Syriac Dioceses, Cities, and Communities

Syriac Dioceses, Cities, and Communities

The West Syriac or Syriac Orthodox historically lived in many cities and communities in the Near East and they played a role in passing the Syriac heritage to the new generations of Syriac people. They established many dioceses in many areas throughout their long history but some of them don't exist anymore. This is a partial list and the work is in progress to document all the settelmants that we have documentations about that might reach 300 settlemnts

Next steps: 

1. Add all the Syriac Orthodox communities in India

2. Arrange this list by geographical areas

The Historical list

• Districy of Tur-Abdin

• District of Iraq

• District of Persia

Communities in the 20th and 21st Century

India:

• Kandanad: a town in the northeastern part of Malabar, in India.

• Malabar: A territory in southwest India, on the coast of the Indian Ocean; it includes the provinces of Travancore and Cochin.

Other Distircts:

• Adana

• Ahmadi: A village in the district of Savur north of Mardin.

• Akhlat

• Akko

• Agel: a small town north of Diyarbakir.

• Aleppo (Berrhoea)

• Amasya: a town fifty miles south of Samsun, on the bank of Yesil Irmak.

• Amid (Diyarbakir): an ancient fortified city, virtually surrounded by the Tigris.

• Anazarbus

• Antioch

• Apamea: once a large city northeast of Hama, it is now in ruins and is called Qal'at al-Madiq.

• Aprah 

• Aksaray: a town sixty miles northeast of Konya.

• Arabissus 

• 'Arbàn: a town on the west bank of the Khabur River in al-Jazira, opposite al-'Ajjaja.

• Arnes: A village presently called Bağlarbaşı located in the district of Medyāt in the province of Mardin.

• Arsamosata a village in the vicinity of Diyarbakir which was populated by Syriacs. It was destroyed in World War I.

• 'Arqa: a town, formerly west of Melitene; still inhabited.

• Arzenjàn: a town southwest of the province of Erzurum. The natives call it Erzincan.

• Arzun: a large city, formerly northwest of Se'ert. Its ruins can still be seen.

• Athàrb: a citadel between Aleppo and Antioch, some three leagues distant from Aleppo. It no longer exists.

• 'Ayn Dàbà: a town in the district of Antioch whose location is unknown; birthplace of the learned Jacob of Edessa.

• 'Ayn Zarba (Anàzarba): a town in Cilicia, on the river Jijan. Today it is a small village called Anàzura.

• Azekh: a large ancient village in the province of Bazabdi (Beth Zabdai), about seven hours journey from Jazirat Ibn Umar. It is inhabited by Syriacs and was attached during Sayfo genocide events.

• Azerbayjan: a vast territory whose boundaries extended from the Caspian Sea in the east to Lake Van in the west.

• in the province of Mardin.

• Ba'albak (Heliopolis)

• Badlis (Bitlis): a town near Khalät, southeast of Lake Van.

• Bagdashiyya: a village near Kafrtüt, in the province of Mardin.

• Bäls (Bälsh): A town in Syria between Aleppo and al-Raqqa, known in antiquity as Perpalisos, it is now called Maskana.

• Baltan: an extinct village in the province of Josya, seven hours journey south of Horns.

• Banābīl: A small village situated 8 kilometrs east of Mardin. The village takes its name from the Byzantine fortress of Benabelon. Nowday the village is called Bulbul

• Bäqüfä: a village in the mountains of Lebanon.

• Bati

• Batnän: an ancient town, formerly located near Sarug.

• Beth 'Andarki: A small village today called Yerköy located east of Nusaybin in the province of Mardin

• Beth Bätin: an extinct town outside Harran.

• Beth Balesh 

• Brahīmiya: A village south east of Mardin and close to Tel Arman.

• Bushayriyya: a town two day journey north of Diyarbakir.

• Busra: a small town in Hauran, now called Eski Sham.

• Caesarea: a town southeast of Ankara, known today as Kayseri.

• Cercesium

• Cyprus: A group of merchants from Mosul settled there and established a diocese 

• Cyrrhus 

• Cyzicus: an ancient city on the Sea of Marmara, destroyed by an earthquake in 943.

• Damascus

• Dara: a town situated at the foot of the mountain between Nisibin and Mardin. Built in 506, it remained a seat of Syriac bishops until the middle of the twelfth century. Today it is an insignificant village.

• Dawlu: a small town northwest of Mersin.

• Ḍay‛ah al-Qāḍiyah: 

• Dayr Elijah (Dayr Heliya): A farm about 3 km south of Mardin, at the foot of the mountain of Mardin. It was named after the prophet Elijah, because of a church in it bearing the name of this prophet. Today it is called CJiftlik in Turkish.

• Dayr Habil: a village in the province of Se'ert, which I do not believe is inhabited.

