Located between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea and being more than 1500 years old, this Greek Orthodox monastery has seen a lot of history being made and kepts its share of secrets. Some of those secrets included the Archimedes Palimpsest, the only copy of manuscript b ythe Greek genius who created geometry so-called Secret Gospel of Mark. Living without electricity, the monestary and its surroundings are usually pitch dark at night, but every December 17th, the 15 monks who live there celebrate the Feast of Sabbas to commemorate the passing of the founder of the monastery, Saint Sabbas. They light thousands of candles in the rock crevices on the other bank of the Kidron river, bringing light to the desert. In recent years they joind by thousands of flashlight carrying visitors who come to enjoy the spectacle.
