Bir el Qutt - ST. THEODORE

Source:

Proc. Caes., Aed.

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

V, ix, 7

Translation:

These, then, were the monateries restored (by Justinian) in Jerusalem:

<...>

7. the monastery of the Lazi in the desert of Jerusalem.

(transl. Di Segni, Onomasticon)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography	Pages
Di Segni, L. and Tsafrir, Y., 2015	no. 50
Corbo, V. C., 1955	130

Summary:

Mention of the monastery of the Lazi in the Judean Desert among the buildings restored by Justinian, from a panegyric of AD 550s.

Commentary:

The Lazi, a people from the Caucasus ridge, were converted to Christianity and became subject to the Byzantine emperor in 522. Corbo, having uncovered several Georgian inscriptions at Bir el Qutt, suggested identifying the excavated site with the monastery of the Lazi mentioned by Procopius. Another possible identification is the Georgian monastery at Khirbet Umm Leisun.