Jacob’s Well Church

Description of the site: The monastery has a significant religious status due to its association with the spiritual heritage, according to the Christian belief in the prophet Jacob, and the story of Jesus Christ, with the Samaritan woman.Due to this importance, the well and its surroundings gained special sanctity, which resulted in the establishment of a Byzantine church, one of the oldest churches during the fourth century A.D. And with the beginning of the official recognition of the Christian religion during the reign of Emperor Constantine 324 AD - 337 AD, his mother Helena hurried to establish several churches on the path of Jesus, and this church was established before the middle of the fourth century A.D. Moreover, she made the well of Jacob the center of the church, but wars and earthquakes later destroyed the church. The first destruction occurred due to the Samaritans' revolution against Byzantine rule in 484 AD. Then the church was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian around 529 AD.Many travelers visited it during the Byzantine period, and it was likely demolished at the end of the seventh century by an earthquake that struck the region. However, In the Crusader period, the church was rebuilt on the ruins of the Byzantine church, but the area of the Crusader church was smaller than the area of the Byzantine church. The location of the well was at the end of the eastern side church. Although the Crusader church was destroyed due to time, it remained a shrine for Christian pilgrims, as the cellar containing the well remained intact, and visitors were keen to visit it and seek blessings by drinking from its water. The well's water flows throughout the year, and It was dug to a depth of forty meters, and is still in its original state.In 1860 AD, the Greek Patriarchate purchased the site of the church and the lands surrounding it. as a prelude to rebuilding the church, but the process of building the church was not completed due to the outbreak of World War I in 1914 A.D. In 1988 A.D.,the church's pastor, Justin, completed the building of the church and its facilities in its current form, prayers were held in it, and pilgrims and visitors were received. Father Justin is still in charge of the service of this monastery, and it is an important tourist destination.