Fr. Ioustinos, guardian of Jacob’s Well in Nablus for over 40 years, passes away

02/10/2026

NABLUS, West Bank — Archimandrite Ioustinos Mamallos, the Greek Orthodox priest who devoted decades to preserving Jacob’s Well, one of the Holy Land’s historic Christian pilgrimage sites, has died following a prolonged illness, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced Thursday.

Known simply as Fr. Ioustinos, he served as guardian of the shrine in Nablus since 1980. He dedicated much of his life to restoring the monastery and building the Church of St. Photini the Samaritan Woman, leaving a lasting mark on the religious complex and its preservation.

Born in Greece, Ioustinos arrived in the Holy Land in 1960 and served in several locations before being assigned to Jacob’s Well. He took up the post after his predecessor, Archimandrite Philoumenos, was murdered by an axe-wielding man at the shrine in November 1979. Philoumenos was later recognized as a martyr by the Orthodox Church.

Beyond his pastoral duties, Ioustinos helped oversee the church’s reconstruction, raised funds for the project and painted many of its icons and frescoes. The rebuilt Church of St. Photini was completed in 2018, following years of work to restore the historic complex.

Jacob’s Well is traditionally identified as the place where Jesus met a Samaritan woman, an encounter recounted in the Gospel of John. The site is revered by Christians and holds significance in Jewish, Samaritan, and Muslim traditions. Located near the Balata refugee camp, the well lies beneath the church in a crypt and remains a destination for pilgrims.

The Jerusalem Patriarchate said arrangements were being considered to return Ioustinos’ body to the Holy Land for his funeral and burial. The date and location of the service were to be announced later.