Sayfo; Monastery of Mor Gabriel

Mor Gabriel Monastery: Refuge, Massacre, and Resilience

The Mor Gabriel Monastery, also known as Qartmin, is the largest and most ancient Syriac Orthodox monastery in Tur Abdin, with its oldest buildings dating back to 397 CE and most constructed in the sixth century. Historically, it served as an episcopal see for many bishops of Tur Abdin, preserving Syriac liturgy and tradition, and was considered one of the few monasteries still actively occupied at the turn of the 20th century. Travelers like George Percy Badger, who visited in 1850, noted its fortress-like appearance, though he found its interior in disrepair and its monks, whom he described as "illiterate," primarily concerned with land income. 

In 1915, the monastery complex housed 33 persons, including 6 monks, and provided asylum to 70 refugees from the village of Kafarbe. The bishopric associated with Mor Gabriel effectively ceased to exist in 1915 after its last bishop, Philoxenos ‘AbdalAhad Misti from Upper Kafro, abandoned the monastery and was martyred later during the siege of ‘Ayn-Wardo. The Mor Gabriel Monastery was subjected to an attack in the autumn of 1917 by Kurdish forces led by Shandi. During this assault, all of the monastery's occupants, including the monks and two priests, were massacred. Only two young boys survived, managing to flee to Basibrin and ‘Ayn-Wardo, respectively.

Following the massacre, Shandi's clan, the Azzam, took possession of the monastery buildings. The Syriac Church was only able to regain ownership of the property after the war. However, the monastery was subsequently destroyed in further fighting between Kurds and the Turkish army between 1924 and 1928.

Father Yuhanon of ‘Ayn-Wardo was noted as the first priest to return to Mor Gabriel monastery in 1919. The monastery is  still being an active monastery today, though partly in ruins.

Monasteries like Mor Gabriel were often seen as favorite targets by attackers (Arabs, Turks, and Kurds) during periods of conflict, especially after they had served as places of refuge for local populations in times of trouble.