Difference between revisions of "Oak of Mamre"

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m (Oak of Sibta moved to Oak of Mamre: More common English name (1,860 Google refs vs. 5).)
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Revision as of 02:17, November 11, 2008

Abraham's Hospitality at the Mambre Oak Tree, Η Φιλοξενία του Αβρααμ (gr.)
The Oak of Sibta
The Oak of Sibta, at Hirbet es-Sibte, two kilometres southwest of Mamre, also called The Oak of Abraham or The Oak of Mamre [1], is an ancient tree which, in tradition, is said to mark the place where Abraham entertained the three angels [2] or where Abraham pitched his tent. It is estimated that this oak is approximately 5,000 years old.

The site of the oak was acquired in 1868 by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) for the Russian Orthodox Church and the nearby Monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded [3] nearby. The site has since been a major attraction for Russian pilgrims before the revolution, and is the only functioning Christian shrine in the Hebron region. After the Russian Revolution, the property came under the control of the ROCOR.

A long-standing tradition is that the Oak of Abraham will die before the appearance of the Anti-Christ. The oak has been dead for over three years now.


Sources

Notes

  1. The Hebrew term Eloney Mamreh of Genesis 13:18 is considered by some translators to be a name of a region in Canaan. Other scholars dispute this and suggest that it is the reference to the terebinth trees of Mamre; or to the Oak of Mamre, which is know known as Abraham's Oak
  2. New Challenge for Arafat: A Russian Church by Serge Schmemann for the New York Times, July 11, 1997.
  3. The Hebron Monastery has emerged as a political issue between Russia and Palestinian authorities.

See also