Don Lattin

Sabas spent four years in these Judean caves, living in total isolation. But stories soon got out about the holy man in the wilderness, and 150 disciples joined him in the desolation of the Kidron Valley. By 492 A.D., the Patriarch of Jerusalem ordained Sabas and put him in charge of all the monks in Palestine. St. Sabas died in 532 A.D. In his later years, he had become a leading crusader for Christian orthodoxy. Over the centuries, the monks of Mar Saba have survived earthquakes, attacks by bandits, holy wars with Islam, and the spiritual indifference of modern society.

Today, Sabas’ partially decomposed body lies in a glass case in the main chapel. Nearby, in another shrine, dozens of skulls are lined up as a reminder of a massacre in the year 614, when Persian bandits invaded the monastery, seeking gold and silver.

At his height, Sabas oversaw 5,000 monks. A century ago, a hundred monks lived at Mar Saba. Only 15 monks remain, including Father Lazarus and Father Damascenos, who has lived here for 50 of his 80 years.

Ten years ago, a new road allowed easier access to pilgrims, and curiosity seekers. Before that, visitors had to walk or ride a donkey. Today, young Israelis in glistening SUVs approach Mar Saba from the other side of the canyon, staring into the compound with binoculars. Ironically, Lazarus came here seeking solitude but now spends much of his day opening the blue door and showing visitors around. — Beliefnet.com, concluded