Garden of the Russian Church’s Metochion in Hebron was set on fire by perpetrators

DECR Communication Service, 15/08/2025

On August 15, a fire broke out in the territory of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission’s Metochion of the Holy Forefathers in Hebron, damaging fruit trees in its garden.

As the website of the Mission reports, the fire almost reached the ancient oak tree which is venerated as the Biblical site of Abraham’s hospitality. Thanks to the timely reaction from the Metochion’s coenobites, the fire was put out, and a fire brigade swiftly arrived at the scene.

The police investigation showed that the fire had been caused by arson. The perpetrators had thrown foiled hot coals across the fence, which had ignited the trees. The situation was exacerbated by several days of intense heat. According to Hieromonk Amvrosy (Ignatov), sacristan of the Metochion of the Holy Forefathers in Hebron, the Metochion and its shrines are in no danger now. The Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem and the Representative Office of the Russian Federation to the Palestinian National Authority liaise with the local authorities in Hebron to investigate the incident.

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Garden of the Russian Church’s Metochion in Hebron was set on fire by perpetrators

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