[[Image:Abrahams-Mamreh.jpeg|right|thumbnail|The Oak of Mamre <ref>[http://www.old-picture.com/europe/Abrahams-Mamreh-tree.htm Source of picture]</ref>]][[Image:philoxenie-abrahaam.jpeg|right|thumbnail|Abraham's Hospitality at the Mambre Oak Tree, Η Φιλοξενία του Αβρααμ (gr.)]]The '''Oak of Mamre''' (also called the '''Oak of Sibta'''), at Hirbet es-Sibte, two kilometres southwest of Mamre, also called <ref>'''Genesis 13:18''' ''The Oak Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of AbrahamMamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD'' or (KJV)</ref>, also called ''The Oak of MamreAbraham'' <ref> 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'' </ref>, is an ancient tree which, in tradition, is said to mark the place where Abraham entertained the three angels <ref> [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/hebron.html ''New Challenge for Arafat: A Russian Church''] by Serge Schmemann for the New York Times, July 11, 1997. </ref> 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 Churchof Russia]] and the nearby Monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded nearby.<ref> The Hebron Monastery has emerged as a political issue between Russia and Palestinian authorities. </ref> nearby. The site has since been a major attraction for Russian [[Pilgrimage|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 nowsince 1996<ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-6392441_ITM Hebron's holy tree is dead but its successors live. Publication Date: 27 December 1996]</ref><ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3PkGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5zYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7056,3033524&dq=mamre+tree Rome News-Tribune. Publication Date: 29 December 1996]</ref>.

==See also==*Christ's '''family tree''' - In the Gospel of Matthew, the [[Image:Abrahams-Mamreh.jpeg|The Oak Genealogy of SibtaChrist]]; from Abraham at the root to Christ at the top.

==SourcesExternal links==

* <small> Picture of the Oak of Sibta taken from [http://www.old-pictureatlastours.comnet/europeholyland/Abrahams-Mamrehhebron.html Hebron (Al-tree.htm this siteKhalil), Holy Land].</small>(Muslim website)