MIDYAT, MARDIN: Mor Gabriel Monastery /ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܓܒܪܐܝܠ, Oldest Surviving Syriac Orthodox Monastery

You can tour the monastery only with a guide. I was lucky to have a solo tour by an English speaking guide. He studied at the monastery growing up in Midyat, returned after completing his college degree in Istanbul, and now resides in the monastery with monks and nuns. He had a sense of mission to preserve the culture of his ancestors. I'd like to express my thanks to him for sharing his depth of knowledge about the place and its history. While there, I was able to meet the bishop by accident and see the baptism ceremony as well.
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Deyrulumur / Dayro d-Mor Gabriel was founded in 397 by the ascetic Mor Shmu'el (Samuel) and his student Mor Shem'un (Simon). According to tradition, Shem'un had a dream in which an Angel commanded him to build a House of Prayer in a location marked with three large stone blocks. When Shem'un awoke, he took his teacher to the place and found the stone the angel had placed. At this spot Mor Gabriel Monastery built.
The monastery's importance grew and by the 6th century there were over 1000 local and Coptic monks there. The monastery became so famous that it received contributions from Roman Emperors, such as Arcadius, Honorius, Theodosius II and Anastasius.
In the 7th century, the monastery became known as Monastery of St Gabriel, who was famous for his ascetic life. In the fourteenth century 440 monks were killed by invading Mongols. In 1991, the remains of monks killed by Timur (Tamerlane) were found in caves underneath the monastery, dated to the year 1401. During the Seyfo genocide (the Assyrian genocide) the monks were massacred by Kurds and the monastery was occupied for four years until returned to the church in 1919.
The monastery is an important center for the Syriac-Orthodox Christians of Tur Abdin with around fifteen nuns and two monks occupying separate wings, as well as a fluctuating number of local lay workers and guests from overseas. It maintained a significant library however, almost nothing remains. The monastery is currently the seat of the metropolitan bishop of Tur Abdin. In its history the monastery has produced many high-ranking clerics and scholars, among them, four patriarchs, a Maphrian and 84 bishops.
Dayro d-Mor Gabriel is a working community set amongst gardens and orchards, and somewhat disfigured by 1960s residential accommodation. The monastery's primary purpose is to keep Syriac Orthodox Christianity alive in the land of its birth by providing schooling, ordination of native-born monks. On occasions it has provided physical protection to the Christian population.
Dayro d-Mor Gabriel is open to visitors, and it is possible to stay with permission, but is closed after dark.
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