MONASTERY
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
Mardin · Syriac Orthodox
- Locality
- Mardin
- Tradition
- Syriac Orthodox
- Type of place
- MONASTERY
- Coordinates
- 37.29928° N, 40.79258° E
- Identity
- Matched to a public listing
A brief history
Known in Syriac as Mor Hananyo and in English as the Saffron Monastery, Deyrulzafaran lies about three kilometres east of Mardin in Tur Abdin. From 1166 until 1932 it was the patriarchal see of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, and fifty-three patriarchs and metropolitans are buried in its chambers. The site began as a temple to the Assyrian sun god Shamash and became a monastery in the Christian era. It was attacked repeatedly over the centuries and many of its manuscripts and artworks were destroyed, but the monastery survived and has an abbot today.
Saints & traditions
The English name has nothing to do with the spice. The monastery is called the Saffron Monastery for the yellow tint of its outer walls.