Maaloula is a Syrian town located 50Km North of Damascus. It is situated at an altitude of more than 1500 meters and is considered the most important Christian site in Syria and one of the very few remaining villages in the world that still speak Aramaic. Maaloula is a town where the language of Jesus Christ lives on, and is of utter importance to the Christians in the whole world and an important souce for anthropological linguistic studies regarding first century Aramaic. It is also listed as an Unesco World Heritage Site.
The two important monastries in Maaloula are Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla. Mar Sarkis is a Greek Catholic Monastery while Mar Taqla is Greek Orthodox.
Mar Sarkis Monastery was built in the 4th century on the remains of a pegan temple. It was named after Saint Sarkis (Saint Sergius), a Syrian horseman who fell in the reign of King Maximanus in 297. It has one of the two oldest icons in the world, one depicting the Last Supper. The Saint Sergius Chapel has architectural elements which go back to the Byzantine era and have been built before the Council of Nicaea in 325. On the plateau behind the church, there are also remains of ancient rock-cut tombs.
Mar Taqla Monastery holds the remains of Saint Taqla, daughter of Selucid Princes, and pupil of Saint Paul. According to some legends, Taqla was being pursued by soldiers of her father to capture her because of her Christian faith. She came upon a mountain, and after praying, the mountain split open and let her escape through. Of course there are many variations to this story. The monastery is visited by both Christians and Muslims to gain blessings and make offerings. St. Taqla is believed to be buried in the mountain just above the monastery.
In addition to those, there are two parish churches in the villages, one of Saint Elias where you can find a fourth century mosaic. Moreover, Maaloula has three major festivals during the year, the Holy Cross Festival on September 14; the Festival of Mar Takla on September 22; and the festival of Mar Sarkis on October 7. Hundreds of visitors attend these celebrations and they enjoy some of the most imaginative festivals in the whole of Syria.
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