that he founded the first monastery in the Judean Desert. Many others would subsequently be established throughout this vast wilderness, stretching from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. At certain times, the desert was home to more than 10,000 monks.
Seeking solitude away from his growing number of disciples, Chariton withdrew and founded a second monastery near Jericho, on the Mount of Temptation, and eventually a third south of Bethlehem, in the Tekoa Valley, where he spent his final years and passed away.
His feast day is celebrated on September 28 according to the Gregorian calendar and October 11 according to the Julian calendar. On this occasion, once a year, the monastery—now under the care of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission—opens its doors to the faithful.
Two liturgies are celebrated simultaneously. One takes place inside the original cave where the bandits had held Chariton captive, which was later transformed into a church consecrated by Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, in the 4th century. The other is celebrated further down, at the foot of the cliff, in a more recently built church designed to accommodate a larger gathering of worshippers. Nearby stands the cenotaph of Saint Chariton.
At the end of the morning, the faithful gather to receive holy water, generously sprinkled over their faces. Just as the life-giving waters of the spring bring life to the desert, the Russian nuns draw us into prayer with their heavenly voices:
“By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile,
and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance.
By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe!
Our Father Chariton, pray to Christ God to save our souls!”
— Troparion for the Feast of Saint Chariton
