Syriac Monasteries in Tur-'Abdin

Syriac Monasteries in Tur-'Abdin

Many of the Syriac 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, we only have information about a some of them and they have dedicated pages but there isn't much information about the rest of them

• Dayro d'Mor Abay - Qelleth

• Dayro d'Mor Abhai - Beth Manʿem

• Dayro d'Mor Abrohom - Mount Izlo

• Dayro d'Mor Aho (Holy Cross) - Zaz

• Dayro d'Mor Aho - Beth Manʿem

• Dayro d'Mor Aho - Kafro Eloyto 

• Dayro d'Mor Aho (The Cross) - Beth El

• Dayro d'Mor Aho - 'Urnas 

• Dayro d'Ar'o Rabtho (The Great Land): Established by a faction of sixty monks who seceded from their original community of Dayro d'Mor Youhannon Urtaya during the leadership of Archimandrite Mor Abraham the Shepherd. Built within a local village alongside a dedicated martyrs' chapel, the monastery served as a localized parish and monastic center for the surrounding area. Over time, like many smaller regional monasteries surrounding Amida, the site was either gradually abandoned or absorbed back into the broader Syriac Orthodox diocesan network during periods of population decline and regional instability.  John of Ephesus was raised in this monastery under a stylite called Marun

• Dayro d'Mor Athonus - Tell Beshme

• Dayro d'Mor Awgen - Mount Izlo

• Dayro d'Mor 'Azozoyel - Qalaʿat al-Marra

• Dayro d'Mort Barbara - Bir Ardiate

• Dayro d'Mor Barsaumo - Kafro Eloyto 

• Dayro d'Mor Barsaumo - Beth Sebrino (Basbrina)

• Dayro d'Mor Barsawmo - Salah

• Dayro d'Mor Bassus and d'Mort Shushan - Hadil

• Dera Būbe - Beth Sqole

• Dayro d'Mor Behnam - Benabil

• Dayro d’Mor Benjamin - Dugan

• Dayro d’Mor Dodo - Beth Sebrina

• Dayro d'Mor Domit - Qelleth

• Dayro d'Mor Domit - Mardin

• Dayro d'Mor Domit - Zaz

• Dayro d'Mor Doniyel - Tell Beshme

• Dayro d’Mor Elyo (the Prophet Elias) - Chiftlik

• Dayro d’Mor Elyo - Kafar Ze

• Dayro d’Mor Elyo - Hbob

• Dayro d'Eusopholis - Rish ‘Ayna

• Dayro d'Mor Gabriel (Qartmin) - Qartmin

• Dayro d'Gugel: It is believed to be in Tur 'Abdin on Mount Izlo, was also called Beth Gugi Monastery. It remained active until the beginning of the sixth century, but then was deserted. 

• Dayro d'Mor Gurgis - Sha’ba

• Dayro d’Khamara - Mardin

• Dayro d'Mor Hananyo (Dier Al-Za’afaran) - Mardin

• Dayro d’Harzam - Harzam

• Dayro d’Howoro (White) - Antah

• Dayro d'Mor Hobel and d'Mor Abrohom - Midyat

• Dayro d'Mor Holo - Salah 

• Dayro d'Jowze: Was located in the steep, towering mountains near the village of 'Bdyhr, where they took up residence at a site known as the Monastery of the Nut. This secluded, emergency mountain sanctuary was established specifically by and for the Miaphysite non-Chalcedonian community under Archimandrite Abba to hide the monks from imperial search parties. The brotherhood occupied the Monastery of the Nut for three years in the high, steep mountains of 'Bdyhr. Once the immediate threat of arrest passed and the monks moved on to Claudias, this remote outpost was largely abandoned as a main administrative monastery.

• Dayro d’Kaphana - Zaz

• Dayro d’Kafar Shama - Midyat

• Dayro d-Kurkhe: Located to the district of Claudias, situated near Melitene (modern Malatya), where they established themselves at the Monastery of the Huts. The community remained at this location for approximately twelve years. During this period under Abba's leadership, the monks actively built up the site into a substantial, flourishing agricultural complex, erecting permanent structures and establishing agricultural plantations. The district of Claudias remained a major political and ecclesiastical center for the Syriac Orthodox Church well into the Middle Ages, frequently hosting Syriac Orthodox bishops and patriarchs as well as several church synods. However, the surrounding region suffered severe devastation and depopulation during the Crusades and the Mongol invasions of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, leading to the eventual ruin of its monastic structures.

• Dayro d'Mor Lo'ozor - Habsenus 

• Dayro d'Mor Malke - Arkah

• Dayro d'Mor Mama: During the initial outbreak of persecution, anti-Chalcedonian monks took refuge in Upper Mesopotamia at the Monastery of Mor Mama, a regional monastic sanctuary that served as their retreat during this first period of exile. The community was guided throughout this banishment by their archimandrite, Sergius of Gadara, who led them until his death and was subsequently buried at the site. Over the following centuries, as imperial borders shifted and regional religious demographics evolved, many dedicated anti-Chalcedonian sanctuaries like this one ceased functioning as active communities or were re-allocated to other ecclesiastical jurisdictions. Consequently, various ancient monastic sites bearing the name "Mor Mama" across the broader Levant.

