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Location: 20 miles south-East of Mosul. 4 miles from the Ancient Assyrian city of Calah (Nimrud). Situated between the Tigris river and the upper Zab. Adjacent to the Khathar Elias Village.
Cared for by: The Syriac Catholic Church (previously, The Syriac Orthodox Church)
Description: The monastery is surrounded with walls having doors embroidered with ancient Assyrian designs*. Beside the monastery, is the famous man-made cave, believed to have been dug during Assyrian times, with the tomb of Saint Bihnam. Visitors to the cave are overwhelmed by the spiritual aura upon entering the dark and serene location which many believe brings Christians closer to God. Inside the Monastery is one of the most valuable Syriac libraries existing today. The church is a historical treasure for the Christian Assyrian heritage containing many detailed carvings in Syriac, Arabic, and Armenian dating to the early 12th century.
Establishment: There are two main theories as to the establishment of the monastery. One states that the monastery is believed to have been built during the 4th century and belonged to the Mar Mattai Monastery. The other theory is that the monastery is named after the martyr Fihnam (not Bihnam), an Assyrian who was killed by Ardashir, son of Shapur (379-383)**
History: The monastery, after its establishment continued its work and contributed greatly to the Christian world under the care of the Syriac orthodox church. Sculptures in the church show that renovations were done in 1164, 1250-1261 AD.*** Records show that the monastery suffered greatly during the period from 1743 - 1790 which is most likely due to the Nadr Shah attacks of the Christians in the region. In 1790 was taken over by the Catholic Church and was managed for 8 years until the Syriac Orthodox church took it back. For some unknown reason, the monks abandoned the monastery in 1819. The monastery changed hands again to the Syriac catholic church in 1839, which has cared for it to present time.
Location: 4 miles south-west of Mosul.
Cared for by: The Chaldean Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: Currently has no clergy residing in the monastery. Surrounded by several hills which add to the beauty of site, especially during the spring season. The entrance is made up of large stone arch which remains from the original church. Thousands of faithfuls from the city of Mosul and the various Nineveh Villages visit the monastery during Mar Elia Holiday which occurs at the end of November on a Wednesday. Dair Mar Elia comprises the following:
History: ,After many years of service by Mar Elia, the responsibility of caring for the monastery was given to Mar Elia's nephew, Khnanisho. During the 17th century, an Alqush native by the name of Hurmizd Alqushnaya renovated the monastery. It remained to be a successful center of Christianity until, as with Dair Mar Oraha, 1743 when Tahmaz Nadir Shah destroyed it and murdered its inhabitants. The beginning of the twentieth century brought much renovation and interest in the monastery. Thousands of Christians would gather during Mar Elia day to commemorate his holiday. A military compound ( Mu'askar Al-Al-ghazlani) was built around the monastery a few decades later which dramatically reduced the number of visitors out of fear from the military.**
Location:
6 miles north-east of Mosul. Situated on the east side of the river Tigris.
4 miles from Tel-kepeh (Telkaif).
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: Visited every 24th of April and the sixth Sunday of Easter Fast. Comprises a large building used as a church, a second smaller church built in 1924 named after Mar Antonios, the healer of monks, and a visitors' refuge/building. The monastery has a school for 30-40 students to prepare them in language, theology, mathematics, sciences managed by principal Father Hurmiz Shalal of Telkaif.
Establishment: The date of the monastery established is not clear. However, we are certain that it initially was only a church belonging to the village of Ba-wera which gained fame in the 10th century. one of the famous Syriac fathers who was a monk in this monastery is Mar Abd-isho I, who became a patriarch of the Church of the East in 963.
History: Little is known about
the monastery after the death of Mar Abdisho I during the 10th century.
There are a few indirect references to the Monastery such as the letter
by Shimun Al-Mosuli to the heads of Dair Mar Gewargis in 1549AD.
The monastery contains the grave of an Italian-dominican father who died
in 1753. He was sent by the Roman Catholic church to bring
the inhabitants of Alqush back to Catholicism. After his death, the
people of Alqush refused to bury him in their town so the other Italian
fathers took him to the Monastery where he was buried. They, soon
after, fled to the city of Mosul.
The monastery contains several calligraphy works given to the Monastery
by a local lady from Telkaif in 1778. The calligraphy was mostly
famous sayings of Ishaq the Ninevite*
In 1885, The blind saint Mar Shimun was buried in the upper church
of the monastery. The grave is visited by many Christians every year.