• Duluk (Doliche): a small town in the province of Aleppo, twelve miles from Samosata.

• Dunaysar: situated south of Mardin, Dunaysar was a large town in the thirteenth century. Today it is a small village, called Koc Hisar, near Tell al-Arman.

• Esfes: A village nowadays called Yarbasi, located in the district of Idil in the province of Sirnak.

• Farzman: an ancient town north of Biricik on the river Farzman, a tributary of the Euphrates called Marziman.

• Fayruza: a village north of Horns, heavily populated by Syriacs.

• Gabbul: a town north of Aleppo, near the Euphrates, from which salt was brought to the province of Aleppo.

• Gargar: An ancient citadel and town near Melitene, between Samosata and Hisn Ziyad, west of the Euphrates

• Gazarta

• Gishra 

• Gubos

• Gurgan

• Habsus: A village currently called Mercimekli located in the district of Medyāt in the province of Mardin.

• Hadath

• Halhal: A village located in the district of Hazrō in the province of Diyarbakir.

• Hafar: a village in the province of Homs, an hour journey south of Sadad.

• Hamah

• Haniki: A small village located in the district of Nusaybin in the province of Mardin.

• Harkel: an ancient town in Palestine, whose location is unknown.

• Hardin: a village in the Batrun in Lebanon, six hours journey from Tripoli.

• Harin: A village located about 5 milies south of Mardin

• Harinkie 

• Harran: once a great city, a day's journey south from Edessa but now is a small village.

• Hattakh: a citadel and a small town north of Miyapharqin, in the Sufniyyin province; popularly called Antakh.

• Hauran

• Herrin: a village south of Mardin.

• Hidl: a village of Bazabdi, above Isfes.

• Hisn Batriq: a town formerly located between Aleppo and al- Raqqa.

• Hisn Kifa: a town and a great citadel overlooking the Tigris, between Amid and Jazirat Ibn 'Umar. Once the capital of a branch of the Ayyubid state until the beginning of the sixteenth century, it is now a small village.

• Hisn Mansur: a town north of Samosata on the west bank of the Euphrates; also called Adyaman.

• Hisn Ziyad: the town of Kharput in Armenia, between Amid and Melitene. Its people moved to the nearby new town of Ma'murat al-'Aziz.

• Homs (Emesa)

• Irqa: a town on the seashore between Raphina and Tripoli, about four leagues from the latter city.

• Ironpolis

• Isfes: a village in the province of Bazabdi, one hour journey from Azekh.

• Jarabulus: the ancient Europa, a town west of the Euphrates and north of Mabug (in Syria).

• Jazira, Upper (Diyar Rabi'a): a district between the rivers Khabur and Tigris. In ancient times it was the abode of the bani Taghlib, a large Arab tribe which was Syriac Orthodox and remained Christian until the tenth century. One of its members is the famous poet Ghiyath Ibn Ghawth, nicknamed al-Akhtal (c. 710). It became desolate in the fourteenth century, but was resettled about 1921. New towns such as Hasaka, Qamishli and others were built in it. It is presently called Cizre

• Jazirat Ibn 'Umar: a town between Mosul and Diyarbakir, in a deep valley on the west bank of the Tigris.

• Jerusalem

• Josya: a district about six leagues from Homs, towards Damascus, situated between the mountains of Lebanon and Sinnir. Today it is a small village, recently built near the ruins of ancient Josya.

• Jubas: a ruined city near Melitene.

• Julmarek: Is a city in the Hikkary mountain

• Ka'bya:

• Keferfayo: A small village nowadays called Güngören and is located east of Midyāt, in the province of Mardin.

• Kafro Shma'a:

• Kafr Hawwar: a village in the province of Tripoli.

• Kafr Tab: an ancient town in the Mu'attasha desert between Ma'arrat al-Nu'man and Aleppo.

• Kafr Tibna: an ancient village near Harran.

• Kafrtut: a town between Dara and Rish 'Ayna, southwest of Mardin; now only a village.

• Kaniq: A village in the province of Nisibin; it is called Qaniq in Syriac.

• Karkar (Gargar): an ancient citadel and town near Melitene, between Samosata and Hisn Ziyad, west of the Euphrates.

• Karkh Slukh: present city of Kirkuk, in Iraq.

• Karsabak

• Kesum: an ancient town in the province of Samosata, between Aleppo and Edessa. It also had a citadel.

• Khabara': a large territory containing many towns, extending between Rish 'Ayna and the Euphrates on the banks of the Khabur in al-Jazira, from which it derived its name. Among its ancient towns are Qarqisiyya, Macine, Majdal and 'Arban.

• Kharbut

• Kharshana: a town near Melitene.

• Killiz (Kilis): a town in the northern part of the province of Aleppo.

• Kishir: a village in the province of Antioch, birthplace of the Syriac poet Simon the Potter (514).

