Top Things to do in Mardin Province
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6 Churches & Cathedrals in Mardin Province That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Mardin Province, Turkey including Virgin Mary Church, Deyrulzafaran Monastery, Kirklar Kilisesi, Mor Gabriel Monastery, Mardin Protestan Kilisesi, Saint Hirmiz Chaldean Church.
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1. Virgin Mary Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By apricot44 - Turkey, null
currently, the Church of the Virgin Mary is located in the south of the village of anitli, a village in the district of Midyat in the province of mardin.the village is accessible by minibuses.it is located on the highway between dargeçit district and midyat district.I would like to share with you some historical events related to the church, which can be visited for free. VIRGIN MARY CHURCH (YOLDATH ALOHO)-ANITLI(HAH) VILLAGE TUR ABDİN(MESOPOTAMIA-FERTILE CRESCENT) tur abdin region with the largest number of churches in the world.at the same time,more than 20 different religions,languages, races lived together for thousands of years in the ancient land.today,it includes mardin,midyat(matiate), dara, nusaybin,(Nisibis),cizre(kardu) and hasankeyf(cephenia) regions of the southeastern Anatolia(mesopotamia-upper fertile crescent) region of the Republic of Turkey.the region covers the regions called izala(izla) mountains and kashyari in early Assyrian sources.tur abdin region is home to about 80 villages and 70 churches and monasteries founded on different dates.the region has been famous for its olives and grapes since prehistory. the history of the first settlements in the region goes back to 4000 BC.Sumerians-Akkadians,Hurrians, mitannis,Hittites,Assyrians,Arameans,Medes,Persians,Alexander the great,Seleucids,Romans,Parthians,Sassanids,Byzantines, Islamic period.… some sources say that the original name tur abdin is "tura ela" "abocle". Abocle, meaning "about monastic life" but most sources say that the area of tur abdin means the mountain of slaves or believers. there is a story told about the origin of the name of the region of tur abdin. Persians; Romans when they invaded the region They expelled him from Dara, Nusaybin and surrounding areas. Some of the Christians of the Tur Ahdin region took refuge with the Romans in a city called Rumania in the western part of the Euphrates. After a while, during the reign of Emperor Justinian, the Romans took their revenge on the Persians, invading places such as asw; Nineveh, Beth-Nuhadre, Beth-Garmay, Beth-Sluk, and captured most of the pagan people there. Watch them, between Arzun, fenik, Savur Castle and Mardin Mountains.they planted it. a caravan of pagan prisoners placed in the area because of the Tour Abdin, the name "Mount of prisoners" derives from. The earliest Christian building in the area is the Nusaybin baptistery, built during this period, 313-320. Syriac Orthodox Church, Imperial see during the time of Anastasius ( 491-518) it has gained legitimacy. Jacob of Burudan, appointed by Theodora (527-548) , 27 Metropolitans assigned to the region more than a hundred thousand members of the clergy, Monophysite it has guaranteed this tradition, which is valued as. Anastasius and Theodora many buildings were built during that period. hah village, which is 30 km away from midyat district, is called cathedrals village in sources.it has 8 churches. The Virgin Mary Church is located in the south of the village. It is the most beautiful and monumental church in the Tur Abdin region. Sources say that the church was built in the early 7th century.Mor Sub, Mor Samuel Church, Sarkis and Bakos Monastery are other important churches in the village.a legend about the foundation of the Church of the Virgin Mary is as follows. In the land of Judea, the birth of a king The twelve kings who traced the bright star they believed to be heralded, set out from the east. they leave. When they reach the king of Hah, Hanna, they send three of them to Jerusalem. Three The king finds the newborn child and he offers him presentations. Themselves of the child given as a memory when they bring your diaper to Hah, burn the cloth and ashes among them they decide to share. Aleve discarded cloth, twelve locket transforms. Witness this miracle when they are, in the name of the Mother of God will survive forever they decide to build a monument. Lying beside the pond hah field, even today "Parpuso" referred to as (in pieces).the church, built in a closed cross type with a square plan, is the pupil of tur abdin region with its different architecture and decoration.