In the beginning of the 20th century, several rooms were added to the monastery
by Father Moshi Iramya and father Yosip Najar. The heads of the monastery
were the following:
Location: 34
miles north of Mosul. 2 miles north-east of Alqush.
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: Dair Rabban Hurmiz is the most famous and most visited monastery in Iraq. Dair Rabban Hurmiz was the holy seat of the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East for several generations. Situated directly above a large cave in the Alqush mountain. The monastery overlooks a famous valley called 'Gali Al-dair' meaning 'valley of the monastery'. 'Shara D'Rabban Hurmiz' meaning 'the holiday of the monk Hurmiz' occurs every third Monday following Easter Sunday. Until a few years ago, the monastery was unreachable by automobile nor did it have electricity or running water. The monks relied on mountain springs and oil lamps for everyday life. The monastery contains several wings including a church with several alters, a burial site for saints and patriarchs( Baith Sahdeh) , a library currently containing manuscripts as old as 1497, 'Baith Sahdeh' or 'house of martyrs', 'Baith U'matha' or 'house of baptism', and over 40 small caves used by monks scattered all over the Alqush mountain. Some of the caves contain numerous carved writings pertaining to the date of establishment as well as other historical details. The monastery also includes large rooms carved in the mountain stone including a large dining room able to hold over 100 monks. This truly amazing 800 sq. ft. (15 ft. high) dining room is completely carved inside the mountain with small vertical portions left uncarved to act as support beams. The church contains the following alters:
History: Built during the patriarchship of Isho-yab II (628-644 AD). Became a famous location of learning and religion especially during the 10-12 century which brought up such Syriac fathers as Mar Yohanna of Halabta, Isho Barnon, Mar Ipni Maron, and others. The monastary was then attacked by Mongols under the leadership of Taimorlang. The monastic life returned to Dair Rabban Hurmiz a few years after, but on a smaller scale.
The 16th century witnessed the division of the Church of the East when Yohanna Sulaqa sided with Rome and established the Chaldean Church. In 1653, the Kurds attacked the Monastery causing the Patriarch, Mar Shimun IX, to move to Telkepeh (Telkaif) for a short period. Mar Elia XI returned to the monastery in 1714 and became the center of the Chaldean patriarch for four generations. In 1722, over 60 monks fled the monastery after the attack by Nader-Shah, and took refuge in the nearby Mar Mikha church in Alqush. Monastic life returned once again in 1808 under the care of F. Gabiral Danbu. The monastery continued successfully until the Kurdish uprising in North Iraq between 1963-1974 which caused the monks and priest to vacate the mountain. The Chaldean Church was able to return to the monastery in 1975 and has continued to care for it till today.
Location: 31
miles north of Mosul. 1 miles north-east of Alqush. The sister monastery
of Dair Rabban Hurmiz.
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church
Description: Also known in the region as 'Dair Al-tahtani' meaning 'the lower monastery' since it is close to Dair Rabban Hurmiz and run by the same monks. Has continued to be the Chaldean monastic headquarters since it was built. A large number of Chaldean-Assyrians visit the site on the 15th of May of every year to commemorate the holiday of the virgin Mary , Protector of the crops'. Contains four sections
History: After the death of F. El-Isho, The monastery was cared for by the following**
Location: 20
miles north-east of Mosul. Built on the Maqlub Mountain.
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: Dair Mar Mattai is considered to be the most important Assyrian monastery in Iraq due to its religious, historical, and geographical significance. Located at the top of the famous 'Maqloub' Mountain, the monastery overlooks the magnificent fields of the Nineveh plains. To the left of the monastery is a large cave with natural mountain spring water dripping from the ceiling of the cave. The monastery has over 50 rooms, 3 halls for gathering, a church, A saints' room (Baith Qadisheh) believed to hold the remains of Mar Mattai, Mar Zakkai, Mar Abraham, Bar Ibraya among others*
Establishment: Considered the only monastery remaining with its original building since its establishment. the only accurate date for the monastery actually belongs to the building of the church within it, and dates back to the mid 4th century.**.
History: Mar Mattai is believed
to have been morn in Amid, Diar Bakir (present day South Eastern Turkey).
He, among many other monks fled to the 'Maqloub' mountain from the persecution
of Julianis in 361 AD. The number of monks soon increased to over 7000
which brought about the new name of the mountain, Tura D'alpayeh, or the
thousands mountain. in 484 AD, the mountain monks followed the Monophisite
theology, and since then, its bishop was given the title 'Bishop of Athur
and the Nineveh Plains'.***
In the beginning of the 6th century, the theological direction of the
monastery returned to follow the two natures theory which continues to
the present. The monastery became a well known learning center from
the 7th century to the 12th century
when many of its monks had to flee during the Salah Al-deen Al-ayoobi battles.
