Mamre is where, according to the testimony of Holy Scripture, Holy Trinity was revealed Law Abraham, in the face of three young travelers. Abraham’s Oak, located in the Valley of Mamre, lies at a distance of 2-3 kilometers southwest of Mamre, in Hebron region, the land of Canaan.

Hebron is one of the holy places, honest Christians alike, the Hebrew and Muslim. Located slightly south of Mountain Jews, instead of the strong relation with Abraham and the other patriarchs law of the Old Testament. Starting seventh century, the town of Hebron was occupied by Muslims, who until today retains ownership rights to many places out of the area.

There are opinions that say the remains of oak from Mamre are almost 5,000 years old, and the tradition that the oak will die immediately before the Second Coming of the Savior. Both, however, are only opinions, because this oak has been dated as being around 850 years, and drying it (death) occurred in 1996. Current Oak is therefore increased from an oak trunk of the oak biblical honest place since ancient times as the place where Abraham received blessings. According to testimonies of Christian pilgrims, oak circumference, while still alive, it was almost ten meters.

Oak of Mamre in Hebron, Holy Scripture!

“And Abram raising his tent, came and was seated at Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord” (Genesis 13, 18). “There came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, who were united with Avram. (…) Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Those to take their side! ” (Genesis 14, 13, 24). “After this, it was the word of the Lord by Abram night, in a dream, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and your reward will be great!” (Genesis 15: 1).

“Then the Lord appeared again to Abraham at Mamre, one day at noon, he sat in the door of his tent. Then lifting up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood before him; and as seen, he ran the threshold of his tent to meet them and bowed to the ground. He said, ‘Lord, I have found favor in your sight, do not avoid your servant! Allow the water to wash your feet and rest of this tree. And I will bring bread and you eat, then you go your way, as you visit your servant! “Those They said:” Do as you say!”

Then Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah and said to him: “Knead three measures of flour rather good and make unleavened bread!” Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a young calf Fat and gave it to his servant, which I rather cooked. And Abraham took butter, milk and cooking the calf and put them before them, and while they were eating, and he stayed with them under the tree.

And they asked the men: – Where is Sarah your wife? “And he answered and said,” Behold, in the tent! “She said to one:” Here, at this time next year I come and on you and Sarah thy wife shall have a son. “and Sarah heard in the tent door, from behind him. Abraham and Sarah, but they were old, advanced in age, and Sarah was no longer able to conceive. and Sarah laughed itself and he said: “it is I still have this consolation now that I am old and when he’s old, and my master?”

The Lord said to Abraham: “Why laughed Sarah itself and said:” Did we really will be born, old as I am? “Is anything impossible with God? At this time next year I will come over and Sarah will have a son! ” And Sarah denied, saying, “I laughed,” because it is frightening. He however said to him: “Oh, you shave!” Then the men were up there and were directed toward Sodom and Gomorrah and he went and Abraham They like to spend “(Genesis 18, 1-16).

“And so the field of Ephron, which is near the Machpelah before Mamre, dust and cave in it and all the trees of the field and everything in its borders all around were given to Abraham estate forever, before sons Het and all those who had gathered at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, or Hebron, in Canaan “(Genesis 23, 17- 19). “Then came Isaac Jacob, his father, because he still lived at Mamre, in Kiriath Arba, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned” (Genesis 35, 27).

James said: “I have to go to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave of the field of Ephron the Hittite. In the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which bought Abraham from Ephron the Hittite, along with dust, the estate of the funeral. there they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and still there I buried myself Leah. the field and the cave of her sons were purchased from the Hittites “(Genesis 49, 29-32). “So did the sons of Jacob, Jacob, as he commanded him led him sons in the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the near Mamre, which Abraham bought the land for all, Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burial “(Genesis 50: 12-13).

Mamre in Hebron, over time!

This place has sat Abraham tent; received right here as guests on three Angels, that FSAP Trinity in untold chip; here I indulged Abraham and Sarah; right here received the blessing of giving birth to son, Isaac; here they have started angels to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Oak Valley Mamre arrived honest Hebrew, since the time of Abraham. King Herod was the one who fenced area with stone walls. The enclosure built by Herod, who fit the oak, altar and fountain Abraham, stretching over an area 61 meters long and 46 meters wide other.

But in the era of Hellenism, the place was transformed into a hole pagan, idolatrous here took place many parties and commercial transactions. Emperor Adrianus built here, a little later, a pagan temple and an altar, altar, here he is selling them as slaves in Hebrew.

Construction of Mamre was demolished in the war against the Romans (66-70), and rebuilt again in the time of St. Constantine the Great, when it was built here and a church. Excavations conducted early last century have uncovered many ruins and relics from the time of Herod.

In the fourth century, Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, old buildings demolished high Mamre, building in a great place Byzantine basilica. It was called “Church worship” as a sign of unity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the church porch was discovered the source of Abraham. Following excavations carried out between 1926-1928, were discovered a number of objects and ruins of the church built by Saint Helena.

Also in this place, Christian Emperor Justinian he would build a church, as can be seen today in existing debris. Justinian church was destroyed during the Arab invasion because of attacks and hazards, pilgrimages to this place ceasing too. Arab invasion changed much ordinances site. So, what’s left of the old building nedaramat Christian was used as a hospice for sick Arabs.

Long amidst gardens spread across dozens of hectares they grew various sorts of fruit trees and vines, it was a huge strain oak and fenced with a wire fence: it is what is left oak of Mamre in Abraham. Very old oak near strain biblical rises a Russian Orthodox monastery, relatively new.

In 1868, Archimandrite Antonin Kapustin bought the garden where is the famous Oak of Abraham, then being possible foundation near a Russian Orthodox monastery. Holy Trinity Monastery has quickly become a popular place of pilgrimage for Russian pilgrims and for other Christians, today is the only functioning Orthodox Christian hole in the Hebron region. After the famous Russian Revolution, the monastery garden and the property was obtained by the Russian Orthodox Church-outside Russia.

Its church has three altars are adorned in typical style Russian, icons and frescoes. Today, the monastery monks history of ascetics, praying for the world, for the promotion and guarding. Daily, they surround the church with icon of Virgin Mary, to a cover on it with her Acoperamantul the Spirit.

source: crestinortodox.ro