Sayfo; Village of Qanaq

Village of Qanaq

About 50 Syriac families used to live in this village and their spiritual care was entrusted to two priests. The church of this village is built of stone and mortar and was dedicated to Our Lady the Mother of God. One of the priests, Fr. Barsaumo died during the massacre, and was buried in the church. The other priest, Fr. Saume of Basibrine, was on his way to the village of Marmelan with two companions when he was attacked by Kurds and tortured to death and his companions were stabbed to death.

The villagers fled before the murderers arrived in their village. Some fled to the villages of Izlo mountain and others went to Beth Sbirino (Basibrine). The inhabitants of this village stayed away from their own village for two years and It was inhabited until 1926 when riots destroyed the village. The inhabitants then fled to Syria and the church was converted into a mosque.