• Klaybin: a village about seven hours' distance south of Mardin, heavily populated by Syriacs in the sixteenth century.

• Kondar: perhaps Kandiri, north of Ismit, near the Black Sea.

• Konya: a city in central Anatolia, south of Ankara.

• Kornasha: a village in the district of Ba'arbaya adjacent to the Izla Mountain.

• Laqabin: an ancient town in the province of Melitene.

• Latakia (Laodicea)

• Maʿarre 

• Ma'dan: A town in the vicinity of Sherwan, in the province of Se'ert; now a village.

• Ma'sarte: A village six hours' journey north of Mardin.

• Majdal: An ancient town near the river Khabur, below Rish 'Ayna. Yaqut al-Hamawi mentions a contemporary poet from this village.

• Manazgird (Manzikert) : Now called Malazgirt, a town north of Lake Van.

• Mabug: once a large town in the northeastern part of the province of Aleppo, three leagues from the Euphrates. Today it is a small town.

• Mansuriyya: a village northwest of Mardin. It was attacked during Sayfo genocide events in 1915

• Mar'ash: the ancient Germanicia, north of Aleppo and south of Sivas. [Modern name, Kahramanmaraj. (tr.)]

• Mardin

• Mari: A village in Ṭūr‛Abdīn located in the district of Nusaybin in the province of Mardin.

• Maskanah

• Masquq

• Massisa: a town on the Jijan, just east of Adana.

• Mayuma: an ancient port on the Mediterranean, near Gazza.

• Mazr'ah

• Melitene [Malatya]: a city in the province of Ma'murat al-'Aziz, near the Euphrates. In the past it was large and famous. It was one of the largest centers of the Syriacs, who in 1049 had fifty six churches there. It was also the birthplace of a number of Syriac learned men. Today it is a small town. 

• Medras: 

• Mesti: A village located in the district of Dargecit in the province of Mardin.

• Miyapharqin: once the most famous city in the northeastern part of the province of Diyarbakir, now a small town.

• Mopsuestia

• Mor Muse

• Najran: an ancient city in northeastern Yaman.

• Niksar: a town in Turkey, northeast of Tokat.

• Nisibin: a town in the Jazira, five days' journey from Mosul; today it is a small town. Nisibin is also the name of a village on the west bank of the Euphrates, west of Biricik, formerly known as the Byzantine Nisibin. [Modern name, Nusaybin. (tr.)]

• Orim: a ruined town on the Euphrates, near Samosata.

• Paneas

• Qal'at al-Imra'a: a village north of Mardin, on the way to the Za'faran Monastery.

• Qal'at al-Rum: an ancient fortified citadel and town west of the Euphrates, opposite al-Bira. The name of the citadel was Zughma.

• Qala'a d Atto: A village 5 kilometers north of Mardin, on the way to Dayr al-Za‘farān.

• Qalinqala

• Qallisura: an ancient town in the vicinity of Melitene.

• Qaluq: a town in the province of al-Sawr, populated by Syriacs until the middle of the seventeenth century.

• Qarabash: 

• Qar Shar (Qir Shar): a town southeast of Ankara.

• Qardo

• Qarikara: a village in the province of Melitene. Master Saliba Qarikari (d. 1164) is thought to have come from there.

• Qarqisun (Qarqisyya): a town near the place where the Khabur joins the Euphrates; it no longer exists. On its site lies the village of Abu Saray (Busayra).

• Qaryatayn, al-: a small town in the province of Horns, about ten day journey from there on the way to the desert between Sukhna and Arak.

• Qawartam: a village on the Euphrates, the birthplace of Jacob of Sarug (d. 521).

• Qawim: a village in the vicinity of Mardin, inhabited until 1635. 

• Qellith: a big village about a day's journey north from Mardin, heavily populated by Syrians.

• Qenneshrin: a district and a town between Aleppo and Horns; no longer in existence.

• Qlaudia (Claudia): a citadel near Melitene, destroyed and rebuilt by al-Hasan Ibn Quhtuba in 141 A.H. Around the citadel was built a town bearing the same name, but it was laid to ruin after the thirteenth century.

• Qlesura

• Qusur (al-Kawliyya): a village about two hours journey south of Mardin, heavily populated by Syriacs.

• Qutrubul: a town on the Tigris, opposite the city of Diyarbakr. Its Syriac population left it in 1928.

• Ra'ban: a town between Aleppo and Samosata, near the Euphrates, no longer in existence

• Raqqa: the ancient Callinicus, it was a big city near the Euphrates. Today it is a small town, more nearly a village.

• Rish 'Ayna: a town located at the source of the river Khabur in the Jazira. It was settled in the thirteenth century, but was laid waste in 1869. It was later resettled by a Circassian tribe and then by Syriacs and Armenians, who built churches in it.