2. Deyrulzafaran Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 681 reviews
Reviewed By apricot44 - Turkey, null
Ancient people of Mesopotamia, Syriacs In this article, we will try to explain the history of the Syriac community, whose origins belong to the fertile crescent and Mesopotamian geography. In the last half century, many studies have been done on the origins of the Assyrians, their traditions and customs, their lifestyles; it definitely proves that they are a people of the fertile crescent land. There are generally 2 basic views about the origins of the Assyrians. The first view bases the origins of the Syriacs on the Arameans, one of the ancient peoples of the fertile crescent. Advocates of this view say that the name Syriac comes from an aramean king. In addition, the name tells that the Aramaic people, who adopted Christianity in the 1st AD century, called themselves Syriacs. The reason is that they want to separate from the pagan arameans, who are their descendants. This is the view basically defended by the Jacobian, which are the biggest branch of the Syriacs today. turkey, Jacobians living in Syria and Iraq emigrated to the world in many countries. One of the main evidences of this view is that the language spoken by the Syriacs is the Aramaic language. Another view is the view that traces the origins of the Syriacs to the Assyrians. This view is adopted by Nestorian people living in Iran today. Akkads, Assyrians,Babylonians,Arameans …The languages of all these peoples are of sami origin and they could easily live together. According to the Nasturis, the Syriacs are a common nation formed by all races. The most evident evidence of this view is that the Assyrians established many cities in the regions where Syriacs live today and they were very influential in Mesopotamia geography. Before Christ, many archaeological inscriptions and evidence show that the origin of the Syriacs may be Assyrians. it is written in the sources that the lineage of the Syriacs went to 2500 BC to sam, Son of Noah, and Aram, son of Sam. after Rome accepted Christianity as an official religion in the 4th AD century.on the basic principles and belief systems of Christianity, consuls began to gather to determine decisions and principles..The first believers in Jesus were forced into various tortures, massacres and migrations by the Roman during the period of nearly 3 centuries until the Roman acceptance of Christianity as the official religion.The desire of Rome to control Christians through the councils may be considered as a cause of divergence of opinion for the churches(Nikea ,Istanbul, Ephesus).However, the Kalkedon Council is known as the consul, which caused the greatest division in the history of Christianity by the Roman, who wanted to control and use eastern Christianity and its churches.The main issues of separation were the principles of faith and the organization((Monothelitism -.Dyothelitism ) of the churches.In addition, the control of the eastern churches to the Istanbul church is another reason for the great differences.Eastern Churches; possession of worldly riches and the official who wants to base his love of earthly life he opposed the church's theses.There were Syriacs, Copts, Ethiopians and Syrians among these eastern churches that were separated in the first place.the Council of kadıköy was a harbinger of great separation among the Syriacs.Syriacs who opposed the council were pressured by the Roman and Western churches, and some of them were exiled and called nesturis.the reason they are called nesturis is because of bishop Nestorius.the Syriacs, oppressed by the Western churches and Rome, began to stand closer to the Parthians and Sassanids, where they lived in the same geography.but it was not easy for Syriacs to live their religion in this kingdom, where Zoroastrianism and Mithraism were adopted.in its simplest form, this separation was due to nesturios ' claims and views on diophysicity.the Jacobins , today called the ancient Orthodox Church and located in Turkey, Syria and Iraq, were at the beginning of the 6th AD century during the time of Emperor Anastasius and Queen Theodora, Jacobins acquired an official status and many churches and monasteries were established in mardin and around the region called tur abdin(Monothelitism ).the jacobins took these names from Jacob Baradaeus (Baradei), who lived in the 5th century.During the 5th,6th and 7th centuries, some of the Syriacs were supported by the Sassanids(nesturis-diophysite), and the other part was supported by Rome(jacobins-Monophysite).currently, nesturis call themselves Assyrians and usually live in the geography of iran.the jacobins, on the other hand, call themselves ancient Orthodox Syriacs and usually live in Turkey and Syria.some Syriacs who accepted the terms of the Chalcedonian consul and feared the Roman Emperor Marcianus are called the Melkite Church (malkoye melkit).the word malkoye melkit means adherents of the King. these Syriacs(malkoye melkit), now called Greek Orthodox, have translated their language from Syriac to Arabic.the Melkites, on the other hand, later experienced another division within themselves in the 8th century and established a Patriarchate in Lebanon called the Marunis.. again, the ancient people of Mesopotamia, called Chaldeans today, separated from the nesturis in the 15th century and formed the Catholic Syriacs.both the Crusades and the missionary activities that intensified in the later centuries brought 2 more divisions to the Syriacs.especially after the 17th century, the Syriac Catholic patriarchy was first established, and in the 19th century, Protestant Syriac Catholicism was established...
