Dayro d'Mor Aho

Dayro d'Mor Aho

The Monastery of Mor Aho, also known as Dayro d'Slibo (Monastery of the Cross) or Der el-Muhr/Der el-Mukhr, is a Syriac Orthodox site located in Tur Abdin between Zaz and Hisno d'Kifo (Hasankeyf). Its name, "Monastery of the Cross," comes from its founder, Saint Aho, a 6th-century solitary who is believed to have brought a stolen fragment of the True Cross to the region. Mor Aho, a native of Rish 'Ayna, reportedly founded the monastery after he was conscripted into the Persian army in 573, escaped, and returned to Tur-'Abdin. Locals believe he is interred within the monastery. Some sources suggest an even earlier foundation date around 500 AD, though the church was built in 770.

The monastery was first mentioned in history in 774, when a plague killed about 800 of its monks. Bishop Tiberius, a monk from the monastery, was ordained by Patriarch Qyriaqus (793-817) as the Bishop of Aphrah in Khorasan. It became the See of the bishops of Hah from 1089 to 1873. It was an influential center, producing one Patriarch of Tur-'Abdin, one Maphryono, and six bishops. In 1217, the monk-priest David Saliba of Hah was from this monastery.

The monastery's structure, with its high, castle-like walls and a rectangular tower, served a dual purpose as both a religious site and a fortress. Its defensive capabilities proved crucial during times of persecution. In 1584, Bishop Abrohom of the monastery rebuilt the circuit-wall and roofs, making them impregnable to robbers. The monastery’s relationship with two nearby villages is recorded in endowment deeds from 1543 and 1560. 

Inscriptions found at the monastery provide further historical clues. One epitaph records the death of a monk in 1700 (AD 1388). A 7th-century account claims that Abbot Bishop Gabriel of Beth Qustan from Dayro d'Mor Gabriel raised the architect of this Monastery from the dead. 

The monastery's role as a traditional monastic center began to shift over time. By the mid-19th century, it was being repurposed for survival. In 1892, it had transitioned into a walled village inhabited by around 20 Syriac families, a move made for "better security and defense." This adaptation shows how physical survival took precedence over traditional monastic practices. The church was destroyed during World War I, and the last of its monks were killed.

The village population reached 400 Syriacs by 1914, but the Sayfo genocide in 1915 led to many deaths, including Antimus Yaʿqub of Esfes, the last Bishop of Dayro d'Slibo. The village continued to face hardship, with Kurdish rebels using it as a military base during the Sheikh Said rebellion in 1925-1926, leading to damage from Turkish aerial bombardment.

Today, the monastery is in a ruinous condition, with structural problems and trees growing within its confines. Although one nun resides there, it is "technically not a monastery" due to the absence of a monastic community and consistent liturgical services.

Status: Abandoned in Ruins