# Saint Hilarion Monastery

Saint Hilarion Monastery, at the archaeological site of Tell Umm el-'Amr, was an ancient Christian monastery. Its excavated ruins lay close to Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

## History and archaeology

The monastery was founded in ca. 340 by Hilarion, a native of the Gaza region and one possible father of Palestinian monasticism (see also Chariton the Confessor). Hilarion had converted to Christianity in Alexandria and then, inspired by St Anthony, become a hermit first in Egypt and then in his home region. He then founded a hermitage close to his home village of Thabatha and by the time Hilarion was sixty-three, the monastery was large and attracted many visitors. Though seemingly back then located in the desert, it was in reality at the crossroads between Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia and is believed to be a center of missionary work in the Gaza region.
The remains of Saint Hilarion Monastery span more than four centuries, from the Late Roman to the Umayyad period, and are characterized by five successive churches, bath and sanctuary complexes, geometric mosaics, and an expansive crypt. As the hermitage was likely consisting of small hermits' cells according to the tradition of St. Anthony build out of mud bricks and perishable material, resulting in that their remains have not been preserved. The site was abandoned after a seventh-century earthquake and rediscovered by local archaeologists in 1999. The fourteenth century pilgrim Antony of Cremona mentioned in his travel report that there was a church called St. Hilarion in Tabatha, but it is uncertain whether he was referring to a building that still existed or if he was retelling information derived from an earlier source. According to local tradition and observations from Western travelers in the 19th century, the prayer hall of the Monastery of Hilarion is currently occupied by the Mosque of al-Khidr. French explorer Victor Guérin noted that two marble columns in the mosque were possibly parts of the Byzantine-era monastery.

## Current state

In 2015, it was the only archaeological site accessible to the public in Gaza, making it an especially treasured and important cultural heritage. According to the Ministry of Tourism in Gaza, the Saint Hilarion Monastery in 2016 was in dire need of preservation. Current preservation efforts are plagued by war and conflict in the region, as well as a shortage of materials and equipment needed for excavation. The site was included on the 2012 World Monuments Watch and classified as "Rescue Needed" by Global Heritage Network.
In December 2023, UNESCO granted the monastery "provisional enhanced protection". In January 2024, Al Jazeera reported that the monastery is one of 195 cultural heritage sites that have been damaged or destroyed since Israel–Hamas war began. In July 2024, the monastery was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger by UNESCO. The listing was fast-tracked using emergency procedures, with UNESCO expressing "deep concern about the impact of the ongoing conflict on cultural heritage, particularly in the Gaza Strip" and stating "The organization urges all involved parties to strictly adhere to international law, emphasizing that cultural property should not be targeted or used for military purposes, as it is considered civilian infrastructure."