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Pilgrimage in the Holy Land

St John Phocas, tr. Stewart, 1889

Chapter 19

Beyond this monastery there is an interval of twelve miles, after which you will find a great ravine, down the middle of which a torrent flows. On the opposite side of this ravine is the monastery of Choziba,¹ a thing not to be believed when described, and inspiring wonder when beheld; for the cells of the monks are the mouths of caves, and the church itself and the cemetery is excavated out of the solid rock, and is heated to such a degree by the rays of the sun that one can see pyramidal-shaped tongues of flame bursting forth from the rock. The water which is drunk by the monks is of the following description: it is like that of a stagnant pool, which has been warmed by the noonday sun at midsummer, and thoroughly heated by the fiery rays. In this monastery I saw many holy men, one of whom is a worker of wonders, and one who holds direct converse with God. The name of this ancient is Luke. It was with some danger that I climbed into and out of this monastery, both because of the precipitous nature of the place, and the overpowering heat of the sun.

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