Mardin (Saffron monastery)

Mardin (Kurdish: Mêrdîn) is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province is known for its Arab-style architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria. Mardin has a very mixed population, Turks, Arabs and Kurds all represent large groups. Mardin is an Aramaic word and means "fortresses". The earliest settlers in Mardin were Assyrian Christians, arriving in the 3rd century AD; in fact, the old Assyro-Babylonian religion existed in Mardin until the 18th century. Most Syriac Orthodox churches and monasteries in the city, which are still active today, date from the 5th century AD, such as the Deyrülzafarân Monastery shown in the video. Mor Hananyo Monastery is an important Syriac Orthodox monastery near the city of Mardin, which is better known by its nickname, the 'Saffron Monastery'. This name is derived from the warm colour of its stone. The monastery acquired its present, official name from Saint Hananyo (the Syriac equivalent of Ananias, which is its Greek form), who was Metropolitan of Kfartuta from 793 to 800. Saint Hananyo renovated the monastery 793. Founded in 493 AD, the monastery was formerly the seat of the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1160 until 1932 where it relocated to Damascus.

Channel: Travel & Events
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: MariaJBogaerts

Length: 02:50
Rating: 4.86
Views: 3388

Tags: Church  Deyrülzafarân  Hananyo  Manastırı  Mardin  monastery  Mor  Mêrdîn  Orthodox  Saffron  Syriac  

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