The monastery returned to its past splendor in the thirteenth century until
its partial destruction by Taimorlang, the Mongole.
The monastery remained abandoned till 1795 AD when Basil Gargis II
Al-Mosuli renovated it and built the fence walls around it. In 1845,
additional wings were added. The monastery is still considered to
by one of the most sacred places of Christian worship in the middle east.
Christians belonging to the Assyrian church of the East, the Chaldean Church,
the Syriac orthodox church, and well as other Assyrian churches frequently
visit Dair Mar Mattai for spiritual healing and meditation.
Location: 4
miles north-west of Mosul. Near the Tigris river neighboring several villages.
4 miles from Dair Mar Gewargis.
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: The monastery is divided into two sections; the internal quarters and the external quarters. The internal quarters comprises 20 rooms and 8 halls on the first level. The second level has additional rooms overlooking the beautiful monastery gardens adjacent to the Tigris river. The external quarters is where the main monastery church is located as well as 6 additional rooms. The mar Mikhael holiday occurs on the 5th Sunday of the Easter fast when thousands of faithfuls from Mosul, Telkaif, Telisquf, Batnaya, and other Assyrian villages and towns come to celebrate*
Establishment: According to tradition, the monastery was established in mid fourth century AD by Mar Mikhael, a student of Mar Ogin**.
History: Little is known about
the monastery after the death of Mar Oraha in the fourth century until
the 8th century when the monastery became under the care of Mar Ishoyab
(Nephew of the patriarch Slewa Zakhai 711-728). In the beginning of the
11th century, a well was dug in the monastery . During the dig, a
stone carved tomb was found with a complete, clothed body along with inscriptions
which were not comprehensible by the founders at the time***
It is also known that the famous 11th century writer, Elia Barshinaya,
was one of the few hundred students at the monastary.****
Several remaining manuscripts and evidence show that the monastery
remained an active school of thought and spiritual source till the its
whole or partial destruction by Nader-Shah in 1743.
Inscriptions on the East walls of the monastery today show that it
was re-built, or renovated, in 1867, under the care of Father Romanos Al-alqushy.
It was further renovated in 1956 under the guidance of Father Afram Rassam.
Location: North-East of 'Batnaya'
village, 20 miles north of Mosul.
Cared for by: The Chaldean
Church (previously, The Church of the East)
Description: Situated on very
fertile land with abundant water reserves due to the large valley directly
in front of the monastery. Worshipers flock to the monastery twice a year:
the fifth Sunday of the Easter fast and on the first Sunday after Easter.
The hundreds of visitors enjoy spending the day in the nearby pistachio
fields that surround the monastery near the Khusar River.
The monastery includes one large rectangular building 33 meters long
and 26 meters wide. The building is surrounded by stones of marble and
lapis lazuli meticulously carved with various Christian and ancient motifs.
Establishment: Mar Oraha was a monk at Dair Baith-'Awi when he approached Rabban Hurmiz to share his duties as a priest. The two worked together during Mar Oraha's seven years of service at Dair Risha Monastery in the Maqloob Mountain. Mar Oraha had to vacate Dair Risha due to sudden and drastic shortage of water . After spending three days at his new home at Baith-'Athrai, legend has it that Mar Oraha heard a voice ordering him to go to Nineveh and establish a monastery there. The Mar Oraha Monastery was then built during the patriarchship of Isho-yab (581-596 AD)*
History: Little is known about the monastery after the death of Mar Oraha. However, There is mention of it during the time of Patriarch Elia VII in 1607 and in 1610 in his reports to the Roman Catholic Pope Paul V regarding the state of the Chaldean Church. Records show that the monastery was mostly demolished but soon re-built by , F. Hurmiz Nur-din, a priest from Batnaya in the mid 17th century. During this period, the Monastery was managed by F. 'Abdo who aligned himself with the Catholic church on January, 6th,1719 along with F. Khadr Al-mosuli.**
In 1743, The monastery was forcefully occupied by Nadir Shah's army, who partially destroyed and murdered its monks after destroying all the villages and monasteries along the way from Mosul.***
The monastery was again re-built with the financial assistance of the Roman Catholic church , Pope Benedriktos XV by Patriarch Emanuel II in 1921, as shown in carvings on the main door of the monastery.
