This article was written by the late poet, scholar and author Mr. Hanna Jaser of Taybeh. Many remember Hanna Jaser from the poetry he wrote and recited at the first annual convention in Detroit. In this essay, Hanna Jaser tells of the rich history of our village Taybeh.
Charles de Foucauld, an explorer and French hermit, born in Straesburg (1853-1916) had a hectic life that features a prolonged chapter, rich in spirituality, in the country of Jesus. Having arrived in 1888 as a simple pilgrim, Charles passed Taybeh in January of 1889. But it was only in 1897 that he came back to the Holy Land to relive the mysteries of our redemption. He walked to all the evangelical places like a poor pilgrim. He lived in the Franciscan Clarisses’ Monastery, in Nazareth, to practice “Nazareth’s life,” hidden and humble.
In 1898, he accepted Jerusalem Clarisses’ hospitality, and during this period of his life he decided to visit Taybeh-Aphram again. A result of his staying in the evangelical place is the “Eight Days in Aphram, retreat of 1898, from Monday after IV Lent Sunday, (March 14th) through Monday, after IV Lent Sunday (March 21st).” There were 45 pages taken from his “Spiritual Writings”, suggested by the evangelical place.
Charles de Foucauld’s retreat in Taybeh-Aphram has induced his disciples and followers to come to this place to become immerse, during some days, within a climate of evangelical spirituality.
The mystical surroundings of Taybeh Aphram are an ideal place to practice a contemplative life. Here, in the Byzantine period, there existed a flourishing and prosperous civilization. Three kilometers away from Taybeh to the south, in the middle of a rustic environment, there are the ruins of a small monastery, crowding the top of a naked mountain. This place is known as Dar Hayye, or the Snake’s Home. Its buildings have been completely destroyed over the years, and its stones have been used as a quarry. At present, only the basis of the monastic buildings remains, which form a rectangle of some 40 meters from the north to the south, by 20 meters from east to west. It would be impossible, without excavations, to know the purpose of each building.
From the monastery, the view of the landscape is magnificent. To the north, on a hill, is the evangelical city of Taybeh. To the east, the biblical town of Rhammus and, to the south in the background, you can see the Olivete Mont. with its towers dominating Jerusalem.
Some 4 miles to the east of Taybeh, in the middle of a rocky terrain, the ruins of a second monastery can be found. These ruins are known by the people of Taybeh by the name of Chilia – Kilia, according to The Survey of Western Palestine, vol 2, p 395 – alteration to the Green term kilia, cell.
The monastery consists of a funeral chapel and the different outbuildings necessary for the communal life. The whole monastery is built of ashlar. There are also four banisters, which hint at the former existence of a chapel. The monastic building stretches 165 feet from east to west, and 132 feet from north to south. Near the monastic complex, there is a vast stoned enclosure.
There is a relatively recent towering building, although it has been constructed of stones from the Byzantine period. One can see crosses and graphics engraved on some of these stones by a rectangle. In Syria, this type of graphic is related to the reclusive life. Was there also living here a reclusive monk?
The least one can say that this monastery, isolated and in the middle of a rustic environment, is an ideal place to devote oneself to the contemplative life. From here, one overlooks the Judah desert, furrowed by deep gorges that lead to the Jordan depression.
Investigator
Acalapi
Unesco
