Sun Rises in the East, and So Will Christ: Part II

Courtyard of Deyrulzafaran Monastery

As the unexpected rain freshened the hot May air for us, İbrahim -the hot-looking clergyman and tour guide at Mor Gabriel monastery- told us that the Deyrulzafaran Monastery (deyr=monastery, zafaran=saffron) is the largest Syriac monastery in the region. It was home for Patriarchate of Antioch for over 600 years. The patriarchate has been in Damascus since 1932, but is still referred to as the Patriarchate of "Antioch" out of respect to the fact that the Syriac Christianity originated in Antioch (Antakya, Turkey). 

Syriac inscriptions on monastery walls

There are 15 million Syriac Christians living around the world, with only 4 million belonging to orthodox sect (there are seven sects). Syriac Christians in Turkey are orthodox, and they call themselves Süryani Kadim (the ancient Assyrians). While half the orthodox population lives in India, the remaining half are mostly in Sweden, Germany, and US. After Jeruselam, Mardin is the most sacred site for Syriac Orthodox Christians; but due to political tensions in the region, only about 2300 Syriac Orthodox now live in Mardin and 15 thousand reside in İstanbul. The latter figure is an exaggeration by İbrahim according to the historians I traveled with (i.e. everyone except me). But wiki agrees with İbrahim.

Sara with her mom and older sister

When we were at Anıtlı Church, I chatted with Maryam, wife of the guy who showed us around the church. There are only twenty or so families living near Anıtlı and Maryam is in charge of local Syriac kids for their after-school religious training. She speaks both Syriac and Turkish, though Syriac is the language she uses to summon her three-year old daughter Sara. I envied Sara's life as she grabbed the unripe green almonds -çağla-  from her mother's hand. Lambs and donkeys are Sara's pet animals, while the ruins of nearby Mor Sobo Cathedral her playground. She lives in an "antique" church, understands two languages (one being ancient), and feeds on fresh çağla for snack. 

She could be me. Or is she?

If it weren't for the typical iPhone email alert sound muffled in the pockets of scholars wandering around, there was nothing there to remind me -nor Sara- of the needs of selfish, spoiled urban life. I seriously thought whether I should get a job in New York and live in a stacked apartment all by myself, or teach at Anıtlı village primary school and ask İbrahim to marry me. 

Let Mor Gabriel be the judge of my faith. 

Note: For more pictures of Monasteries, click here.