Monasteries in Turkey (Outside Tur-'Abdin)

Monasteries in Turkey (Outside Tur-'Abdin)

The monasteries in this list were mentioned in various sources but all of them are in ruin. They were abandoned for various reasons throughout the history of the Syriac Orthodox church but unfortunately there isn't much information about them.

Antioch

• Beth Malke Monastery: in the province of Antioch. It was in this monastery that Dionysius II resided in the middle of the seventh century and translated books of philosophy into our Syriac language. 

• Mar Daniel in Kfarbil, in the province of Antioch;

• Dawa'r (Circles) Monastery: in the province of Antioch, is first mentioned in history in 1112. From it came one Patriarch and four bishops.

• Eusebius Monastery: Its location is near the village of Tal'ada, in the vicinity of Antioch. It was built by the monks Eusebius the Great and Amian, who established a school for the teaching of philosophy about 340. St. Simon the Stylite entered this monastery at the beginning of his monastic vocation. In 409 it had 120 monks. It produced Patriarch John III and two bishops in the ninth century. 

• Fsilta Monastery: near Antioch, was first mentioned in history in the sixth century.

• Monastery of Beth Licinius in the Black Mountain 

• Monastery of Mar George Kasliyud in the Black Mountain. 

Cilicia

• Baqismat (or Phaqismat) Monastery: is situated in Sis, Cilicia. Patriarch John XII resided there in 1108. Between 1266 and 1279, it was burned three times by Egyptian troops, who also killed twenty-five monks. (See Bar Hebraeus, Chronography, pp. 523, 531, 542). Gregorius, metropolitan of Sis, may have belonged to this monastery around 1290.

• Kuwaykhat Monastery: near al-Massisa in Cilicia, was first mentioned in history in 1208. Two Patriarchs, Ignatius IV (d. 1282) and Michael II (d. 1312), came from it. It was in this monastery also that Philoxenus II was consecrated as Patriarch in 1389. 

Edessa

• Barbara Monastery: in the Mountain of Edessa. There is another monastery by the same name. This one was established in the beginning of the fifth century, but was not mentioned by historians until 1191. From it graduated Basilius Faris, metropolitan of Edessa (d. 1204).

• Monastery of the Easterners: one of the biggest and most important monasteries in the Mountain of Edessa, was built in the fourth century. In 600, Domitian, the Greek of Melitene, persecuted and killed about four hundred of its monks for holding a belief contrary to his. It remained in existence until the middle of the thirteenth century and produced eleven bishops.

• Jacob, the Doctor of the Church Monastery: also called the Nawawis Monastery, in the Mount of Edessa, an hour and a half south of the city. It was built in the fifth century and was mentioned by John of Ephesus in his history in 519 It was renovated by its abbot, John of Sarug, who was elevated to the office of Maphryono of the East in 1164. It remained inhabited until 1223. Its ruins are still visible. 

• Mother of God Monastery: or the Monastery of the Solitary Strangers: in the Mount of Edessa, south of the city of Edessa and the Nawawis Monastery. The chronicler monk of Zuqnin mentioned it in his history (c. 751). One Patriarch and some bishops graduated from it. It remained active until the thirteenth century. 

• Quba Monastery: also called the Monastery of the Domes: in the Mountain of Edessa, south of St. Cosmas Church. Built at the beginning of the fifth century, it was destroyed by Ibn al-Bukhturi in 751, but was later restored. By 873 it had produced three bishops. 

• Sinun (Sinin) Monastery: near Edessa, was mentioned in history in 512 and 565. It was destroyed in 751 by the tyrant 'Abd Allah al-Bukhturi 

• The Monastery of the Bishop, named after the Mother of God.

• Monastery of the Beloved John of the Apocalypse.

• The Monastery of the Porch, built on top of the mountain, so called because of a porch especially built for the priors. The Anonymous Edessan said that in one year 12,000 were baptized in it at Epiphany. At that time, 90,000 monks lived in the mountain (Chronicle of the Anonymous Edessan, 1.182).

• The Monastery of Nawawis (Monastery of the Tombs), built within the mountain. Formerly, it was a great pagan temple; a pagan idol still stands at this monastery

• The Monastery of White, mentioned by Yaqut al-Hamawi, who called it Dayr al-Abyad (The White Monastery), was built on a mountain overlooking Edessa. The pealing of its bell could be heard in the city. The spot on which it is built overlooks Harran.

• Monastery of the Stranger Ascetics in the Edessa Mountain. 

