Monastery information | |
---|---|
Other names | Dayro d-Mor Hananyo |
Order | Syriac Orthodox Church |
Established | 493 |
Dedicated to | Mor Hananyo |
Controlled churches | Church of the Mother of God, Beth Kadishe |
People | |
Founder(s) | Mor Shlemon |
Site | |
Location | Near Mardin, Turkey |
Coordinates | 37°17′58″N 40°47′33″E / 37.29944°N 40.79250°E |
Dayro d-Mor Hananyo (Turkish: Daryülzafaran Manastırı, Syriac: ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܚܢܢܝܐ; The Monastery of St. Ananias, Kurdish: Dêra Zehferanê) is an important Syriac Orthodox monastery. The monastery is located in the Syriac cultural region known as Tur Abdin, and is located three kilometers south east of Mardin, Turkey.
It is usually better known by its nickname, the 'Saffron Monastery' (Syriac: ܕܝܪܐ ܕܟܘܪܟܡܐ, Dairo d-Kurkmo; Arabic: دير الزعفران, Dairu 'l-Za‘farān) which is derived from the warm color of its stone.
Dayro d-Mor Hananyo is located on the site of a temple dedicated to the Assyrian sun god Shamash, which was then converted into a citadel by the Romans. After the Romans withdrew from the fortress, Mor Shlemon transformed it into a monastery in 493 AD. In 793 the monastery was renovated after a period of decline by the Bishop of Mardin and Kfartuta, Mor Hananyo, who gave the monastery its current name.
The monastery was later abandoned and re-founded by the bishop of Mardin, John, who carried out important renovations and moved the see of the Syriac Orthodox Church here before his death on the 12th of July 1165. Therefore, From 1160 until 1932 it was the official seat of the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, after which it was moved to Damascus. However, The Patriarchal throne and many relics are still located in the Monastery, as well as the Tombs of various Patriarchs.