12/07/2019
Visitor Information
Zababdeh is a small argicultural town located in the Northern West Bank between Jenin and Nablus. Zababdeh is the only majority Christian city in the Northern West Bank.
Address for St. George Church
There is no street mailing address or Post Box Office mailing address for St. George Church (Mar Giries). St. George is the Catholic Church on the main road. Zababdeh is a small village with four Christian Churches: Melkite Catholic Church (Roum Catholic or L'Orphelinat Catholique), Latin Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox Church, and Anglican Church. Additionally, each of the four Christian Churches only has one pastor / minister. In the small village of Zababdeh, everyone knows where everyone lives so they think that there is no need for official street mailing addresses. However, without a street mailing address or Post Box Office mailing address, no mail can be send from other countries to Abouna Firas and St. George Church and visitors can not use a street mailing address to locate St. George Church. Then, to locate St. George Church, ask the people, “Where is Mar Giries, The Roum Catholic Church, L'Orphelinat Catholique, and / or Melkite Church located?” or “Where does Abouna Firas Khoury Diab live”.
The Priest's home is in a section of the St. George Church building
Abouna, his Khoureeyeh, and their children live in the priest residence, "The Convent", which is located in the same building as the Church and the Kindergarten. "The Convent" and The church have a connecting door between their adjoining wall plus the "The Convent" and The Kindergarten have a connecting door between their adjoining wall. (Now, a short history lesson. After this parish was established in the 1880’s, a residence for the priest was built. “Temporarily”, the “big room” of this residence became the Church until a Church was built. The Church has never been built and the “big room” of the residence is still the Church.)
Abouna Firas is the only employee of St. George Church. Then, he handles all Church matters.
Visiting or Staying in Zababdeh
If you wish to visit or stay in Zababdeh, you must reserve in advance. Please contact Abouna Firas Boutros Khoury Diab and please discuss with him the dates on which you want to travel to and from Zababdeh.
E-mail: Abouna Firas Boutros Khoury Diab, [email protected]
Land telephone for the Church / Home: 2510894, from other countries including the U.S.: 011.970.4.2510894, from Jerusalem and Bethlehem: 04.2510894 (Code 970 is for Palestine National Authority and code 972 is for Israel. Both codes will work.)
Cell / Mobile telephone for Abouna Firas: 0599789282, from other countries including the U.S.: 011.970.599789282, (do not dial the area code and the 0), from Jerusalem and Bethlehem: 0599789282 (Code 970 is for Palestine National Authority and code 972 is for Israel. Both codes will work.)
Please print several copies of the e-mail reservation / invitation for show to people. Representatives of the Israeli government may ask you to show a reservation / invitation from Abouna Firas before they will permit you to visit Zababdeh.
Visitors stay and eat at either of two places. The first place is a rented home, which is a five (5) minute walk from St. George Church and is owned by parish members. The second place is the College of Naim Khader for Agriculture in Zababdeh, which is a five (5) minute drive from St. George Church. For both places, the daily room and board (food) cost is about US $50 per person. Then, the room and board (food) for seven days would be about US $350. Volunteers are expected to pay for their travel expenses to and from Zababdeh and their living expenses while in Zababdeh.