Harran

• Beth Batin Monastery: in Harran. A synod met there in 793. It produced one Patriarch and three bishops and remained active until 975

• Kafrtina Monastery: outside Harran, south of Edessa, was mentioned by historians for the first time in 710. 

• Murayba Monastery: Murayba is a big village in the province of Harran. Two bishops graduated from its monastery in the first half of the ninth century. 

Karkar

• Abhai Monastery: or the Monastery of the Ladders, is on the right bank of the Euphrates, a half-hour journey from the village of 'Urbish, near Karkar. It was established sometime after the fifth century and was first mentioned by historians in the beginning of the ninth century. It produced one Patriarch and fourteen bishops. It was inhabited until the beginning of the eighteenth century. Some of its ruins are still standing. 

• Abü Ghálib Monastery: or the King's Table Monastery, in Karkar, was built in 1138 and remained in existence until 1600. In 1170, Patriarch Michael the Great rebuilt its church. It produced five bishops

• Fusqin Monastery: also called the "Barefooted" Monastery: on the left bank of the Euphrates, near Mor Abhai Monastery in Karkar. Master David and a group of monks renovated it at the beginning of the eleventh century. To this monastery are attributed five bishops in the tenth century. Its nave was built by the monk Habakkuk (fl. c. 1160). The monastery was still populated in 1565, but was abandoned a few years later.

• Shiro Monastery: was built in the name of St. Shabtai, a fifth century ascetic, opposite the Monastery of Mor Abhai, near the Monastery of Fusqin in Karkar. It was restored by Athanasius Denha, metropolitan of Edessa (1171-1191). While a monk, Patriarch John XII resided in this monastery and in it he was consecrated Patriarch, it remained populated until the beginning of the seventeenth century. 

• Zakka Monastery: in Karkar, also called the Monastery of the Virgin, was rebuilt in 1588 and produced two bishops. 

Kharput

• Ba'uth (or Banu Ba'uth) Monastery: near Kharput, first was mentioned in history in 1057. It produced four bishops. In 1290 it was ransacked by a group of Muslims and Muslims finally occupied it in 1311

• Dayro d'Mor Quryaqus: A monastery near Hesno d'Zaid that was restored in 1207.

Mar’ash

• Kasliyud Monastery: in the province of Mar'ash. Between 1100 and 1200 four bishops graduated from it. 

• Shina Monastery: in Mar’ash. Seven bishops graduated from it between 805 and 1110. 

Melitene

• Aaron Monastery: in Shaghr, in the province of Qallisura. Two patriarchs and five bishops graduated from it between 986 and 1170. ancient monastery, presumably established in the fifth century. It became a center of learning in the eleventh century; from it graduated Ignatius III, metropolitan of Melitene.

• Aaron Monastery: In the Mountain near Melitene, was built by St. Aaron of Sarug, the ascetic, in 389. It produced six bishops between 1088 and 1289.

• Barid Monastery: Was built in the province of Melitene in 969 by the Patriarch John VII, who lived and died there. A magnificent monastery, it produced one Patriarch, one Maphryono and eighteen bishops and metropolitans. We find no mention of it after 1213.

• Bar Jaji Monastery: on the Dry river, in the province of Melitene. It was established in 960 by the monk Elijah Ibn Jaji, in commemoration of the Forty Martyrs. There the monk John, the pupil of Marun, taught linguistics and philosophy (c. 980-999). Sixteen eminent men of the church graduated from it until 1105. In 1085, however, it was destroyed in an attack by three thousand Turkish soldiers against Melitene.

• The Monastery of Sarjisiyya, founded about 980, when it began to breathe the perfume of knowledge. This monastery and that of al-Bárid remained as centers of knowledge to the twelfth century.

Samosata

• 'Arnish Monastery: in the vicinity of Kesum and Ra'ban, was usurped by the wicked Gurtij the Armenian, who persecuted and expelled its monks, converting it into a citadel in 1114, but the monks were able to regain it. Between 1095 and 1132, six bishops graduated from it.

• Harbaz Monastery: also called George Monastery: in the province of Samosata. Its name first appears in history at the end of the seventh century, but nothing is known about it after the ninth century. From it graduated one Patriarch and five bishops.

• Jacob Monastery: near Kesum, was first mentioned in history at the end of the seventh century. Ten bishops graduated from it between 810 and 925. 

Sarug

• Shila Monastery: built in Sarug and named after St. Shila (d. 506). Two synods were convened in this monastery, in 706 and 846, and between 698 and 930 it produced nine bishops.