The feast celebrates the bringing of the relics of Saint George to Lydda and the consecration of the church in his name in the early Byzantine period. The crypt with the saint’s tomb as well as the church above it, is a site of pilgrimage, especially popular among the local Christians during this feast.
Highlights of the feast
Lydda, Saint George’s Basilica –
On the 15th, the eve of the Feast, local Arab Christians congregate at the tomb for a festive gathering, lighting candles and pouring newly pressed olive oil on the tomb. Sheep are slaughtered and cooked on the outskirts of the compound.
On the 16th, a solemn Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the morning by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Related sites worth visiting:
- St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem.