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The Monastery of Martha and Mary is located in al-Eizariya, Palestine. It’s administered by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Bethany
Al-Eizariya corresponds to the biblical Bethany (Βηθανία), which is where Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46). Al-Eizariya translates to Place of Lazarus.
The Monastery of Martha and Mary is named for the two sisters of Lazarus. Martha and Mary both witnessed Jesus resurrecting their brother.
The monastery sits near the Tomb of Lazarus and the Catholic Church of St. Lazarus, which we weren’t able to visit on this trip.
Church
The church was built in 1965. It was packed with Christian pilgrims and it was difficult to get a good look around. It isn’t as ornately decorated as some of the Orthodox churches we visited in the Holy Land, but contains a good number of icons and frescoes on the walls.
Rock
The Monastery of Martha and Mary was built around a rock in the shape of the back of a donkey. It’s believed Jesus sat on the rock before entering Bethany. Martha met him there and said “if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).
Tomb of Fr. Theodosius
Just outside the church is the tomb of Father Theodosius (1913-1991), who once served at the Monastery of Martha and Mary.
