The Monastery of Aston

The Monastery of Aston (pillar)

The Monastery of Aston (pillar): This name is derived from the Syriac word for "pillar" (Istoun) and is located in the village of Turbat-e Spi (the White Tomb). The site, also known locally as Deir Baspi, is situated southwest of Alqosh and approximately one kilometer from the modern Mosul-Duhok highway. Founded in the late 6th century, likely between 595 and 598 AD, the monastery stands as a testament to the expansion of Syriac monasticism following the missionary efforts of Mor Michael of Nineveh.

The monastery's origins are deeply linked to the relationship between Michael and his mentor, Mor Aho the Hermit. Mor Aho was a student at the Resh 'Ayno school in Tur-'Abdin who was captured by Persian forces during the 6th-century conflicts with the Byzantine Empire. Among his captors was a Christian soldier from Nineveh named Michael. Recognizing the holiness of his prisoner, Michael eventually freed him, and the two fled westward. After performing a miracle that led to the healing and subsequent monastic vocation of a young man named Hawra, the pair founded a community that grew to include twenty monks. After spending five years with Mor Aho, Michael returned to his native region of Nineveh to establish his own sanctuary at the site of Tarbiya Spi. He erected a pillar at the monastery, a practice associated with the ascetic "stylite" tradition, which gave the institution its name. The monastery flourished as a significant ecclesiastical center and a historical alternative to the see of Nohadra until its destruction in the 13th century.

Archaeological interest in the site was renewed when the French Orientalist. J.M. Fiey explored the area, guided by local villagers. He identified the remains of the monastery near a spring, noting that the walls still stood approximately one meter high at the time of his visit. His detailed descriptions reveal a church designed with three wings and a sanctuary dedicated to the saints. The landscape is marked by five ancient mulberry trees and an old water basin, while the surrounding hills are known as Kand. Today, the site is officially recorded with the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities as Deir Istoun.

The spiritual legacy of the founders remains integrated into the Syriac Orthodox tradition. Mor Aho is particularly remembered for securing a portion of the True Cross from Constantinople in 595 AD and established few monasteries in the Tur-'Abdin are His life and deeds are documented in Vatican Manuscript No. 36, and the Church continues to observe his commemoration annually on January 25th.