3. Kirklar Kilisesi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 72 reviews
Reviewed By apricot44 - Turkey, null
Forty Martyrs(Mor Behnam) Church- Syriac Ancients (Kadim) Orthodox Church Mor Behnam (Kırklar Kilisesi) church is one of the most significant historical sites in the old part of Mardin. It is located the Şar Neighbourhood of the city centre where nowadays many Christians are still living. This church was constructed in 569 B.C and consecrated in honor of Syriac Saint Behnam and his sister Saro. while Mardin Castle is being repaired one of the seven churches built it is considered. The part of the church belonging to the Shams(sun goddess), before the 6th century indicates that it is dated. The bones of forty martyrs (Turkey/Sivas 4 century) in this church in 1170 B.C It was named because it was brought. Church, three entrance doors, fine stone crafted with crafting, altars, four-hundred-year-old wooden doors, 1500 years of root painting curtains, bell tower in its wide courtyard and stone carving that is almost like lace there is a sofa with examples. Built in the name of Mor Behnam and his sister Saro and now known as the Forty Church, the church got both names from early Christian legends. The church, which also contains a Bible dating from 1230, is also the metropolitan church of Mardin. the Legend Saints Behnam, Sarah At the time [A.D. 352], persecution had forced some ascetics to move to the region of Nineveh. One of them, Mar mattai , settled on the mountain and quickly became famous for the power of healing with which he was gifted. Also Sanherib, King of Athor, whose daughter Sarah had been suffering from leprosy for years, learned of Mar Mattai and kept track of what the Christians were reporting about this wonder-working ascetic. One day, Sanherib’s son Behnam had a dream, which led him to search for Mār Mattai. While being on a hunting trip, Behnam found Mar Mattai, learned from him about Christ, and brought Mar Mattai to Athor, where the ascetic secretly healed the girl Sarah. In response to the healing miracle, also the sister learned of the Christian faith and was baptized. Since both of them refused to continue to worship the pagan deities, their father had the children executed. Shortly after having violently put his children to death, Sanherib fell sick. A dream motivated his wife to visit the burial site of their son Behnam, and in a subsequent dream Behnam sent his mother to Mar Mattai, for healing and conversion. Eventually, Sanherib himself converted and built a church and monastery for Mar Mattai on Mount ’Alpap. Behnam’s mother also ordered the construction of a monastery at Kökyata as well as of a cistern at the site where her children were buried. A few years later, a Christian traveller from Persia, who was on a pilgrimage journey to Jerusalem, stopped at the place, prayed there, and learned about the events surrounding the children’s martyrdom. This traveller, named Isaac, also had a dream in which Behnam appeared to him and requested that a house of prayer be erected at the site. Again with the support of Behnam’s mother, a monastery was built there. According to the legend, it was the monastery of Beth Gubbe, where according to tradition the relics of Mār Behnam and his sister Sarah are kept Forty Martyrs Legend The main plot of the story took place in 320, during the cold winter, when the Emperor ordered to sacrifice to the idols. Forty Christian soldiers, Legio XII Fulminata(melitene ), then spoke among the others and refused to fulfill the emperors' command. The commander tried to persuade them, promising them wealth or glory, but they remained firm in their faith in Christ. For their stubborn faith they were imprisoned, interrogated, cruelly tortured, and then Emperor had their garments removed and left them to stand in a frosty winter on a frozen lake near the city. And to make this torture even harder, there was a hot steam bath on the shore of the lake, which was supposed to tempt them to deny their faith. But the soldiers encouraged each other, and with a desire for Heaven they suffered with an unbreakable mind and heart, exalting God and praying: "Lord, forty soldiers are here in the battle for faith, ready to die for You, give grace to all the forty, the number which You consecrated with your holy fast, so that we conquer the crowns of glory." And the Lord truly heard their prayer and manifested his miraculous power. The guard, standing at the window of the spa house, suddenly saw an unusual blue light irradiating all the space where the martyrs stood, and it seemed to him as if the angels had flown from the heavens and were holding the crowns above the heads of the martyrs. Standing in astonishment at this scene, he noticed that they were only thirty-nine angels, while the martyrs were forty. And as he thought about this inconsistency, suddenly one of the forty, a young man overwhelmed by the pain, dashed down to the window and begged the guard standing there to let him in. He bowed before the altar of false gods and put himself in the warm water. His heart, however, did not endure this change and burst. Thus, in the desire to save his earthly life, he sacrificed eternally and lost the earthly one as well. The pagan guard saw this, and suddenly enlightened by the spirit of God, he believed. He quickly squeezed off his clothes, put down his armor, and with the confession of faith on his lips he stepped to the ice between the martyrs. At that very moment, the fortieth angel flew from heaven with the fortieth crown of glory. The frozen, crimped bodies of forty martyrs, still showing signs of life, were thrown into a great fire, burned and the ashes were cast into the river. Christians, however, collected the precious remains, and the relics were distributed throughout many cities; in this way, veneration of the Forty Martyrs became widespread, and numerous churches were erected in their honour.
4. Mor Gabriel Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 244 reviews
Reviewed By F1936NUjohnk - Palm Beach Gardens, United States
While visiting Midyat we were given a free tour of some of the hidden areas and asked about a taxi to see the monastery. He walked us to the main street and got us a taxi driver to and from the monastery for 100 TL. 20 minutes to the Monastery. 5 TL per person and they provide a guide for a 30 minute tour. Guide was very informative, friendly and spoke some English.