• Dayro d'Mort Maryam Magdloyto - Hah 

• Dayro d'Mor Mikhael - Mardin 

• Dayro d’Moshok 

• Dayro d'Mor Mushe - Kafar Ze

• Dayro d'Qadir: Is located near Rish 'Ayno and was first mentioned by historians in the sixth century. One of its graduates is the chronicler-priest Thomas, in 636. Its monks later moved to the Pillar Monastery. 

• Dayro d'Qarqafta - Rish ‘Ayna

• Dayro d'Qanqart: Was built in the name of the prophet Elijah near Qanqart, a journey of an hour and a half from Diyarbakir, was first mentioned in history in 1050. It was twice renovated, once by Patriarch Michael the Great in 1173 and again in 1730 by Patriarch Ignatius Shukr Allah. It was abandoned at the start of the nineteenth century and on its site today stands a village called Qara Kelisa ("The Black Church," because of the black stones of the area). Its remains are still visible.

• Dayro d’Mor Quryaqus - Mardin

• Dayro d'Mor Quryaqus - Zargel

• Dayro d'Sarbfe: Located in the East, specifically the regional border zone of Beth 'Arbaye between Nisibis and Singara (Sinjar), this site served as an emergency refuge and assembly point for non-Chalcedonian monks fleeing Amida. Symy ended his life and died at this site during the ongoing persecution, and the brotherhood remained there for five years until a temporary recall from banishment allowed them to return to Amida and transfer Symy's bones back to their original convent. When persecution renewed under Emperor Justinian and Patriarch Ephraim of Antioch, the monks were once again expelled from Amida and initially regrouped by returning to the Monastery of the Poplars for a second time. Being situated in a stronghold of early Miaphysite monasticism, any remaining monastic presences in this district through the Middle Ages remained strictly within the Syriac Orthodox lineage. The Monastery of the Poplars remained an active Miaphysite stronghold through the early years of the Arab conquest. However, as the monastic population eventually consolidated into larger centers, such as Mor Gabriel and the monasteries of Tur Abdin, smaller borderland sites in the region were gradually deserted.

• Dayro d'Mor Sergius and d'Mor Bachus - Hah

• Dayro d'Mor Sharbil: This monastery was in Kafar Shami in Tur 'Abdin and it was first mentioned in history in 1210. It might have remained active until the end of the sixteenth century. It produced one Maphryono.

• Dayro d’Mor Sharbil - Salah

• Dayro d'Mor Shem'un - ʿArobon

• Dayro d'Mor Shem'un - Arbo

• Dayro d'Mor Shemʿun/ Dayro d-Il 

• Dayro d'Mor Shumrin - Nisibin

• Dayro d’Mort Shmuni - Mardin

• Dayro d'Shurgin - Hisno d'Kepho

• Dayro d'Slibo: A small monastery near the village of Dafna on the way to Hisn Kifa, now called Makhr or Wadi in Kurdish. Its church, built in 770, was destroyed in World War I and the last of its monks was killed. Three bishops graduated from it.

• Dayro d'Mor Stefanos - Benabil

• Dayro d'Mor Theodute - Qelleth

• Dayro d’Mor Theodotus - Kuluk

• Dayro d’Mor Tuma (Thomas) - Salah

• Dayro d'Mor Ya'koub Malphono - Mount Hazro

• Dayro d'Mor Ya'koub Hbishoyo - Salah

• Dayro d'Mor Ya‘koub d'Nisibin - Beth Debe (Badibe)

• Dayro d'Mor Ya'koub - Kafar Shama

• Dayro d'Yoldath Aloho - Hah

• Dayro d'Youldath Aloho - Beth Sabrino (Basebrina)

• Dayro d'Youldath Aloho - Cermik

• Dayro d'Yoldath Aloho d'Notfo - Mount Hazro

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon - Dara

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon (Zuqnin Monastery) - Amid

• Dayro d'Mor Yohannon d'kfone - Mount Izlo

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon - Beth Zaghba,

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon - Hah

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon Tayyoyo - Mount Izlo

• Dayro d'Mor Youhannon Urtaya - Amida

• Dayro d'Mor Zbino - Habsanes 

• Dayro d’Mor Zuqa - Mardin

• Dayro d'Mor Z'ura - Khabur

• Monastery of the Lady of Mu'alaq - Semsem

• Monastory of the Edessenes: Was near the city of Amid

• Tiz Monastery - Rish 'Ayna

• Baid (eggs) Monastery - Rish 'Ayna

• Monastery of Samasotians - Tell Basim

• Monastery of Ma'althaye - Qardu