Dayro d'Mor Aho - Beth Man'em

Dayro d'Mor Aho 

The Monastery of Mor Aho, known by several names including Bnoyel (built by God), Dayro da Fnoth (it returned), Der Pum, and Der Puʿe, is a ruined monastery located in Beth Man'em. The monastery's name, Bnoyel, was given by its founder, Mor Aho, who built it alongside his patron, Theodore, and his disciple, Heworo.

The monastery, believed to be one of the oldest in the Tur Abdin region, was founded by Mor Aho, who died in 560. Shortly after his death, a devastating flood led the monks to abandon the site and relocate to a "Lower" Monastery. The name Dayro da Fnoth was given to it after the community later returned to the original, upper site. While some sections of the ruins point to a 6th-century date, later repairs and modifications have made it difficult to determine if it is, in fact, the oldest monastery in the area. Inscriptions on plaster from the site are stylistically similar to 12th-century inscriptions found in the region.

According to Palmer, Mor Aho brought relics of the Holy Cross from Constantinople and placed them in various locations across Tur Abdin, which led to the construction of several monasteries dedicated to him. These monasteries, each claiming to house the saint's bones, were built in the north, northeast, east, and southeast of the region, where the relics were believed to offer spiritual protection. However, Palmer suggests that Mor Aho's bones are most likely interred at this specific monastery.

The monastery also received support from external figures, such as a Roman commander named Demetrius. He made a donation and requested the construction of a cut-stone tomb on the southeast side of the monastery. This tomb featured nine arcosolia (arched burial niches) and a room for storing bones. This donation highlights the monastery's importance beyond its local community.