• Romaniya: a village in the Sawar district, populated by Syriacs until the end of the sixteenth century.

• Rudwan: a village northeast of Hisn Kifa.

• Ruhin: a village near Antioch.

• Sadad: an old, small town southeast of Horns, about one day journey from Damascus.

• Salahiyya: a town east of Yarbuz in the Adana province.

• Salamiyya (Salamya): a town southeast of Hama, toward the desert.

• Salihiyya: a large village which was situated in the Ghuta of Damascus, at the foot of Qasyun Mountain. It has now become part of Damascus.

• Salihiyya: a village near Edessa, established by 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Salih al-Hashimi. Al-Khalidi states that it was near al-Raqqa, near Batyas and the Monastery of Mar Zakka. The first person to build palaces there was the Abbasid Caliph al-Mahdi.

• Samando (Simando): a town in central Anatolia.

• Samosata: a city in the Roman territory on the Euphrates. To its east lies Balu and to its west Kharput, contiguous to Armenia.

• Samosata: a town on the Euphrates, north of Edessa.

• Sandun: 

• Sarug: a small town in the Mudar territory, between Harran and Jarabulus. [Modern name, Suruc (tr.)]

• Sawr: a town and citadel about one day journey northeast from Mardin. [Modern name, Savur. (tr.)]

• Sari Awastir (Tur-Abdin)

• Se'ert: a town south of Bedlis. [Modern name, Siirt. (tr.)]

• Seleucia Pieria 

• Semqa (Semqe): a village two hours journey northeast of Diyarbakr. It may be the village called Summaqli.

• Sergiopolis (Resafa)

• Sermin: a small town in the province of Aleppo.

• Sidos: a village in the Manazgird [Malazgirt] territory

• Sijistan: a vast territory, ten days' journey south of Herat.

• Sis

• Shaizar

• Sozopolis: a town in Pisidia in Asia Minor, west of Konya, no longer in existence.

• Swayrik: a town in Karkar, about two days journey southwest of Diyarbakir. It may be Sibaberk.

• Tadmor (Palmyra)

• Tarsus

• Tell Arsenius: on the Euphrates, near Kharput.

• Tell Bashir

• Tell Batriq: a town formerly in Roman territory, one of many which formed the line of fortification between Roman and Muslim territories near Melitene.

• Tell Bashme

• Tell Mahre: a small town between Hisn Maslama Ibn 'Abd al- Malik and al-Raqqa, now called Tell al-Manakhir.

• Tell Qbab: a village near Mardin; it had a substantial population in the thirteenth century.

• Talbsam (Talbsma): a town in the district of Rabi'a, later Shabakhtan, northwest of Mardin.

• Tell d'Mauzalath (Mawzan): once a flourishing town between Mardin and Edessa, about two leagues from Mardin. Today it is a small village called Wayran Shahr.

• Tiflis: an old city in Georgia, in Russia.

• Tinnis: an ancient city southwest of Port Sa'Id, ruined in 1227.

• Tripoli

• 'Urbish: a big village in Karkar, inhabited by Syriacs until recent times.

• Urhai (Edessa): a famous city, five day journey eastward from Aleppo, now called Urfa.

• Wanik: a village in the province of Karkar, also called Dayr Abu Ghalib

• Wastan

• Zarjal: a large village in al-Bushayriyya, in the province of Diyarbakir.

• Zeugma

• Zuptara

Sources: 

1. Patriarch Ignatius Aphram I Barsoum (2003), The Scattered Pearls, A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences, Translated and Edited by Matti Moosa, New Jersey

2. Fiey, Jean Maurice (1993), Pour un Oriens Christianus Novus: Répertoire des diocèses syriaques orientaux et occidentaux, Beirut

3. Wilmshurst, David (Tr.) (2016), Bar Hebraeus The Ecclesiastical Chronicle, Maphrian of the Syriac Orthodox Church, New Jersey.

4. Bedrosian, Robert (Tr.) (2013), Chronicle of Michael the Great, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, New Jersey

5. Bcheiry, Iskandar (2010), Collection of Historical Documents in Relation With the Syriac Orthodox Community in the Late Period of the Ottoman Empire: The Register of Mardin MS 1006, New Jersey.

6. Bcheiry, Iskandar (2010), A List of Syriac Orthodox Ecclesiastic Ordinations from the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century: The Syriac Manuscript of Hunt 444 (Syr 68 in Bodleian Librry, Oxford) , New Jersey.

7. Bcheiry, Iskandar (2009), The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Register of Dues of 1870. An Unpublished Historical Document from the Late Ottoman Period, New Jersey.

8. Jongerden, Joost and Verheij, Jelle (Ed.) (2012), Social Relations in Ottoma Diyarbekir, 1870-1915, Leiden.