Just outside Bethlehem, on the road to Hebron, Al-Khader Church is dedicated to St George, famous enemy to dragons and patron saint of travellers and the sick. St George is also known as the patron saint of Palestine, or St George the Green; his feast day is celebrated annually on 5 May with a pilgrimage out to the church, attended by both Christians and Muslims.
Someone from the Muslim family entrusted with the keys to the small Greek Orthodox church will perform a chaining ritual at your request, ceremonially chaining and unchaining any visitor desiring to release bad energy, cleanse the soul, cast off illness or prepare for a long journey. It’s said that this derives from the practice (thankfully no longer undertaken) of chaining the mentally disturbed to the walls in the hope that St George might cure their insanity.
You can take a private taxi from Bethlehem (20NIS) to Al-Khader.
