Dayro d'Mor Behnam

Dayro d'Mor Behnam

The Monastery of Mor Behnam and the Enclosure of Mor Joseph, also known as the Cave Monastery, Der Alkkahf, or Peter's Cell, is an abandoned Syriac Orthodox monastery located in Benabil. It is the easternmost of the rock-cut monasteries situated on Mount Hazro, to the north of the Dayr al-Zaʿfaran Monastery.

The site's history stretches back centuries, with Mor Joseph's retreat first being mentioned in 1335. The monastery's most active period was during the 17th and 18th centuries, with eight historical sources between 1648 and 1749 referencing it. A group of ascetics inhabited the monastery during the 16th and 17th centuries, highlighting its function as a place of isolation for monks and priests seeking refuge from worldly affairs. The monastery was also referred to as Peter's Cell after a hermit named Peter who resided there in 1523.

The monastery was home to several notable figures. Priest Behnam of Bote, who was known for his skills in Syriac belles-lettres and penmanship, was a monk here before being elevated to the rank of Maphrian in 1653. Its last known priest was Yohannan of Meshte, who died in 1885.

The monastery consists of a rock-cut chapel and is described as being little more than a cave adjacent to the Mar Jacob Monastery. This proximity and the fact that it is a rock-cut structure suggest a close relationship with the other monasteries on Mount Hazro. Today, the monastery is abandoned and impossible to enter. 

Status: Abandoned in ruins