Monastery of Our Lady of Saidnaya
The Monastery of Our Lady of Saidnaya ( Arabic دير سيدة صيدنايا البطريركي) or Sardeneye is a Greek Orthodox monastery in Sednaya, Syria . It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world. It is worn by a religious order of women.
The monastery with an icon of Mary is dedicated to the evangelist Luke . It is an important pilgrimage site for both Christians and Muslims .
The main chapel contains several images and several wooden iconostases . The pilgrimage shrine is separated from the main chapel. The image called Schaghura , meaning “the famous”, is kept locked in an ornate niche with a silver door, while on each side of it there are a number of younger icons. Numerous hand-cut silver crosses and other religious votive offerings from pilgrims are displayed on the walls.
Tradition has it that the monastery was built in 547 under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I , after having previously had two apparitions of Mary - one indicated where the church was to be built, the other described the appearance. Justinian I dedicated the building to the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary , and since then, every year on September 8th, both Muslim and Christian pilgrims have come to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Saidnaya.
The monastery of Our Lady of Saidnaya, which is historically extremely valuable today, was severely damaged in the course of the Syrian civil war .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Paul D. Garrett, Kathleen A. Purpura: Frank Maria: A Search for Justice and Peace in the Middle East . AuthorHouse, 2007, ISBN 978-1-4343-0000-3 .
- ↑ Ivan Mannheim: Syria & Lebanon Handbook: The Travel Guide . Footprint Travel Guides, 2001, ISBN 978-1-900949-90-3 .
- ^ Damage to the soul: Syria's cultural heritage in conflict
Coordinates: 33 ° 41 ′ 57.3 " N , 36 ° 22 ′ 30.6" E